In case you haven’t heard, REAL SIMPLE is turning 25. In celebration of our silver anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of 25 of our most beloved dinner recipes. A vast majority of these real simple meals (see what we did there?) can be made in 30 minutes or less, and certainly don’t sacrifice taste or presentation.
The selections include a mixture of editor favorites, such as our Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie, and feature many reader-approved dishes as well. And as you may have guessed, there’s something here for everyone—vegetarians might want to bookmark our Mushroom Black Bean Burgers, while those of us with a habit of ordering in should give our Thai Peanut Butter Ramen a whirl.
Keep reading for a roundup of our best (and easiest) dinners. You won’t be disappointed!
Ginger Chicken Soup With Vegetables
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
Everyone needs a classic chicken soup recipe in their arsenal. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or need an easy, healthy dinner to whip up on a cold night, this delicious soup hits the spot. The secret ingredient here is grated fresh ginger, which adds an unexpected bit of spice and warmth to the dish, while also imbuing it with some immune-boosting powers.
Glazed Salmon on Rice With Broccoli
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
This dish boasts a protein, starch, and vegetable, making it a balanced meal worthy of a spot in your dinner rotation. The protein in question (salmon) is coated in a sweet-salty, soy-based sauce that begins to caramelize as the fish cooks, while the broccoli florets are added to the rice pot during the last few minutes of cooking. This lends a pop of color, nutrients, and flavor to the plain white grain, and ties the whole meal together.
Japanese Cabbage Pancake
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
Savory pancakes are an underrated easy dinner, and this recipe makes a case for ‘em. This Japanese dish, also known as okonomiyaki, has eggs like a frittata, but gets some added richness and body from sautéed cabbage and flour. Top the finished pancake with some Sriracha mayo and a Worcestershire-ketchup combo to give it extra flavor.
Make-Ahead Mac and Cheese
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
A dish you can make ahead of time can be a real lifesaver, especially if you have a particularly full day. Not only can you prepare this mac and cheese up to four days in advance, but it’s loaded with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, as well as buttery Muenster cheese that acts as a topping. “Being able to make it ahead of time is a huge bonus,” one reviewer notes.
Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
Chicken pot pie never misses. This easy take on the classic dish features a frozen vegetable blend and shredded rotisserie chicken in a creamy sauce. Top the whole thing with puff pastry, bake, and get ready to dig in after fewer than 20 minutes.
Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
The slow cooker does wonders for tenderizing meat, and this chili recipe proves that the same is true for vegetables. The vegetarian dish is loaded with sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and a variety of beans, along with a litany of other ingredients you just have to toss in the slow cooker. Top each bowl of chili with sour cream, scallions, radishes, and tortilla chips, and you’re all set.
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
This recipe, which happens to be one of our most popular dishes, gets its flavor from a bevy of pantry staples, including peanut butter, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil, and is something you’ll want to make over and over again. Switch things up by using almond butter instead of PB, adding a jammy egg, or topping the bowl of noodles with microgreens or a drizzle of spicy sambal oelek. You can’t go wrong here!
Salmon Burgers With Pesto Cream Sauce
Greg Dupree
If you’re trying to cut back on the amount of red meat you eat, consider whipping up a salmon burger instead. These burgers are made with canned salmon, panko, egg, lemon juice, dried basil, and mayonnaise, but the tastiness doesn’t end there! Once the burgers are cooked, you’ll place them on brioche buns slathered in pesto, with beefsteak tomato slices and peppery baby arugula. Ready in just 20 minutes, we guarantee you’ll make these burgers over and over again.
Smash Burger Tacos
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A favorite of our food director, Jenna Helwig, this taco recipe is a revelation. As you may have guessed, it combines smash burgers and tacos, meaning each warm tortilla is filled with seasoned ground beef, avocado, pico de gallo, and a zesty mayonnaise mixture. Garnish with fresh cilantro and chow down!
Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This recipe is also a combination of two beloved dishes—grilled cheese and spinach artichoke dip. The rich sandwich filling is made with garlicky cream cheese, fontina and Parmesan cheeses, thawed frozen spinach, and chopped artichoke heart quarters. Are you drooling yet?
Soba Noodle Salad With Chili-Glazed Shrimp
Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
If you’re in the mood for noodles that pack a punch, this recipe is for you. Here, silky soba noodles are thoroughly coated with a peanut sauce that’s spiked with flavorful hoisin, sesame oil, lime juice, and chili garlic sauce. Packaged vegetable slaw mix adds nutrients and a little crunch, while sweet and savory shrimp bring the protein.
Pasta With Shrimp and Spicy Butter
Greg DuPree
For a different take on noodles and shrimp, try this 30-minute pasta dish. The star of this recipe is a compound butter that’s flavored with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, and a spoonful of gochujang—a Korean chile paste. Said butter coats the pasta and shrimp, yielding a flavorful meal we bet you’ll love. Opt for a wide, flat noodle to soak up as much of the sauce as possible.
Sheet Pan Pork With Fennel and Apples
Break out your sheet pan for this flavorful dinner, which is especially satisfying during the colder months. Here, quick-cooking pork tenderloin is roasted alongside apples and fennel, all of which get smothered in an orange-scented, honey-mustard glaze.
Crispy Mushroom Reuben Sandwiches
A classic Reuben is made with corned beef, but this vegetarian version uses a medley of mushrooms instead. You’ll still find the standard Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, along with a dash of horseradish and Persian cucumbers on the side. “The sandwich was so delicious,” one reviewer wrote. “It’s going to be a staple on my vegetarian menu!”
Linguine With Cherry Tomato Sauce
Pasta with tomato sauce never disappoints, and this version combines plenty of summery tomatoes with crispy pancetta. Since you’ll start by rendering cubes of salty pancetta and use the same pan to cook the tomatoes, the fat infuses every bite of the sauce. Once you plate the cooked pasta, a generous shower of Parmesan and basil completes the delicious dish.
Crispy Peanut Tofu With Sugar Snap Peas And Peppers
Greg DuPree
This vegetarian meal proves that tofu can be a star if it’s cooked correctly. You’ll start by crisping tofu cubes up in a pan and tossing them in a spicy peanut sauce made with peanut butter, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and Sriracha. Sautéed sugar snap peas and bell peppers round out the meal, which is best served over rice or rice noodles. If your little ones can’t handle spice, skip the Sriracha.
Sheet Pan Pierogies With Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, and Mustard Dressing
There’s nothing not to love about this recipe, which comes together in a single sheet pan. Frozen pierogies cut down on prep time, while fresh shallots and Brussels sprouts roast alongside the dumplings. A tasty mustard dressing coats everything, but feel free to serve it on the side if that works better for your crew.
Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Greg DuPree
Stock a bottle of salsa verde in the pantry for nights when you’re craving tacos but don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. This dish pairs the store-bought condiment with simmered chicken thighs. For more flavor, top each taco with chopped onion, plenty of fresh cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and creamy avocado slices. If you have sour cream in the fridge, add a dollop of that, too.
Mushroom Black Bean Burgers
Antonis Achilleos
A good veggie burger recipe can be hard to come by, but this one is a hit. This recipe works, in part, because the bean-based patties are flavored with tomato paste, Parmesan cheese, and soy sauce. And while veggie burgers are known for falling apart, a combo of eggs and panko keeps these patties firmly together.
One-Pot Miso Mushroom Pasta
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
One of our most-saved recipes thus far, this 40-minute pasta dish is cooked in one pot. Fresh sage and garlic infuse butter-sautéed mushrooms, while umami-packed white miso boosts the flavor of the mushrooms and delicately accentuates the sauce. Top with a dollop of whole-milk ricotta cheese and prepare to be amazed.
Spicy Dumpling Soup
Jen Causey
Soups can take hours to simmer on the stove, but this easy weeknight meal is ready in 30 minutes. The short cooking time is thanks, in part, to store-bought frozen dumplings you’ll toss directly in the broth. Speaking of broth, the broth used here is flavored with soy sauce and chili crisp, and also includes tender bok choy and mushrooms.
Tortellini With Sausage and Greens
Fred Hardy
Cheesy and creamy, this comforting dinner is on the table in just 25 minutes. The shortcut lies in the store-bought tortellini, which is easy on your wallet and perfectly complements the hot Italian sausage and plenty of spinach. Top with a quick sprinkle of Parmesan and enjoy.
Red Lentil Soup With Lemon And Dill
Victor Protasio
In this chunky soup, creamy red lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes, and carrots are flavored with citrusy notes of lemon and sumac—a Middle Eastern spice made from ground dried berries. Since a cup of lentils has 18 grams of protein, it’s safe to say this 30-minute meal is protein-packed. It also happens to taste really good.
Hanger Steak With Worcestershire Butter
This elevated dinner is fit for a steakhouse, but you can whip it up at home in an hour, including the cook time. Here, hanger steak is seared on the stovetop until a gorgeous brown crust forms. Then, the meat is transferred to the oven to finish cooking. While the steak cooks, you’ll prepare a homemade compound butter that’s flavored with punchy Worcestershire sauce and fresh parsley. To serve, spoon the butter over the steak and garnish with flaky salt.
Banh-Mi-Inspired Pork Burgers
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez Hart
This Vietnamese-inspired recipe uses ground pork to make a unique and flavorful burger. The banh-mi sandwich, usually stuffed with pork, pickled carrots, and daikon, gets flipped on its head while maintaining the distinct flavors with a marinade of fish sauce, garlic, shallots, and Sriracha. Mayo, matchstick carrots, spicy jalapenos, and fresh cilantro go on top, and a buttery brioche bun holds it all together.
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