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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » 30-Minute Meals » 45 Family-Friendly 30-Minute Meals for Busy Weeknights

    Published: July 15, 2019 / Updated: July 22, 2024 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    45 Family-Friendly 30-Minute Meals for Busy Weeknights

    1116 shares
    family-friendly 30-minute meals
    sausage tortellini soup, thai basil shrimp, moroccan chicken, and air fryer filet mignon with title text overlay that reads "Family Friendly 30-Minute Meals."
    45 Best Family-Friendly 30-Minute Meals for Busy Weeknights

    Looking for fast, easy, delicious meals at the end of a long day? Check out these 45 Best Family-Friendly 30-Minute Meals for Busy Weeknights!

    sausage tortellini soup, thai basil shrimp, moroccan chicken, and air fryer filet mignon with title text overlay that reads "Family Friendly 30-Minute Meals."

    We all have those crazy busy nights. Maybe there are dueling kids' sports practices or games. Work is running late and you're up against a tight deadline. When you have just 30 to 45 minutes MAX to pull together dinner for the whole family, what do you do?

    Getting a full, home-cooked dinner on the table at the end of a long work day can be quite the challenge. Even working from home, I often find myself scrambling at dinner time. The dreaded "what should we have for dinner?" question is asked and answered with a head scratch and a sigh all too often.

    Family-friendly 30-minute meals to the rescue

    filet mignon sliced with salad.
    bowl of sausage tortellini soup with spoon on side

    Thanks to some of my fellow food blogger friends, I've compiled a list of recipes to help us all answer the dreaded "what's for dinner?" dilemma.

    And for those of us with kids, that dilemma can be extra challenging. There are additional individual tastes, whims, intolerances, and allergies to consider.

    To me, family-friendly recipes are recipes that can be done in less than an hour (these are all 30 minutes or less!). They are recipes that include common ingredients that you might already have in your fridge, freezer, or pantry. And, they are recipes that don't cost an arm and a leg.

    I broke these fast, family-friendly recipes up into categories to make it easier to find what you're looking for on any particular night. Feel free to click on the link below to jump ahead to a specific recipe category.

    Search recipes by category

    Jump to:
    • Family-friendly 30-minute meals to the rescue
    • Search recipes by category
    • Beef and Pork Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Seafood recipes
    • Pasta recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Soups, Risotto, and Fried Rice Recipes
    • Noodles
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • More 30-minute recipes

    Beef and Pork Recipes

    Garlic-Butter-Brazilian-Steak
    Ground-Beef-Quesadillas 6
    Carne-Asada-Burrito
    Butter-Soy-Steak-Bites-and-Potatoes

    Beef is a hearty and delicious meat protein source. It's also an awesome source of Vitamin B, iron, zinc, selenium, and niacin.

    My favorite cut is rib-eye, and I usually buy the Whole Foods Market rib-eye steak. But as you can see from these recipes, there are so many delicious ways to enjoy beef!

    • Garlic Butter Brazilian Steak from Whisk It Real Gud
    • Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas from Girl Heart Food
    • Carne Asada Burrito from Pinch and Swirl
    • Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes from Delightful Plate
    • Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin and Vegetables from Good Life Eats
    • Sausage Tortellini Soup from Urban Bliss Life
    • Air Fryer Filet Mignon from Urban Bliss Life

    Chicken Recipes

    easy-chicken-tacos
    Easy Chicken Picatta with Baby Arugula
    Thai Peanut Curry asian dinner
    Thai Peanut Curry
    Air-fryer-chicken-tenders

    Chicken is one of the most popular sources of meat protein around the world. These fast and easy chicken recipes show you just how versatile and tasty chicken dinners can be!

    One of my favorite cuts of meat is boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Wallet-friendly and oh so versatile. The recipes use a variety of cuts of chicken, from chicken thighs to drumsticks to chicken breasts.

    • Easy Chicken Tacos from Midwest Foodie Blog
    • Chicken Piccata with Baby Arugula from The Organic Kitchen
    • Thai Peanut Curry from Urban Bliss Life
    • Air Fryer Chicken Tenders from Little Sunny Kitchen
    • Baked Honey Mustard Chicken from Good Life Eats
    • Easy 30-Minute Chicken Marsala from Home and Plate
    • 30-Minute Chicken Green Curry from The Roasted Root

    Seafood recipes

    Thai Basil Shrimp with red and green peppers on a bed of rice.
    salmon foil packet family-friendly 30-minute meals
    easy-shrimp-scampi
    tuna pasta family-friendly 30-minute meals

    Seafood is the home cook's secret weapon when it comes to fast and easy dinner recipes! Shrimp, scallops, and fish all cook up faster than chicken or beef.

    • Thai Basil Shrimp from Urban Bliss Life
    • Salmon and Vegetables Foil Packets from Savory Nothings
    • Easy Shrimp Scampi from The Gay Globetrotter
    • Tuna Tomato Pasta from Neil's Healthy Meals

    Pasta recipes

    When I'm in a pinch, I can always count on a pasta recipe for a fast, easy, delicious family-friendly 30-minute meal.

    • One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese from Sugar and Soul
    • Bucatini Cacio e Pepe with Prosciutto from Hostess at Heart
    • Rigatoni with Italian Sausage from Urban Bliss Life
    • Simple Pasta with Peas from Veggie Desserts
    • Taco Pasta Salad from Smells Like Home
    • Cheesy Sausage Gnocchi from Joy Food Sunshine
    • Pepperoni Pizza Hamburger Helper from Pumpkin N Spice

    Need more pasta? Order from Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods Market for delivery. We usually get ours within 2 hours of placing our order!

    Instant Pot Recipes

    bowl of Instant Pot Turkey Chili with jalapenos, sour cream, bacon, and cheese.
    Stack of chicken drumsticks with seasoning and garnished with parsley and side of lemon wedges on bed of herbs.
    colorful picture of Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken in a large serving bowl

    I use my Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot nearly every single day. They both help make fast, flavorful dinners in a flash!

    • Instant Pot Turkey Chili from Urban Bliss Life
    • Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks from Urban Bliss Life
    • Healthy Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken from Urban Bliss Life
    • Instant Pot Orange Chicken from Sustainable Cooks
    • Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta from Urban Bliss Life
    • Pasta Fagioli (Instant Pot) from Spice Cravings

    Find my latest Ninja Foodi recipes and Instant Pot recipes here.

    Soups, Risotto, and Fried Rice Recipes

    sweet-potato-black-bean-chili
    Instant-Miso-Ramen
    • Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili from Shane and Simple
    • "Instant" Miso Ramen with Poached Eggs from My Kitchen Love
    • Barley Risotto with Italian Sausage and Peppers from A Communal Table
    • One Pot Chicken Taco Rice from Organized Island
    • Meal Prep: Shrimp Fried Rice from Mom Advice
    • Filipino Bacon Fried Rice from Urban Bliss Life
    • Simple Pork Cauliflower Rice from The Fit Cookie
    • Pan Fried Garlic Prawns from Greedy Gourmet
    • Fresh Sushi Spring Rolls from Vibrant Plate

    Noodles

    Shrimp Lo Mein Noodles
    Shrimp Lo Mein

    Noodles are always reliable for quick and yummy meals. Here are some better-than-takeout recipes!

    • Pork and Peanut Noodles from Urban Bliss Life
    • Shrimp Lo Mein from Urban Bliss Life
    • Stir Fry Noodles from Contentedness Cooking
    • Instant Kimchi Noodle Soup from Spa Bettie

    Vegetarian recipes

    asparagus mushroom fajitas Family-Friendly 30-Minute Meals
    Simple Corn Fritters Family-Friendly 30-Minute Meals
    • Vegetarian Fajitas from Cadry's Kitchen
    • Simple and Delicious Corn Fritters from Goodie Goodie Lunch Box

    Which if these are your favorite family-friendly 30-minute meals?

    More 30-minute recipes

    • bowl of charred corn salad.
      Charred Corn Salad
    • Balsamic Chicken Salad.
      Balsamic Chicken Salad
    • Cod en Papillote (cod in parchment paper).
      Cod en Papillote
    • berry overnight oats in a mason jar.
      Berry Overnight Oats

    Did you make any of these recipes? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating and comment below letting us know which one you made and how it turned out. Thank you!

    « Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Jenni LeBaron says

        July 16, 2019 at 3:55 pm

        What a great round-up! I could make my way through this list twice in a row and never get bored!

        Reply
      2. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        July 16, 2019 at 2:16 pm

        Definitely pinning this for the busy nights ahead! There are SO many yummy, easy recipes to try on this list!

        Reply
      3. Megan Joy says

        July 16, 2019 at 12:29 pm

        I am all about the quick and easy recipes especially with a toddler and newborn keeping me busy lol I can't wait to try the chicken tacos!

        Reply
      4. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

        July 16, 2019 at 9:36 am

        I'm getting so hungry right now looking at all this deliciousness! Thank you very much for including my cheesy ground beef quesadillas :) !!

        Reply
      5. Julie says

        July 15, 2019 at 5:32 pm

        Such a great way to plan for a months worth of meals. Appreciate the layout of it.

        Reply
      6. Chris Collins says

        July 15, 2019 at 4:51 pm

        I'm always on the hunt for delicious and most importantly QUICK recipes, so this roundup is perfect for me!! Thanks so much for sharing :)

        Reply
      7. Beth Pierce says

        July 15, 2019 at 4:49 pm

        What a great roundup of recipes! Will definitely be saving this for busy weeknights when the kids are back in school!

        Reply
      8. Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says

        July 15, 2019 at 4:46 pm

        Marlynn, you're speaking my language. When I get home from work, I want to play with my kids - not stress over dinner in the kitchen for an hour. These recipes are great!

        Reply
      9. Emily says

        July 15, 2019 at 3:01 pm

        Omg so much delicious food in one place...I don't know what to choose first! Thanks so much for putting this together.

        Reply

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! If you're looking for easy, fast, delicious family-friendly recipes, wine pairings, and travel tips, you've come to the right place! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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