10 Quick And Easy Dinner Ideas To Enjoy With Family

Dinner is more than just nourishment or a meal, but it’s a chance to reconnect with loved ones after a long day. For children, sharing a meal provides a sense of belonging and stability. But making the time and energy for cooking something satisfying as well as healthy is not always easy. A selection of quick and easy dinner ideas has been picked for you, which are ideal for sharing with family.

There’s nothing like a family dinner to bond, tell jokes and catch up on the day, but when packed with schedules, it often makes it hard to cook something that takes time or is complicated. Just because dinner isn’t complicated doesn’t mean it can’t be comforting and delicious. Whether you are cooking for kids, your parents, your grandparents or picky eaters, there are lots of recipes that are snappy, simple and satisfying. This collection of dinner ideas features a combination of Indian favourites and globally inspired meals that take 30 minutes or less to make, and many in one pot or pan. So grab your apron and prepare to relish mealtime with less drama and more flavour.

Vegetable Pulao With Raita

It is a fragrant rice dish packed with vegetables and mild spices; vegetable pulao is a one-pot wonder. To prepare this, cook basmati rice with sautéed onions, mixed vegetables, whole spices such as bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves, and a pinch of garam masala. Serve with raita made from curd, salt, cumin powder, and chopped cucumber or boondi.

Mizo Bai

Mizo bai is a light, healthy vegetable stew from Mizoram featuring vegetables and bamboo shoots, and is optionally made with pork or fermented ingredients.  Pour water into a cooking pot and bring it to a boil, add baking soda, green chilli, chopped French beans, potato, chopped cauliflower stalks, florets and some greens (any seasonal greens). Cover the lid and cook for 15-20 minutes. You can now add cooked rice to the vegetable stew and let it simmer for a couple of minutes, allowing the gravy to be absorbed. Your mizo bai is ready to be served hot. It’s mild and healthy with a unique umami flavour.

Creamy One-Pot Pasta

If you are a pasta lover and also like to put minimal effort into cooking something amazing for dinner, then this easy recipe is for you to try out. Smooth, creamy, cheesy: this one-pot pasta is comfort food at its finest. Throw in your favourite veggies or protein and you’ve got a hassle-free Italian-inspired dinner on the table in 30-35 minutes. To make this, sauté garlic and onions in a large pan, drop in pasta, milk or cream, and vegetable broth. Toss cheese and soft vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms. Cook until pasta is soft and coated in a creamy sauce.

Masoor Dal Tadka with Jeera Rice

Packed with flavour and nutrients, this is a classic Indian combo. Earthy masoor dal is punched up with spicy tadka and paired with aromatic jeera rice. It is an easy, less time-consuming dish for dinner that can be prepared in a jiffy. To prepare this, pressure-cook masoor dal with turmeric and salt. Temper some mustard seeds, cumin, garlic, and red chilli in ghee, and pour over the dal. Serve when piping hot with jeera rice. 

Chicken Salad

If you prefer something light, but still packed with protein, try chicken salad, perhaps with shredded chicken, fresh greens and a zingy dressing. Toss together shredded chicken with lettuce, cherry tomatoes or sliced tomatoes, cucumber, onions and your favourite dressing such as lemon-olive oil or yoghurt-based. You could also toss in some nuts or croutons for crunch, but that’s optional. Refrigerate and serve it cold or keep it at room temperature as per your choice. It is an amazing healthy salad for dinner, which is a good option for a no-cook night.

Chinese Veggie Stir-Fried Rice

With all these vibrant vegetables and a generous seasoning with soy sauce, this fried rice is all you need to make when a craving for Chinese cuisine kicks in. Top with scrambled egg or tofu for more protein. First, fry garlic, ginger and mixed vegetables in some vegetable oil. Then, add cooked rice or leftover rice and drizzle it with soy sauce. Stir fry the assembled ingredients and top it off with scrambled egg or tofu, as desired.

Thai Peanut Noodles

This noodle dish has a lot of umami flavour and is creamy and spicy. This pleasing dish, which is made with a quick peanut sauce, can be modified with leftover chicken, vegetables, or tofu. After the noodles are boiled, toss them with a sauce consisting of peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chilli flakes. Add cooked chicken or stir-fried vegetables, and garnish it with crushed peanuts. It is a quick and easy dinner recipe that is delicious, satisfying and takes minimal time, effort, and ingredients. It is perfect for busy evenings and family bonding at the table.

Galho -Naga Style One-Pot Rice Meal

It’s a comfort food of Nagaland, made with rice, local greens and a choice of meat or veggies. Galho is hearty, nourishing and great for a simple, no-fuss family dinner with a lot of flavour. A quick and easy recipe would be to prepare it vegetarian. In a pot, add 4-5 cups of water, if you are cooking a cup of rice, and then add chopped greens such as mustard leaves or any seasonal greens only when the rice is cooked. Season it with garlic and ginger; add salt and allow it to cook until it becomes soft and porridge-like in texture. Serve hot, accompanied by a side dish such as chutney and satisfy your hunger pangs.

Veg Masala Khichdi

Masala khichdi is composed of rice and lentils, along with vegetables and warming spices. It’s nutritious, comforting, soothing and easy on the stomach and extremely satisfying — just the thing for a cosy evening meal at home. To start with, cook rice, moong dal and chopped veggies together with turmeric, cumin, ginger-garlic paste, and garam masala. Then, temper it with ghee, mustard seeds, and curry leaves to enhance the taste.

Kholar with Bamboo Shoot 

Kholar is a local kidney bean variety from Nagaland, which is rich in protein and packed with antioxidants. Cooked with bamboo shoots, ginger and Naga herbs, they make for a robust and earthy preparation. It is completely plant-based, deeply satiating, and gut-friendly.” To prepare the special kholar dish, soak the kidney beans overnight. Take the soaked kidney beans, season them with fermented bamboo shoot, garlic and chilli. Add water and then pressurise it for 20-25 minutes. Best served with piping hot rice for those tiring evenings after work.