29 Simple (But Delicious) Recipes To Seriously Lower Your Cooking-Related Stress This Holiday Season

These easy dishes will make feeding the entire fam a breeze (so you can save your energy for the big meals).

Ah, the holiday season. Family, friends, cooking, cooking, and more cooking. Oh, and then some baking, too.

But when the leftovers (and your energy) have run out, you still need to eat. That's when your trusty kitchen friends — like your Instant Pot, slow cooker, sheet pans, and 30-minute meals — come to the rescue. 

This collection of recipes will deliver delicious results, all while keeping things easy and family-friendly. Why? Because you deserve to actually enjoy the holidays this year.

1. One-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

tasty.co

With just 15 minutes of prep time, this dish brings sweet and savory together seamlessly — and it even includes a serving of veggies. It's on the nice list!

Recipe: One-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken | Shop This Recipe

2. The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast

tasty.co

'Tis the season for food that's cozy, and this dish is like a big warm hug. For extra flavor, throw in those spare cloves of garlic you have lying around and let it infuse while it cooks low and slow.

Recipe: The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast | Shop This Recipe

3. Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Bowls

tasty.co

This one is so easy, older kiddos might even be able to handle getting all the ingredients into the slow cooker by themselves...so you can actually snag a minute of holiday R&R while it cooks.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Bowls | Shop This Recipe

4. 20-Minute One-Pan Pizza

tasty.co

Find us someone who doesn't appreciate pizza night. We'll wait. This quick, delicious, and extremely customizable recipe pleases even the pickiest of palates. 

Recipe: 20-Minute One-Pan Pizza | Shop This Recipe

5. Slow Cooker Thai Green Curry

tasty.co

Deep, rich flavors and a bit of heat (totally adjustable if you have littles!) will make this one a regular in your rotation. Have extra veggies lying around? Toss 'em in! 

Recipe: Slow Cooker Thai Green Curry | Shop This Recipe 

6. One-Pot Basil Pasta

tasty.co

With light, bright, and fresh flavors, this dish might be just the what you need in between celebrations. This serves two people, so double (or triple!) it if you're making this dish for a crowd.

Recipe: One-Pot Basil Pasta | Shop This Recipe

7. Mississippi Roast

tasty.co

This one cooks low and slowwww, and it's worth every single melt-in-your-mouth bite.

Recipe: Mississippi Roast | Shop This Recipe

8. Instant Pot Mac 'N' Cheese

tasty.co

In just 10 minutes, you'll have the MVP of family meals hot and ready on your table. Not to get cheesy about it, but is there anything better than that? 

Recipe: Instant Pot Mac 'N' Cheese | Shop This Recipe

9. Blueberry French Toast

tasty.co

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all. And, if you're really feeling wild...make breakfast for dinner.

Recipe: Blueberry French Toast | Shop This Recipe 

10. 20-Minute Beef And Broccoli Noodle Stir-Fry

tasty.co

Real talk: You can make this faster than it takes to write down everyone's takeout orders. (Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it's still super quick.)

Recipe: 20-Minute Beef And Broccoli Noodle Stir-Fry | Shop This Recipe

11. Instant Pot Beef Chili

tasty.co

Chili is the poster child of hearty meals for good reason: it's warm, full of protein from the meat and beans, and topped with plenty of cheese. Bonus points are awarded based on the fact that it's almost impossible to mess up. 

Recipe: Instant Pot Beef Chili | Shop This Recipe

12. Instant Pot Lasagna

tasty.co

With the deepest respect to your grandmother's day-long lasagna-making process, this recipe delivers a ton of flavor in just 90 minutes (which includes only 20 minutes of prep work). For an extra kick, swap out the beef for hot Italian sausage.

Recipe: Instant Pot Lasagna | Shop This Recipe

13. One-Pot Swedish Meatball Pasta

tasty.co

Swedish meatballs in just 30 minutes, without accidentally spending too much money on build-it-yourself furniture? Perfection.

Recipe: One-Pot Swedish Meatball Pasta | Shop This Recipe

14. Cheesy Chicken And Broccoli Pasta

tasty.co

The marriage of broccoli and cheese is truly sacred and should be celebrated. Here's a party on a plate, ready to devour in less than 30 minutes.

Recipe: Cheesy Chicken And Broccoli Pasta | Shop This Recipe

15. Paprika Chicken & Rice Bake

tasty.co

This one-pot recipe means clean up is a breeze...for everyone else. (Because if you cooked, you are NOT cleaning.)

Recipe: Paprika Chicken & Rice Bake | Shop This Recipe

16. One-Pot Bacon And Wild Mushroom Risotto

tasty.co

For those who might not like mushrooms: You know what the best gateway to liking a new food is? Pairing it with bacon. It's science.

Recipe: One-Pot Bacon And Wild Mushroom Risotto | Shop This Recipe

17. Creamy Lemon Chicken

tasty.co

This one is easy peasy lemon squeezy, but still impressive enough to serve to your holiday visitors. 

Recipe: Creamy Lemon Chicken | Shop This Recipe

18. Sheet-Pan Crispy Chicken Strips And Veggies

tasty.co

These chicken strips are just begging to be dipped in a tangy honey mustard sauce. Don't let them down. 

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Crispy Chicken Strips And Veggies | Shop This Recipe

19. Sheet Pan Breakfast Sandwich

tasty.co

This recipe yields 24 servings, so you can feed the entire fam at brunch. Or, freeze your leftovers and make your weekday breakfasts so simple, you can figure it out before you've even thought about coffee. 

Recipe: Sheet Pan Breakfast Sandwich | Shop This Recipe

20. Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

tasty.co

A true set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal...but you won't actually be able to forget it because the aroma will be SO GOOD.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken | Shop This Recipe

21. Easy Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala)

tasty.co

This vegetarian-friendly dish is perfect when you need curry in a hurry. Throw some spinach in at the end if your body is begging you for something green in between all the delicious holiday treats. 

Recipe: Easy Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) | Shop This Recipe

22. One-Pot Chicken Alfredo

tasty.co

Who knew everyone's favorite pasta dish could come together so quickly and in just one pot? For extra decadence, add bacon — or, to sneak in some veg, broccoli does wonders here.

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Alfredo | Shop This Recipe

23. One-Pan Salmon And Veggies

tasty.co

This entire meal — protein and two sides — comes together on one, easy-to-clean sheet pan. Not a fan of asparagus? Swap it out for brussels sprouts! 

Recipe: One-Pan Salmon And Veggies | Shop This Recipe 

24. Sweet And Sour Pork

tasty.co

Spare yourself the takeout negotiations. What to order? Who goes and gets it? Instead, dive into this flavorful favorite in just 30 minutes. If you don't have pork on hand, chicken will work beautifully, too.

Recipe: Sweet And Sour Pork | Shop This Recipe

25. Sheet Pan Steak And Fries

tasty.co

Steak night, but make it sheet pan. Meat and potatoes never looked so good! 

Recipe: Sheet Pan Steak And Fries | Shop This Recipe

26. Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos

tasty.co

It doesn't even need to be Taco Tuesday. These customizable (read: VERY kid friendly) tacos are something you'll crave every day of the week. 

Recipe: Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos | Shop This Recipe

27. Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

tasty.co

Swap out the chicken stock for veggie stock to make this dish vegetarian-friendly. If you're a meat eater in need of some extra protein, adding chicken or ground beef is a great way to get your fix.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers | Shop This Recipe

28. Cider Pulled Pork

tasty.co

Have some extra cider hanging around? Considering it's the holidays, you probably do. Toss it in the slow cooker and this pulled pork will be the apple of your eye. 

Recipe: Cider Pulled Pork | Shop This Recipe 

29. Veggie Fried Rice

tasty.co

Who doesn't love a whole meal in a bowl? If you're out of fresh veggies, canned or frozen ones are just fine. In fact, you might just start keeping more frozen veggies on hand so you can whip up this dish whenever the craving hits.

Recipe: Veggie Fried Rice | Shop This Recipe

For even more delicious recipes and meal ideas, download the award-winning Tasty app for iOS and Android! 🍳