Our 50+ Best Dinner Recipes of All Time (2024)

Mom's Chicken Pot Pie

This family recipe for chicken pot pie is creamy, cozy, and comforting! Using a store-bought pie crust is a smart shortcut that makes this pot pie easy enough for weeknight dinners.

World's Best Lasagna

Just how popular is this top-rated lasagna? It's garnered more than 19,000 ratings and 20,000 reviews! The secret to this 5-star recipe is the delectable, slow-simmering meat sauce and three kinds of cheese. This is a perfect recipe to make on a weekend when you'll have time to simmer the sauce so the flavors can bloom.

Scott Hibb's Amazing Whisky Grilled Baby Back Ribs

Scott Hibb's amazing whiskey grilled baby back ribs are a treat that any barbecue lover will enjoy. When your guests bite into these mouthwatering ribs, they'll savor meat so tender and juicy that it slides right off the bone.

Cajun Seafood Pasta

This Cajun seafood pasta recipe is a hot one, but delicious! And, you can easily adjust the spices to suit your taste. It can be prepared either in a skillet or in a casserole dish and placed under the broiler until the top turns golden brown.

Garlic-Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

You've got to try these garlic-brown sugar chicken thighs. The crunchy chicken skin and brown sugar pan sauce from this recipe are a winning combination.

Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Simple and easy grilled shrimp! This marinade is super flavorful — full of spice, a touch of sweet, and refreshing lemon. Savory and superb!

Creamy Herbed Pork Chops

Delicious and easy-to-make pork chops with a creamy pan sauce! Pan-fry in butter and savory spices for the perfect tender and flavorful pork chop.

Bacon-Ranch Chicken Enchiladas

Add a zesty twist of ranch and bacon to your enchiladas for a perfect weeknight dinner! These enchiladas don't claim to be authentic, but they are absolutely delicious!

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

Cabbage, red bell pepper, and beef combine beautifully with soy sauce and garlic for a simple, but flavorful dish. Serve over a bed of steamed rice.

My Chicken Parmesan

This epic chicken Parmesan is one for the books! Use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts for the perfect portion sizes, and bake over a bed of tomato-coated angel hair with ooey gooey cheese on top. Serve with garlic bread and enjoy!

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb

Lamb is intimidating and pricey, but if you want to impress someone with a fancier meal, this rack of lamb recipe will definitely please the crowd. The mixture of Dijon mustard, herbs de Provence, and chopped pistachios creates crunch and irresistible flavor.

Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce

"[This] tastes just like the Tikka Masala from our favorite Indian restaurant, we are in love," says community member Stephicus. "And it really is surprisingly simple! Because there are so many; the ingredient list may look daunting to the novice, but the directions are so simple and direct that it should be no problem."

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Herb-Garlic-Pepper Coating

"Thanks for this awesome recipe," says community member MaryD. "So far I have made it twice. The first time was for Mother's Day. The wet rub is fabulous and came out wonderfully. The really great thing about this recipe is the fool-proof grilling directions. Follow them precisely and you will not be disappointed."

Chef John's Baked Mushroom Risotto

If you've never made risotto before, this recipe is a great place to start since it's easier than the standard risotto recipe. It's ultra-creamy, comforting, and tastes just like risotto made on the stovetop.

Veracruz-Style Red Snapper

Give snapper (or any flaky, white fish) a major kick with fresh herbs and delightfully acidic capers. It looks complicated, but it's actually simple and comes together in just 40 minutes.

Chef John's Coq Au Vin

Want to make a pack of chicken thighs really shine? Make this classic French dish and blow away the dinner table. The red wine glaze gives the chicken and mushrooms an acidic sweetness that pairs well with roasted vegetables or a salad.

Pork Carnitas

Carnitas are so easy to prepare that they belong in your meal rotation, and this recipe delivers on flavor. You can easily adjust this to work with a different cut of pork or make it in the slow cooker.

Blackened Tuna Steaks with Mango Salsa

"My family loves fresh tuna but we don't get it very often. This was a very tasty way to prepare fresh tuna," says community member EOUGH. "The salsa was zippy and went well with the tuna. The whole family really enjoyed this. Make sure to use a flipper to flip your fish in the pan rather than tongs so it doesn't fall apart."

Cedar Planked Salmon

Salmon reaches its full potential when it's grilled on top of a cedar plank, and this cedar planked salmon recipe does not disappoint. If you don't have a grill, you can make it in the oven at 350 degrees F.

Quick and Easy Paella

If you want to learn how to make paella, this gateway recipe by Chef John is a good place to start. Once you're comfortable with the method, try adding additional forms of protein. Be sure to save your shrimp shells, because they're the key to making a flavorful broth.

Four Cheese Margherita Pizza

Light on the ingredients but packed with savory flavor, this easy pizza gets a nice salinity and creaminess thanks to the addition of feta cheese. To really make those tomatoes pop, marinate them in the olive oil, salt, and garlic mixture for an hour.

How to Cook Trout

This might just be our simplest fish recipe in Allrecipes history. With a handful of staple ingredients, a sheet pan, and 25 minutes, you can easily put together an incredible fish dinner.

Turkish Chicken Kebabs

For this recipe, the secret's in the sauce — well, marinade. A combination of Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, spices, and ketchup guarantees outstanding flavor, even if you're not an experienced griller. The chicken comes out juicy and succulent, and the cooking process is simple.

Chef John's Brazilian Fish Stew

This recipe is written around sea bass, but any flaky white fish, such as halibut, haddock, or even catfish will work in this flavorful stew. It's impressive, but comes together in just about 30 minutes.

Chef John's Stuffed Peppers

"Although I've been using allrecipes for over 10 years, I've never found a recipe that I've enjoyed so much that I would join just to rate it, until now," says community member Tastebuddy. "I am 50 plus years old and have been addicted to stuffed cabbage and peppers for most of my life. NONE have even come close to this one!"

Southern-Style Oven-Fried Catfish

"This recipe was just What I needed to make my baked catfish good," says Allrecipes member Sean C. "Followed directions exactly and the family enjoyed tremendously. I will make it again and again."

Chicken Chimichangas with Sour Cream Sauce

Prep a big batch of the chicken ahead of time and you'll have some effortless dinners in your future. You can also make these with an air fryer or the convection setting on your oven for a little less mess.

Baked Ziti I

This is a flexible and forgiving baked ziti recipe that'll work with sausage, ground turkey, ricotta, and cottage cheese. It's also great without the meat, so you can easily adapt it to suit a vegetarian diet.

Chef John's Italian Meatballs

Meatballs are already pretty easy, but this recipe, which utilizes the oven instead of a frying pan, is even more seamless. To really take them over the top, simmer them in your favorite tomato sauce for 1-2 hours after they come out of the oven.

Chef John's Beans and Greens

Escarole and cannellini beans are the base for this hearty, nutritious, and affordable meal. If you don't have anchovies on hand, try using some leftover ham or a strip of bacon with the fatty parts removed.

Quick Chicken Piccata

This foolproof chicken piccata is just waiting to hit your dinner plate. It has a lovely, slightly acidic flavor from the capers, lemon, juice, and white wine that ultimately helps the buttery poultry sing even more. Serve over your favorite pasta, or angel hair.

Beef Bulgogi

"Okay I'm that guy who is just starting to cook....I'm still pretty bad, no lie," says community member tbender36. "But when I made this dish last night, I felt like a chef. This was the best thing I've ever made and words cannot describe how delicious this was. There's no way you can screw this up unless you cook the London broil too long or don't slice it thin enough."

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

Hearty and satisfying, this simple recipe comes together in 45 minutes and only requires 10 ingredients (two of which are olive oil and salt). The cream sauce helps balance out the savory notes and grease from the sausage.

Chef John's Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce

This pasta takes 20 minutes total, and the only prep work required is mashing your garlic and chopping some herbs. "This is too quick and too easy to taste this good," says community member Amanda Becker. "This recipe is going into our rotation."

Best Ever Meat Loaf

"This was absolutely the best meatloaf I have ever made, or had for that matter, in my life," says community member Donna. "I highly recommend it. The savory sweet glaze is fantastic!"

Baked Spaghetti

If you think pasta can't get more comforting, then you haven't tasted a spaghetti bake like this. The addition of eggs, cheese, and butter takes everything up a notch, and the dish is the perfect size for a group.

General Tsao's Chicken II

"Don't be fooled by other General Tsao impostors: this is simply the best Chinese chicken you will ever have," says creator ChefDaddy. "With a flair of peanut oil, a streak of sesame, a dash of orange, and a sweet spot for hot, this is sure to be a favorite. Just don't forget to deep-fry twice!"

Cindy's Jambalaya

This one-pot jambalaya recipe is so easy, and works well with other ingredients — so feel free to add whatever meat or seafood you want. Community member Mike recommends sautéing the rice until it's white before adding the wet ingredients to make the rice "grain for grain."

Homemade Pho

"A slightly lengthy process but outstanding and easy," says one Allrecipes member. Could not get star anise — I used authentic Thai basil as a garnish adds plenty of the anise flavor. I use thin sliced flank across the grain for extra tender meat."

Oven Pot Roast

"I've never had much success with making roasts. They always end up tough and hard to cut," says community member Kim Toth Smiley. "This recipe was so easy, and everyone in the house LOVED it and raved over it. Out of 5 people, there are no leftovers."

Simple Garlic Shrimp

This simple shrimp recipe gets lots of flavor from garlic, caper brine, and lemon juice. For best possible results, go ahead and set out everything you need before you start cooking. This way, you won't overcook the shrimp.

Braised Corned Beef Brisket

You've never had corned beef like this — slowly braising the beef makes it tender and flavorful, and gives it a nice caramelized exterior. Serve it with veggies like colcannon, carrots, cabbage wedges, and parsnips for a rounded out meal.

Millie Pasquinelli's Fried Chicken

"This is the best fried chicken recipe ever," says community member BAKINGBETTY88. "With simple ingredients, the chicken turns out golden brown and crunchy. And it works great on all pieces of chicken, drumsticks included!" For best results, let the chicken sit a few minutes before re-flouring.

Chef John's Classic Beef Stroganoff

This hearty recipe was written for chuck roast, but it's also great (and much more affordable) using stew meat. If you can't find creme fraiche, sour cream will work just as well.

Chef John's Red Beans and Rice

This red beans and rice recipe is comfort food at its finest. Using chicken broth instead of water gives the beans an even better flavor. If you don't eat or care for pork, chicken andouille sausage will also work.

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

This chicken thigh recipe proves that less is more — seriously, it only requires three ingredients, and you definitely already have them in your kitchen. Feel free to play around and add more spices, since the key to this recipe is its technique.

Spinach and Feta Pita Bake

This is one of those meals for when the kids are in the kitchen or you just don't feel like cooking. All you have to do is assemble, bake, and enjoy. Sun-dried tomato pesto is usually right next to the basil pesto at the store and adds a huge degree or flavor.

Pico de Gallo Chicken Quesadillas

You'll have to chop a few veggies to make the pico de gallo, but it's absolutely worth the bright flavor it brings to the chicken. Assemble the pico de gallo ahead of time for a super speedy dinner.

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

"This is absolutely delicious!! My husband would eat Thai food EVERY day if he could," says community member Heidi. "I've always been so intimidated to try cooking Thai cuisine, but, Chef John made this so easy."

Mississippi Roast - Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Pot Roast

There's pot roast, and then there's Mississippi pot roast, which gets a slightly acidic and heated flavor from pepperoncinis. This recipe only requires 5 ingredients, and just needs to spend a day in the slow cooker — it doesn't get much simpler than this.

A Scotsman's Shepherd Pie

Creator Larry Short gives shepherd's pie a flavorful twist by adding a Scottish touch. It's a distinct take on comfort food, but it's still familiar enough to prepare on a Sunday evening.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

This fish dinner is so quick and easy (seriously, it comes together in just 15 minutes) that we wouldn't blame you for making it multiple times a week. The Parmesan and seasonings add some zing to delicate tilapia.

Perfect Baked Jerk Chicken

"Great recipe!" raves home cook Ken. I"’ve used it several times, and my family loves it. The only problem is there’s never any leftovers for lunch the next day."

Arroz Con Pollo

"I grew up on Gramma's Arroz con Pollo (or with chorizo) and this recipe is by far the best I've used," shares reviewer Bill. "I double the rice and spices because my kids cannot get enough of it. I also add chorizo to the pot since I love that, too. I've made this dozens of times!"

Creamy White Chili

To take this creamy white chicken chili over the top, serve each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and fresh jalapeno slices for a little heat. Tortilla chips add welcome crunch, if you have them on hand.

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