Home › Best of 2026 › Dinner Tonight: 200 Quick Recipes for Inspired Weeknight Cooking

Dinner Tonight: 200 Quick Recipes for Inspired Weeknight Cooking

by America's Test Kitchen

Weeknight dinners with room to improvise

Regular price $27.02 USD
Regular price $45.04 USD Sale price $27.02 USD
Save 40%

Hardcover New English

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

Weeknight dinners with room to improvise

This 200-recipe collection organizes quick dinners around practical ways to build flavor and make use of what is already on hand. The book describes recipes ready in 45 minutes or less, with examples ranging from chili crisp noodles to spicy tomato soup with tortellini and sausage. Its guidance extends beyond the initial recipe: suggested substitutions, ideas for adapting sauces to other ingredients, themed lists for choosing what to cook, and tips for scaling portions for two all support flexible weeknight planning. Pantry staples such as canned tuna and frozen peas also feature in recipes that give familiar ingredients new uses.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Home cooks seeking weeknight recipes described as taking 45 minutes or less.
  • Cooks who want substitution ideas and ways to adapt recipes to available ingredients.
  • People cooking for two who would use portion-scaling tips.

Themes

Quick weeknight cookingFlavor-building techniquesFlexible substitutions and recipe adaptationsCooking with pantry staples

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Bold flavors meet time-saving tricks in 200 recipes (all ready in 45 minutes or less) that make weeknight dinners fun and stress-free.

When time is short and bellies are grumbling, America's Test Kitchen's streamlined guide to weeknight cooking meets you in the moment--with great meals that don't require a ton of work and bring new flavors to the table. No matter your craving, you'll find a dinner that fits the bill in under 45 minutes with easy cleanup. That could be chicken salad with a fantastic dressing (Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Jicama and Banana Peppers); umami-rich noodles (Chili Crisp Noodles); or a deeply comforting soup (Spicy Tomato Soup with Tortellini and Sausage).

Edited by Jack Bishop, TV cast member, tasting guru, and creator of the twice-weekly Dinner Tonight newsletter (which goes out to more than 1 million fans), this collection of 200 go-to recipes delivers plenty of ways to improve your weeknight eating:

  • Fresh Ideas for Pantry Staples: Are you staring blankly at your pantry? These recipes give it new life (canned tuna = Spaghetti al Tonno; frozen peas = Pea and Pistachio Pesto Pasta).
  • Modern Flavor Boosters: Every recipe showcases a smart way to add flavor, like an Old Bay-spiked lemon compound butter that melts over salmon fillets and pools into a bowl of confetti grits; or honey and red wine vinegar, which become a sweet yet sophisticated glaze for chicken.
  • Flexible Swaps: Got parsley but no cilantro? Ground turkey but no pork? These recipes indicate when swaps make sense.
  • Riff on Recipes to Make New Meals: The sauce for Murgh Makhani (aka Indian Butter Chicken) is so perfectly spiced, you'll want to try it with tofu or chickpeas--we show you how.
  • Comfort-Food Flavors in Low-Key Renditions: Chicken Piccata Meatballs, Pork Meatball Bahn Mi (can you tell we love meatballs?), and Mezzi Rigatoni with Spicy Gochujang Tomato Sauce offer maximum appeal with minimal effort. And that's just the beginning of what you'll find.

Need help deciding? Themed lists let you choose dinner based on your mood, the season, or what's on hand. There are even tips for scaling recipes for two. With 200 recipes plus ways to spin them, you've got more than a year of great ideas.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews