24 Legitimately Easy Dinners That'll Feed Your Whole Family

Here's what to cook after a long day. (Or week, or month.)

Brooke Greenberg / BuzzFeed

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their favorite fast and easy family dinners.

We wanted to know what you cooked at the end of a long day (or week, or month) — the standby meals and recipes you find yourself coming back to because they're simple, tasty, and your whole household loves them. Here's what you said! 🌮

1. Burrito Bowls

instagram.com

"They're easy to assemble and can be made with pretty much any ingredients. Start with rice, then add meat (or black beans and zucchini for a vegetarian version), corn, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Toss into bowls, then top with cheese or avocado. They're also perfect for leftovers as actual burritos." —Jessica

2. Orecchiette with Broccoli and Sausage

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"This is a household favorite. Boil a box of pasta shells and add broccoli in the last few minutes. In another pan, cook a pound of sweet Italian sausage (casings removed). Once cooked, add a quarter cup of pasta water, a bit of Parmesan and red pepper flakes, and mix. Stir in the cooked pasta and broccoli, and serve!" —Darla

3. Build-Your-Own Calzones

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"We either make quick pizza dough or buy a pizza-making kit and divide the dough. Then it's just a matter of gathering all the fixings — cheese, sauce, pepperoni, veggies, anything else — so everyone can make their own. It's the best!" —Elizabeth

4. Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

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"Put seasoned chicken breasts in a slow cooker and top them with a jar of salsa verde. (My favorite is the Herdez brand.) Cook everything on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours — then uncover, shred, and pile into tortillas. Very easy!" —Anna

Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

5. Bowties and Broccoli

budgetbytes.com

"Boil pasta, then toss in the broccoli florets for the last few minutes of cooking. For the sauce, combine some butter, garlic and oil in a separate pan, then put everything together and top with Parmesan. Such an easy 10-minute dinner." —Emma

Recipe: Bowties and Broccoli

6. Sweet Potato, Shrimp, and Kale Skillet

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"I'll buy fresh shrimp if they're on sale, otherwise, frozen works just fine. And it all comes together in one pan!" —Diane, Facebook

Recipe: Sweet Potato, Shrimp, and Kale Skillet

7. Veggie Omelets

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"We do veggie-packed omelettes with a side of toast or potatoes. (I'll buy the frozen shredded hash browns for extra convenience.) Breakfast for dinner is highly underrated in my opinion!" —Abigail

8. Classic Sloppy Joes

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"It's a staple in our household! Sauté beef and onions together, then just mix in some ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. It's the perfect meal for both a cold winter night or any summer picnic." —Erin

9. Sweet Potato Chili Cheese Fries

go2kitchens.com

"Slice a few sweet potatoes and roast them in the oven for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make a quick chili with black beans, red onion, and taco seasoning. When the sweet potatoes are done, top them with chili and shredded cheese, and broil for an extra few minutes. Then top with anything: salsa, cilantro, guacamole, etc." —Michelle

Similar recipe: Sweet Potato Chili Cheese Fries

10. Vegan Sheet Pan Tacos

cookingclassy.com

"So simple. Spend a few minutes chopping, then pile everything onto a baking sheet and roast." —Pauline, Facebook

Recipe: Vegan Sheet Pan Tacos

11. Crock Pot Beef & Broccoli

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"In a bowl, combine 1 cup beef consomme, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a bit of garlic powder. Toss 1 pound boneless beef chuck roast (sliced into thin strips) into a slow cooker, then pour the sauce over it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, adding a bag of frozen broccoli florets during the last 30 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles!" —Erica

12. Easy Stuffed Peppers

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"Mix 1 lb. ground beef, 1 cup cooked rice, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Cut the tops off of 3 or 4 bell peppers (I like red, but any color works) and remove seeds. Stuff ground beef mixture into peppers, place in a casserole dish, cover with tomato sauce and cheese, and bake for 1 hour at 350°." —SCH

13. Veggie-Wrapped Frozen Egg Rolls

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"Growing up, my mom always has at least a pack of them in the freezer. And even now, my family eats them the Vietnamese way: wrapped in lots of lettuce and herbs and dipped in fish sauce. Prep is so easy — all you have to do is fry the egg rolls. Plus, lettuce and herbs are super cheap." —Hannah

14. Mac 'n' Cheese with Spinach and Tomatoes

food52.com

"Cheap and easy dinners have become very important to me since having two kids! My family loves mac 'n' cheese — but with extra veggies added in."

—Erica

Recipe: Mac 'n' Cheese with Spinach and Tomatoes

15. Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

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"It's one of my family's favorites. Pan sear a roast, then toss it in the Crock Pot with Ranch seasoning, au jus mix, and a half jar of pepperoncinis and their juice. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. The meat works so many different ways: served with potatoes and vegetables, spooned over rice, stuffed into tacos or burritos, or on a crusty roll with melted provolone."

—MJ

16. 15-Minute Chicken & Veggie Stirfry

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"Cook a cup of rice. Separately, cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and cook until finished. Remove from pan, add any veggies you'd like, season with salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger; then add chicken back in, and stir in teriyaki sauce. Serve over rice. It's a staple in our house, and you can easily skip the chicken and make it vegetarian!" —Kaci

17. Pasta Aglio e Olio

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"Or as I like to call it: the garlic pasta from the Chef movie! All you need is pasta, parsley, olive oil, garlic, a lemon, some chili flakes and cheese."

—GBR

Recipe: Pasta Agio e Olio

18. Remixed Rotisserie Chicken

BuzzFeed

"I buy a rotisserie chicken, shred it, and use it for meals throughout the week when I’m busy with work and don’t feel like cooking. You can make tacos, salads, chicken salad sandwiches, casseroles... the list goes on!" —Tawana

Read more: Recipes That Use Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken

19. Creamed Eggs

instagram.com

"This is going to sound weird — but it's a Depression-era dish, it's super filling, and it tastes good. Start by making mashed potatoes and a simple white gravy. Hardboil some eggs, slice them into the gravy, then put a pile on the mash potatoes and enjoy! You can also serve the whole thing over toast." —Stacy

20. Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

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"Bagged caesar salad and rotisserie or ready-to-eat chicken strips on pita bread — plus any any other veggies you like. We love avocado, onion, and cucumber." —Julia

21. Instant Pot Spaghetti

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"Chop up an onion and a few cloves of garlic and cook with the “sauté” function until fragrant. Add in 1 lb. of ground turkey or beef, cook until done, drain, and put meat back into pot. Add 1/3 box spaghetti noodles (broken into thirds), 1 jar marinara sauce, and 2 cups water. Push noodles down into liquid, but do not mix. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and allow natural release for 5 minutes. Mix and enjoy!" —Veronica

22. Baked Fish in Lemon & Butter Sauce

primalpalate.com

"So simple, and works with with pretty much any white fish. Serve with veggies, grains, or even fries for a lighter take on fish and chips." —Annie, Facebook

Recipe: Baked Fish in Lemon & Butter Sauce

23. Chicken Broccoli Pasta

instagram.com

"Boil 1 pound of pasta or ziti. In a separate pan, cook 2 or 3 seasoned and cubed chicken breasts. Add garlic, onion powder, chicken bouillon, and 2 cups white cooking wine. Mix together, put 1 head of broccoli (chopped into florets) on top, and cover so the wine steams it. (I prefer my broccoli to have a bit of crunch but you can also steam ahead or use a package of microwaveable steamed broccoli.) Once broccoli is done, combine it with the cooked ziti, and top with Parm. Simple, easy, and always a crowd-pleaser!" —Emily

24. Shortcut Ravioli Lasagna

thefoodcharlatan.com

"For the easiest lasagna ever, layer frozen ravioli, tomato sauce (with meat, if you'd like), shredded mozzarella, and bake. Serve with toast with butter and garlic salt — aka shortcut garlic bread." —Erica

Full recipe: Shortcut Ravioli Lasagna

What's a go-to easy family dinner in your household? Share in the comments!

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Note: Some submissions have been edited for length or clarity.