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Main Dish Recipes

Browse easy main dish recipes perfect for weeknight dinners, family meals, and comforting homemade cooking. From chicken dinners, beef recipes, pasta dishes, casseroles, soups, skillet meals, and protein-packed favorites to cozy comfort food classics, this collection is full of approachable recipes made for real life.

Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner, a hearty family meal, or a crowd-pleasing comfort-food favorite, these main dish recipes bring big flavor without complicated cooking.

Reader Favorites: One-Pan Skillet Lasagna, One-Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice, Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo, Ground Beef Stroganoff

  • smash tacos feature
    Smash Burger Tacos
  • Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
    Instant Pot Italian Beef
  • Steak Sandwich Baguette
    Steak Sandwich Recipe
  • shrimp tacos feature
    Baja Shrimp Tacos With Crunchy Slaw
  • Salisbury Steak Meatballs With Mushroom Gravy, a comfort food recipe
    Salisbury Steak Meatballs
  • pulled pork tacos featured image
    Asian Pulled Pork Tacos With Crunchy Slaw
  • This is a picture of slow cooker Mexican Beef with tortillas, chips, avocado halves, salsa, shredded cheese, and lime wedges on the side.
    Slow Cooker Mexican Beef
  • Taco Queso Shells
    Cheesy Taco Pasta Skillet
  • shredded dutch oven pot roast with potatoes, carrots, celery drizzled with the braising liquid on a white plate
    Dutch Oven Pot Roast
  • This is a white serving platter with two roasted cornish hens and a vintage serving fork.
    Roasted Cornish Hens
  • closeup of homemade hamburger helper bite on a black fork
    Cheesy Hamburger Helper
  • this is a picture of a roasted prime rib on a white serving platter with fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs as a garnish
    Roasted Prime Rib
  • skillet chicken enchiladas
    Skillet Chicken Enchiladas
  • cajun chicken skillet with orzo
    One-Pan Cajun Chicken Orzo
  • chicken gyro bowls with avocado, cucumber, tzatziki and fresh herbs
    Chicken Gyro Bowls
  • sheet pan pizza featured image
    Sheet Pan Pizza
  • sheet pan salmon with asparagus and tomatoes
    Sheet Pan Salmon
  • This is picture of shrimp, potatoes, corn, mushrooms, and sausage roasted on a sheet pan with a side of remoulade for a Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil dinner idea.
    Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
  • This is a bowl of shrimp and polenta for a fall dinner recipe roundup.
    Shrimp and Polenta
  • chicken taquitos on a baking sheet drizzled with avocado jalapeno ranch
    Baked Chicken Taquitos
  • instant pot taco chicken with jalapenos, radish, cheese, lettuce, lime, salsa, avocado garnishes
    Instant Pot Taco Chicken
  • slow cooker chicken legs
    Smothered Chicken Legs in the Slow Cooker
  • This is a piece of mongolian beef picked up by chopsticks. Perfect for a fall dinner.
    Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
  • This is a picture of a white baking dish with beef enchiladas. Two of the enchiladas are plated and topped with sour cream, red onion, cilantro, and tomato.
    Ground Beef Enchiladas With Red Sauce
  • 30 Minute Asian Shrimp and Noodle
    Shrimp and Noodles
  • this is an upclose picture of chicken and couscous in a large skillet garnished with lemon, parsley, and flakey sea salt on a dark wooden background
    Chicken and Couscous
  • chicken quesadillas featured image
    Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas
  • creamy pesto ricotta lasagna with fresh herb garnishes
    Easy Pesto Lasagna
  • soy ginger salmon served with roasted bok choy, garnished with cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds
    Soy Ginger Salmon
  • This is a picture of braised pork shoulder in a dutch oven with the cooked apple slices. There is fresh sage, thyme, and parsley on the side.
    Braised Pork Shoulder
  • close up of simple oven baked salmon
    Easy Oven Baked Whole Salmon
  • pasta alla genovese - an onion and beef ragù served on a plate from a dutch oven, garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs - a fall dinner recipe idea
    Pasta alla Genovese (Slow-Cooked Onion & Beef Ragù)
  • crispy chicken thigh in a bed of rice
    Easy One-Pot Chicken and Rice
  • This is a picture of beef shepherd's pie in a large skillet with green onion and bacon garnish.
    Beef Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (Classic Cottage Pie)
  • Korean Beef Bowl
    Korean Beef and Rice Bowls
  • salmon coconut curry in a large cast iron skillet
    Thai Red Curry Salmon
  • creamy skillet chicken pot pie in front of a warm fire garnished with fresh herbs and fresh cracked black pepper. a comfort food classic.
    Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
  • Instant Pot Carnitas tacos
    Instant Pot Carnitas
  • easy taco bake
    Easy Taco Bake
  • Asian spring roll bowls with noodles
    Spring Roll Bowls
  • this is a picture of a sushi bowl with pickled onions and radish, salmon, avocado and a green onion garnish with a side of spicy sriracho mayo
    Salmon Sushi Bowls
  • shrimp taco bowls
    Shrimp Taco Bowls with Chili Lime Crema

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Rufus in black dress outdoors

Hey, I'm Rufus!

I’m Ruth aka Rufus, your resident pot stirrer and comfort-food enthusiast.

More about me...

A Little Something Sweet

  • Lemon bundt cake with a lemon glaze, garnished with raspberries, black berries, and lemon slices and zest
    Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake
  • cookies and cream cookies
    Cookies and Cream Cookies
  • banana muffins with chocolate chips
    Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins
  • Brown butter chocolate chip cookies with flaky sea salt
    Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

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plate of instant pot mustard cream with orzo with parmesan wedge and serving platter nearby
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