Mondays can be a draining day and often the last thing you want to worry about is what you are going to cook for dinner on a Monday night.
When we think about healthy, nutritious dinners we imagine dishes that take some time to prepare and even longer to cook but what if I told you that there were hundreds of recipes that would help you to prepare a delicious homely dinner in less than 30 minutes?
This guide of 22 easy Monday night dinner ideas is sure to feature a recipe that you will love and that will make Monday dinners an easier meal for you.
This guide features super fast recipes with vegetarian options, gluten-free options as well as a choice of cuisines.
Whether you are feeding a family or making food for one, these recipes will take the stress of feeding yourself and others at the start of a new week, making your Monday nights easier.
22 Easy Monday Night Dinner Ideas
5-Ingredient Dump-and-Bake Meatball Subs
- Total Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
- Serves: 4
This crowd-pleaser can be made in the oven or in a slow cooker and does exactly what it says on the label.
When using a slow cooker or crockpot note that timings will differ and the quickest method is to cook this meal using an oven. Top the meatballs with your favorite cheese and enjoy!
This recipe can be adjusted for more or fewer people, depending on how many you are making these tasty subs for.
Easy Pizza Quesadilla
- Total Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- Serves: 1
This recipe makes one easy pizza quesadilla but if you need more you can repeat the recipe for each additional quesadilla you need.
Taking only ten minutes to make this is a simple and super fast recipe making it ideal for any dinner disasters to step in and save the day.
You can add vegetables, like onion and peppers, or your favorite pizza toppings to suit your desired taste.
Sweet And Sour Cauliflower
- Total Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Serves: 2
Vegan, gluten-free, and budget-friendly – what’s not to like about this Asian-inspired simple recipe?
This recipe is a great way to get nutritious vegetables into you and your family’s diet and you can also add chicken to this recipe if you do not follow a meat-free diet.
Serve with rice, noodles, or an Asian salad to complement the flavors of this meal.
Creamy Vegan Avocado Pasta
- Total Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Serves: 4
A deliciously creamy recipe that takes no time to make. This dish can be enjoyed hot or cold so if there are any leftovers you can enjoy them for lunch the next day, saving you time making dinner and making lunch in one.
Additional vegetables can be added if desired and you can also add cooked chicken, tofu, or fish to this dish for some additional protein.
Parmesan Spinach Mushroom Pasta Skillet
- Total Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Serves: 4
A fool-proof recipe that is the perfect Monday night vegetarian dinner. This simple five-step recipe is easily adapted to suit what you have in your home and whatever your dietary needs or restrictions may be.
This dish can be refrigerated and stored for up to three days but it is best consumed when it is freshly made.
Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 6
The perfect recipe for any Philly cheesesteak fans out there! A quick and easy way to enjoy this classic American meal in the comfort of your own home.
This recipe can be enjoyed with a side serving of chips, fries, salad, or simply alone. Minimal wash-up is guaranteed and the plates are sure to be clear too without any scraps left.
Garlic Butter Chicken
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
This recipe may include wine but you can substitute this for chicken broth to make this dish child friendly. While the delicious chicken cooks in the delicious garlicky sauce you can make your side.
Sides that this dish can be enjoyed with are rice, noodles, on top of a salad or in a chicken sandwich.
Easy Creamy Garlic Penne With Sausage & Spinach
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 6
This quick and easy recipe is perfect for larger families. With only 7 ingredients this meal is also budget friendly, and most ingredients you will have in your pantry already.
The creamy pasta sauce will be loved by all and it is perfectly complemented by the addition of sausage and spinach but you could substitute sausage for any other pork or white meat.
Honey Sesame Chickpea Lettuce Wraps
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
This nutritious vegetarian meal is made from only one fresh ingredient with the other 9 ingredients probably already in your pantry.
The chickpeas are cooked in a glaze similar to a teriyaki sauce and this dish is as healthy as it is tasty.
The bibb lettuce is aesthetically pleasing but is not essential for this meal, you can simply serve the tasty chickpeas on top of rice.
Vegan Curry Ramen
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
A gluten-free and vegan hybrid ramen and curry recipe. This recipe will warm your taste buds and have you reaching for seconds. Deliciously spicy with the creamy sauce made from coconut milk this recipe perfectly blends traditional Japanese and Thai flavors in one pot. Vegetables can be added to help prevent food waste in your home.
Chicken, Rice and Broccoli
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
The perfect meal for batch cooking this chicken, rice, and broccoli recipe is nutritious and fast to make. This recipe will make enough for three meals which can be spread over a number of days or feed a family of 4.
While it may seem a boring dish the chicken is marinated in a glaze that is bursting with flavor.
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
The lazy chef’s perfect recipe! These sheet pan fajitas are ready in as little as 20 minutes and taste amazing.
Simply serve with your choices of toppings, such as cheese, avocado, or sour cream, and whatever is leftover can be refrigerated for the next day.
This recipe is sure to become a part of the dinner rotation in any busy household.
The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Total Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 6
Not only is this recipe quick, but it also includes no nasties!
If you are very stuck for time you could use a canned tomato sauce but this would only knock 10minutes or so off the total cooking time as you will still need to wait for the beef to brown.
This childhood favorite is loved by adults and children alike.
Teriyaki Chicken
- Total Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 4
A delicious gluten-free version of this renowned Japanese dish. This meal is simple to make and is the perfect dinner party meal as well as a quick Monday night dinner.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. It is best to store the rice and vegetables in an airtight container separately from the teriyaki chicken.
This recipe can easily be adapted to suit a vegetarian diet, simply swap the chicken for tofu or vegetables to have the same delicious meal without the meat.
25-Minute High Protein Creamy Taco Soup
- Total Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 16
Yielding a whopping 16 servings this recipe is perfect for larger families as well as batch cooking. Made from canned goods, frozen vegetables, and meat this recipe is also budget-friendly.
Make this dish fun by serving with taco chips, your children will be scooping up delicious vegetables that they normally wouldn’t eat and asking for more.
4-Ingredient Quick and Easy Goulash
- Total Cooking Time: 30minutes
- Serves: 6 to 8
This adaptation of the traditional Hungarian dish is perfect for those colder winter months and sure to warm the souls of those that eat it.
4-ingredient beef goulash is a budget-friendly dish that can be easily put together by anyone with its easy-to-follow recipe.
Creamy Broccoli Mac And Cheese
- Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
A scrumptious vegetarian-friendly version of the family’s favorite dish mac and cheese. This dish is a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables.
This recipe can be made to suit a vegan diet by substituting the dairy products that are used in the sauce for milk substitutes which are readily available in most stores.
This meal is best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated for next-day use.
Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini Pasta (with Meat Sauce)
- Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 8
A modern take on the traditional casserole, this recipe is perfect for batch cooking as it is freezer-friendly.
To save time make sure that you brown the mince while the pasta is cooking, this will help to keep this delicious recipe under 30minutes from the beginning of prep to set on the table and ready to eat.
30-Minute Tuscan White Bean Skillet Recipe
- Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
This wonderfully colorful meal can be used as a quick Monday night dinner or as a way to clear out cans from your pantry. Every bite of this dish is unique with its blend of textures and flavors.
Sun-dried tomatoes are not necessary but do complement the dish nicely. You can freeze or refrigerate any leftovers from this meal, although we doubt there will be any.
Vegetarian Chili Mac
- Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 6
This recipe combines two meals loved in most American homes, mac and cheese and chili. While it may seem a strange combination this recipe is tried and tested and found to be delicious!
This recipe helps save time on the dreaded post-dinner wash-up as it is a one-pot wonder.
Creamy Beef And Shells
- Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4 to 6
The perfect comforting family meal. This dinner is perfect for a rainy Monday and will put a smile back on everyone’s face.
You can make this recipe spicier by adding additional chili powder or fresh chilis in the mix.
It is best to taste this dish as the recipe states before adding additional spice so you know what the original recipe tastes like.
Chicken Parmesan Sliders
- Total Cooking Time: 35 minutes
- Serves: 4 (12 individual mini sandwiches)
While this recipe goes just slightly over the 30 minutes total cooking time we simply had to include it as it is sure to be a family favorite and with only 8 recipes it is also budget friendly.
The prep time for this meal is less than 10minutes so it is still a quick and easy Monday night dinner but it is also the perfect recipe for kid’s parties and family get-togethers.
Conclusion
We hope that you find a number of recipes from the above that can be added to your weekly dinner routine to help alleviate the stress often associated with cooking and deciding what to make.
The 22 recipes listed in this guide can be used any day of the week so all that’s left for you to do is to try a recipe out and enjoy reclaiming time that used to be spent stressing and cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Average Time To Make Dinner And How Long Should It Take?
In the USA, most families eat dinner between 6:00pm and 8:00pm. Years ago dinner time was much earlier, around 5:00pm, but due to work commitments dinner time in most households is now at a later time.
On average most meals take 60 – 90 minutes to prepare and cook which is why it is useful to have a number of quick and easy recipes for evenings when you are short on time or exhausted after a busy day.
What Is The Best Way To Make Dinners To Save Time?
There are different ways that you can save time making dinner each evening. One great way to save time is to batch cook, this is when you make one large dinner that can be eaten over a number of days or frozen for later use.
Another way is to buy pre-cut vegetables to cut down on preparation times.
Most superstores will have a deli counter which will have cooked meat, such as rotisserie chickens, these are another time saving hack as you can serve this chicken straight away with a salad or other side dishes.
If you live in a shared household, sharing cooking duties with your housemates can be a fun way of saving you from cooking every evening as well as being a nice social way to spend time together each evening after a long day at work or school.
What Should A Balanced Dinner Include?
Depending on your dietary requirements and restrictions for most people the recommendation is to include a source of protein, vegetables, grains, and dairy.
If you are vegetarian or vegan you can substitute meat with tofu or meat substitutes so that you are still getting all of the recommended nutrients from your meals.
Grains include oats, rice, bread, and pasta as well as potatoes which may surprise some people. Grains are a great source of nutrients such as vitamins, fibers, and minerals, like iron.
By incorporating protein, vegetables, grains, and dairy into your dinners you will be helping your body while also filling your tummy.
How Do You Freeze Leftovers?
Most leftovers can be frozen if it is frozen immediately after cooking. Meals that have been cooked are the best to freeze, whereas rice-based meals, most pasta-based meals, and fresh produce meals such as salad cannot be frozen.
To freeze your cooked leftovers simply allow the food to fully cool before placing it in an airtight container.
Often wrapping your airtight container in aluminum foil can help preserve the freshness of the frozen food but this is not necessary.
To use the frozen leftovers, leave them to defrost in the refrigerator over 12 hours minimum and consume within 24 hours.
Heat, serve and enjoy but note that you cannot refreeze leftovers from a defrosted meal.
22 Easy Monday Night Dinner Ideas
A guide featuring 22 quick and easy recipes that are sure to make Monday night dinners stress free.
Ingredients
Directions
- Pick a recipe from the list above
- Click the recipe name and visit the website
- Collect the ingredients and cook the food
- Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review
Recipe Video
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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