Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (2024)

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (1)

After all the holiday hustle and bustle in December, January can be… a bit of a bummer. It’s COLD out, it gets dark crazy early, and yet life must go on and dinner’s gotta get on the table. Join us this January as we make as much comfort food as possible, attempt to form some better habits (this is THE year those New Year's resolutions are gonna stick, we swear), and dream of spring (only 2 months to go!). We’ve got 40 recipes to help inspire you to make dinner this January—one for every day of the month, and then some.

We’ve included a good mix of entirely new recipes, like our Swedish meatball soup, our , and our chicken broccoli Alfredo pizza, as well as some older favorites, like our Cajun-stuffed chicken, our, and our Tuscan tortellini soup. We also know many of you might be embarking on some New Year's resolutions, so we’ve included a number of our favorite keto, vegan, vegetable-forward, and air-fryer recipes here too. Take a peek at our keto bacon chicken thighs (with cream sauce), our , and our vegan crunchwraps for inspiration—you never know, maybe you’ll enjoy them so much, you’ll stick with it all year long.

We’re also taking some inspiration from where you might be at mentally and emotionally this month and filling this list with comfort foods and meal prep-able recipes that'll take the guess work out of dinner. We don’t know about you, but sometimes it's the fast-casual foods we know SO well that bring us comfort, so we’ve included our copycat Cheesecake Factory shrimp scampi, our copycat Carbone spicy rigatoni, and our . Best part? You don't have to venture out into the cold to enjoy them. Ditto our ground beef teriyaki stir fry bowls, our sheet-pan burrata Caprese gnocchi, or our lentil soup—make up a batch that'll last you all week and you can dream about hibernating till the weekend.

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1

Peruvian-Style Chicken With Green Sauce

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (3)

Our ever-popular Peruvian roast chicken will forever be one of our favorites…unless we need to get dinner on the table ASAP. If that's you this January, lean on chicken thighs instead for that smoky, garlicky chicken with its crispy skin, in less than half the time.

Get the Peruvian-Style Chicken With Green Sauce recipe.

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2

Cauliflower Tacos

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (5)

Looking to spice up taco night? Call in the roasted cauliflower. Loaded with crisp cabbage slaw and drizzled with a tangy lime crema, these richly spiced meatless tacos promise to shake up your weeknight dinner routine for good this January.

Get the Cauliflower Tacos recipe.

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3

Spicy Turkey Sausage & Kale Chili

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (7)

While we love classic turkey chili, when we're looking to spice things up, we turn to this recipe. Spicy ground turkey, red bell peppers, cannellini beans, tomatoes, and kale all combine for a cozy soup that will warm you up all January long.

Get the .

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4

New Year's Black-Eyed Peas

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (9)

If you want to ensure that the new year is a lucky one, take part in the classic Southern tradition: eat black-eyed peas on New Year's day. Served with collard greens, cornbread, and hot sauce, this lucky dish is one we’ll gladly eat every year.

Get the New Year's Black-Eyed Peas recipe.

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5

Sesame Tofu & Broccoli

In this vegetarian version of a Chinese-American favorite, oven-baked tofu gets tossed in a savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce along with crisp-tender broccoli, then topped with toasty sesame seeds and scallions. With a side of white rice, you’ll be on your way to a saucy, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner.

Get the .

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6

Cajun-Stuffed Chicken

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (13)

Say goodbye to boring chicken dinners—this Cajun-stuffed chicken is here to shake up your weeknight rotation. Stuffed with peppers and cheese, this spiced chicken is packed with flavor, but ready to be served in under an hour.

Get the Cajun-Stuffed Chicken recipe.

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7

Chicken Fried Rice

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (15)

If you have leftover rice hanging out in your fridge, then classic fried rice is a no-brainer. There are countless ways to bulk up this staple dinner, from beef fried rice to kimchi fried rice to pineapple fried rice. One of our favorite variations? Classic chicken fried rice.

Get the Chicken Fried Rice recipe.

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8

Lentil Soup

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (17)

Lentil soup is the weeknight dinner that always satisfies—it’s nutrient-dense, flavorful, and perfectly filling. Our recipe ensures that this vegetable soup gets the attention it deserves. Best part? You might already have all the ingredients in your cabinet already (and if not, they're super cheap to buy).

Get the Lentil Soup recipe.

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9

Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (19)

This Cheesecake Factory staple is a seafood lover’s dream! The richness of the cream sauce is balanced by the acid of the tomatoes and the herbaceousness of the fresh basil. To top it all off, you'll add some golden bread crumbs for a bit of crispy texture. Mmm.

Get the Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi recipe.

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10

Coconut Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry

If you're craving a comforting dinner that's also vegan, look no further. This curry is bursting with flavors inspired by chana masala, bolstered by hearty sweet potatoes—it's so delicious, no one will miss the meat.

Get the .

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11

Italian Antipasto Brussels Sprouts Salad

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (23)

Piled high with a variety of cheeses, slices of cured meats, and briny veggies, an antipasto platter is a beautiful sight to behold. If you too love the famed spread and want to enjoy its flavors in as many ways as possible, you've gotta make this Brussels sprouts salad next.

Get the Italian Antipasto Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe.

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12

Vegan Crunchwraps

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (25)

We updated the fast food favorite to be totally vegan and completely irresistible. Creamy vegan queso dip and meaty lentils make a satisfying filling while a quick trip in a hot skillet adds crunch to every bite.

Get the Vegan Crunchwraps recipe.

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13

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pizza

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (27)

Chicken Alfredo and pizza are two kings of the comfort food realm, so when they join forces, you get something truly magical. Creamy Alfredo sauce is topped with sliced chicken, broccoli, and oodles of gooey mozz for a rich, saucy pizza that will revolutionize your weeknight dinner routine.

Get the Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pizza recipe.

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14

Sheet-Pan Burrata Caprese Gnocchi

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (29)

Roasting gnocchi gives the pasta a slightly browned exterior while still maintaining a pillowy, chewy interior. To accompany the gnocchi, we are utilizing the flavors of a caprese salad without relying on the seasonality of tomatoes. Enter beautiful and perfectly sweet bell peppers.

Get the Sheet-Pan Burrata Caprese Gnocchi recipe.

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15

Lemon Butter Feta Chicken Pasta

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (31)

We took one of our most popular pasta recipes—lemon butter chicken pasta—and gave it a worthwhile upgrade with tangy feta, chicken thighs, and gemelli noodles. The creamy, rich pasta sauce with fresh lemon and feta all comes together in one pot for a simple but extra satisfying meal

Get the Lemon Butter Feta Chicken Pasta recipe.

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16

Vegan French Onion Soup

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (33)

Finishing the cheese toasts right in the French onion soup does makes for an impressive presentation, but if you’re meal prepping, it’s best to do that job on a baking tray instead. This'll avoid losing soggy pieces of bread in your leftovers!

Get the Vegan French Onion Soup recipe.

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17

Crockpot Pepper Steak

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (35)

On extra busy weeknights, sometimes even stir-frying is too much effort. If you're looking for a that you can set and forget, turn to this pepper steak, made in your slow-cooker.

Get the Crockpot Pepper Steak recipe.

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18

Ramen Carbonara

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (37)

Craving carbonara, but also in need of a cheap and easy dinner? Instant ramen is here to save the day. If you’re looking for a creative way to use up that last ramen package, this is the recipe that will class up the pantry staple.

Get the Ramen Carbonara recipe.

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19

Bánh Mì Turkey Burgers

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (39)

We amped up these turkey burgers by incorporating the flavors of one of our favorite sandwiches: bánh mì. Pickled veggies, spicy mayo, and cilantro all top our seasoned turkey burgers for a cheap and easy dinner that couldn’t be more exciting.

Get the Bánh Mì Turkey Burgers recipe.

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20

Coconut Braised Cabbage

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (41)

Cabbage is ultra-nutritious, affordable, and with a little effort, can be incredibly delicious, like in this recipe. Big wedges of cabbage are seared, then simmered along with chickpeas, in a savory and slightly spicy coconut milk broth. You’ll be amazed how this humble vegetable is transformed into something to brag about.

Get the Coconut Braised Cabbage recipe.

Our Favorite January Weeknight Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you simplify weeknight dinners? ›

Choose meals that can be prepared in one pot. We have an instant pot that replaced our crock pot and rice cooker. It's a pressure cooker that dramatically shortens the cooking time! Some of our favorite go-to one pot meals are black bean soup, leek and potato soup, veggie tortilla soup, and budae jjigae.

What is a good dinner that everyone would like? ›

27 Quick And Easy Dinners Your Whole Family Will Love
  • One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta. tasty.co. ...
  • Garlic Broccoli Shrimp Stir-Fry. tasty.co. ...
  • 3-Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken. tasty.co. ...
  • Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa. ...
  • Taco Soup. ...
  • One-Pot Chicken and Mushroom Pasta. ...
  • One-Pan Garlic Butter Salmon. ...
  • 20-Minute Beef and Broccoli Noodle Stir-Fry.
Oct 25, 2023

What's a good dinner idea for tonight? ›

Serve with Instant Pot Black Beans and Restaurant Style Mexican Rice.
  • Perfect Roast Chicken with Lemon Herb Pan Sauce. The original easy dinner—roast chicken. ...
  • Whole Roast Chicken with Carrots. Same as above but with carrots! ...
  • Greek Chicken Freezer Meal. ...
  • Freezer Chicken Fajitas. ...
  • Chicken Piccata.

How do I cook dinner for the week? ›

Stash a family-friendly dinner such as a casserole, baked pasta, stew or soup in the freezer or stock your fridge with pre-cooked proteins, chopped veggies and homemade dips, dressings or sauces so you can make healthy (easy!) choices all week.

What is the most common favorite meal? ›

Here is the top 10:
  • Pizza.
  • Burger.
  • Ramen.
  • Paella.
  • Pierogi.
  • Moussaka.
  • Boeuf Bourgignon.
  • Eisbein.
May 24, 2023

What is the most loved meal in the world? ›

Pizza is ranked as the most popular food in the world, according to a survey by TasteAtlas. On average, Americans eat 18 acres of pizza a day, highlighting its popularity in the USA. Pasta is the second most popular food globally, after pizza.

What's for family dinner tonight? ›

So next time you're wondering: “what's a good idea for dinner tonight?”, just pick one of these easy dinner recipes.
  • 1Easy cheesy 2-minute noodles. ...
  • 2Slow cooker chicken chow mein. ...
  • 3Chilli prawn spaghetti for two. ...
  • 415-minute chicken and corn noodle soup. ...
  • 5Cheat's chickpea korma curry. ...
  • 610-minute tuna mornay rice bake.

What is the best dinner at night? ›

13 Simple Dinners to Cook Up Better Sleep
  • Veggie Marinara + Pasta. Photo courtesy of Bare Feet in the Kitchen. ...
  • Seared Cod + Kale Orzo. Photo courtesy of Bigstockphoto. ...
  • Taco Rice Bowls. ...
  • Deli Turkey Wrap. ...
  • Roasted Salmon + Veggies. ...
  • Turkey Burgers + Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • Grilled Cheese + Tomato Soup. ...
  • Quinoa Salad + Walnuts.
Aug 22, 2023

What meal makes you happy? ›

Eggs. Choline found in eggs can help regulate mood and muscle movements and is associated with verbal and visual memory. Other foods that have choline include broccoli, cauliflower, chicken breast, dairy milk, green beans, mackerel, navy beans, pork chops, salmon, shrimp, and tuna.

What to take to a man's house for dinner? ›

Here are a few popular options: Wine or Champagne: A bottle of wine or champagne is a classic and versatile gift. Consider the preferences of your host/hostess, such as red or white wine, and choose a bottle that pairs well with the meal or occasion.

What makes a satisfying meal? ›

The framework is this: For each meal or snack, aim to include a source of carbohydrate, protein, fiber, and fat. When each of these is present, your meal or snack will have a mixture of flavors, textures, nutrients, and energy sources that will leave you feeling satisfied.

What is the best way to structure meals? ›

Repetition is key. Pick two or three breakfast options and two or three lunch options for the week (at most), and add variety through dinner and snacks. Consider what meals you and your family enjoy eating, any food allergies or dietary needs, and how much time you have to prepare food.

How can you simplify meal preparation without using convenience foods? ›

How can you simplify meal preparation without using convenience foods? Simplify and speed-up meal preparation by: 1) Cut meats into smaller pieces before cooking. 2) Prepare one-dish meals such as casseroles, salads, and stir-fries. 3) Serve fish often.

How to eat dinner at 5pm and not be hungry until breakfast? ›

Mapson recommends protein such as meat, fish, eggs, or tofu. “This helps you to feel fuller for longer.” She would also include a small amount of carbs, such as starchy vegetables, potatoes, quinoa or rice, as studies have shown they help to encourage better sleep when eaten four hours before bedtime.

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