Food and Recipes Dinner 26 Quick And Delicious Dinners That Will Save Your Monday Night Let these 45-minute or less Monday night dinners make your start of the week a little less stressful. By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 18, 2024 Close Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Monday has a bad reputation–and for good reason. You're tired after the weekend, moody from sitting at a desk all day, and busy getting set up for the rest of the week. It's understandable that the last thing you want to do is whip up a 5-star feast that takes hours to prepare for dinner. But between Friday night's movie popcorn and a lazy to-go dinner on Sunday, you resolved that you'd cook at home, save money, and eat healthier this week. Don't succumb to takeout just yet—there's a way to get a healthy dinner on the table, and fast. Let these 45-minute (and under!) Monday night dinners make your day a little less manic. After a weekend of cheat meals, you want to eat light, but after a long Monday, you want to eat comfort food. Luckily, these Monday night dinner ideas can satisfy both needs. These Monday night dinners won't just be a treat for you, because with wholesome recipes like quesadillas, easy homemade Bolognese, and pork stir-fry, the kids will be happy, too. Don't let Monday bully you. Take control of the week with these quick and easy Monday night meals. 01 of 26 Shrimp and Herb Rice Bowls Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley If you're craving a low country boil without the time it takes to make, these shrimp and herb rice bowls are inspired by that delicious Cajun flavor. Get The Recipe 02 of 26 Baked BBQ Chicken Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Get all the delicious flavor of barbecue chicken without having to light a grill. With just 25 minutes of active time, this recipe will fill you up for dinner and taste like you've been cooking for hours. Get The Recipe 03 of 26 Cuban Black Bean and Yellow Rice Bowls Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox This beautiful, colorful bowl is almost completely no-cook and packed with essential nutrients and vitamins. People of all ages will enjoy this delicious dinner! Get The Recipe 04 of 26 Chicken Pot Pie Soup Stacy K. Allen; Props: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer A classic Southern comfort food turned into a warm and delicious soup, this recipe can be altered to make your Mondays easy by using store-bought rotisserie chicken and biscuits. get the recipe 05 of 26 BBQ Chicken Pizza Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Though you may be tempting to get pizza delivered to your doorstep, this easy homemade pizza will taste better and be a healthier choice for the whole family to enjoy. get the recipe 06 of 26 Marry Me Chicken Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This recipe gets its name for a reason—it's delicious enough for an instant proposal! Tasty as it is easy, this crowd pleaser is the perfect meal to fill you up and satisfy your need for something rich and creamy. get the recipe 07 of 26 Easy Grilled Shrimp Skewers Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley If you have a grill pan, this shrimp recipe will take you just 15 minutes to finish four servings. Eat them on their own, wrap them in tortillas, or top over rice to enjoy this quick and bright meal. get the recipe 08 of 26 One Pot Chicken Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis If you're not up for doing too many dishes tonight, look no further than this delicious and filling chicken alfredo recipe. A classic recipe with the Southern twist of Cajun seasoning, this is a craveable meal that will please a crowd. get the recipe 09 of 26 Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Photographer: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Whip out your pressure cooker and let it do the work in this delicious and hearty dinner recipe. Perfect when you're looking for a cozy night in, this chili is a crowd pleaser and reheats well for the next few days. get the recipe 10 of 26 BLT Pasta Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley All the flavors of your favorite sandwich are featured in this simple and delicious pasta that feeds a crowd. The BLT flavors mix perfectly with the ranch-flavored dressing for you to enjoy that night and the next few days as leftovers. get the recipe 11 of 26 Easy Chicken Parmesan Stacy Allen; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood This classic Italian meal is truly a comfort food loved by all. Using your favorite pasta sauce from a jar to speed up the cooking time, these delicious chicken cutlets over spaghetti come out in 35 minutes are the perfect dinner to fill you up on Monday nights. get the recipe 12 of 26 Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Karen Rankin This healthful meal should become part of your weekly rotation, if not for the heart-healthy salmon then for the savory, tangy glaze on top. In just 35 minutes, you'll have four servings of a delicious and healthy dinner. get the recipe 13 of 26 Quesadillas al Pastor Skyler Burt Stuffed with good-for-you ingredients and so easy to make, these quesadillas would make a great tote-able lunch the next day, too. get the recipe 14 of 26 Chicken Bog Greg DuPree A Lowcountry favorite, Chicken Bog is a one-dish meal that your kids will love. This filling meal will come out in just 30 minutes and save you from a huge clean up. get the recipe 15 of 26 Vidalia Onion Soup Cozy up with this easy soup that's topped with Gruyère cheese and broiled at the last second for the best cheese pull. Perfect for a relaxing night in after a hectic Monday. get the recipe 16 of 26 Creamy Rice with Scallops Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox This soft rice will remind you of risotto, and the flavors of scallops, corn, and bacon were meant to be. This recipe is impressive enough for guests but simple enough to make when you're a little drained. get the recipe 17 of 26 Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese Greg DuPree With just 25 minutes, you can have this kid-friendly dish on the table, and no one will realize that you doctored up a quality jarred pasta sauce and didn't make it from scratch. get the recipe 18 of 26 Fig Flatbread Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele This sweet and savory flatbread recipe is the ideal dinner after a weekend trip to the farmers' market. In 30 minutes, you'll have the perfect meal to feed four (or just one!). get the recipe 19 of 26 Sheet Pan Nachos Greg DuPree Make tonight's dinner a fast and fun meal that anyone will enjoy. This recipe is completely customizable and can be made mostly with ingredients you already have on hand. get the recipe 20 of 26 Soba Noodle-and-Shrimp Bowls Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox You might be tempted to get takeout on a Monday night, but you can get Asian flavor in a healthier way with this quick recipe. get the recipe 21 of 26 Fettuccine Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox We make the Alfredo sauce from scratch in this recipe and it tastes much better than store-bought. You can swap the fettuccine noodles for any type of pasta. Get The Recipe 22 of 26 Honey- Garlic Chicken Victor Protashio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely We pair this chicken alongside sweet and tangy Brussels sprouts, bringing out the flavor of the sauce on the chicken. Get The Recipe 23 of 26 Pan-Seared Salmon Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This salmon recipe is too easy to be this good. With just a few ingredients and a couple of pieces of equipment, you can make a restaurant-style pan seared salmon at home. Get The Recipe 24 of 26 Lemon Chicken Pasta Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Crispy, panko-crusted chicken sits on top of tender linguine thats tossed with a luscious lemon-cream sauce and mixed with zucchini rounds. get the recipe 25 of 26 BBQ Chicken Salad Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins The best part of this salad is the homemade dressing. The white BBQ ranch dressing is savory, tangy, and herby, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Get The Recipe 26 of 26 Mini Meatloaves Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Serve these mini meatloaves with our sweet mashed potatoes and buttered peas for the perfect dinner plate. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit