17 Family Dinner Ideas That Make Weeknights Special These are main dishes that everyone will be on board with. Close Credit: Jake Sternquist Is there a kid who hasn’t been through the only-buttered-pasta stage? For some, that stage lasts a long time—and that makes family meals tough. So does when you’re previously broccoli-loving offspring reject the spears. Mealtimes can be an ongoing challenge, but we’re here to help. Our family dinner ideas bring fresh inspiration and flavors, along with ingredients and textures that kids often love. We’ve got cheesy-topped casseroles, meatless meatballs, potato-topped pies, and pasta that brings more than butter to the table. These are dishes everyone at the table can get on board with—and that should make mealtimes easier and more enjoyable. 21 Kid-Friendly Chicken Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight 01 of 17 Crispy Chicken Tacos Credit: Paola + Murray Corn tortillas hold shredded chicken thighs and a quick homemade pico de gallo in this tasty dinner. Use store-bought salsa if you want to save a few minutes, but don’t skip crisping the tortillas, as the crunchy contrast makes the dish. View Recipe 02 of 17 Cheater’s Mac and Cheese Credit: Con Poulos It’s soothing, satisfying, and cheesy, too. It’s ready in just 20 minutes and easy on the cook because it’s all made in one pot. The irresistible cheese sauce starts with cream cheese, one of our favorite shortcut recipes. Our cheater’s mac and cheese has a lot to recommend it. View Recipe 03 of 17 Shepherd’s Pie Credit: Brie Goldman A potato-topped pie is always a winner dinner, especially when the filling is a beefy mix of ground meat and vegetables in a savory sauce. If your family doesn’t do red meat, try our turkey shepherd’s pie—or our vegetarian version. View Recipe 04 of 17 Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup Credit: Alpha Smoot Soup for dinner is a favorite, and this recipe is our absolute favorite—give it a try and you’ll see why. It’s hearty yet healthy, and the roasted broccoli topping is a next-level touch. View Recipe 05 of 17 Eggplant Meatball Casserole Credit: Mike Krautter Oh so cozy and comforting, these meatless ‘meatballs’ are made with eggplant, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan. They’re draped in an easy tomato sauce and topped with plenty of mozzarella for a casserole everyone will devour. View Recipe 06 of 17 Bean Burritos Credit: Jake Sternquist Customize these burritos to suit your crowd: more rice for this one, more spicy beans for that one, extra cheese here. Serve them tonight or label them carefully so the all-the-cheese fan gets the correct burrito when you pull them out of the freezer on one of those nights when there is no time to make dinner. View Recipe 07 of 17 Weeknight Chili Credit: Con Poulos Chili is one of our go-to family dinner ideas because it’s so versatile. You can mix it up with the meat, skip the beans, and there has to be a toppings bar so everyone can customize just how they like it. View Recipe 08 of 17 Sausage Casserole With Cheesy Rice and Squash Credit: Murray Hall Our sausage casserole packs the comforting textures and hearty flavors of stuffed squash into an easy casserole with sweet sausage, bell pepper, canned tomatoes, and rice. It’s topped with mozzarella and baked to melty, crispy-topped perfection. View Recipe 09 of 17 Salmon Noodle Casserole Credit: Bryan Gardner Hearty and filling yet also fresh and bright, this salmon noodle casserole does it all. Consider it a lighter take on tuna noodle casserole, featuring fresh salmon, herbs, and lemon with curly cavatappi pasta for looks and taste. View Recipe 10 of 17 Broccoli and Chickpea Parmesan Credit: Johnny Miller No meat, no problem. This one-pan dinner brings together chickpeas, marinara sauce, and mozzarella in a single skillet, then tops it off with wedges of roasted broccoli florets. A crunchy Parmesan-and-panko blend is the final touch to this comforting, easy, and nutritious meal. View Recipe 11 of 17 Test Kitchen’s Favorite Chicken and Dumplings Credit: Justin Walker Who can resist dumplings? If they’re a top a creamy chicken stew, all the better. View Recipe 12 of 17 Cheesy Spinach Potato Egg Bake Credit: Con Poulos A favorite one-dish dinner, this egg casserole features potatoes and spinach. It's gluten free and vegetarian, so it’s a great meal for a crowd with mixed dietary needs. View Recipe 13 of 17 Tortilla and Black Bean Pie Slicing into this brightly-colored layered pie makes mealtime fun. It’s packed with kid-friendly ingredients like frozen corn, shredded cheese, and crispy tortillas. View Recipe 14 of 17 One-Pan Pasta Credit: Maxwell Cozzi This is one of our most popular recipes and for good reason. Cooks love it because it only uses one pan. Parents love it because kids who might reject sauce on pasta are fine with this dish—everything cooks together, and the dish makes its own sauce. View Recipe 15 of 17 Gnocchi With Sausage, Zucchini, and Tomato Credit: Linda Xiao Are they pasta or dumplings? Gnocchi appeals to fans of both carb-centric options; they’re crowd-pleasing and versatile. Here, we pair them with sausage (use chicken or veggie sausage if that’s what your crew prefers), plus fresh tomatoes and store-bought pesto for a 20-minute dinner that’s hard to beat. View Recipe 16 of 17 Quick-Fried Chicken and Waffles Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? Or all the crunchy textures this meal brings? Serve with steamed or roasted broccoli or another family-favorite vegetable for color. View Recipe 17 of 17 Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms With Egg Noodles Credit: Johnny Miller Egg noodles for the win! Also, a creamy sauce and tender chicken breasts. If mushrooms don’t win with your group, add some frozen peas and save the fungi for your plate. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Dinner Recipes Family Dinner Recipes