Food
September 4, 2024
10 Back To School Dinner Ideas The Whole Family Will Love
Looking for delicious back to school dinner ideas? We’ve got 10 chef-approved weeknight recipes to keep your whole family full and fuelled. These hearty dishes will also make for some great leftover meals for school (or work) lunches the next day. Try celebrity chef Matty Matheson‘s family favorite Beef Tourtière, Ina Garten’s Overnight Mac & Cheese and Desiree Nielsen’s Spicy Tofu Nuggets.
Scroll down for some of House & Home‘s favorite back to school dinner ideas!
Tieghan Gerard’s Lasagna Alla Vodka
“When I’ve got a group of people coming, I turn to lasagna. This version has become my favorite because it’s delicious and adaptable. Instead of the usual marinara sauce, I swap in my vodka sauce.”
Get the recipe for Lasagna Alla Vodka here.
Desiree Nielsen’s Spicy Tofu Nuggets and Tahini Ranch
“It’s always hard to pick favorites, but if there is one recipe in this book that has effortlessly worked its way into our weekly rotation, it’s these fiery tofu nuggets. Inspired by Buffalo everything, the tofu is torn instead of cut, creating lots of nooks and crannies for the garlicky hot sauce to cling to.” – Desiree Nielsen
Get the recipe for Tofu Nuggets here.
Ina Garten’s Overnight Mac & Cheese
“This is the easiest, cheesiest, crustiest mac & cheese I’ve ever made! It’s the perfect prep-ahead dish; you don’t even need to make a roux.”
Get the recipe for Overnight Mac & Cheese here.
Shea McGee’s Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken
“My Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken recipe is a go-to weeknight meal. It’s bright and nourishing, balancing the intensity of lemon with the vegetal notes of brussels sprouts and fresh oregano.” – Shea McGee
Get the recipe for Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken here.
Christine Flynn’s Tomato Roasted Salmon
“When you put this dish out, everyone will think you had your party catered. In a good way. It feels like something you would pay $200 for, but it’s not. And even though blitzing up some tomatoes and spreading them on a fish is fairly straightforward, it feels a bit special too.” – Christine Flynn
Get the recipe for this Tomato Roasted Salmon here.
Hannah Sunderani’s Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
This spaghetti recipe is creamy, comforting and loaded with mushroom and spinach. It’s an easy and satisfying weeknight pasta recipe.
Get the recipe for Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta here.
Lidia Bastianich’s Skillet Chicken Thighs With Cerignola Olives And Potatoes
This dish blends tangy, toasty and savory in an easy, one-pot recipe. “Chicken thighs are a wonderful cut for one-pot braising; they’re flavorful and juicy, but also very forgiving,” says Lidia.
Get the full recipe for Skillet Chicken Thighs here.
Matty Matheson’s Beef Tourtière
“This is a Canadian classic that makes me feel warm inside. It’s easy, and if you don’t have time to make a dough, just buy it! I love making big batches with the family because the kids can play with the dough, make their own little versions, and the pies freeze really well. It gives me the most nostalgic feeling when I eat it — meat pie with ketchup!”
Get the recipe for Beef Tourtière.
Smitten Kitchen’s Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup
“This recipe only takes 25 minutes. It’s great when you don’t want the traditional flavor of chicken noodle soup and are craving Chinese food.” – Deb Perelman
Get the recipe for Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup.
Cory Vitiello’s Pomegranate-glazed Miami-cut Short Ribs
“The key with these ribs is to get them nice and thick — up to a half-inch thick — not those paper-thin ones you’ll see at markets. They keep their integrity and chewiness and have a wonderfully unctuous, beefy flavour. They’re great for grilling because, after marinating, they just need a quick side-side and you’ve got a beautiful platter of blistered, charred meat.” – Cory Vitiello
Get the recipe for these Miami Short Ribs.