If you’ve just started cooking properly, you might have a lot of questions on your mind. It’s fine to take it slow, make mistakes, and learn as you go. Of course, a beginner shouldn’t try their hand at complicated recipes straight away. With this in mind, beginner cooks need to learn some easy recipes for practice until they can get it perfect!
Even when you know how to cook, there are times when you don’t feel like putting together an elaborate meal. On a weekend, for instance, one wants to rest and recuperate from a busy schedule. At times like these, some easy dinner recipes are a lifesaver!
Once you have some simple recipes under your belt, you’ll be set to whip up a quick meal at any time. Dinner is probably the toughest challenge, especially when you have to cook for the family or have guests over. With the right recipes, though, there’s no need to rely on food delivery or takeaway. Without further ado, let’s have a look at some easy dinner recipes that beginners will love:
1. Chicken Alfredo
Chicken and pasta; can there be a more classic combination? Master this recipe, and you’ll have a favorite for both adults and kids. This dish is creamy, indulgent, and relatively cheaper to make at home. All you need are some simple ingredients and the motivation to learn how to make chicken Alfredo:
Ingredients (for six servings):
- A 16-ounce package of fettuccine pasta (454g)
- 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breast (450 g, half crosswise if they’re thick)
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
For the sauce:
- 2 cups of heavy cream (480ml)
- Half a cup of cubed, unsalted butter (113g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- Half a teaspoon of ground black pepper
- One cup of parmesan cheese, grated (90g)
- Some chopped parsley for garnishing (optional)
Instructions:
- Fill a large pot (around three-quarters) with water. Add some salt and bring it to a boil on a medium-high flame.
- Use salt and pepper to season the chicken
- Put oil and butter in a large pan or skillet on medium-high
- Put the chicken in the pan and cook until it’s brown (a meat thermometer in the thickest part should register 165 F).
- Remove the chicken and cover it
- Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packet
- Drain the pasta, setting half a cup of the pasta water aside
- Combine butter, cream, and garlic in the skillet. Cook them over medium heat, whisking until the butter melts
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then bring it to low heat and simmer. Whisk it for 5 minutes until it’s slightly thick, then whisk in the parmesan cheese
- Remove the sauce from the stove and place the cooked pasta inside it. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Put a little pasta water in if the sauce gets too thick
- Cut the cooked chicken into strips or chunks as preferred. Top with parsley if desired, and serve.
2. Veggie Lasagna Roll-Ups
In the mood for pasta but need a vegetarian dish (because your vegan friend is coming over, maybe)? Don’t worry! These veggie lasagna roll-ups are delicious, not to mention super easy to make. Here’s how you can go about it:
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings)
- 9 or more (as needed) lasagna sheets
- 3 cups of fresh or frozen spinach
- Ricotta, 15 ounces
- Mascarpone, 4 ounces
- Half a cup of red bell pepper, finely chopped
- One zucchini
- A quarter teaspoon of salt
- 1/8th of a teaspoon of ground black pepper
- Tomato sauce, 2 cups
- Fresh mozzarella, thin slices, as preferred
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 350 F
- Boil the lasagna sheets until al dente
- Sauté fresh spinach with some olive oil and a minced garlic clove
- Thaw frozen spinach (if using) and make sure to squeeze the water out
- Mix the mascarpone, ricotta, spinach, bell pepper, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside
- Cut the zucchini into long, thin strips; a vegetable peeler or mandolin should do the trick (check out some health benefits of zucchini for more motivation)
- Put some tomato sauce in an 8×8-inch pan
- Take one lasagna sheet and add a layer of the spinach filling, then a strip of zucchini. Roll it up and put it in the dish
- Repeat with the rest of the sheets until the pan is full
- Pour the tomato sauce on the rolled-up sheets
- Place the mozzarella slices on top
- Bake in the oven for half an hour, then serve
3. Mustard and Mushroom Chicken
Chicken is one of the easiest meats to cook, which makes it great for beginners! If you’re looking for a low-carb meal with chicken, look no further. Here’s how to whip up a creamy, healthy dish:
Ingredients (for six servings):
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- Half a cup of milk
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of mustard (any good-quality kind–honey, Dijon, stone ground)
- 1 tablespoon of tarragon
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms (canned or fresh
- 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- 1 chopped onion
- Chicken breasts, 2 pounds
- Some flour for dredging the chicken
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 F
- Cut each chicken bread in half, crosswise
- Pound the chicken with a mallet to thin it out
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan. Put the garlic in and let it cook for a minute
- Stir the flour in and keep stirring for one minute
- Add the chicken stock slowly and keep whisking to make sure the mixture is even and not lumpy
- Bring the sauce to a slow boil and stir for one more minute to thicken it
- Add the tarragon and mustard
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan or skillet on medium heat. Toss the mushrooms in this and sprinkle them with pepper and salt. Sauté for about 4 minutes, then add the onions and vinegar. Sauté for another 4 minutes
- Add the mushroom-onion mixture to the mustard sauce
- Mix a half cup of flour with a half teaspoon each of pepper and salt
- Heat the rest of the olive oil in the same pan
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and put it in the skillet. It should brown well in a few minutes. Put a couple of chicken breasts in at a time; don’t overcrowd the pan.
- When the chicken browns, put it all in a separate pan and pour the mustard sauce
Conclusion
Dinner recipes don’t have to be intimidating anymore! Whether you’re cooking for a large gathering or just your family, the recipes above are sure to come in handy. Double the amounts for more food, or halve them when needed. You can also cook more than necessary; use the leftovers for another day’s meal!