Browse my collection of 35+ easy pasta & rice recipes that the whole family will love! Simple & delicious dinners designed for busy families.
From quick pasta dishes to warming slow cooker meals, hearty soups to classic lasagne, tray bakes to creamy risottos, as well as some delicious summer salads!
By using rice or pasta, you can easily create tasty and budget-friendly meals that can be stretched to feed extras, or to have leftovers ready to freeze for 'grab and reheat' meals ahead.
Browse this family-friendly dinners collection of recipes... there's something to suit every taste, budget and occasion.
Pasta and Pasta Bakes
Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake
The most popular creamy pasta bake filled with chicken and bacon! An all-time favourite recipe with the kids, serve this pasta bake with a side salad and garlic bread for the ultimate weeknight winner dinner.
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Go meat-free tonight! A simple spinach and ricotta cannelloni recipe that will be on the table in no time! With the most delicious, creamy spinach and ricotta filling, encased in soft pasta and topped with an Italian tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese - mamma mia!
Slow Cooker Italian Beef Ragu
Another traditional Italian easy pasta recipe for you to try! This ragu is slowly cooked to enhance the flavours - and the best thing is, you can just 'set and forget'... and let the slow cooker do all the work - now that works for me!
Creamy Beef Mince Pasta
Not just an economical family meal that can feed a crowd, but one that's also exceptionally popular with the kids! On the table in 35 minutes and made with simple ingredients, this is sure to become your go-to budget-friendly midweek meal!
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Tender chicken cooked with risoni, stock, cream, parmesan and seasonings create a delicious flavour-packed one pot meal that requires minimal prep! If there's any leftovers you can freeze them, or enjoy the next day for a tasty lunch!
Gnocchi Bolognese
This Bolognese recipe with gnocchi is a super easy weeknight dinner, perfect for hungry kids and teens. Follow my simple recipe for homemade ricotta gnocchi made with just 4 ingredients. A batch of gnocchi freezes really well, and can be ready to add to this thick bolognese sauce, absorbing all the rich and delicious flavours!
Easy Beef Lasagne
When it comes to classic family favourite dinners, there's no doubt that lasagne is right up there! This is the ultimate 'cosy food' - perfect for filling up a hungry family and ready in just one hour. Lasagne is one of those dishes that reheats wonderfully too!
The Famous TikTok Pasta - Baked Feta & Tomatoes
This delicious and simple pasta recipe is made by baking a block of feta with cherry tomatoes and olive oil in the oven until soft and then mixing it all together with garlic, cooked pasta and fresh basil. It's that easy to create a creamy BIG flavoured pasta dish that the whole family will love!
Baked Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Spinach Risoni
Tender oven-baked chicken meatballs served over creamy risoni flavoured with lemon and spinach, and then topped with crispy sage leaves, makes a delicious family dinner that can be on the table in just 40 minutes!
Tuna Pasta Bake
Add this to your list of easy dinners that can feed a crowd on a budget! So versatile, you can add the vegetables you have on hand, and whatever kind of pasta you like. Great for smuggling some veggies in for fussy eaters! Store any leftovers in the freezer, or take for lunch the next day.
One Pot Mac and Cheese
Simple, cheap and loved by all! Ths one-pot mac and cheese satisfies both kids and adults alike, being the ultimate comfort food.... Serve as a side with protein, or just tuck into a big bowl of creamy cheesy pasta - your choice!
Spaghetti Bolognese - The BEST Ever Recipe!
Set aside a lazy afternoon on the weekend to cook this to perfection...the longer you cook the bolognese, the more the flavours develop, giving you the most robust, full-flavoured bolognese sauce.
5 Star Comment: AMAZING! My husband and I have been looking for years for ‘our’ spaghetti bolognese- and we’ve found it! Love this recipe! And it makes SO much!
One Pot Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
The combination of pesto, spinach, tomatoes and parmesan mixed through a big bowl of creamy chicken pasta is simply the best! Great for fussy toddlers and busy weeknights when you need a quick, filling and easy pasta dish that's ready in 30 minutes!
Fettucine Carbonara - 4 Ingredients
This is one of my personal FAVOURITES! What's not to love about a big bowl full of delicious fettuccine, bacon and parmesan? Ready to serve in no time, and best of all, there's no cream required in this traditional carbonara!
Mexican Lasagne with Tortillas
If you love Mexican food, you will absolutely LOVE this easy recipe! Guaranteed kid-friendly, it is rich, cheesy, savoury, comforting and utterly delicious. You can even prepare it a day ahead of time until you are ready to bake it and serve!
Pork Meatballs with Creamy Tomato Risoni
Juicy oven baked pork meatballs served with creamy tomato risoni, spinach and parmesan is a fast and flavoursome family meal. Such a satisfying dish, and any leftovers will be quickly snapped up for lunch the next day, or freeze for a quick mid-week meal.
Cheesy Macaroni and Vegetable Frittata Bake
This cheesy macaroni and vegetable frittata bake ticks all the boxes by tasting great, being toddler-friendly and freezer-friendly. Plus, it's made using basic ingredients that you may already have at home. A great recipe to get fussy ones to eat their veggies!
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff has always been one of my favourite meals - it's hearty, creamy and delicious... all in one! And it's even better when it's cooked in the slow cooker all day long until it's a tender and creamy dish to spoon over a bowl of warm pasta!
Pumpkin and Spinach Vegetarian Lasagne
Whether you prefer vegetarian meals, or just want to go meat-free occasionally, this healthy lasagne is packed full of goodness. The kids will love the sweetness that roasted pumpkin adds as well as the cheesy topping. And for convenience, you can freeze individual meals for up to 3 months.
Creamy Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken
This simple slow cooked dinner is certainly another family favourite in our house! Serve this flavoursome chicken dish with pasta, rice or mashed potato, and a side of steamed vegetables for an healthy mid-week dinner. It takes just 15 minutes prepare, with the slow cooker doing the rest!
Rice Dishes
Creamy Oven Baked Chicken & Rice
This tray-bake is always on high rotation at my house as it's so easy and everyone loves it! Totally no fuss - place all of the ingredients into the baking dish, cover with foil and slow bake in the oven for 2 hours. A simple set and forget dish. Tastes amazing!
Chicken Chorizo Risotto
Packed with traditional bold Italian flavours, chicken chorizo risotto is a delicious weeknight dinner that the whole family will rave over! Just 20 minutes prep time and ready to eat in under 50 minutes. Makes delicious leftovers too, or freeze some for another night.
Slow Cooker Risotto Chicken and Mushroom
Using your slow cooker gives you a rich, creamy risotto with minimal effort - no standing over the stove top constantly stirring - just set and forget! This risotto is a fabulous way to extend a little chicken and some mushrooms into a substantial delicious family meal.
Rice and Vegetable Slice
Just seven basic and budget-friendly ingredients needed for this tasty rice and vegetable slice. The veggies are grated so they're hard to detect - perfect for sneaking a few extra vegetables in. Whip up a batch and freeze individual slices to have toddler meals on hand!
Bacon and Roast Pumpkin Risotto
A delicious and hearty bacon and roast pumpkin risotto that the whole family will love, and it's ready to eat in just 1 hour. The combination of sweet roasted pumpkin and bacon is delicious, and if there's any leftovers, you have a great lunch for the next day!
Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto
A risotto always makes a substantial meal and this one is packed with flavour and protein too. Perfect for fussy eaters, this creamy risotto also sneaks plenty of sweet pumpkin in as well. Have it on the table in 45 minutes flat!
Soups
Creamy Tuscan Soup with Tortellini and Sausage
This flavour-packed Tuscan soup, filled with soft tortellini and Italian pork sausage, plus spinach and sweet sun-dried tomatoes, makes a substantial meal and the ultimate winter comfort food! Have this hearty gourmet soup on the table in just 30 minutes for the perfect easy dinner for busy weeknights. Looks impressive too!
Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Greek lemon orzo soup is creamy from the eggs and risoni (yet there's no cream in it!), it's flavoured with zesty lemon, and is packed with chicken and vegetables! Ideal for a quick and satisfying mid-week meal, as well as for using up leftover cooked chicken or BBQ rotisserie chicken.
Chicken and Rice Soup
When the cooler weather sets in, there's nothing more comforting than a big bowl of healthy and nutritious soup served with some bread rolls or savoury muffins. With the goodness of vegetables and the addition of rice, this flavour-packed, budget friendly soup will be on the table in just 1 hour!
Salads
Tuna Pasta Salad with Macaroni
10 minutes prep-time is all you need. Just cook the macaroni until al dente, and while that's cooking, chop some veggies and simply mix everything together with the best creamy homemade dressing. Great for a crowd, and take any leftovers for lunch the next day. Such an easy pasta salad recipe!
Greek Risoni Salad with Lemon, Feta and Olives
Full of fresh and flavoursome ingredients, this Greek orzo salad takes just 15 minutes to prepare. A great crowd pleasing dish, this healthy salad is perfect as a side dish with BBQ meats or to share at gatherings with family or friends.
Roast Vegetable Couscous Salad
Another great salad to take to gatherings as a popular alternative to more traditional salads. The caramelised sweetness of the roasted vegetables combined with the nutty texture of the couscous complement any meat or fish meal. This salad could be the star at your next BBQ!
Curried Rice Salad
Ready in just 25 minutes, the sweet and mild curry dressing gives this simple salad a yummy flavour hit...(the curry flavour is so mild that the kids love it too!). Such a budget-friendly salad to make, yet the mix of flavours is SO incredible! Another perfect salad when you need to bring a dish to share with a crowd!
Chicken Macaroni Salad
With minimal preparation and on the table in just 25 minutes, this easy chicken pasta salad always gets the tick of approval. Economical and versatile, you can add your favourite vegetables or whatever you have on hand, use up leftover cooked chicken, and it all tastes best when coated in a creamy mayo dressing!
Brown Rice Salad
Say hello to the most delicious Asian-style brown rice salad with cashews, currants and capsicum! A flavour-packed salad that takes just 10 minutes to prepare. Perfect for BBQs, a light lunch, or served as a side to an easy mid-week dinner. Leftovers make a fabulously healthy lunch box meal too!
Orzo Pesto Salad
Orzo pasta (also known as risoni) cooks in just a few minutes... which means you'll have this salad on the table in just 20 minutes. Serve this fresh and healthy Mediterranean salad on it's own for lunch, or as a tasty accompaniment at your next summer BBQ or easy family dinner.
Creamy Pasta Salad with Mayonaise
Perfect for summer BBQs, picnics or as a simple side dish that everyone will love. While it might be easier to buy pasta salad from the shops, try making this easy pasta salad recipe with fresh ingredients and an easy homemade dressing - it really does tastes SO much better!
More Family Dinner Recipes
Download your copy of my bestselling Family Dinners eBook here!
WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Leave a Reply