22 Easy Weeknight Dinners for September
September is a sweet spot for easy weeknight cooking: a little bit summer, a little bit fall, it’s raw produce’s time to shine. Tomatoes, peppers, and basil are coming in strong, and there’s so much zucchini, farmers are practically giving it away. At the same time, the first signs of fall (apples! turning leaves! your coffee shop’s seasonal menu!) are popping up left, right, and center.
All the while, schedules are filling up. Between back to school, soccer practice, the end of summer Fridays, and the post-Labor Day blues, your nightly meal plan should be a beacon. That means make-ahead recipes you can prep before the evening rush, one-pot dinners that save you from a sink full of dishes, and 30-minute meals for nights when hunger overcometh you. There are dinners that rely on summer’s last tomatoes, a marinated lentil salad that’s even better by lunchtime the next day, and a couple of cozy soups because blustery days are right around the corner.
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi1/22Basil Chicken Stir-Fry
This simple weeknight dinner combines tender chicken with heaps of sweet, fragrant basil. No basil on hand? Baby spinach makes an easy substitute.
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie2/22Spiced Beef Taco Bowls
All of the components for these taco bowls are meal-prep friendly: Refrigerate the salsa and spiced beef separately in airtight containers, keep a stash of your favorite toppings on hand (tortilla chips!), and assemble when ready for a swift lunch or easy dinner.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Christine Keely3/22Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad
Rotisserie chicken jump-starts this Vietnamese-inspired salad, but if you’d rather start with leftover poached chicken breasts or grilled chicken thighs, that works too.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness5/22Green Curry–Glazed Salmon
Canned green curry paste does most of the work for a dish that tastes as if you tried much harder than you did.
Bobbi Lin6/22Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple
These sheet-pan tacos are “super quick and easy to make,” writes one reader. Tossed in sriracha, the shrimp turn glossy and spicy as they mingle with the drippings from charred pineapple. “We paired it with cilantro lime rice.”
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Christina Allen8/22Roast Cod With Chorizo Crisp
This easy sheet-pan dinner pairs tender cod with a savory chorizo topping. Big flavor, minimal effort, and only one pan to wash.
Photograph by Heami Lee Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Prop Styling by Emma Ringness9/22Peruvian-Style Tofu With Creamy Cilantro Sauce
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman10/22Tomatoes and Feta With Chickpeas
This sheet-pan dinner has it all: jammy roasted tomatoes, crispy chickpeas, melty feta cheese, briny olives, and a flurry of peppery greens. Serve with warm pita or regular old toast for scooping up.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen12/22Quick Butter-Braised Tomatoes and Dumplings
The beauty of this recipe lies in how simple it is: You just pop late-season tomatoes, frozen dumplings, butter, and a few pantry sauces into a cold skillet, turn on the heat, and let it steam.
Photo by Christian Harder13/22Crispy Gnocchi Caprese
Shelf-stable gnocchi, juicy tomatoes, and mozzarella turn into a hearty skillet dinner inspired by caprese. “Something I can easily make on a weeknight but just as well serve at a dinner party,” writes one reader.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely14/22Ratatouille
This Provençal classic is made from a medley of late-summer eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. Our version keeps it simple, cooked in one pot, entirely on the stovetop.
