Some evenings, even deciding what to make for dinner can feel like too much work. These 23 recipes offer a range of soups, casseroles, one-pot dinners, and slow cooker dishes for days when you need something filling without spending the whole evening in the kitchen. Some come together with pantry staples, while others can cook with very little attention once the preparation is done. There are plenty of choices for getting a hot dinner on the table when your energy is running low.
Kimchi Stew
A steaming bowl of Kimchi Stew brings a tangy, savory kick to dinner when an ordinary soup just will not do. The kimchi gives the broth its distinctive fermented flavor and makes this a good choice when you want something bold and warming. Serve it with a bowl of rice to make the meal more substantial. On an evening when you would rather stay home than order takeout, this is a welcome change from the usual dinner routine.
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Brussels Sprouts Casserole
A golden, cheesy topping makes Brussels Sprouts Casserole an appealing way to turn a familiar vegetable into something more substantial. The sprouts become tender as they bake, while the creamy sauce brings the ingredients together in one dish. Serve it alongside roasted chicken or another simple main course when you want dinner to require less last-minute work. Any remaining casserole can be refrigerated for another meal, making the effort of preparing it worthwhile.
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Hot and Sour Soup
Tangy broth with a little heat gives Hot and Sour Soup the kind of bold flavor that can make a difficult evening more manageable. Its combination of savory ingredients and contrasting flavors makes each spoonful more interesting than a plain broth. Serve it on its own for a lighter dinner or add rice and another simple dish when you need something more filling. A steaming bowl is especially welcome when the weather is cold and you have little interest in making an elaborate meal.
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Vegetarian Chili
Hearty enough to serve as a complete dinner, Vegetarian Chili combines kidney beans, black beans, finely chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, and warming spices in one pot. A little dark chocolate and maple syrup balance the heat and deepen the savory flavor. The recipe makes six servings, so there is enough for dinner with the possibility of leftovers. Serve it with rice, tortilla chips, or a spoonful of sour cream when you want a substantial meal without preparing several separate dishes.
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White Bean Soup
A creamy texture without a complicated cooking process makes White Bean Soup a practical dinner when you are running low on energy. Cannellini beans simmer with carrots, celery, spinach, and vegetable broth before lemon juice and Parmesan finish the soup. It takes 45 minutes and makes six servings, all in one pot. Add crusty bread on the side for dipping, and you have a filling meal without needing to cook a separate main course.
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Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Tender chicken and soft homemade dumplings make Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings a filling dinner when you would rather stay home than head to a restaurant. Chicken breasts cook in broth while a simple flour, milk, and butter mixture becomes the dumplings. The recipe serves six and takes one hour from start to finish. Ladle generous portions into bowls for a complete meal, with no need to prepare several side dishes after an exhausting day.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Tortellini Soup
A bowl of Tortellini Soup offers something more substantial than a plain vegetable soup, thanks to the pasta tucked into every serving. The tortellini makes it useful for evenings when you want a hot dinner without preparing a separate pasta dish and sauce. Serve it with bread for dipping, or add a simple salad if you have something fresh in the fridge. It is an appealing choice when you want a complete meal in a bowl rather than several dishes to wash afterward.
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Vegetarian Shepherds Pie
Beneath its golden mashed potato topping, Vegetarian Shepherds Pie has a savory filling of mushrooms, white beans, carrots, and celery. Rosemary, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar give the vegetables a rich flavor before the whole dish goes into the oven. The recipe makes eight servings and can be prepared ahead, making it useful for evenings when cooking from scratch sounds exhausting. Cut a generous portion and serve it with a simple green vegetable for a filling dinner.
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Leek and Potato Soup
Smooth and creamy without requiring an elaborate dinner plan, Leek and Potato Soup combines tender potatoes, leeks, onions, chicken broth, and herbs in one pot. The cooked vegetables are blended before cream is stirred in for a richer finish. It makes eight servings, so there can be enough to save for another day. Serve the soup with crusty bread, and add the crispy leek topping when you want a little texture without preparing another full dish.
Get the Recipe: Leek and Potato Soup
Halloumi Stroganoff
Golden pieces of cheese in a creamy tomato sauce give Halloumi Stroganoff a satisfying texture without the lengthy cooking associated with some traditional stroganoff recipes. Halloumi is pan-fried before being added to a sauce of tomatoes, mustard, smoked paprika, and crème fraîche. The recipe serves four and takes 15 minutes according to its recipe card. Spoon it over rice or pasta for a substantial dinner that does not require spending the entire evening at the stove.
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Spicy Lasagna Soup
A big bowl of Spicy Lasagna Soup brings the familiar flavors of lasagna to the table without requiring you to assemble separate pasta layers. The combination of a savory tomato broth, pasta, and a little heat makes it a filling option for an evening when a traditional baked lasagna sounds like too much work. Add a spoonful of cheese before serving for a creamy finish. Pair it with bread or a simple salad, depending on how much else you want to prepare.
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Tonkotsu Ramen
Rich broth and a generous helping of noodles make Tonkotsu Ramen a substantial dinner when you want something more involved in flavor than a plain bowl of soup. The broth gives this dish its distinctive character, while the noodles and toppings turn it into a complete meal. It is particularly well suited to a slower evening when you have the time for the longer cooking process. Prepare the broth ahead when possible to make serving dinner easier on a more demanding day.
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French Onion Soup
Deeply caramelized onions give French Onion Soup its savory sweetness, while bread and melted cheese make each bowl more substantial. The onions need time to cook properly, but much of the preparation happens in one pot before the soup is finished with its cheesy topping. Serve it as the main course with a salad or another simple side. This is a good choice for a quiet evening when you want a rich, warming dinner without preparing a complicated main dish.
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Goulash
A hearty skillet or pot of Goulash makes dinner simpler when you want the familiar combination of ground beef, pasta, and tomato sauce. The savory ingredients come together in a filling dish that does not need much else on the table. Spoon generous portions into bowls and add a little cheese if you like a richer finish. This is especially useful on a busy weeknight when a complete dinner in one pot sounds far more appealing than cooking several separate dishes.
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Lentil Soup
Creamy coconut milk gives Lentil Soup a richer finish, while the lentils make it substantial enough to serve as dinner rather than just a starter. The mixture of vegetables, seasonings, and coconut milk creates a warming bowl that works well when you want something filling without preparing a separate main course. Serve it with bread or rice to make the meal go further. It is also a useful choice when you want to put together dinner using ingredients already waiting in the pantry.
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White Chicken Enchiladas
A creamy, cheesy topping makes White Chicken Enchiladas a welcome dinner after a long day, especially when you already have cooked chicken available. Shredded chicken is wrapped in tortillas and covered with a sauce made with chicken broth, sour cream, and green chiles. Monterey Jack melts over the top as the enchiladas bake. Assemble the dish ahead when possible, then cook it for dinner and serve with rice or a simple salad.
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Mushroom Soup
Earthy and creamy, Mushroom Soup turns a few familiar ingredients into a substantial bowl that does not require an elaborate dinner plan. Mushrooms and caramelized onions simmer with vegetable broth, paprika, dill, and soy sauce before sour cream gives the soup its rich finish. The recipe takes 40 minutes and makes four servings. Serve it with toasted bread or a sandwich for a simple dinner, and freeze any extra portions for another evening when cooking sounds like too much work.
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Cauliflower Casserole
A bubbling cheese topping gives Cauliflower Casserole a richer character than plain steamed vegetables, making it a useful addition to dinner when you want something filling without much extra work. The cauliflower becomes tender beneath the creamy sauce, while the topping adds a little texture to every serving. Pair it with chicken or another simple main course, or serve a generous portion alongside a green salad. It is a practical choice when you want vegetables on the table without preparing several separate sides.
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Elevated Ramen Noodles
A packet of noodles becomes a more substantial dinner with Elevated Ramen Noodles, making it useful when you have very little energy left for cooking. The familiar noodle base offers a convenient starting point for a hot meal without requiring the longer preparation of traditional ramen. Serve the noodles straight from the pot or divide them into bowls for an easy dinner. This is the kind of option worth keeping in mind when the fridge is running low and takeout is starting to sound tempting.
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
A lightly spiced broth makes Chicken Tortilla Soup a filling way to turn cooked chicken into another complete meal. Shredded chicken, tomatoes, and corn come together in the soup, while homemade tortilla strips add crunch just before serving. The recipe makes eight servings and can use leftover or rotisserie chicken, reducing the amount of preparation needed. Add your preferred toppings at the table and keep the strips separate until serving so they stay crisp.
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Vegetable Pasta Bake
A golden layer of melted cheese makes Vegetable Pasta Bake an appealing dinner when you want something filling without preparing several different dishes. Pasta, zucchini, and spinach come together in a creamy tomato sauce before the casserole goes into the oven. The finished dish works as a complete dinner on its own, although a simple green salad can add something fresh alongside it. Set aside any leftovers for another meal so the time spent cooking stretches further than one evening.
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Lamb Stew
Slow simmering turns Lamb Stew into a rich, hearty dinner with tender pieces of lamb in a savory tomato broth. Onion, garlic, cumin, fresh mint, and parsley build the flavor while the meat cooks until tender. The recipe makes eight servings and takes one hour and ten minutes, with much of that time spent simmering. Serve it in deep bowls with bread for dipping, and save any extra portions for another evening when you want dinner without starting from scratch.
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Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken
Long workdays are easier to manage when Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken can cook while you handle everything else. Chicken breasts, baby potatoes, and carrots simmer with ranch seasoning, cream of chicken soup, and heavy cream, creating a complete dinner in one pot. The recipe requires only five minutes of preparation before its eight-hour cooking time and makes six servings. Spoon the chicken and vegetables onto plates with some of the creamy sauce for a filling meal that needs no separately prepared sides.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken