30 November Dinner Ideas That Are Low-Lift, Holiday-Ready and Delicious

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, high protein
• Serves: 6
• Pairs Well With: 15-Minute, One-Pot Pasta Limone

The only easier way to make dinner is to order takeout. Serve this sheet pan beauty with bread, pasta or rice, so not a drop of the citrusy butter sauce goes to waste. Or, stick to just meat and veggies to keep the carbs to a minimum.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, gluten free
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Ginger Jasmine Rice

You love meatballs and you love chicken tikka masala…so what could be better than a combination of the two? This Crockpot wonder boasts layers of complex flavor, but only requires minimal effort (as in ten minutes of prep) on your end.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, dairy free
• Serves: 8
• Pairs Well With: Seasoned Steamed Eggplant

Chilly weather calls for a meal that's warm, nourishing and comforting to the last drop. This updated chicken soup totally fits the bill. Go ahead and add noodles if you want to make it more filling, or use rotisserie chicken to cut down on cooking time.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6
• Pairs Well With: Crispy Mushrooms

Homemade pasta in 40 minutes? Believe it, friend. This cozy dish is actually super simple to execute. "It's a fabulous dish because all the other ingredients get boiled in the same pot together," recipe creator Erin McDowell explains, "then you sauté everything with lots of butter, garlic and fontina cheese." Finish your plate with grated Parm and chopped chives.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Pairs Well With: Easy Pretzel Buns

Reason #426 to get a pressure cooker if you haven't already. You can make traditionally low-and-slow recipes in a flash. "With an Instant Pot in tow, it takes less than an hour to put together this creamy, comforting (and never gloppy) mushroom wild rice soup," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen writes. "Use any type of ’shroom you like, and because I know you’re wondering, the leftovers reheat beautifully."

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, gluten free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Harissa and Honey-Roasted Carrots

I kid you not: This hearty, filling curry is one of the easiest dishes you'll ever make. Plus, with so many pantry ingredients on the list, you probably have much of what you need in your kitchen right now. That's a win-win in my book. Did I mention it's teeming with fiber and plant-based protein?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw

Friday will always be pizza night in my book, and this November dinner idea offers a fun, colorful, autumnal twist. The garlicky butternut squash sauce is spiked with fresh herbs and topped with gooey mozzarella and creamy ricotta for good measure.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, no cook
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Pepper Teigen’s Thai Glazed Ribs

Creamy, dreamy burrata and lip-smackingly spicy chili crisp make this salad feel—dare I say it?—decadent. The chili crisp is both a garnish and a key ingredient in the dressing, along with tangy balsamic vinegar. It’ll become your go-to vinaigrette in no time, trust.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Zhoug and Zesty Yogurt

And you thought cooking steak at home was a tall order. These cuts of beef tenderloin only need about three minutes per side under the broiler to cook to juicy perfection. Let the meat rest for at least five minutes before slicing so they retain all their juices.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8
• Pairs Well With: Sweet Potato Biscuit Rolls with Honey Butter Glaze

Forget fussy chicken wings—this 50-minute crowd-pleaser is bound to become your game day go-to. It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, but if you don't have any dietary restrictions, top your bowl with all the cheddar cheese, sour cream and Fritos your heart desires.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, dairy free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Spicy, Crunchy Sesame Cucumber Salad

This recipe—which is earthy, creamy and refreshing, thanks to tahini, peanut butter and cucumbers—is delightfully versatile. Swap in udon, spaghetti, linguine or any long pasta you have on hand, or make the dish gluten free by using rice noodles and coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

The most comforting soup and the coziest sandwich of all time, united on one plate—that's an autumn miracle if I've ever seen one. The handheld has everything you love about the O.G., minus the broth. "With caramelized onions (which you can totally make ahead), gooey Gruyère and a swipe of tangy Dijon mustard, it has 'fall lunch' written all over it," Gillen says.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Pairs Well With: Smashed Brussels Sprouts

If you could make risotto without stirring nonstop and babysitting the stove all night, wouldn't you make it more often? Enter this indulgent, low-lift orzotto. Take your pick of honeynut, butternut or kabocha squash for the sauce. "Browning the butter as you cook the aromatics adds depth of flavor and brings out its nuttiness," Gillen explains.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe
• Serves: 6
• Pairs Well With: Arugula Salad with Whole-Lemon Vinaigrette

Can you believe this crowd-pleaser only requires 25 minutes of your time? The couscous cooks right on the baking sheet in chicken stock, so you won't have to wait for a pot of water to boil to prepare it. In the words of Ina Garten, how is easy is that?

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Restorative Miso Noodle Soup

Your kids' takeout favorite, minus the delivery fee. The Crockpot does all the heavy lifting for you, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare a batch of steamed white rice for serving. Finish each bowl with a flourish of sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Roasted Broccoli with Olive and Almond Pesto

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 sheet pan. "I prefer fresh gnocchi from the refrigerated section, but this dish will also work with the shelf-stable kind," Gillen admits. "I like mine with Parm, fresh basil and a pat on the back for dinner in 30 minutes."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, gluten free, vegetarian
• Serves: 3 to 4
• Pairs Well With: Honey Challah

You've never had shakshuka like this at brunch. "The yogurt base, seasoned with lemon and herbs, turns almost ricotta-like," recipe developer Adeena Sussman explains. "While the shakshuka is cooking, [the] eggplant crisps up in the oven to create the tastiest little veggie croutons you've ever had." Where do I sign?

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, sheet pan recipe
• Serves: 5
• Pairs Well With: Cauliflower Rice

From the Brussels and winter squash to the bright mustard marinade, this November dinner idea is the epitome of fall. The fish would pair gorgeously with wild rice, pasta and greens alike. Feel free to swap in trout, halibut, cod or pollock for salmon if it's not your fave.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Kale Caesar Salad

The 'shrooms in this pasta are savory, chewy and a far cry from the wet, spongy ones you've picked off your pizza in the past. "To caramelize the mushrooms, sear them in batches to give them the space needed to develop a deep, golden brown crust, which really helps draw out their umami-rich flavor," recipe creator Sheela Prakash suggests. The shatteringly crisp prosciutto merely gilds the lily.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, keto-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: Avocado Rice

The trick to tender, juicy pork chops? Bringing them to room temperature and salting them for 45 minutes before cooking. As for the bold, smoky dry rub, it would taste divine on ribs, steak, chicken thighs, whitefish or roasted cauliflower. So go ahead, make double or triple for future meals.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6
• Pairs Well With: Broccoli Soup with Spinach, Cilantro and Croutons

Aka the best way to empty your fridge's forlorn crisper drawer without settling for a sad salad. It'll be hard not to lick the casserole dish clean in one sitting, but might I suggest freezing the leftovers (or making a second batch) to reheat on Thanksgiving?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8 to 10
• Pairs Well With: Any-Green Pesto

I love you, store-bought pizza dough. This cheater's pie, which comes together on your trusty sheet pan for painless cleanup, is piled high with easy jarred tomato sauce, three types of cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated olives. I'd wash it all down with a dry Italian red if I were you.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Pairs Well With: Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom Pan Gravy

No, you don’t actually have to stir polenta the entire time it cooks. You do, however, have to top it with mushrooms, bacon and all the fresh herbs you can find to turn it into something spectacular. "You can pop the mushrooms in the oven to roast while you’re cooking the polenta, and then they’re conveniently done at the same time," McDowell notes.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Pairs Well With: Baked Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs

This cold-weather dish will soothe your soul by the spoonful. The slightly bitter radicchio is marinated in fresh lemon juice, then added to the stew at the end of cooking so it retains its crunch. Stir in a few meatballs or a swirl of yogurt for a boost of protein.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Pairs Well With: Ina Garten’s Chipotle Cheddar Crackers

With all that hosting and socializing ahead, you deserve a low-lift dinner that doesn't require a moment of cooking. Enter this fancy charcuterie board that's endlessly riffable, decidedly drool-worthy and oh-so photogenic. "I think all boards are best with a creamy cheese, a semisoft cheese and a blue cheese, but anything goes," Gillen assures. "If you can't find fresh figs, try dried or use another seasonal fruit. I chose sour cherry preserves, but apricot or fig would be just as lovely."

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6
• Pairs Well With: Maple Candied Bacon

I love that this pasta salad has crunchy, salty and sweet elements to it. But the best thing about this make-ahead recipe is that it will keep in the fridge like a charm until Thanksgiving (and taste just as good on the big day as it does on the 26th).

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8
• Pairs Well With: Stuffing Muffins

It's Thanksgiving, so turkey is a no-brainer. The slow cooker makes achieving the juiciest bird you've ever prepared a breeze, promise. While you're at it, pair the poultry with make-ahead mashed potatoes, vegetarian gravy and five-ingredient red wine cranberry sauce.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6
• Pairs Well With: Classic Guacamole

You'll need to fuel up for all those Black Friday sales. Your usual leftover turkey sandwiches won't know what hit them when this seasonal beauty graces the table (but if you're all out of turkey, store-bought rotisserie chicken would work, too). Take a whack at toasting the pumpkin seeds yourself—it's easier than you think.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 to 6
• Pairs Well With: Eggs in a Basket

Name a better way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes than this November dinner, I'll wait. These ingenious fritters come crowned with a generous dollop of tangy crème fraîche for good measure. (They'd fit right in at a weekend brunch too...just sayin'.)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, gluten free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4
• Pairs Well With: 2-Minute, 3-Ingredient Yogurt Sauce

Behold: a 20-minute salad that’s packed with protein (thanks, shrimp) and tastes even better when prepared a day in advance. Take your pick of citrus, but I'm partial to grapefruits and clementines. You can also substitute seared steak or scallops for shrimp, if you'd prefer.