5 Cozy Weeknight Dinners You’ll Make on Repeat (Dietitian Approved Dinner Plan)

Sheet pan, skillet meals, and soups for the win.

By
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN
Sara Haas
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN, is a food and nutrition expert with formal culinary training. She works as a writer, recipe developer, food photographer, media authority, public speaker, and consultant dietitian/chef. Former culinary and nutrition instructor and National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson. 
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Published November 15, 2025
Sara Haas
Skillet Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Cheese & Spinach
Lisa Lin

Cool, cozy weather calls for hearty soups and stews, along with sizzling sheet-pan and skillet dinners—all while keeping things simple for busy weeknights. This week of dinners delivers, with recipes like Chicken Sausage and Pasta Skillet and Lentil Soup. Plus, they're curated by registered dietitians who care just as much about comfort and ease as they do about nutrition. Read on to see the delicious, comforting weeknight dinners these dietitians couldn't wait to share.

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  • Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli with Miso Butter

    Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccoli - After baking

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    As a registered dietitian, chef, and mom, I'm seasoned in making food that's exciting, delicious, and nourishing. One strategy I use frequently to accomplish that goal is the “complete meal” approach. A complete meal should have the following things: a plant or meat-based protein, two or more vegetables, and one whole grain (or starchy equivalent, like potatoes or peas). All of the dietitian-approved dinners in this plan are considered complete meals.

    In this recipe, the salmon and broccoli cover the protein and vegetable category. I'll often serve a dish like this alongside brown rice or roasted potatoes. And may also add in snow peas or sliced bok choy for even more veggies. I’m a big fan of the sheet pan meal. I love the simplicity and easy clean-up, and also that I can cook the meal on one pan.

  • Easy Pumpkin Chili

    Bowl of easy pumpkin chili topped with a dollop of sour cream and pumpkin seeds at a table setting with another bowl of chili, a lime wedge on the counter, and white table napkins

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    For Joy Bauer, M.S., RD, Nutrition & Health Expert on NBC’s TODAY Show, it’s Pumpkin Turkey Chili that she “can eat all day, every day!” Thanks to all of the vegetables and beans, it’s fiber-packed and full of protein, which makes it nourishing and satisfying. There are plenty of spices and textures that keep it interesting, too. The recipe makes a batch large enough to feed a crowd, but also keeps well, which means you can easily enjoy it throughout the week. For some extra staying power, consider adding a few cups of cubed squash in addition to the canned pumpkin right before the soup simmers and cooks.

  • Chicken Sausage and Pasta Skillet

    Skillet containing pasta with melted cheese and tomato sauce garnished with herbs and a serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

    My friend Julie Andrews, M.S., RDN, the chef behind The Healthy Epicurian, told me that her favorite easy complete meal involves turkey sausage, veggies, and pasta with a quick sauce. This skillet recipe embraces those ideas with chicken sausage for the protein, penne pasta (I recommend whole wheat) for the grain, and tomatoes and spinach for the two vegetables!

  • Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

    Sheet pan with cooked chicken strips and assorted vegetables surrounded by small bowls of guacamole pico de gallo and condiments

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    Similar to Andrews, my colleague and friend Qula Madkin, M.S., RDN, loves a good one-vessel meal like sheet pan chicken fajitas. For her, this meal checks the boxes for being not just complete, but also fun, filling, and budget-friendly. There’s the bonus that later in the week, you can turn any leftovers into fajita bowls with rice and beans.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below

  • Lentil Soup

    Easy Lentil Soup in a bowl with a spoon.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Soup-lovers rejoice! Hearty vegetable-based soups are perfect fall fare, says Manju Karkare, M.S., RDN. Her go-to is lentil soup with kale. She loves that it’s plant-based, nutritionally complete, and uses in-season, budget-friendly ingredients. Serve it with crusty whole grain bread and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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