Top 20 Homemade Meals
on Oct 25, 2023, Updated Nov 21, 2023
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We’ve rounded up our Top 20 Homemade Meals for easy dinners! From pulled pork to meatloaf to homemade pizza—we’ve got you covered.
Are you looking for some quick, healthy homemade meals that are easy to make on weeknights? For you (and for ourselves!) we’ve rounded up our best homemade meals, all in one place! Plus some tips for you to make cheap dinners to feed a crowd.
Tips For Making Cheap Homemade Meals To Feed A Crowd
Sometimes it can be challenging to feed a crowd on a budget, but it’s not difficult if you have the right approach and some cost-saving tricks. Here are some tips:
- Buy in Bulk: This is my biggest cost-saving tip. Purchase ingredients in bulk, especially non-perishable items like rice, pasta, canned goods, and spices. They have long shelf time, and you can save a lot by buying larger portions.
- Plan Ahead: Avoiding last-minute and expensive purchases. The best way is to plan a meal prep and cook your meals ahead of time. You can store them in the fridge or freeze them for later.
- Buy Cheaper Proteins: Use cheaper proteins such as chicken, ground meat, and tofu.
- Transform Leftovers Into New Dishes: Repurpose leftovers into new dishes for a quick dinner. It helps to minimize waste and save time on cooking.
Best Homemade Recipes We Love
Chicken And Shrimp Carbonara
You don’t have to visit Olive Garden to have this delicious carbonara dish! Made with simple ingredients and seasoned with herbs, this chicken and shrimp carbonara is so easy to make at home, and will take your love for Italian food to a new level!
Impossible Hamburger Pie
Who doesn’t like a delicious savory pie for dinner?! You have to try this homemade hamburger pie, and I’m sure it’ll become one of your family’s favorite meal. You won’t believe how easy it is to pull together.
Meatloaf (Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipe)
Do you know the secret to making the best Cracker Barrel Meatloaf at home? The secret ingredient is Ritz crackers! With this step-by-step guide, you can recreate this moist, flavorful, and satisfying meatloaf in the comfort of your home! You can make it ahead of time, and serve it on a weeknight for a quick dinner!
Homemade Neapolitan Pizza
Did you know that you can make the famous Neapolitan Pizza at home? With a few simple ingredients, you can create a Naples-worthy pizza in your oven at home. Stop ordering pizza on a Friday night and try this delicious homemade pizza!
Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Savory, sweet, and slightly tangy, these teriyaki chicken bowls are one of the most popular Japanese dinner choices. Now you can skip your favorite Asian restaurant and make this delicious meal at home. It will be ready within 15 minutes!
Mac And Cheese
Do you love Sweetie Pie’s Mac and Cheese? Here is an easy copycat recipe for you to re-create this Southern comfort dish at home. It’s creamy, cheesy, and comforting, perfect for a family dinner on busy weeknights.
Easy Beef Stir Fry
This is one of my favorite homemade Chinese dishes. Loaded with tender beef slices and the most delicious stir-fry sauce, this beef stir-fry is incredibly delicious. You’ll only need a few simple ingredients. I recommend using flank steak or skirt steak for the best texture.
Pad See Ew
This beef pad see ew is loaded with steak, scrambled eggs, vegetables, and wide rice noodles. It’s one of our favorite homemade food that both kids and adults like!
Easy Lasagna Roll-Ups
This is a fun twist to your classic lasagna recipe. Made with vegetables, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, marinara sauce, and tender cooked lasagna pasta, it’s easy to customize and your kids will absolutely love it!
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
This chicken noodle soup takes only 30 minutes to make from scratch. Loaded with chicken, noodles, and vegetables, it’s so delicious, hearty, and comforting! It’s a homemade meal at its best!
Bisquick Chicken And Dumplings
The Bisquick pancake mix makes chicken and dumplings so much easier to make at home! They are delicious and comforting, perfect for a cold winter night. You can boil the chicken from scratch or use rotisserie chicken for a quick dinner recipe.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork
This is one of the easiest homemade meals that look so fancy. Simply dump all the ingredients in the slow cooker and come home for a flavorful and fall-apart pork roast! Shred the meat and make it into a delicious crock pot BBQ pulled pork recipe. Serve on sandwiches or tacos for a super comforting dinner!
The Best Crawfish Pie
With this easy recipe, you can now make this famous Cajun dish at home! This Louisiana comfort food is loaded with succulent crawfish tail meat and fresh veggies. It takes just a few ingredients to make a batch at home!
Air Fryer BBQ Ribs
Thanks to our air fryer! This ribs are ready in about 30 minutes in the air fryer, making it perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
Penne Bolognese
One of my go-to homemade meals is penne bolognese. It’s so easy to throw together and so comforting for the whole family. Serve it with garlic bread and a fresh garden salad for a complete meal. It’ll be on your dinner table in under an hour!
Baked Salmon In Foil
Healthy, moist and perfectly tender, the salmon is seasoned with garlic, fresh rosemary, lemons, salt, and pepper, and then baked to perfection in foil! You cannot beat this for a quick and healthy homemade meal!
Pad Woon Sen
Yes, this delicious Thai noodle recipe is on my list of top 20 homemade meals! If you are looking for budget-friendly meals to feed a crowd, this one is for you! It’ll soon become your favorite!
Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe Copycat
Ever tried Texas Roadhouse Chili and wanted to recreate it at home? You’ve come to the right place. Now you can make this spicy and smoky copycat Texas red chili at home! It’s a two-meat treat for those who want a warm bowl of hearty comfort.
Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
This is a classic Southern comfort food that works every single time. It’s incredibly easy and great for a low-effort mid-week dinner.
Chicken Tempura
No one in our family can resist this delicious and light Japanese chicken tempura. It’s nice and crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside! If we are lucky to have any leftovers, I like to make chicken tempura sushi the next day!
Quick Beef Stir Fry Recipe with The Best Marinade (+VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb flank steak, (You can also use skirt steak or flat iron steak)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, (divided)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 3 teaspoons fresh garlic minced
- 1/3 cup beef broth
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 4 green onions
Instructions
- Slice the beef into thin strips that are 2-inch long and 1/4 inch thick (It’s best to cut against the grain). You can freeze the steak for about 30-45 minutes so that it’s much easier to cut into thin slices.
- In a medium bowl, mix together soy sauce and cornstarch.
- Add the beef and let marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. (If the marinating time is longer than 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.)
- Place a wok or skillet on high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil.
- When the oil is hot, add minced ginger and garlic.
- Once fragrant, stir in marinated beef together with all the sauce. Don't overcrowd the pan, and cook in small batches if needed.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then add brown sugar, beef broth (or water) and green onions and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove beef to a plate.
- In the same wok, add another tablespoon oil, stir-fry the vegetables of your choice for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add back cooked beef and mix with the vegetables. (You can also add cooked noodles)
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with green onions, serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Flank, skirt, or flat iron steak works best for this recipe.
- If you are short of time, even a 10-minute marinating makes a big difference, so don’t skip this step.
- The wok is best for making Chinese food and works especially well when you need to flash fry the meat at high temperatures. If you don’t have a wok, a large skillet will work as well.
- Make sure your wok or skillet is hot enough before adding the beef.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
