Friday night dinner should always feel like a reward for making it through the long week that’s passed, but actually making a rewarding dinner can sometimes add exhaustion on top of your existing exhaustion. You’re craving something fancy, but don’t have the fancy energy in you to pull out your entire pantry for a meal… trust us, we know the feeling. That’s exactly where these Friday night dinner ideas step in – they all stand up to gourmet quality and flavor without requiring too much attention at the end of the day.
Heirloom Tomato Cheddar Tart with Everything Spice
This dinner recipe looks deceivingly complicated, but it's easy enough for Friday nights. The reality is, all it takes is quickly baking a pack of store-bought puff pastry before topping it with your freshest heirloom tomatoes – of any produce you'd like. (via Half Baked Harvest)
Vegan Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
You can easily prep these roasted Brussels sprouts for a Friday night side dish within half an hour. That short kitchen time will go a loooong way when you feel like becoming a fully-fledged couch blob at the end of the week. (via The Edgy Veg)
Baked Tortellini with Vodka Sauce
Ready in under 30 minutes + made in one pan = the best dinner ever. We love when a rewarding dish comes to fruition with what feels like zero effort. (via Rachel Mansfield)
Easy Shrimp Quesadillas
The Taco Bell drive-thru looks drab compared to this cheesy quesadilla recipe. It saves you some valuable Friday night time if you opt for cooking with frozen shrimp! (via A Spicy Perspective)
Easy Flatbread Pizza
Pizza never fails as a solid TGIF celebratory food. This recipe builds on ready-made dough, so you can add any toppings you're craving in the moment. (via Culinary Hill)
Potato Chip Crusted Chicken Tenders
Sink your teeth into these crusted chicken tenders that boast a crunchy exterior and a soft inside. Once you pair them with the tangy homemade honey mustard, you won't ever want to go back. (via Barley & Sage)
Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
This easy dinner idea is family-friendly to the max. Everyone can gather 'round and dig their spoons into a dish that's chockfull of crispy tots, spicy beef, and ooey-gooey cheese. (via The Girl On Bloor)
Easy Gluten-Free and Vegan Mac and Cheese
When you think of comfort food, mac and cheese definitely lands on the top 5 list. You can start making a vegan cashew-based sauce overnight before drenching some noodles in cheesy goodness. (via Two Spoons)
2-Ingredient Vegan Homemade Potato Gnocchi
Every bite of this potato gnocchi is like a warm hug. These bad boys can be made in under half an hour, then they're ready to absorb your favorite sauce! (via Gastroplant)
Easy Cheesy Tetrazzini
It's low-key super lame to slave over a dinner dish on a Friday night when you're supposed to hang with the fam! This recipe is the ultimate solution for that, offering a tasty and fulfilling dish that only requires an hour of your attention. (via This Wife Cooks)
Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta
Rich and decadent flavors surround your mouth with each forkful of this easy pasta dish – and who wouldn't want a hot, heaping bowl of pasta in their lap after a long work week? (via Salt & Lavender)
Sheet Pan Nachos
For feeding a Friday night crowd, opt for these sheet pan nachos. Displaying a vibrant array of veggies, cheese, and chips on a massive board makes it 1000% easier to share the flavor and savor! (via Amanda Wilens)
Easy Spanish Rice and Beans
All you need on-hand is 7 simple ingredients to make this hearty rice and beans dish. It's great for an end-of-week side dish, especially since it contains extra protein. (via Live Eat Learn)
Sticky Harissa Honey Glazed Chicken
This equal-parts sweet and savory chicken recipe goes great with microwavable rice or noodles, plus it's an easy choice to meal prep and eat on throughout the week. (via The Endless Meal)
One Pot French Onion Pasta
Anytime one pot meals are mentioned, we're in. This dish is certain to spruce up your Friday nights, since it emulates the cozy, comforting flavors of French onion soup. (via Cozy Cravings)
Easy Egg Fried Rice
Fried-rice is a total easy dinner no-brainer because you have the freedom to throw in whatever veggies and protein you have in your kitchen into the dish. You can totally take this recipe and build upon it however you'd like! (via Takes Two Eggs)
Caramelized Onion Pie
Welcome a *hint* of luxury to your evenings with this caramelized onion pie – it's dripping in complex flavor and only asks for an hour of your time. (via Allo Simone)
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken
We're big proponents of sun dried tomatoes. They never fail to incorporate robust tastes into any dish – but they especially shine in this pasta dinner alongside pesto and parmesan. (via A Spicy Perspective)
Easy Cajun Salmon
This Friday night dinner recipe leverages spicy spices and sweet spices for a balanced bite. You can absolutely serve this fish alone for a fancy vibe, or make some quick rice to have on the side, too! (via Pink Owl Kitchen)
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Let's hear it for 'ol reliable – spaghetti and meatballs. As long as there's an excess amount of marinara involved, the family will love this easy dish on Friday nights. (via Feel Good Foodie)
Sloppy Joes
Zero-fuss dishes should be a given for weekday evenings. This sloppy joes recipe feeds the masses without calling for much effort. (via A Spicy Perspective)
Viral Smash Burger Tacos
A taco-burger hybrid was not on our 2023 culinary bingo card, but now that we know they exist, we'll take 10. The fact that these bites are essentially burgers built in tortillas makes them painfully easy. (via Rachel Mansfield)
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Your Friday night guests can take one, and pass it down with these vegetarian stuffed peppers. You only need to set aside one hour to prep dinner, too – score! (via Culinary Hill)
Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Lemon and light ricotta partner up excellently in this pasta dinner suitable for summer. We hear some white wine calling... now that it's Friday night, we know you're thinking of pouring a glass, too. (via Barley & Sage)
5-Ingredient Miso Pasta
Throwing in some miso paste into your recipe is a streamlined way to incorporate more dense flavors. It pairs superbly with melted butter and cheese in this dinnertime favorite. (via Live Eat Learn)
Asparagus Pizza
If you're going to have a pizza, you might as well maximize the nutrients you get from it, and make it taste good. This recipe does both, plus it's straightforward to make and bake! (via Most Hungry)
Baked Masala Fish Packets
Grab some parchment paper to envelope your favorite fish in bold spice and lemon, and soon enough, you've got a satisfying (and quick) dinner dish to eat on Fridays. (via Signature Concoctions)
Quick and Easy Summer Steak Tacos
Take your post-work tacos up a notch by adding some summer herbs like oregano, parsley, and cilantro to them. Thank us later! (via Salt & Lavender)
Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Corn & Avocado Salsa
Step outside on Friday night and prepare for possibly the *best* grilled steak of your life. An unbelievably quick and extremely fresh avocado-forward salsa meats the meet with bright notes for summer nights. (via Barley & Sage)
Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi boosts the nutritional value of this fried rice dinner via probiotics and vitamin K, and immerses every bite in a perfectly pungent flavor. With just 20 minutes and one pot, it'd be a crime to miss this easy recipe. (via Takes Two Eggs)
Creamy Shrimp in Coconut Sauce
Coconut brings a sort of creaminess to this shrimp dinner, and lightens up the seafood flavors. While you enjoy the dish, you'll also get a beneficial serving of veggies to fuel you. (via Cilantro Parsley)
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Header image via Barley & Sage
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