Save the dinner hour with this collection of last-minute dinner ideas. Here, you'll find irresistible chicken, fish, beef, ground turkey, and pasta recipes that take 40 minutes or less to make. They're all picky-eater-approved, full of flavor, and made using minimal kitchen equipment.
Is it just me, or does frozen pizza sound better and better as the hours fly by on a busy weekday? Let's be honest, though; freezer food rarely ever hits the spot!
For this reason, having a handful of last-minute dinner ideas in my back pocket has saved me on more occasions than I care to admit!
Here, you'll find 25 last-minute dinner recipes, ranging from one-pot wonders and 30-minute meals to protein-packed mains that pair with just about any side dish. There are also easy pasta recipes, quick-cooking fish recipes, burgers, and sandwiches.
So put down the takeout menu, because a home-cooked meal is as little as 20 minutes away!
Jump to:
- Dinner ideas for the last minute
- Easy Dijon Chicken Thighs
- One Pot Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
- Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Thighs
- Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
- Caprese Chicken Sandwich
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken
- Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes
- Baked Panko Chicken
- Blackened Pork Chops
- Honey Butter Garlic Chicken
- Chicken Salad Wraps
- Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Ground Pork Fried Rice
- One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Recipe
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Busy Day Soup
- Sausage Broccoli Pasta
- Easy Blackened Cod Recipe
- Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta
- Healthy Salmon Pasta
- Smashed Turkey Burgers
- Penne al Salmone
- Crispy Chicken Cutlets (Air Fryer Recipe)
- Pesto Crusted Salmon
- Last-minute meal planning tips
- Time-saving dinner tips
- More last-minute dinner ideas
- FAQs
- Hungry for more?
- 💬 Comments
Dinner ideas for the last minute
There's no need to stress just because time is tight! A last-minute dinner can still have loads of flavor without a bunch of fuss and prep work. Here are a few tried-and-true easy dinners made using chicken, beef, pork, pasta, and more!
Easy Dijon Chicken Thighs
Bone-in chicken thighs start on the stovetop and finish cooking in the oven, but not until they're smothered in a sweet and savory honey dijon glaze! Tender, juicy meat with seriously crispy skin, made in under 30 minutes. What's not to love?
One Pot Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
Made in just 30 minutes in a single pot, these saucy ground chicken sloppy joes will hit the spot any night of the week! As an added bonus, they're packed with hidden veggies that are undetectable to even the pickiest of eaters.
Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
Made in just 20 minutes using leftover Dutch oven pulled pork, premade pizza crust, and bottled BBQ sauce. This leftover BBQ pulled pork pizza is not only easy to make, but it's delicious, too!
Baked Buffalo Chicken Thighs
With just 5 minutes of prep time and only 4 main ingredients, these baked boneless chicken thighs are the perfect last-minute dinner idea! They're sweet, savory, spicy, and guaranteed to satisfy your buffalo chicken wing craving!
Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
When made with leftover Dutch oven pulled chicken breast, homemade chicken noodle soup can be made in under 40 minutes! Just because you need dinner on the table at the last minute doesn't mean you can't throw together a warm and comforting meal.
Caprese Chicken Sandwich
Full of fresh flavors and smothered in a herby pesto mayo, this caprese chicken sandwich will hit the spot on a warm summer night. Serve it with a hands-off side like air fryer sweet potato fries, and dinner is done in under 30 minutes!
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken
Made in just one pan with only a handful of ingredients, this sundried tomato pesto chicken recipe is ready in no time flat. Full of savory, rich flavors and perfect when you're hosting guests at the last minute.
Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes
Made in just 1 skillet with only 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, this cast iron skillet pork tenderloin is the ultimate last-minute dinner idea! And the best part? It's filled with healthy, whole-food ingredients! Last minute doesn't have to mean unhealthy, processed, convenience foods.
Baked Panko Chicken
These crispy, crunchy, yet juicy, and tender baked panko chicken breasts are a lighter and healthier alternative to pan-fried chicken cutlets. They whip up in just 30 minutes using ingredients you likely have on hand.
Blackened Pork Chops
Seasoned with a homemade blackening blend with just a hint of heat, these blackened pork chops are full of garlicky, oniony, and herby flavor! They're made in just 15 minutes in a cast iron skillet and pair well with garlic basmati rice, Baked potato (no foil), and blackened corn.
Honey Butter Garlic Chicken
Made entirely on the stovetop, this honey butter garlic chicken might look complicated, but it actually comes together in just 30 minutes! Even if you make it for Friday night dinner at the last minute, it'll still be faster than ordering takeout! Serve it over plain white rice or garlic basmati rice.
Chicken Salad Wraps
Made with leftover Dutch oven pulled chicken breast, these chicken salad wraps are whipped up in mere minutes. This last-minute dinner idea is fuss-free and guaranteed to satisfy.
Balsamic Chicken Thighs
These succulent, juicy boneless chicken thighs coated in a sticky, sweet balsamic vinegar marinade are the perfect last-minute dinner idea. The marinade mixes together in just 5 minutes, and no chopping or dicing is required! I love to serve them over creamy mashed potato squash.
Ground Pork Fried Rice
Ground pork, snow peas, carrots, ginger, garlic, fresh green onions, and soy sauce combine to make an irresistible 30-minute skillet dinner. It's faster than delivery, easy to customize, and can be prepared in advance.
One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Recipe
You'll love this hamburger helper-style ground beef and pasta dinner, which is full of cheeseburger flavors and made entirely in one pot! It's a seriously delicious last-minute dinner idea, sure to please the entire family.
Cheeseburger Sliders
If you thought burger night couldn't get easier, think again! Instead of forming patties and frying each one, spread your ground beef mixture on a tray of Hawaiian rolls and call it a night! They're cheesy, savory, and total comfort food.
Busy Day Soup
A 30-minute soup recipe without any prep work? Sign me up! Busy Day Soup uses pantry staples and freezer ingredients, making it the perfect last-minute dinner when you're struggling to get a meal on the table. And don't worry—it's still packed with veggies—a whopping four whole cups worth!
Sausage Broccoli Pasta
A simple pasta dish made with ground sausage, fresh broccoli, garlic, and parmesan cheese is the perfect last-minute dinner idea when you're short on time. It's made with just 8 main ingredients in 30 minutes or less!
Easy Blackened Cod Recipe
For a last-minute dinner idea that's sure to satisfy, try these blackened cod filets! They're made on the stovetop in just 15 minutes using pantry staples! Round out the meal with a crispy baked potato (no foil) and air fryer zucchini and squash.
Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta
Made entirely in one pot in just 30 minutes, this ground turkey and broccoli pasta is the creamy, cheesy, comfort food of your dreams! While it's a complete meal on its own, I love serving it with a simple garden salad or Caesar salad (without anchovies).
Healthy Salmon Pasta
Made in just 30 minutes without using heavy cream, this salmon pasta dish is a lighter alternative for when you're craving a filling meal that won't weigh you down. Flaked salmon is tossed with fresh pasta, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a buttery lemon garlic sauce for an irresistible last-minute dinner recipe the entire family will love!
Smashed Turkey Burgers
Prepare these 10-minute turkey smash burgers for a seriously last-minute dinner the entire family can get behind! Serve them with chips or Alexia air-fried sweet potato fries, and call it a night.
Penne al Salmone
Rich, savory, and creamy, this stunning penne al salmone recipe only takes 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish! This decadent salmon pasta recipe calls for fresh salmon, dry white wine, garlic, and loads of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Crispy Chicken Cutlets (Air Fryer Recipe)
Crisped up in the air fryer in a matter of minutes, these air fryer chicken cutlets cook in under 15 minutes and become unbelievably crispy and crunchy!
Pesto Crusted Salmon
All you need is a small sheet pan and 5 main ingredients to make this pesto-crusted salmon recipe! It's seriously easy to make, with just 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time. They're full of herby, garlicky, flavors!
Last-minute meal planning tips
Having a well-stocked refrigerator, freezer, and pantry is the key to successfully whipping up dinner when you're short on time. Here are some essential ingredients to keep on hand for last-minute meals:
- Canned meat, such as tuna fish, chicken, and salmon.
- Pasta options, like spaghetti, penne, and boxes of mac and cheese.
- Veggies that can be stored for the long term. This includes frozen vegetables and canned vegetables.
- Canned beans are essential! If you have cans of black beans and kidney beans on hand, a quick stove-top Dutch oven chili recipe is just a few minutes away!
- Canned tomatoes can be used to make homemade roasted red pepper and tomato soup, ground pork spaghetti sauce, and chili.
- Frozen meats that can be cooked straight from the freezer. I like to keep a variety of breaded chicken, frozen meatballs, and sausage links on hand.
- Rice, quinoa, and couscous are a quick and inexpensive way to bulk up a meal.
Time-saving dinner tips
Having a last-minute dinner idea in your back pocket is great. But what's even better is having a few time-saving tricks up your sleeve to really whip up dinner at lightning speed! Here's what I do:
- Purchase pre-chopped or pre-cooked ingredients. This not only saves time, but dirty dishes, too!
- Rely on my microwave for warming up bagged rice and canned and frozen veggies.
- Make parts of our dinner in advance whenever possible! Pasta, grains, and certain meats, such as meatballs and meatloaf (like this taco meatloaf), reheat beautifully. Nobody will ever suspect you prepared these items several hours earlier!
More last-minute dinner ideas
There's nothing I love more than a quick and convenient sheet-pan dinner or a one-pot meal that simmers on the stove for a few hours. These dinner ideas aren't exactly quick-cooking, but they're easy to make and relatively hands-off once the prep work is done.
FAQs
The best late-night food recipes should be quick and easy to prepare and more of a heat-and-eat situation. Grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs and toast, French bread pizza, BBQ pulled pork pizza, nachos, and butter noodles are all great options.
Don't stress when last-minute guests arrive. If there's no time to make a complete meal, rely on elevated, ready-to-eat items. Examples include jarred olives, cheese and crackers, salami, roasted nuts, and dried fruit.
If you forget to take the meat out of the freezer, rely on ready-to-eat protein, such as tuna fish, beans, and quinoa. Make sure you bulk up your meal with plenty of fresh vegetables and high-fiber grains. This ricotta mac and cheese recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and is just as filling as any meat and potatoes dinner.
Katie says
This list is so thorough and packed with tips for last-minute meal planning. It's such a great resource!