Here Are 17 Easy Dinners From Last Year That Are So Good I'm Keeping Them In My Weeknight Rotation For 2024

It is I, Krista, whose mission is to make dinnertime a breeze. So, below is a roundup of my favorite recipes from last year that are most definitely being made on repeat this year.

PS: I don’t really list a lot of measurements because I eyeball a lot — and I don’t like dirtying more dishes. But trust me, it still comes out so good!

NOTE: I will share the video recipe so you can watch along/see if it entices you, and share the full recipe in print below it.

1.Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Beef

In a crockpot, add two pounds of diced beef stew meat, your desired amount of baby red potatoes, and your choice of fresh or frozen veggies — I like carrots, green beans, and asparagus. Then, add in one packet of brown gravy, two packets of Italian salad dressing mix, 1/3 cup beef broth, and three cloves minced garlic. Top with some pads of butter. Cook on low for eight to ten hours. IT IS SO GOOD!!!!

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2.Perfectly Seasoned Baked Salmon

Dab some Atlantic salmon dry and rub in some olive oil. Place it on a baking pan that’s covered with foil and greased with nonstick spray. Mince up some garlic and add on top, along with some Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh lemon. Layer on some thin slices of butter and bake for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

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3.Juiciest, Tastiest Slow Cooker French Dips

Sear a large rump roast with salt and pepper on the stovetop in a pan. Then, add it with the juices in your slow cooker with one diced yellow onion, two cups beef broth, minced garlic (however much you want!), one packet of Au Jus seasoning, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, and 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce. Cook on low for 10 hours, grab French bread, slap on provolone or Swiss, toast it — and when the meat is done put it on top. It is DEVINE! Dip it in the juice 🤤.

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4.Easiest Ever Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Grab a premade pizza crust from the bakery section and brush it with some melted butter and bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about eight minutes. While that is baking, shred a rotisserie chicken and add in about 1/2 a cup of Buffalo sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Remove the pizza crust from the oven and put the chicken mixture on top. Then add sliced red onions and bell peppers on top. Top with more shredded mozzarella cheese and bake again at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about eight minutes. Drizzle with ranch (or blue cheese) dressing and buffalo sauce. DELISH!

5.Quick Shrimp and Broccoli Skillet

In a liquid measuring cup, add 1/3 cup of soy sauce, 1/3 cup of honey, one tsp freshly minced ginger, two cloves minced garlic, and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Whisk well and set aside. Put fresh shrimp (about a pound and a half) in a Ziploc baggie and then pour in the mixture. Mix well and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove and pour over a greased skillet. Cook on medium heat until done. Serve with rice and broccoli! So good!

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6.Crispy Air Fryer Cheesy Bean and Chicken Tacos

In a greased skillet, over medium heat, add three diced-up chicken breasts. Put in a packet of taco seasoning and cook it with the chicken, according to directions. Once the meat is seasoned, add in 1/2 a cup of your favorite refried beans, 1/3 cup of light sour cream, your desired amount of fiesta blend shredded cheese, and 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa. Once it is mixed, portion it into taco-sized tortillas. Pop ’em in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes. Add in fresh tomatoes, lettuce, or onions if you want. Enjoy!

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7.Tasty Mississippi Chicken Bake

In a baking dish, add three boneless, skinless chicken breasts, one packet of au jus, one packet of ranch seasoning mix, pepperonicis (about half a jar), and about 1/3 cup of juice from the jar. Add about six pads of butter to the top, cover with foil, and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Love this one!

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8.Light Olive Garden Slow Cooker Delight

In a slow cooker, add in three boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Then add in two cups of Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing, along with one block of light cream cheese. Add in three cloves of freshly minced garlic — and salt, and pepper to your liking. If you want to add in shredded parmesan cheese that is also good! Cover and cook for two hours on low, add in a bag of frozen broccoli, and then continue slow cooking on low for another hour (or whenever the chicken is ready). Serve over fettuccini noodles. YUM!

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9.Instant Ramen Upgrade

Boil your favorite ramen according to packet instructions (any flavor you want). Then, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add in three cloves of minced garlic, and your desired amount of sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Add in the packet of seasonings that come with the ramen and some of the pasta water from the ramen. When the noodles are done, add them in, and mix. Top with diced green onions, red pepper flakes, and soft-boiled eggs or your choice of protein!

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10.Creamy Ground Turkey Chili

Brown and drain one pound of ground turkey over medium heat and add in beef (or chicken) broth, a packet of taco seasoning, one can of Southwest-style corn, one can of drained chili beans, and one can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, and frozen chopped onions and bell peppers. Cover and cook on low. After 10 minutes, add in half a block of softened cream cheese. Top with sour cream and shredded cheese and enjoy!

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11.Super Easy Dumpling Soup

Put about five cups of chicken broth in a pot with four tablespoons of soy sauce. Bring to boil, and then add in one tablespoon, minced and sautéed garlic, along with one tsp ginger. Add in a bag of your favorite frozen dumplings, shredded carrots, and green onions. Cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes or until the dumplings are done! Add spinach for extra health!!!

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12. Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Enchilada Dish

Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker with about two cups of chicken broth. Then add in about a cup of quinoa and a whole jar of enchilada sauce (I only like the Trader Joe’s one, FWIW). Next add in frozen corn, a small can of diced green chiles, drained black beans, half a can of Rotel (canned diced tomatoes and green chiles), cilantro, Everything but the Elote seasoning from Trader Joe’s, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for about five to six hours. The chicken will shred/fall apart super easily — top with your favorite shredded cheese, mix, and serve!

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13. Pressure Cooker Pad Thai

Add some olive oil, a couple of diced-up chicken breasts, some minced garlic, soy sauce, a whole jar of pad Thai sauce (I just used the Kroger brand; it’s good), and about 1½ cups of water to a pressure cooker. Add in a full packet of uncooked rice noodles* and stir. Cook on manual for about 25 minutes or until noodles are done. While that’s cooking, chop up yellow or red peppers, cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and carrot matchsticks. After the 25 minutes, add chopped ingredients (and a little water if needed), and cook on veggie steam for five minutes.

14.Dump ‘Em Swedish Meatballs

In a slow cooker, add one package of frozen Swedish meatballs, 14 ounces beef broth, one packet of dry onion soup mix, two tablespoons of A.1. steak sauce, one can cream of mushroom soup, and 3/4 cup sour cream. Cook on high for two hours and add in your favorite cooked egg noodles!

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15. Zero eFFFort Layered Lasagna

Pour an entire jar of your favorite pasta sauce into the bottom of an oven-safe dish. Place some frozen cheese ravioli on top of the pasta sauce until it’s covered. Layer on some Italian-style cheese. You can then layer with mushrooms or ground beef/sausage. Add on some Italian seasoning and repeat the process, ending with a layer of cheese on top. Sprinkle basil and oregano on top and bake for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

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16. Tastiest Grinder Italian Sandwich

Pour Olive Garden’s Italian dressing over a bowl of shredded lettuce. Add in mayo, garlic powder, oregano, banana peppers, red onion, and Parmesan cheese. Set aside. Slice a fresh loaf of French bread in half, spread some melted butter on it, and Italian seasoning on top. Add on your favorite meat and cheese (I love pepperoni, salami, turkey, and white American cheese) and toast in the oven until the cheese is melted. Add lettuce mixture on top and add tomatoes if you want!

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17.Baked Black Bean Tostadas

Sauté some chopped red onions in a pan with olive oil, then add in a can of drained black beans and your favorite salsa. Let it marinate on low. Bake flour or corn tortillas on a baking sheet until crispy. Spread the bean mixture on top and load on your favorite toppings!

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And those are some of my favorite recipes that take minimal effort and time! If you want to see more recipes, hang out with me on TikTok or Insta!

First We Feast