Food and Recipes Dinner 31 Quick Weeknight Meals for the Holidays By Patricia S York Patricia S York Assistant Food Editor Pat is an Assistant Editor at Southern Living and has been a part of the team since 2006. She works with the Senior Food Editor to plan monthly print food features and stories that will highlight Southerners making a difference through food, share delicious recipes that utilize seasonal produce, and offer exceptional reader service. Pat also writes digital content on a variety of topics including cooking, gardening, and pets.One of the reasons Pat enjoys living in Birmingham is because it is centrally located between the mountains and the Gulf coast. She spends her free time gardening, hiking with her dogs, and pursuing her goal of becoming a better horsewoman. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 1, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley We spend a lot of time focusing on our holiday meals. We want the perfect main dish, such as juicy hams and succulent roast beefs. Spectacular side dish recipes are always a hit. Most importantly, we strive to create show-stopping desserts, those delectable treats that our guests will be talking about for months. But the holiday event is just one weekend out of the month, so what do we cook on those busy nights leading up to it? Weeknights get pretty hectic during the Christmas season. With office parties, after-school events, and shopping to be done, everyone is hungry but there seems to be little time to put a satisfying meal on the table. Avoid the lines at restaurants. We have pulled together a selection of our best casseroles, sheet pan suppers, quick-fix, and one-pot meals to help you fix an easy weeknight holiday meal for your family. 01 of 31 Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Even on your busiest nights, you can make a tasty, filling meal. This dish comes together in minutes thanks to convenience items. Pre-peeled shrimp, refrigerated pesto, and frozen peas make cooking easy without sacrificing flavor. 02 of 31 Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Recipe Jennifer Davick Recipe: Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Recipe With just five ingredients, dinner is a snap to prepare. Shredded potatoes, ground beef, and beans are combined with sloppy joe sauce and topped with cheese. Bake in individual ramekins or a 13- x 9-inch dish. 03 of 31 Skillet Turkey Meatloaves with Mushroom Gravy Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Recipe: Skillet Turkey Meatloaves with Mushroom Gravy Here's a one-pot meal your family will request over and over again. Vegetables cook with the meatloaves, and the pan drippings are the base for rich mushroom gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes. 04 of 31 Skillet Orzo with Fish and Herbs Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Skillet Orzo with Fish and Herbs The orzo cooks paella-style, starting on the stovetop and then finishing in the oven. Sundried tomatoes and lemon brighten the flavor of this weeknight meal you'll keep coming back to. Use any flaky white fish, or even salmon. 05 of 31 Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken Iain Bagwell Recipe: Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken Come home to this sweet-savory chicken after a fun-filled day of shopping. Your slow cooker does the work for you. Apricot brandy adds richness. 06 of 31 One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice This quick dinner is everything you want a weeknight meal to be. Chicken thighs go easy on the budget. Honey-chile sauce packs flavor in every bite. One pan makes clean-up a breeze. 07 of 31 Chicken Stir-Fry Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken Stir-Fry Use fresh or frozen veggies in this dish. Perfect for the busiest of nights, it comes together quickly thanks to rotisserie chicken. Add steamed rice to round out the meal. 08 of 31 Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Rosemary and canned butternut squash bring mac and cheese to the next level. This meal may rely on convenient precooked pasta, but it doesn't lack in flavor. It's cheesy, comforting, and everything you want around the holidays. 09 of 31 Potato Crusted Pizza Alison Miksch Recipe: Potato Crusted Pizza Frozen shredded potatoes serve as the base for a unique pizza. Flatten potato rounds and bake till crisp. Top this family-friendly meal with fresh ingredients. 10 of 31 Southwest Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl Greg DuPree Recipe: Southwest Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl Chicken cutlets and microwaveable rice help get this meal on the table in under 20 minutes. Cumin, coriander, and chiles pack it with flavor and heat. Garnish with tortilla strips, salsa, and lime. 11 of 31 Greek Baked Ziti Greg Dupree Recipe: Greek Baked Ziti Make this dish in advance for a busy week ahead. Comforting baked ziti gets a twist from a tomato sauce enhanced with lemon, oregano, and cinnamon. This dish freezes well, making it perfect to keep on hand for the holidays. 12 of 31 Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Veggies and Oranges Alison Miksch Recipe: Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Veggies and Oranges An impressive fish dinner in less than 30 minutes? Absolutely! This complete meal cooks on a sheet pan. Full of veggies and packed with flavor, you'll want to make this a weeknight staple. 13 of 31 Pan-Seared Flank Steak with Herb Sauce Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Recipe: Pan-Seared Flank Steak with Herb Sauce When you want something outside your ordinary lineup, this weeknight steak is the right choice. Cook in a cast-iron skillet for tender, juicy results. Don't skip the herb sauce—it really makes this dish shine. 14 of 31 Black Bean Burgers with Avocado Slaw Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Black Bean Burgers with Avocado Slaw The trick to black bean burgers that aren't mushy is baking the beans first to dehydrate them. These patties have the perfect texture. Top with an easy avocado slaw for a meatless main. 15 of 31 Chicken Scallopini Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Chicken Scallopini This indulgent chicken dinner feels like a special occasion meal on a weeknight. It takes just 30 minutes to create this crispy chicken with creamy mushroom sauce. Pair with pasta to get every last drop. 16 of 31 Sheet Pan Jambalaya Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Sheet Pan Jambalaya A sheet pan makes quick work of this classic. Microwaveable rice is the secret to getting perfectly cooked rice that soaks up all the flavor. Andouille sausage and shrimp provide a satisfying meal. 17 of 31 Greek Pork Chops with Squash and Potatoes Hector Sanchez Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Greek Pork Chops with Squash and Potatoes Count on pork chops when you want a quick, flavorful meal. Because these chops cook with the vegetables on one pan, they are a go-to for company or busy weeknights. Fresh oregano, lemon juice, and garlic add zest to a simple Greek marinade. 18 of 31 Quick Beef Chili Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Quick Beef Chili Chili doesn't have to simmer all day to be delicious. Your family will love this quick version. Top this comforting classic with cheese, sour cream, and green onions. 19 of 31 Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes Fitting for a casual weeknight or to serve holiday guests, this chicken strikes a winning combination of lemon, rosemary, and garlic that will please everyone. Serve with French bread and dinner is done. 20 of 31 Pizza Spaghetti Casserole Beth Dreiling; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey Recipe: Pizza Spaghetti Casserole This casserole will wow your littlest critics. Pizza toppings and cheesy pasta united in one warming dish. Make ahead and freeze unbaked for up to one month. 21 of 31 Asian Pork Chops Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Asian Pork Chops Let a marinade of sweet chili sauce and hoisin do the work for this easy entrée. Pork chops cook quickly, making them a good choice for weeknights. Add a salad or steamed vegetables to round out the meal. 22 of 31 Almond-Crusted Tilapia Ralph Anderson; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Almond-Crusted Tilapia When company is coming, no one needs to know you didn't spend hours in the kitchen. The holidays are busy enough. Serve this simple tilapia made with just six ingredients. An elegant dinner is done in less than 25 minutes. 23 of 31 Chicken Sausage with Fennel and Apples Recipe Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Sausage with Fennel and Apples Recipe For weeknights when everyone wants dinner now, try these sheet pan sausages. Fennel and apples are a nice change from the standard peppers and onions. Serve with no-fuss microwaveable rice. 24 of 31 King Ranch Breakfast Strata Greg Dupree Recipe: King Ranch Breakfast Strata Wow holiday guests with this make-ahead breakfast strata. What better way to start—or end—a chilly day than with all the ingredients of the beloved King Ranch Casserole? And make enough for seconds. 25 of 31 Cast Iron Chicken Piccata Greg Dupree Recipe: Cast Iron Chicken Piccata This one-dish wonder is a welcome sight for family meals and guests. Chicken cutlets ensure you'll have this ready in no time. Add lemon juice, capers, and parsley just before serving for bright, fresh flavor. 26 of 31 Pizza Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Pizza Casserole All your favorite pizza toppings baked in pasta form. Loaded with veggies and cheese, this one is sure to put a smile on everyone's face. It's just as easy to customize as a pie from your favorite shop. 27 of 31 Easy Skillet Tacos Recipe Southern Living Recipe: Easy Skillet Tacos Recipe Taco Tuesday doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need packets or kits for this homemade version that's full of seasoned meat and beans. Set out toppings and let everyone make their own. 28 of 31 Chicken-and-Collards Pilau Greg Dupree Recipe: Chicken-and-Collards Pilau Smoked sausage, chicken thighs, and collard greens combine in this Lowcountry rice dish. Quick-cooking rice absorbs the flavorful broth and stays fluffy. 29 of 31 Ancho Chile Flank Steak and Sweet Potato Tacos Alison Miksch Recipe: Ancho Chile Flank Steak and Sweet Potato Tacos Flank steak spiced with ancho chile powder brings the heat. Roast with sweet potatoes, tomatillos, and onion. Sour cream mixed with pan drippings cools things down. 30 of 31 Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls Just when you thought Sloppy Joes couldn't get any better. This fulfilling supper takes everything you love about the messy sandwich and puts it in casserole form. It's cheesy, saucy, slightly sweet, and irresistible. 31 of 31 Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole Alison Miksch Recipe: Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole Put a spin on the great chicken-ranch combination with this pasta bake. This creamy casserole uses a time-saving rotisserie chicken. Bacon adds crunch and incredible flavor. These are leftovers you won't mind having. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit