21 Simple But Satisfying Dinners To Make After A Day Of Spring Cleaning

You’ve scrubbed, sorted, and maybe even pulled a mystery sock from behind the dryer. The last thing you need is a complicated dinner with a sink full of dishes waiting to happen. These meals are quick, low effort, and actually worth sitting down for instead of sad cereal bowls or random fridge scraps. Most of them come together in under 30 minutes and don’t ask much of you beyond turning on the stove.

Blackened Mahi Mahi

This cooks fast and brings big flavor without any effort. All you need is a quick spice rub and a broiler. It’s great when you’ve already cleaned the whole kitchen and don’t want to mess it up again.
Get the Recipe: Blackened Mahi Mahi

Bomb Meatloaf

This meatloaf stays juicy and hits the sweet-and-savory spot with a glaze that does all the heavy lifting. It feels like a proper meal without making your night harder than it needs to be.
Get the Recipe: Bomb Meatloaf

Sheet Pan Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

You throw everything on one pan and let the oven do its job. The mix of chicken, sweet potatoes, and pecans makes this perfect when your energy is shot and the sink is already full.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Sheet Pan Pork Chop Dinner

Pork chops, apples, potatoes, and cabbage roast together and come out ready to eat. This is a great dinner when your brain and your kitchen are both officially closed for the day.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Pork Chop Dinner

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Toss it in the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner. The sauce is sticky and sweet with chunks of pineapple that make it feel like takeout without the delivery fee or the cleanup.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli

This light version of Alfredo still brings the creamy, cheesy flavor, just with less heaviness. It comes together fast and makes a great dinner when you need comfort food but still have laundry to fold.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

These marinated salmon bites cook in minutes and come with a dipping sauce that makes them hard to stop eating. It’s fast, low mess, and great for nights when the couch is calling.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Shaved Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

The beef cooks quickly and the sauce hits the salty-sweet spot without much effort. This is one of those dinners that makes it feel like you planned ahead, even if you didn’t.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Bucatini with Garlic Shrimp

The shrimp cook in no time and the pasta pulls everything together. It’s the kind of meal that feels like you actually cooked without spending your whole night in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Bucatini with Garlic Shrimp

Garlic Chicken Bite Skillet

Chicken, mushrooms, peppers, and onions all cook up in one skillet in about 20 minutes. It tastes like a full meal but feels more like a shortcut, which is perfect after a deep clean.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Chicken Bite Skillet

Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet

This one-pan dinner has just enough spice to make it interesting and makes great leftovers. It’s perfect for nights when you want to eat something solid but don’t want to think too hard.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet

Ground Beef Pasta Skillet

Any pasta works here, and it’s done in under 30 minutes. It’s quick, comforting, and exactly what you want when you’ve used up your energy scrubbing baseboards.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Pasta Skillet

Ground Beef Stir Fry

Ground beef and fresh veggies come together in one pan with a garlic ginger sauce that tastes like takeout. It’s great when your fridge is low but you still want something real for dinner.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Stir Fry

Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry

This quick stir fry uses ground pork, mushrooms, and cabbage to make a fast, hearty dinner. It’s the kind of recipe that makes cleanup feel like it already happened.
Get the Recipe: Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry

Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet

Ground beef, cabbage, and spices cook up in one pan with no extra steps. It’s great when you’re hungry, tired, and still picking lint off your clothes from deep cleaning.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet

Pecan Crusted Chicken

This chicken comes out crispy and full of flavor, thanks to the pecan crust and honey dijon sauce. It feels like something fancy but takes barely any effort.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Crusted Chicken

Cod Piccata

Pan-fried cod in a lemony sauce with capers and shallots tastes like something from a restaurant but comes together fast. It’s a great choice when you’re over the day but still want real food.
Get the Recipe: Cod Piccata

Pesto Salmon

Five ingredients and less than 25 minutes get you a solid dinner with barely any cleanup. It’s perfect when you’re running on fumes but still want to eat something better than a frozen pizza.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Salmon

Salsa Chicken

Chicken bakes in the oven with salsa, corn, and cheese and comes out ready to serve in under 30 minutes. It’s the kind of recipe that saves your night and your sanity.
Get the Recipe: Salsa Chicken

Brussels Sprouts Pasta

Bacon, Brussels sprouts, and sun-dried tomatoes come together in a pasta that looks fancy but cooks fast. Great for nights when you want something that feels pulled together without trying too hard.
Get the Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Pasta

Jalapeño Chicken

Crispy chicken bites cooked with spicy jalapeños and coated in a sticky sauce make this feel like restaurant food. It’s bold, easy, and perfect when you’re done adulting for the day.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Chicken