Did you know Monday is often the busiest day of the week? And it’s hard too – especially when you’re having to jump back into work, school, and other extracurriculars after a fun weekend!
Coming home to a warm, comforting dinner can help you relax after a day’s work, but not everyone has the time (or the energy) to prepare a home cooked meal after a hectic day at work or school. But, the good news is making dinners for Monday nights can be simple and painless.
Today, I’m sharing a roundup of easy dinner ideas that are quick and easy to prepare on Monday nights.
10 Monday Dinner Ideas
Before we dive right into the dinner recipe ideas, I want to start off by sharing what I like about all of these easy dinner ideas (and what makes them great for Monday nights) in the first place. They are all filling meals that are also quick healthy meals that are a breeze to prepare!
Pizza Stuffed Bell Peppers
Nothing is more quick and easy than this pizza stuffed bell pepper meal. Not only is it comfort food, but since all the ingredients are pre-prepped from being store bought, there’s hardly any prep work needed and can be made in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 Bell pepper, orange, large
- ½ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed
- ¼ oz Pepperoni
- 4 oz Cheese, sliced, mozzarella, full fat/ regular
- ⅓ cup Cheese, Parmesan, shredded (cups)
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried
- ¼ tsp Oregano
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt
Instructions
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Step 2:
Slice peppers in halves
Step 3:
Add pepper halves to a casserole dish
Step 4:
Layer in crushed tomatoes, cheeses, and pepperoni evenly to the 4 pepper halves
Step 5:
Top with seasonings
Step 6:
Optional: Add a few olive slices – track them if you do!
Step 7:
Bake for 25 minutes, and enjoy!
No dairy? Swap out this recipe for another. No pepperoni? Use turkey or soy pepperoni.
Beef Nachos
What better way to end your busy Mondays than to fill up on a meal that’s not only tasty and easy to prepare, but also packed super nutritious! And the best part is aside from cooking the beef, everything else can be ready made from store bought ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 oz Tortilla chips
- ½ cup Salsa
- ½ Onion, yellow, large
- 5 oz Beef, shaved, raw
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt
- 1 Tbsp Cilantro
Instructions
Step 1:
Slice onion.
Step 2:
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Step 3:
Stir-fry onion and beef for ~10 minutes on low heat, or until onions are cooked through and beef is no longer pink.
Step 4:
Top chips with stir-fry mixture, salsa, and seasonings.
Sheet Pan Nachos
This bean pepper nachos recipe can be whipped up altogether in a sheet pan, making it the perfect recipe to add to this list of easy dinner ideas for Monday nights!
Ingredients
- 4 Mini bell pepper
- ½ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked
- ¼ cup Guacamole
- ⅓ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded
- ¼ cup Salsa
- 1 Tbsp Cilantro
- 2 tsp Taco seasoning
Directions
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Step 2:
Slice mini bell peppers in halves
Step 3:
Mix together beans and taco seasoning
Step 4:
Fill bell pepper halves with bean mixture
Step 5:
Top with cheese
Step 6:
Bake for 8 minutes
Step 7:
Top with guac (I buy pre-made), salsa, more seasoning if you wish, and chopped cilantro
No dairy? Use more guac at the end
Instant Pot Pork Chops & Onions
What’s more comforting than pork chops? Flavor it up with these toppings to create a tasty bite and irresistible smelling aroma.
Ingredients
- 6 oz Pork chop, bone-in, raw
- 2 Onion, yellow, large
- 1 Tbsp Cheese, Parmesan, grated (Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
**This recipe should be doubled to make 2 servings at a time (share or eat the other serving at a later time); the Instant Pot needs to have at least 1 ½ cups of liquid in it in order to work.
Step 1:
Put Instant Pot on “Saute” function; Spray inside pot with an oil spray
Step 2:
Sear pork chop (just let cook for 2 minutes on each side)
Step 3:
Add into the pot the rest of the ingredients – onions (thinly sliced), parmesan cheese, mustard, water
Step 4:
Press “Cancel” to stop Saute function, and then press “Manual” and adjust the time to cook for 5 minutes
Step 5:
After the Instant Pot beeps that it’s done, release the pressure knob and open the pot
Step 6:
There will be extra liquid – you can discard it! Use tongs to take out the pork chop & onions
Chicken Pot Pie Skillet
When you’re in the mood for something quick and easy, swap out the store bought chicken pot pie for this healthier and quick rendition of the popular baked dish.
Ingredients
- 4 oz Ground turkey, 85% lean, raw
- ½ cup Carrots, baby
- ½ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half
- ½ Onion, yellow, large
- ⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried
- ¼ tsp Oregano
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
Step 1:
Dice carrots, onion & celery.
Step 2:
Spray pan with an oil spray. Cook ground turkey and veggies to pan. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently, until meat and veggies have cooked through.
Step 3:
Top with cheese and seasonings.
Step 4:
Let cheese melt 2-3 minutes (or alternatively, you can broil in the oven for 3 minutes).
No dairy? Use a dairy free cheese, oil, or add in pancetta instead. No animal protein? Use beans or tofu.
Slow Cooker Taco Chicken
Add this dinner recipe to your slow cooker meal ideas for easy monday night dinners.
Ingredients
- 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw
- ½ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked
- ½ cup Corn, canned
- ½ cup Salsa
- 1 tsp Avocado oil (tsp)
- ¼ tsp Garlic salt (tsp)
- ¼ tsp Red pepper flakes (tsp)
Instructions
NOTE: This is a “slow cooker” meal – you can use a crockpot, the instant pot, etc. You’ll likely prefer to make multiple servings at once.
Step 1:
Add oil to the bottom of your slow cooker, then add in the rest of your ingredients & give them a stir.
Step 2:
Cook your food on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Step 3:
Shred your chicken with a fork (either in the pot or out of the pot on a cutting board & re-mix it in).
Step 4:
Enjoy!
No meat? Use white beans, but make a stir fry instead (nothing needs to slow cook here).
Black Bean Enchiladas
Feel like a pro when you whip up this dinner recipe for easy monday night dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 Tortilla, whole wheat or corn, small
- ¼ cup Enchilada sauce
- ½ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked
- ½ Onion, yellow, large
- ½ cup Tomatoes, grape
- ⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper, ground
Instructions
Step 1:
This recipe works best when cooking 2-3 servings at once. So double or triple ingredients above and then divide into 2 or three servings to eat.
Step 2:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 3:
Dice onion and tomatoes.
Step 4:
Spray pan with an oil spray. Cook veggies for ~5 minutes on medium heat.
Step 5:
Place onion, tomatoes, and beans in tortilla. Top with seasonings and 2 Tbsp enchilada sauce. Then roll up.
Step 6:
Spray a baking dish with oil spray, and place rolled up tortillas in baking dish. Hold tortillas closed with toothpicks if you need to.
Step 7:
Top with other 2 Tbsp enchilada sauce and cheese.
Step 8:
Bake 20 minutes.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, or top enchiladas with diced avocado after cooked, instead of the cheese.
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw
- ⅓ cup Broth, chicken or beef (cups)
- ½ cup Beans & legumes, White, cooked
- ¼ cup Salsa verde
- ½ Onion, yellow, large
- 1 Carrots, whole, medium
- ¼ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half
- 2 tsp Olive oil (tsp)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper, ground
- ⅛ tsp Cumin
Instructions
Step 1:
Dice onion, carrot, and celery. Rinse & drain beans. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2:
Add oil to a pot.
Step 3:
Turn heat to medium, add in onion, carrots, and celery.
Step 4:
Stir fry until fragrant (you’ll know) ~3 minutes.
Step 5:
Add in the rest of the ingredients to the pot (chicken, beans, broth, salsa verde, and seasonings).
Step 6:
Turn heat to low, let simmer ~8 minutes (or more!).
No chicken? Use more beans.
Note: I’m using white beans here, but any type of bean is fine.
BBQ Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 oz Rotisserie chicken
- 1 Bell pepper, green, medium
- 1 cup Broccoli
- ½ cup Corn, canned
- ¼ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked
- 6 Tbsp Barbeque sauce, unsweetened
- ¼ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt
Instructions
Step 1:
Slice chicken, pepper, and broccoli into small pieces
Step 2:
Spray a pan with an oil spray
Step 3:
Stir fry chicken, pepper, broccoli, beans, and corn for ~6 minutes on medium heat, until veggies have softened
Step 4:
Mix in barbecue sauce and garlic salt, and top with cheese
Step 5:
Cover you pan with a lid and let the cheese melt on medium-low heat, another 5 minutes
No chicken? Use extra beans. No dairy? Top with diced avocado after cooking, or use oil instead of an oil spray
Note: If available at your store – use Primal Kitchen for an unsweetened barbecue sauce that’s 15 calories per 2 Tbsp
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp Barbeque sauce, unsweetened
- 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw
- 1 oz Tortilla chips
- 4 cups Leafy green, spinach
- 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper, ground
- ½ Avocado, small
Instructions
Step 1:
This recipe works best when making multiple servings of the bbq chicken at once in the crock pot
Step 2:
Place chicken breasts and bbq sauce in the crock pot (or instant pot on slow cooker setting). Stir to coat the chicken breasts. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred with a fork, return to the pot to coat the chicken again before serving.
Step 3:
When you’re ready to eat: mix together your spinach, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper.
Step 4:
Crumble tortilla chips, dice avocado, and slice parsley. Extra bbq sauce from the crock pot? Drizzle it over your bowl as an extra sauce.
Step 5:
Top your salad with tortilla chips, avocado, and chicken.
No meat? Stir fry barbecue sauce and white beans on the stove top.
Like these Monday night dinner ideas? We’ve got more! You may also try these quick and easy pasta recipes.
