Family Dinner Recipes

Skirt steak is packed with flavor and is a great alternative to more expensive cuts. You’ll love it in steak tacos or served on its own with this delicious herb sauce. The most important thing about preparing skirt steak is to slice it against the grain. The grain in the skirt steak is obvious−it looks like big lines running across the meat. Cut the slices perpendicular to those lines, and you’re left with very tender, flavorful meat.

This playful turkey melt's abundant crisp crevices and gooey interior will have the whole family wondering, "What can we waffle next?"

Microwave-in-the-bag fresh vegetables help this meal come together lickety-split. A hot cast-iron skillet helps to crisp the bottom of the crust while the surface gets golden brown under the broiler—no baking required. Slice in the skillet and remove each piece for mess-free serving.

Time: 30 minutes

Mix It Up: Rice may be more traditional here, but we love the contrast of creamy polenta with the sweet heat of the sauce.

Serve with Sesame Sautéed Spinach

Mango and mint is an unexpected combination in this speedy weeknight stir-fry, but they compliment each other well. Slice your mango the same thickness as the pork—it’s easier to eat this way, and it looks nice too!

Put a twist on classic spaghetti and meatballs with this to-die-for dish. Turkey meatballs and fun wagon wheel pasta sprinkled with fresh Parmesan cheese is the perfect combination for any pasta lover.

The Lime Crema really makes the recipe! If you don’t have any mango on hand, pineapple makes a good substitute. Add a side of Cilantro-Lime Rice to complete your meal.

Loaded with surprising hits of curry powder, lime juice, and cilantro, this soup pairs perfectly with a panini or with a salad for dinner. It also makes a wonderful first course for a fancier meal. Make this a vegetarian option by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Risotto is comforting, substantial, and so versatile. Plus, once you learn how to stir it and add the broth, you realize it’s truly a cinch to make.

Easy to make, easy to love. Here’s another recipe that everyone in the family can customize to their own tastes.

You can’t get much better than this tasty turkey burger.  Topped with crunchy apple and tangy mango chutney, you won’t stop raving about this recipe.

Dip the fish in the eggs and then into the panko mixture. Create your own fish tacos or have the tilapia on its own with Roasted Fingerling Fries. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

This tomato soup is no sugary version out of a can. Top with a little cream, and serve with Parmesan Crisps to round out your meal. Make this a vegetarian option by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Loaded with the flavors you crave, but packed with enough broccoli and lean flank steak to make it nutritious, this is a great meal for any night of the week. Gluten-free tamari is a delicious stand-in for the soy sauce.

Serve over egg noodles, as a sandwich, or simply on its own−this pot roast is perfection!

This pizza is a definite crowd-pleaser that is sure to satisfy everyone in the house!

This is a perfect cold-weather soup. Because it’s pureed, the creamy texture and vibrant color make it appealing to most kids, and no cream is needed. It’s an ideal make-ahead meal on a weekend when you have a little time to sit around and let it cook. Then on Monday night, all you have to do is reheat it and make some garlic bread.

Allowing the steaks to come to room temperature for an hour before cooking is the secret to evenly cooked meat. Plus, it gives them time to marinate.

Cooking in parchment paper leaves you with food that is flavorful and tender. All you have to do is fill the pouch with your favorite fish−halibut, salmon, cod, or snapper−seasonal veggies, and seasonings, and twist the ends of the parchment. Presto! Dinner is served.

This savory rack of lamb is coated with chives, fresh parsley and mint. It is simplified enough for a weeknight meal but can still be used for special occasions.

Pine nuts and currants create the perfect tasty combination of flavor to drench atop this chicken. Serve with couscous to add even more.

With a make-ahead dough and a simple sauce, this pizza is an option any night of the week. Just make the dough in the morning; then shape it an hour before you’re ready to eat. If homemade dough is not your thing, just buy the premade dough at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market and shape it as you would the scratch dough.

This is the ultimate comfort food. It still has all its cheesy, creamy goodness−but without any of the guilt.

Stuffing spinach into chicken is a genius idea when you don’t want to eat those plain green vegetables. Serve with tomatoes to finish off this delightfully healthy dish.

If you have leftover chicken, put it to use in this pasta recipe. Feel free to add any of your family's favorite ingredients.

This tasty dish combines chicken, an assortment of the best root vegetables, and an aromatic broth to create an amazing stew served over couscous.

Don’t take this soup lightly. Packed with mini meatballs, Swiss chard, tomatoes, and chickpeas, this hearty bowl of soup will not disappoint your taste buds.

Try this turkey-penne bake with a glass of pinot noir and a mixed greens salad.

Pulled pork is outstanding, but pulled chicken is a perfect substitute on a weeknight. Everyone will go nuts for this sandwich topped with Crunchy, Creamy Coleslaw and homemade Barbecue Sauce.

This simple soup hits the spot. For richer flavor, you could substitute chicken stock for vegetable broth.

Lasagna is love on a plate. The homemade sauce, the layering of noodles with cheese… it’s pretty much perfection. So how do you pull it off on a weeknight? No-boil noodles. You can make the lasagna in the morning, cover and refrigerate it, and then bake it just before dinnertime. Serve it with a crunchy romaine salad and garlic bread, and your kids might think you’re the best cook ever.

When stuck in a rut with pasta and basic tomato sauce, turn to veggies. Sautéed in a little olive oil with lemon juice, this combination is great as a “sauce” on its own. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the flavors of spring and get some color into your family’s diet. Make it a gluten-free option by using gluten-free pasta.

This is an easy make-ahead option and ideal for a crowd. Even kids will rave about this meal!

This chicken tastes great with a romaine salad and a side of corn, or sliced and turned into tacos with rice and beans.

Just like mom makes it, this is the finest brisket you will ever taste. The rich, yet sweet barbecue sauce drizzled over top makes it mouth-watering. Serve with Crunchy, Creamy Coleslaw.

Chasen’s was an Old Hollywood restaurant frequented by Elizabeth Taylor and many other stars. If you want to skip the dried-bean step, you can substitute two (15-ounce) cans of pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed. Add some cornbread and a salad for the perfect casual dinner on a cold night.

Top your pizza with the sauce, prosciutto, onions, and cheese. This pizza is the perfect dish for a dinner party.

Salt and pepper are all you need to roast this chicken and allow it to truly live up to its name. It tastes heavenly and is incredibly easy!

What’s not to love about stuffed shells? Loaded with cheese and tomato sauce, this pasta dish is a total crowd-pleaser. To change it up, you can add a little lean ground beef or different herbs to the sauce. Also, it’s easy to double the recipe and freeze one batch.

These chicken enchiladas come together in no time. Serve with a salad and a batch of margaritas and you’ll have a killer combination.

These mini burgers satiate your craving for beef without the guilt of a 1/2-pound serving. Cook the burgers in a pan or on a grill over medium-high heat. Mini hamburger buns or Parker House Rolls are perfect.

Serve with corn chips for dipping, or roll this yummy mixture up in a tortilla with some chopped romaine lettuce for an amazing burrito.

If you love steak, you will love this. Fresh ginger and soy sauce combine to create a mouth-watering and flavorful steak dish!

A better option than straight pepperoni, this mushroom and salami combination is still very kid friendly. Pair it with a glass of red wine for the adults.

Brining your meat is certainly not necessary, but it adds so much moisture to lean cuts like pork and chicken. It’s worth it if you have the time.

These bowls might take a little longer to make, but they are definitely worth it. Packed with Thai chicken, rice, and veggies, adults and kids will not be able to resist this delightful dish.

You can make this super spicy with hot pepper sauce or omit it altogether and enjoy the milder spices of the Caribbean that are totally kid friendly. If you use wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water first, or you’ll set them on fire. Serve with some Greek yogurt and chopped cilantro as a dipping sauce, if desired.

A regular little sandwich can go from good to spectacular simply by grilling it. Favorite Pesto is a wonderful addition to this sandwich.

If you’ve been afraid to give your kids fish, start here. Salmon is firm-fleshed and flavorful.

Sip on a cool glass of ginger lemonade for just 32 cents per serving: Bring 4 cups water and 1/3 cups sliced fresh ginger to a boil in a medium saucepan; remove from heat. Steep 30 minutes. Strain; discard solids. Mix the liquid with the juice of 2 large lemons and 3 tablespoons honey. Serve over ice.

Any ketchup-loving kid will enjoy the tangy addition of pineapple in the sauce. If you don’t have a baking rack, line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Increase baking time by 2 minutes, and turn the fillets after 7 minutes.