30 November Dinner Ideas That Are Low-Lift, Holiday-Ready and Delicious
We consider November the Olympics of cooking, since the biggest food holiday looms at the end of the month. If you’re anything like us, cooking fatigue is very real this time of year, but no one wants to run out of steam before they reach the finish line (can you believe there are 29 other days that you’ll need to make dinner before and after Thanksgiving?). That’s why we’ve got you covered with 30 November dinner ideas that are as fuss-free as they are delicious. We’re talking slow cooker dishes, sheet-pan meals and make-ahead recipes that are destined for your holiday table.
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November 1: Sheet-Pan Lemon Butter Veggies and Sausage
The only easier way to make dinner is to order takeout. Serve it with bread, pasta or rice so not a drop of the citrusy butter sauce goes to waste.
November 2: Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs
We love meatballs and we love chicken tikka masala…so what could be better than a combo of the two? This has layers of flavor but requires minimal effort on your end.
November 3: Spicy Lemon-Ginger Chicken Soup
Hump day calls for something nourishing and comforting for dinner. This chicken soup will hit the spot. (Go ahead and add noodles if you want.)
November 4: Buckwheat Gnocchi with Cabbage, Potatoes and Fontina
Homemade pasta in 40 minutes? Believe it. This dish is actually super simple to execute since everything gets cooked in the same pot.
November 5: Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders
They’re sweet, salty and sure to please—whether you’re 9 or 99. They pair beautifully with ketchup, but we'd spring for Thai sweet chili sauce if we were you.
November 6: Pizza with Butternut Squash Sauce
Friday will always be pizza night in our book, and this one has a fun autumnal twist. Think a garlicky butternut squash sauce spiked with fresh herbs, topped with gooey mozz and creamy ricotta.
November 7: Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
One bowl of warm and cozy, coming right up. Since all the recipe calls for is dumping the ingredients in the Crockpot and cooking them, it's basically as easy to prepare as canned soup.
November 8: Tomato and White Bean Stew on Toast
With your big Thanksgiving plans, this is not the time you want to go all out on a weeknight meal. Save your energy for the big feast and keep it simple with a pot of homemade beans.
November 9: One-Pan Steak with Beets and Crispy Kale
And you thought cooking steak at home was intimidating. These cuts of beef tenderloin only need about three minutes per side under the broiler to cook to completion.
November 10: Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry
We kid you not, this hearty, filling curry is one of the easiest things we've ever made. Plus, with so many pantry ingredients, you probably already have a bunch of them in your kitchen right now.
November 11: One-Pan Roasted Salmon with Potatoes and Romaine
Bring on the omega-3s (and tender-yet-crispy spuds). You make your main course and sides all at once on a single sheet pan, so there are minimal pots and pans to clean later. Genius.
November 12: Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata
Garlic, capers, fresh lemon and butter make for one seriously flavorful main. They reduce into a zesty, zingy broth that begs to be poured over each chicken breast.
November 13: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
It’s just as crave-worthy as a piping hot bowl of macaroni and cheese but calls for just five ingredients and 20 minutes of your evening.
November 14: Sheet-Pan Honey Tahini Salmon with Chickpeas and Couscous
Can you believe this crowd-pleaser only requires 25 minutes of your time? The couscous cooks right on the sheet pan in chicken stock, so you won't have to wait for a pot of water to boil to prepare it.
November 15: Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
Your kids' takeout favorite, minus the delivery fee. Make a pot of steamed white rice for serving and finish each bowl with a flourish of sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
November 16: Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Believe it or not, the store-bought gnocchi gets soft on the inside and crispy on the outside without a single second of boiling. Chalk it up to a drizzle of olive oil and your trusty baking sheet.
November 17: Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet
It’s gorgeous, delicious and a breeze to make. Plus, the flavor is impeccably balanced, thanks to salty feta, briny olives and citrus-kissed chicken. Do you need more reasons than that?
November 18: Honey Mustard Sheet Pan Salmon
From the Brussels and butternut squash to the bright mustard marinade, this dinner screams fall. The fish will pair well with wild rice, pasta or greens.
November 19: Caramelized Mushroom Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
These caramelized mushrooms are savory, chewy and a far cry from the wet, spongy ones found on takeout pizza. The shatteringly crisp prosciutto is just a bonus.
November 20: Sheet-Pan Chicken and Rainbow Vegetables
Real talk: We could make this mind-blowingly simple main in our sleep. Just brush the chicken in sesame-soy glaze, add the veggies to the sheet pan and wait.
November 21: Citrus, Shrimp and Quinoa Salad with Feta
Behold, a 20-minute salad that’s packed with protein (thanks, shrimp) and tastes even better if you prepare it a day in advance.
November 22: Roasted Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
Aka the best way to empty your fridge's forlorn crisper drawer. It'll be hard not to lick the casserole dish clean, but might we suggest freezing the leftovers (or making a second batch) to reheat on Thanksgiving?
November 23: Green Bean Casserole Galette
Face it: This iconic holiday side was way overdue for a makeover. Trade the canned stuff for buttery, garlicky homemade creamed mushrooms, fried shallots and flaky pastry dough. (P.S.: You can make the dough and filling ahead, then assemble and bake the galette on the big day.)
November 24: Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad
We love that this pasta salad has crunchy, salty and sweet elements to it. But the best thing about it is that it will keep in the fridge until Thanksgiving.
November 25: Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast
It’s Thanksgiving, so duh. The slow-cooker trick makes for the moistest turkey of your life, promise. (Oh, and while you're at it, try our make-ahead mashed potatoes, stuffing muffins, vegetarian gravy and five-ingredient red wine cranberry sauce on for size too.
November 26: Spicy Turkey Enchiladas with Pumpkin Seeds
Those leftover turkey sandwiches won’t know what hit them when these autumnal beauties grace the table. Take a whack at toasting the pumpkin seeds yourself—it’s easier than you think.
November 27: Mashed Potato Fritters with Smoked Salmon and Chives
Name a better way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes, we'll wait. (They'd fit right in at Black Friday brunch too...just sayin'.)
November 28: Baking-Sheet Pizza with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
We love you, store-bought pizza dough. This pie is piled high with easy jarred tomato sauce, three types of cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated olives.
November 29: Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms and Bacon
No, you don’t actually have to stir polenta the entire time. You do, however, have to top it with mushrooms, bacon and all the fresh herbs you can find.
November 30: Spinach and Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells
We’re now entering baked pasta season. Best to get a head start with this dish that’s oozing with ricotta, mozzarella and Gouda cheeses.
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For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.