Weeknight Meals

The 19 Most Popular Weeknight Dinner Recipes of 2022

These were the quick, reliable dinners that Epicurious readers cooked the most this year.

December 22, 2022

A serving bowl of kung pao chicken with bowls of rice.

On many weeknights, when 6:00 p.m. rolls around, you can find me standing in my kitchen, staring dazedly into my phone while typing something like “chicken” or “easy pasta” into the search bar of the Epicurious app. Judging from the lineup of Epicurious’s most popular recipes of the year, it seems that a lot of you can also appreciate the art of a speedy, reliable recipe that gets dinner on the table without needing to prepare a million different components or courses.

In this collection we’ve brought together the most popular weeknight-friendly dinner recipes of 2022, like a tuna melt that doesn’t skimp on the cheese, an easy grilled salmon that gets an no-sticking assist from some foil, and Hong Kong–style crispy rice that’s made in a skillet. You’ve had a long week, so let us help with dinner ideas.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
1/19
15-Minute Cherry Tomato Pasta
Burst cherry tomatoes, garlicky olive oil, and basil join forces in this summery weeknight pasta.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
2/19
Classic Seafood Boil With Lemon-Butter
You’ll need your favorite seafood seasoning and your biggest pot for this seafood boil brimming with shrimp, sweet corn, smoky sausage, and tender potatoes.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
3/19
Three-Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
This Taiwanese classic gets its name from the generous amounts of soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine it calls for.
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Photo by Elena Heatherwick
4/19
Confit Tandoori Chickpeas
These tandoori-spiced chickpeas get slow-cooked with aromatics in oil, and they’re sublime for a make-ahead meal.
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Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
5/19
Baked Salmon With Lemon and Thyme
Baking salmon in a low oven keeps the fillets moist and tender for an elegant meal that’s virtually guaranteed to become a staple in your repertoire.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi
6/19
Cacio e Pepe
This classic Roman pasta only has a few ingredients, but they merge into a surprisingly silky, flavor-packed sauce.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
7/19
Juiciest Grilled Chicken Breast With Citrus Marinade
This easy grilled chicken recipe is a fast track to weeknight dinner, with a built-in marinade that’s made entirely with inexpensive ingredients you may already have in your pantry.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
8/19
One-Pot Spiced Shrimp and Rice
Truly a one-pot wonder, this dish is homey, comforting, and weeknight-friendly (thanks to the minimal cleanup).
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad
9/19
Lemony Risotto With Asparagus and Shrimp
Make this shrimp risotto for a weeknight dinner. With bright flavor from lemon zest and fresh asparagus, it’s an ideal meal for spring.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
10/19
Kung Pao Chicken
Cooking this dish at home allows you to adjust the recipe to suit your pantry: Use cubed chicken thighs or breasts, swap out the peanuts for cashews or walnuts, or use more or fewer chiles to cater to your family’s palates.
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Photo by Eva Kosmas Flores
11/19
Cauliflower Puttanesca
For a gluten-free alternative to pasta, this boldly flavored sauce is spooned over cauliflower.
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Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
12/19
Easy Grilled Salmon in Foil With Lemon-Garlic-Herb Butter
This easy grilled salmon in foil recipe is totally foolproof, resulting in flaky fish with a garlic-herb butter sauce. And did we mention cleanup is a breeze?
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Photo by Eva Kolenko
13/19
Spicy Unstuffed Pasta Shells With Roasted Garlic and Chèvre
Roasted garlic is one of just five ingredients that make this hearty baked pasta oh-so-good, with oh-so-little effort.
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Photo by Sarah and Kaitlin Leung
14/19
Hong Kong-Style Crispy Rice Skillet
A thin layer of crispy rice, an array of Chinese cured meats, and a drizzle of sweet, seasoned soy sauce makes this a simple and satisfying weeknight dinner.
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Anna Hezel is a Buffalo-born, Brooklyn-based food and culture writer. Before joining Epicurious in 2022, she was the senior editor at TASTE. Anna has written about food, drinks, and culture for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appétit, Rolling Stone, GQ, Eater, and more. She’s the author ... Read More

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