18 Quick Dinners for When It's Dark Before You Clock Out

Beat those winter blues with these fast and easy dinner recipes.

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published January 20, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
overhead view of a bowl of Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili

Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Craig Ruff / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Winter is tough for many reasons, but the shorter days really take the cake. When it's already dark by the time your workday is over, mustering up the energy to make dinner can feel impossible. Fortunately for you, we've hand-picked a collection of recipes that will get a satisfying meal on the table in 30 minutes or less with minimal effort. Scroll on to find your perfect winter dinner.

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  • Spaghetti alla Carrettiera

    Spaghetti served with cherry tomatoes and herbs a fork is placed on the plate

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    “Canned cherry tomatoes are my favorites to use here. They add texture and bursts of flavor. However, you can use any type of canned tomato you like: diced, pureed, crushed, or roasted.” —Danielle Campbell, Recipe Developer

  • 20-Minute Tomato Orzo Soup

    overhead view of a bowl of 20-Minute Tomato Orzo Soup

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    "If you’re feeling a little lazy (like me!), you can skip the chopping and pick up a tub of prechopped mirepoix in the refrigerated section of the supermarket or in the frozen vegetable aisle. Toss a jar of minced garlic in oil in your cart, too, and you’ll have all of the vegetable prep out of the way." —Alexandra Shytsman, Recipe Developer

  • Grandma Patty’s Chili

    Bowl of Grandma Patty’s Chili with sour cream shredded cheese and Fritos alongside a bowl of Fritos and a yellow napkin

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    “Chili is usually topped with tortilla chips or saltines, but I have my own secret topping I’ve kept to myself all these years. My grandma’s pantry harbored a litany of snacks, and I knew exactly where to find all of my favorites. For a savory, crunchy bite, I reached for Fritos, and now I rarely eat her chili without them.” —Joey Firoben, Recipe Developer

  • Unstuffed Peppers

    spoonful of unstuffed pepper lifted from skillet with more at a table setting with glasses of water and table napkins

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    “This recipe has all the flavors of classic stuffed peppers—ground beef, rice, tomato, and cheese—without the need to hollow out and pre-cook the whole peppers, stuff each cavity, and bake.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 5 of 18 below

  • Baked Fish with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

    Simply Recipes

    “If you are preparing this in a kitchen without a food processor, you can substitute two cups of prepared breadcrumbs for the sandwich bread in this recipe. Use fresh, coarsely ground breadcrumbs if possible (avoid finely ground).” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

  • Greek Chicken Skewers

    Sally Vargas

    “This recipe was excellent! I didn't change anything. I appreciated the very easy instructions. I highly recommend that if you make this, double it!” —Linda, Reader

  • Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon

    Bowl of Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon with Rice and Garnished with Cilantro and Lime Wedge, and in the Surroundings, a Kitchen Towel, a Bowl with More Curry, and a Bowl with a Halved Lime and Cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar

    “If your salmon is ice cold straight out of the fridge, it may take a little longer to cook through. It’s always best to gently poke a fork through the thickest part to check for doneness.” —Myo Quinn, former Associate Editorial Director

  • Rotisserie Chicken Alfredo

    Nick Evans

    “I quadrupled this recipe to feed a crowd and it was EXCELLENT. Everyone loved it! It was easy and quick to prepare. Definitely keeping this one in my pocket!” —Sam, Reader

    Continue to 9 of 18 below

  • Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet

    A top view of a skillet with the Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “This recipe calls for a whole 8-ounce block or about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. High-quality pre-shredded cheeses, like Tillamook and Cabot, work if you don’t have the energy to grate the block yourself.” —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Baked Taco Skillet

    Cheesy Baked Taco Skillet

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “This dinner is the main dish and sides put together, so why not go big? If you have cooked leftover vegetables or even a bag of frozen vegetables, stir them in when you add the rice. If you’re using frozen veggies, cook them for a few minutes longer to thaw and cook off some of the liquid.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

    Ground beef and broccoli stir fry over rice in a bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, a bowl of sliced scallions, and a bowl of sesame seeds

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    “As a lover of beef and broccoli, this recipe is SO easy to prepare. I did, as others suggested, make extra sauce and was glad I did. Just yummy over the jasmine rice.” —WS, Reader

  • Thai-Style Chicken Fried Rice

    Thai fried rice on a platter at a table setting with a serving of fried rice on a plate, a small plate with Thai basil, a glass of water, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    “If you’re in a pinch and didn’t have time to cook the rice a day ahead, slightly undercook some white rice. If you have time, spread your just-cooked rice over a few layers of paper towels and place it in the refrigerator to cool and dry out.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 13 of 18 below

  • 15-Minute Couscous Skillet

    A skillet containing couscous, arugula, roasted vegetables, and cheese crumbles, with a serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

    “The secret ingredient is couscous, which has the superpower of only needing five minutes in hot liquid to become tender and plump. If you are unfamiliar with couscous, it’s easy to think it’s a kind of whole grain, like quinoa or rice. It’s actually a tiny pasta made from semolina wheat.” —Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • Skillet Shrimp Fajitas

    Nick Evans

    “For fajitas, I like large shrimp, which usually come 31 to 35 shrimp per pound. Ultimately, you want three to four shrimp per fajita serving, and not just one huge shrimp in each tortilla.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • One-Pot Sausage and Orzo

    Angled view of a wooden spoon in a skillet of orzo, italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “I like to use chicken broth for this recipe, but vegetable broth is also a nice option. Both provide flavor that water just can’t. That being said, if you’re in a pinch, use water and consider adding a touch of onion powder, thyme, and oregano for a little more flavor.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Fish Tacos

    Sally Vargas

    “Cod, tilapia, or halibut are my go-to choices for fish tacos, but you could really use any white fish fillets. It doesn't really matter if the fish is a firm variety or more flaky; you break up the cooked fish into the tacos anyway, so perfect presentation isn't really important.” —Emma Christensen, former General Manager

    Continue to 17 of 18 below

  • 15-Minute Tortellini Soup

    A serving of tortellini soup with a tomato based broth in a bowl, topped with parmesan cheese, with a spoon in the bowl

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    “There’s hardly any prep required to make this soup (virtually none if you use frozen or jarred minced garlic instead of chopping your own). It consists of just a handful of pantry staples simmered in a pot until the pasta is tender.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili

    overhead view of a bowl of Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Craig Ruff / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

    “If you’d rather not use canned chicken, you can swap it for 2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken. A rotisserie chicken is very handy here.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

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