60 Home-Cooked Birthday Dinner Ideas That Will Make Anyone’s Day

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6 to 8

Sure, you could roast a whole chicken...but these impossibly tender thighs are just as luxurious and half as fussy. "The plums and shallots are interchangeable with other fruits and alliums," former PureWow senior editor Katherine Gillen writes. "I think apples, grapes, leeks and thinly sliced red onion would all be lovely."

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 4

"The most important thing you need to know about searing scallops is that they should be as dry as possible before they go in the pan," Gillen explains. "Pat them well with paper towels before seasoning and cooking, and you’ll be rewarded with a caramelized, flavorful brown crust every time." Top the salad with the scallops, freshly chopped chives and cilantro.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 2

Sure, it's not a round-trip ticket to Paris, but it's definitely the next best thing. Once you're done cooking, pour the remaining garlicky broth over the cooked mussels, so you can sop it up later with baguette. Don't skimp on the lemon-herb aioli either…or the white wine.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, dairy free, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

A surefire way to impress? Roast a whole bird. Ina Garten and her hubby would be so proud. Take note, though: Recipe developer Maggie Battista stresses the importance of rubbing the entire chicken with the chipotle in adobo mixture, including under the skin.

• Time Commitment: 7 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 8

Because a pot of fall-apart-tender pork is guaranteed to make the birthday person feel loved. "Cooking a pork shoulder in a Crockpot means that you'll have the juiciest, tenderest filling waiting for you when you get home from work," former PureWow food editor Heath Goldman writes. Use the meat for tacos, nachos, burritos or rice bowls.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, high protein
• Serves: 4 to 6

Summer babies, fire up that barbecue. "If you cook a fish on a hot barbecue grill, it doesn’t have a chance to pick up all the smoke flavor," recipe creator Rodney Scott says. "So I came up with this recipe to take advantage of the smoke and to also play with the yin and yang of the salty rib rub and the sweet honey butter." Take your pick of trout, catfish, red snapper or branzino fillets.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

If you’re going all out, who better to lend a hand than Chrissy Teigen and her crispy, indulgent birthday dinner idea? The crispy exterior comes from the fact that the recipe calls for two types of breadcrumbs. The ooey-gooey interior is courtesy of a generous amount of mozzarella.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

All I want on my birthday is a creamy puddle of burrata and a fork. Between the red pepper, black pepper and sausage, this pie definitely comes with a kick, but you can adjust the amount based on your audience. (Looking at you, picky kids.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8 to 10

These juicy, tender meatballs are even better (and cheaper) than reservations at a fancy Italian restaurant. The recipe comes from Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, who says they freeze like a charm. So go ahead, make a second batch for a rainy day.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 4

One year older? That means you can eat one more taco than last year. When slicing the steak, make sure to cut "against the grain" (aka across the parallel-running muscle fibers) to ensure peak tenderness. Don't forget to crown them with homemade guacamole.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, slow cooker recipe
• Serves: 6

Trust me, no one will know it only took you ten minutes of prep. Once you chop and combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker, you'll have the rest of the day to celebrate. Happy birthday to you, chef.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, dairy free, kid friendly
• Serves: 4

Nothing against standard spaghetti and meatballs, but you can eat that on any old Tuesday. For a special occasion, take the sticky road less traveled. Bonus? Udon noodles take less time to cook than most Italian dry pastas.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 2

A birthday is just the excuse you were looking for to make this fancy risotto dish, wasn’t it? Even though many think of risotto as a difficult dish to execute, it's really quite simple. All you'll need to do is stir consistently to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Love is assembling and baking a chicken potpie from scratch (and telling absolutely no one you used store-bought puff pastry). Bake it in a cast iron skillet not only for a rustic presentation, but also for the convenience of throwing it in the oven once it's prepared.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

These “scallops” have a secret: They’re actually mushrooms, sautéed until delightfully golden and crisp. If you usually gravitate towards whole wheat pasta, opt for semolina or egg noodles instead to keep from overpowering the flavor of the mushrooms.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

Who knew your trusty springform pan could do all this? Feel free to mix up the ingredients by trading marinara for pesto or crumbled Italian sausage for chopped meatballs. The secret to a crispy top? Briefly broil the cheese at the end. Pro tip: Cook the pasta until it's just al dente—the firmer noodles stand up easier, and they'll finish cooking in the oven," says PureWow VP of editorial content Candace Davison, who's made this recipe for more than a couple unbirthday parties.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: dairy-free, slow cooker recipe, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

These drool-worthy ribs only taste like you stood by the oven all day. The secret? Your trusty slow cooker. Once the meat is finished, heat your tortillas in the skillet, round up the fixins' and prepare for some bomb tacos.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8

I got you a gift…in the form of cheese pulls and pepperoni cups. Although it's store-bought focaccia, nobody has to know. You may be tempted to get the cheapest loaf at the store, but I suggest splurging. You'll thank me later.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 4

This is not your mother’s pork tenderloin. (Sorry, Mom.) Instead of dry and bland, it’s tender, delicate and practically melts in your mouth. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure it's properly cooked all the way through.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, dairy free, high protein
• Serves: 4 to 6

These lamb chops have all the celebratory vibes, but are as easy to cook as chicken. (I won’t tell if you won't.) "You’ll find pomegranate molasses in the international aisle of most grocery stores," Goldman says.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

If I could eat only one dish for the rest of forever, this caramelized roasted chicken skillet just might be it. The secret to those bright and refreshing flavors, though? It's all the fresh thyme and lemon zest added at the end. Serve them over rice or couscous.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, gluten free, high protein
• Serves: 6

Ah, Julia Child-caliber flavor without all the fuss. It's ready in just under an hour and simplified for newbies. You can pretty much get away with any kind of dry white wine here, but I'd recommend a sauvignon blanc or pinot gris that you know you like to sip.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 2

This dish is so impressive (and surprisingly foolproof) that I might never go back to restaurant steak again. It only has to sear for five minutes on each side to achieve that applause-worthy outer crust. Just be sure the pan is blazing hot when you drop the steak.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4

A recipe that only requires 20 minutes and five ingredients allows you plenty of time to make a homemade dessert. You can also substitute the radicchio with kale, Swiss chard or even spinach if you'd prefer.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

They’ll probably ask if you spent all day making this. Just nod and say yes. "The recipe calls for pre-cooked sausage," says PureWow food editor Taryn Pire, who tried the recipe at home. "I'd advise cooking it according to package instructions in a large skillet while the water boils, transferring it to a plate or cutting board, slicing it into rounds, then picking up at step two in the same pan. That way, you make the most of all the flavorful drippings left behind, as pictured."

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Some nights call for salad. This is not one of those nights. And once you nail that béchamel sauce, you'll want to make it all the time for pouring atop poached eggs, pasta, and more. Bonus points for adding prosciutto or dressed arugula to the top.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

If you’re trying to give someone a hug in a bowl, look no further than this veggie-packed risotto. While any white wine is fine, try using a drier variety to complement the dish's savory elements...and wash the meal down with the leftovers.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Don’t be surprised if this one gets requested again next year. You can thank the rustic eggplant sauce, not to mention all that cheese. The fresh basil garnish really takes the dish over the top without asking anything of the chef.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 4

Don’t be fooled by the name: This roasted salmon dish is hearty, filling and downright sophisticated. The strawberries may seem out of place at first, but it turns out they add a sweet-yet-tangy quality to the meal, not to mention a pop of color.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 3

A cozy, cheese-laden baked pasta from the Contessa herself? Don’t even bother with an additional present. Don’t have individual ramekins? Garten has a pro tip: “You can bake this pasta in one larger dish, but making individual gratins looks so much more professional.” So splurge—do it for the ’gram.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

If you can’t eat a pie made of two different types of cheese on your birthday, when can you? "It's a press-in crust, so it's really easy," recipe creator Erin McDowell alleges. "It's made with olive oil, so you can mix the crust by hand in a bowl with just a wooden spoon or spatula, then press it into an even layer."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 6

You make the paella, I’ll bring the wine and everyone else is on gift duty. This one-pan recipe has been simplified so it only requires an hour to come together. Chalk it up to limiting the seafood to shrimp and clams.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

Simple can also mean show-stopping, and this five-ingredient dish is proof. If you don't have Pecorino on hand, feel free to substitute Parmesan—just be sure to grate it yourself. "This recipe is basically impossible to mess up, so don’t sweat it too much," Pire says. "You'll fall for the salty, silky, cheesy sauce at first bite."

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Tonight’s the night to go out of your way to find juicy, impressive duck legs. Frozen duck legs are fine, but the recipe recommends thawing them completely first. I promise it’s worth the wait.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, one pan
• Serves: 4

It's their party and they can eat charcuterie for dinner if they want to. If you're new to cheese, the board calls for "something creamy, something firm and something pungent" for solid variety, but you can really go with whatever types you like. The real star is the jammy, extra-sweet grapes.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 6

The marinating time is a solid excuse for a pre-dinner cocktail...just sayin'. And if you can make extra lemon-herb sauce, I'd strongly suggest doing so—it tastes heavenly on just about anything. Let the steak rest before slicing it so it retains all its juices.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

You could order tacos from your fave local cantina—or you can pull 'em off yourself, no messy frying required. The trick to achieving peak crispiness is misting the fish with cooking spray to help it brown, plus flipping it halfway through baking.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

Feeding six people in just a half-hour? It's easier than you think. McDowell recommends pairing it with red wine and a generous dollop of sour cream, and I completely agree. (The fresh dill takes it over the top, too.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, no cook, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4 to 6

Picnic party, anyone? I'll bring the prosecco. This no-cook sandwich is a breeze to assemble ahead. And if you need some sides, I recommend serving the subs with potato or macaroni salad, veggie chips and, of course, pickles.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8

Casseroles are my BFFs when it comes to feeding the fam. And this cheesy pick is sure to become one of your kids' favorites after just one bite. You can use whatever kind of ravioli you want—I'd recommend either meat, cheese or mushroom. This is a great casserole to bring to holiday gatherings or family get-togethers.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, gluten-free
• Serves: 6

Picky party guests? Tortilla chips smothered in Monterey Jack cheese sauce will save the day. That final sprinkle of cayenne pepper and fresh lime adds much-welcome tang and spice to the charred summer corn.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, dairy free, one pot
• Serves: 6

One slurp and voilà, you're in Provence. If you have a local bakery in your area, finding fresh bread is imperative. (And what's equally awesome is what little cleanup you'll have to do after cooking the big birthday dinner.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, dairy free, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

Go ahead, give the kids what they really want—only make it a little healthier. While regular chicken nuggets are often fried, baking cuts a significant amount of fat. "When you set up your dredging station, designate one hand for dipping in the dry ingredients and one for the eggs," Goldman suggests. "That way, you’ll avoid the usual mess that happens when the flour and eggs mix together."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

Don't fuss over how it looks: A random arrangement is the best way to convey that relaxed-afternoon-in-a-vineyard vibe. And since you'll only need to cook the onions and bread, it's super low effort. In the words of Ina Garten, how easy is that?

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

My philosophy? Light and tangy coleslaw tastes good on everything. Whip up some sweet potato fries and you have yourself a complete meal. Save yourself some work by asking your supermarket's fishmonger to cube the fish for you.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4

Many a memorable meal has begun with a whole roast bird. Wow the table with this five-ingredient recipe that screams celebration. Use the leftovers in salads, soups and pastas for the rest of the week (if there are any, that is).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Don't sweat it if the guest of honor is a vegetarian. These tacos, filled with baked cauli florets, homemade queso and scallions, just might convert the rest of the guests anyway. The key to browning the cauliflower evenly is tossing it occasionally during cooking.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Scallops might feel intimidating, but they're actually a cinch to prepare. This recipe only calls for a two-minute sear per side, so you'll spend minimal time in the kitchen on the big day. (Just be sure to really pat the scallops dry with a paper towel before adding them to the pan, so you get a great crust.) And that corn salad? So colorful.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, dairy free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

The only dish more classically comforting than meatloaf? A personal mini meatloaf wrapped in bacon, duh. If you have mini loaf pans on hand, use them to form the loaves instead of doing it by hand. And don't forget the mashed potatoes (not that you needed reminding).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

Personally, I'd rather receive a bouquet of Parmesan-kissed phyllo rosettes than real flowers...but on my birthday, I'll take both. If you'd rather not fuss with the rosettes, simply layer the sheets of phyllo on top and bake until golden brown, Goldman advises.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

This elegant, satisfying birthday dinner idea comes together in a flash, and you won't believe how flavorful it is. Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski, who created the recipe, takes parsley out of garnish territory and makes it the star of the side salad.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, dairy free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

This sandwich needs no introduction. The trickiest part is the fried chicken, but as long as you let it stand to drain the excess oil, it'll turn out impeccably crispy. Make it for the comfort food lover in your life and you'll be the hostess with the mostest.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

My two favorite pasta dishes wrapped up in one? Aww, you shouldn’t have—but I'm so glad you did. Freeze a little extra for a future busy evening, so you have something incredible to look forward to when you're feeling lazy.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 4

This plant-based spin on tandoori chicken will make any veggie-loving guest of honor feel the love. And if you want to go low carb, cauliflower rice (yup, doubling down on the cruciferous produce) is a fine substitute for basmati.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 5

Gather round the table for this simple-yet-fancy family-style meal. Serve the shrimp with plenty of dinner rolls to soak up the lemon-kissed garlic butter, and make sure you're using shrimp with the shell on, which infuses extra flavor into every bite.

• Time Commitment: 7 hours and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

It's chicken pot pie minus the fuss of puff pastry. (Instead, there are cheesy biscuits made with store-bought dough for ease.) This slow cooker soup is just as comforting as the original, and it's definitely perfect for celebrating a cold weather birthday dinner inside.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

This slow cooker recipe puts an exciting spin on classic chicken meatballs. Don't skimp on either the cilantro or whole-milk Greek yogurt garnishes, which both offer flavor and texture to this unexpected birthday dinner idea.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, crowd pleaser
• Serves: 4 to 6

This recipe comes from Shelley Westerhausen Worcel’s new cookbook, Every Season Is Soup Season. The bitter radicchio turns tender and toothsome after a massage. You can also sub in Lacinato kale, if you’d prefer, but I think the radicchio is particularly eye-catching.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, pescatarian, high protein
• Serves: 4 to 6

This tropical number sends me right to the beach (mentally, at least). Find a Scotch bonnet-based hot sauce for the marinade if you want the shrimp to have serious heat. Fresh guac and crema will provide much-needed cooling.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, gluten free, make ahead
• Serves: 24 dumplings

Even though dumpling-making may seem like a challenge, the gluten-free wrappers are beyond easy to work with. They're filled with a savory mix of tofu and veggies, making them vegan-friendly, and they're freezer-friendly, so you can reheat them if you don't finish the first batch in one go.