Thursday, October 15, 2026 · Week 42The weekly ranking of what America is cookingHow we rank · Archive
Top50Recipes
The Weekly Edition: fifty dishes people are making right now, with our own easy recipe for each
Top 20 this week

Weeknight recipes

Dinners that fit a busy Tuesday: short shopping lists, one or two pans, and not much hands-on time. Ranked by this week's overall Top 50 position.

1Weeknight Pumpkin Chili

Weeknight Pumpkin Chili

A can of pumpkin makes this beef-and-bean chili thick and a little sweet, with no long simmer. It's ready in 45 minutes.

45 min · Serves 6 · No. 3 overall
2Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Soft potato gnocchi, shredded chicken, carrots and spinach in a creamy broth. It's a 35-minute dinner because the gnocchi cook right in the pot.

35 min · Serves 6 · No. 4 overall
315-Minute Chicken Fried Rice

15-Minute Chicken Fried Rice

Day-old rice, quick-cooked chicken, eggs and frozen peas and carrots, tossed in a hot pan with soy sauce and sesame oil.

17 min · Serves 4 · No. 5 overall
4Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sage

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sage

Canned pumpkin, garlic, parmesan and a little cream turn into a silky sauce while the pasta boils. Crispy sage leaves on top make it feel special.

25 min · Serves 4 · No. 7 overall
5Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes

Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes

Crispy-edged baby potatoes and juicy chicken thighs roasted on one pan, then tossed in garlic butter. It's also easy to pack into lunches for the week.

50 min · Serves 4 · No. 9 overall
6Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Thick, creamy potato soup topped like a baked potato: bacon, cheddar, sour cream and green onions.

45 min · Serves 6 · No. 10 overall
7Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

Our take on the restaurant favorite: spicy Italian sausage, thin-sliced potatoes and kale in a creamy, garlicky broth.

40 min · Serves 6 · No. 11 overall
8One-Pot Lasagna Soup

One-Pot Lasagna Soup

All the flavors of lasagna in a bowl: a tomato-and-sausage broth with broken lasagna noodles and a scoop of ricotta-mozzarella on top.

40 min · Serves 6 · No. 12 overall
9Buttery Garlic Noodles

Buttery Garlic Noodles

Spaghetti tossed in loads of garlic cooked in butter, with soy, oyster sauce and parmesan. Salty, rich and on the table in 20 minutes.

17 min · Serves 4 · No. 13 overall
10Creamy Beef and Shells

Creamy Beef and Shells

The grown-up version of the boxed dinner. Ground beef, a tomato-cream sauce and pasta shells all cook in one pot, finished with cheddar.

30 min · Serves 6 · No. 14 overall
11Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

The creamy filling cooks right in a cast-iron skillet, and a sheet of store-bought puff pastry goes on top. No pie dish, no rolling.

50 min · Serves 6 · No. 17 overall
12Italian Sausage Spaghetti

Italian Sausage Spaghetti

Browned Italian sausage simmered in a quick garlicky tomato sauce, tossed with spaghetti and finished with parmesan.

30 min · Serves 4 · No. 18 overall
13Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls

Roasted spiced sweet potatoes over rice with black beans, corn, avocado and a lime-yogurt sauce. It's filling and meat-free.

45 min · Serves 4 · No. 22 overall
14Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger Soup

Ground beef, potatoes and vegetables in a creamy, cheesy broth that tastes like a cheeseburger in soup form.

45 min · Serves 6 · No. 24 overall
15Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken thighs braised with peppers, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes in one skillet. It's Italian comfort food that's lighter than it tastes.

55 min · Serves 4 · No. 25 overall
16Cheesy Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole

Cheesy Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken, rice, broccoli and cheddar bake together in a creamy ranch sauce. The rice cooks right in the dish.

1 hr · Serves 6 · No. 32 overall
17Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Cubes of sirloin seared hard in a very hot skillet, then tossed in garlic butter. Serve with potatoes, salad or toothpicks.

20 min · Serves 4 · No. 38 overall
18From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole

From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole

Fresh green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce with crispy onions on top. No canned soup needed.

45 min · Serves 8 · No. 45 overall
19Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked Mac and Cheese

Creamy, extra-cheesy macaroni with sharp cheddar and a little Gruyère, baked under buttery crumbs until bubbling.

45 min · Serves 8 · No. 46 overall
20Sheet Pan Sausage and Fall Vegetables

Sheet Pan Sausage and Fall Vegetables

Smoked sausage roasted on one pan with sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and red onion. There's only one pan to wash.

45 min · Serves 4 · No. 50 overall