Some meals don’t need a recipe—they just need a little memory, a hot stove, and a sense of what works. These easy dinners are the kind Grandma used to cook without measuring a thing, because she didn’t have to. They’re simple, reliable, and built on ingredients you already know how to use. With all 23 recipes, dinner feels easy, familiar, and exactly right for nights when you don’t want to overthink it.
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables is the kind of dinner you throw together when you want something hearty without measuring anything. Just season, toss everything on a pan, and let the oven do the work. The chicken turns golden while the vegetables soak up every drop of flavor. It’s the kind of meal that practically teaches itself as it cooks.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Sheet Pan Paprika Chicken and Veggies
Sheet Pan Paprika Chicken and Veggies keeps dinner simple with one pan, a handful of seasoning, and almost no cleanup. You don’t need to fuss with timing—everything roasts together until it’s ready. The paprika adds just enough kick to make it feel familiar but different. It tastes like something Grandma would've eyeballed and nailed on the first try.
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Ajiaco
Ajiaco is a traditional Colombian soup that comes together slowly but simply with chicken, potatoes, corn, and herbs. Everything simmers in one pot until it turns into something rich and comforting. It doesn’t require much measuring—just layering and time. This is the kind of meal you make once and remember how to make forever.
Get the Recipe: Ajiaco
Instant Pot Fish Soup
Instant Pot Fish Soup speeds up the simmer time without losing any of the deep, brothy flavor. Toss in the basics, hit a button, and let the machine handle the rest. It’s light, simple, and doesn’t ask for exact precision. This one’s for nights when Grandma would've let the pot speak for itself.
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Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake
Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake is made with plant-based ingredients but feels like something straight from a family dinner table. It bakes until bubbling, and the sauce comes together with pantry staples you don’t have to measure carefully. Just mix, layer, and bake until the top is golden. It’s the kind of dinner that would’ve come out right even without a written recipe.
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Brisket Chili
Brisket Chili simmers low and slow with ingredients that don’t need to be perfect to taste like they were. Toss everything into a pot and let the brisket break down into tender bites that flavor the whole thing. It’s bold, hearty, and feeds a crowd with little effort. This is the kind of chili that gets passed down without anyone ever writing it down.
Get the Recipe: Brisket Chili
Easy Moussaka Recipe
Easy Moussaka Recipe layers roasted eggplant, seasoned meat, and a simple béchamel into something that looks harder than it is. It’s a baked dish that feels like it took hours, but really just needs a few steps and a little instinct. The flavors meld together in the oven without much fuss. Grandma might’ve used her memory—and a wooden spoon—to nail this one.
Get the Recipe: Easy Moussaka Recipe
Mujadara for One
Mujadara for One keeps it easy with rice, lentils, and caramelized onions cooked down to comfort status in one pan. It’s budget-friendly, built on staples, and forgiving enough that you don’t need to measure anything exactly. It tastes better the next day but doesn’t require planning ahead. It’s the kind of solo dinner Grandma would've whipped up from memory and pantry basics.
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Slow Cooker Kabocha Squash Soup
Slow Cooker Kabocha Squash Soup involves chopping a few ingredients, tossing them into a pot, and walking away until dinner time. The slow cooker brings out the squash’s sweetness while the spices balance it out. No blending tricks or exact measurements needed—just trust and time. This is soup the way Grandma would’ve slow-simmered it, minus the stirring.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Kabocha Squash Soup
Minestrone Soup with Sausage
Minestrone Soup with Sausage is packed with beans, pasta, and vegetables that cook together in one pot without much planning. A little sausage adds richness, and the rest is up to what’s on hand. It’s the kind of meal that tastes good even if you forget something. This soup doesn’t rely on rules—it just works.
Get the Recipe: Minestrone Soup with Sausage
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole gives you all the comfort of classic stuffed peppers without any of the extra steps. Everything cooks in one dish—just chop, stir, and bake until it’s bubbling. The ingredients are flexible, so there's no need to be exact. Grandma would’ve loved how easy this one is to get right every time.
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Creamy, Vegan Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Apples
Creamy, Vegan Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Apples comes together with just a few chopped vegetables, a simmering pot, and a blender. It’s smooth, earthy, and just slightly sweet from the apples. There’s nothing complicated in the prep—just a good stir and some patience. It's the kind of thing Grandma would've made without a timer or a second thought.
Get the Recipe: Creamy, Vegan Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Apples
Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Coconut Milk
Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Coconut Milk is sweet, creamy, and made for nights when you want something warm without standing over the stove. It all simmers in one pot and blends into something velvety with hardly any effort. The ingredients are simple, and the flavor takes care of itself. This soup feels like something Grandma would’ve made with whatever she had on hand.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Coconut Milk
Barley, Kale, and Romano Beans Soup
Barley, Kale, and Romano Beans Soup is a slow, steady kind of dinner that doesn't ask for precision—just a pot and a little time. It’s hearty enough to serve on its own, and the ingredients can shift depending on what’s in the pantry. Once it simmers down, it all comes together like it always belonged. It’s the type of meal Grandma trusted the pot to finish for her.
Get the Recipe: Barley, Kale, and Romano Beans Soup
Creamy Broccoli Stems Soup
Creamy Broccoli Stems Soup turns scraps into comfort using basic pantry items and a quick blend. The stems soften with onion and garlic until they’re ready to be pureed into something smooth and full of flavor. It’s fast, practical, and doesn’t need anything exact. This is one of those dinners where Grandma would've said, “Don’t waste a thing.”
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Moroccan Carrot Soup with Chermoula
Moroccan Carrot Soup with Chermoula leans on spices, garlic, and carrots to build a bold flavor that feels far more complex than the process. It’s made in one pot and finished with a spoonful of herby sauce that comes together in seconds. No measuring needed—just add until it tastes right. It’s the kind of dish Grandma would’ve called her “inspired” soup.
Get the Recipe: Moroccan Carrot Soup with Chermoula
Chicken Hash Brown Casserole
Chicken Hash Brown Casserole mixes frozen potatoes, shredded chicken, and a creamy base into a bake that feeds the whole table. You just dump, mix, and bake—no need to measure every ingredient. It’s the kind of no-fuss dish you could assemble from memory after making it once. Grandma would've called this one a crowd-pleaser before it even hit the oven.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Hash Brown Casserole
Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara lets you throw chicken and sauce into the pot in the morning and forget about it until dinner. It cooks low and slow until it’s tender enough to fall apart with a fork. Serve it over pasta or with bread—no extra sides needed. This one has all the hallmarks of something Grandma would've trusted to cook itself.
Get the Recipe: Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
Easy Creamy Taco Soup
Easy Creamy Taco Soup is the kind of meal you can throw together with cans, leftovers, and whatever you’ve got on hand. It simmers into something rich and filling without needing a ton of attention. The flavors are bold, and the process is about as simple as it gets. This is one of those soups that feels like a happy accident Grandma would've kept making.
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Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken Pot Pie Soup skips the crust but keeps the cozy with a creamy broth and all the classic veggies. It’s quick to prep, flexible with ingredients, and made entirely on the stovetop. You don’t need to measure everything or follow a strict order—just build it in the pot as you go. It’s like the filling Grandma made when she didn’t feel like rolling dough.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Easy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash
Easy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash is all about letting the squash cook itself until it’s tender enough to mash with a spoon. You just peel, cube, season, and walk away. The slow cooker handles everything while you get on with the rest of your day. Grandma would’ve appreciated the no-hands approach—and probably added butter by instinct.
Get the Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Chicken and Rice Casserole bakes everything together in one dish, with no need for separate pots or stovetop steps. The rice soaks up flavor while the chicken cooks to tender perfection. It’s classic comfort food made with whatever’s in the fridge, and there’s no wrong way to make it. This is the kind of dinner Grandma could’ve assembled in her sleep.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Rice Casserole
Instant Pot Chicken and Peppers
Instant Pot Chicken and Peppers is a quick weeknight dinner that feels like something slow-cooked all day. You toss in the chicken, seasonings, and peppers, then let the pressure cooker do the rest. It’s fast, flexible, and doesn’t ask for precision. Grandma might not have used an Instant Pot—but she’d respect the results.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken and Peppers
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