Back-to-school dinner recipes to help families stay on track

The school holidays are almost done and dusted so it’s time to start thinking about back to school needs. The crew at Taste.com.au have chosen 20 dinner recipes to help make the return to school a little easier.

Meet easy dinners that will help you get through the beginning of the school term.

Many of these dinners can be pulled together in no time with pantry and freezer ingredients, but we’ve also included some prep-ahead recipes which can be popped in the slow cooker in the morning and enjoyed at your leisure later! Either way, these dinners are easy to make and full of family-friendly ingredients.

Pancake shaker impossible quiche.

Pancake shaker impossible quiche

Add a bit of magic to your cooking with this clever impossible quiche. As this beauty bakes, it magically separates into three distinct layers - a base, a cheesy ham centre and a golden zucchini topping. Tip: make sure to allow an extra 30 minutes for cooling!

Easy chicken parmigiana tray bake

With just 5 ingredients, whip up this cheesy pub fave in a snap- 10 minutes prep is all you need! The garlic butter kievs and flavour packed sauce create the tastiest tray bake that will rival any pub meal.

Spinach triangle zucchini slice.

Spinach triangle zucchini slice

This clever dinner idea is a combination of store-bought filo triangles and our favourite zucchini slice. It’s easy to make, looks amazing and is only $1.40 per serve, so great for the budget-conscious.

Air fryer chicken rissoles

Here’s another easy chicken air fryer recipe to add do your rotation. Made with mince, panko breadcrumbs and a zucchini, these little rissoles are great for dinner with a salad. The next day you can pop them into a bread roll with your favourite accompaniments for a quick lunch.

French onion chicken rice bake.

10-minute French onion chicken rice bake

Yes, you can get dinner on the table in 10 minutes thanks to this easy French onion-flavoured chicken and rice bake. It has everything: vegies, protein and carbs, plus lots of golden cheese on top.

Mapo tofu recipe

Jade Dunn, taste Social Multimedia Manager, shares the story behind her version of Chinese mapo tofu: “This dish is my idea of comfort food. Made with silken tofu, pork mince and a spicy sauce, mapo tofu is the very definition of ugly delicious!”

Easy Greek pasta bake

Even though it only takes 30 minutes to make this this cheesy vegetarian pasta bake, every bite is packed with flavour thanks to lots of feta and juicy olives. And, at just $2.30 per serve, you’ll be making it on repeat.

Salmon and peanut butter noodles.

Salmon and peanut butter noodles

Have this this flavour-packed dinner on the table in just 25 minutes. With an instant sweet and tangy flavour from the Panang curry paste, these saucy peanut butter noodles will be a hit with the whole family.

Old-school chow mein

Recreate the Chinese takeaway classic at home by raiding the fridge and using whatever veggies you have on hand! We used chicken thigh, but you can also use beef or chicken breast stir fry strips! TIP: For a kick of heat, add ¼ cup sweet chilli sauce to the sauce mixture in step 3 and reduce the stock to ¼ cup.

Chicken tikka tray bake.

Chicken tikka tray bake

This juicy spiced tray bake is as rich and fragrant as a slow-cooked curry in a fraction of the time thanks to punchy tikka masala paste.

Italian chicken pasta tray bake

Loaded with flavour thanks to pancetta, garlic and cheese, this easy chicken pasta bake only takes 15 mins to prep – the pasta cooks in the tray as the whole lot bakes!

Air fryer sweet and sour pork balls.

Air fryer sweet and sour pork balls

Meatballs just took a sweet and sour turn with this easy air fryer dinner. Coated in a sticky glaze, these pork balls are the perfect weeknight dish for the entire family (kids included).

Chicken and chip yiros pie

We have taken all the best bits of a classic Greek yiros and turned it into a flavour-packed pie. With zesty chicken thighs, deliciously salty fetta, fragrant herbs and crispy hot chips, this pie makes the ultimate family dinner.

Mexican vegetarian tray bake.

Mexican vegetarian tray bake

This low-cal tray bake is packed with vegies and protein – serve it with our cheat’s crispy tortilla chips and dip your way to an easy vego dinner.

Cheesy VEGEMITE and zucchini slice

You’ll be adding VEGEMITE to every slice once you taste this moreish cheesy zucchini creation.

Best-ever slow cooker lamb stew

This easy slow cooker dinner is an all-in-one meal that just needs some crusty bread to mop up the delicious gravy. It seriously is the best-ever! Pro-tip: any leftovers can be chopped into smaller pieces in the gravy and used to make pies in your pie-maker. We love our gadgets!

Easy tortilla tray bake

Looking for a quick dinner? This warm and flavoursome tortilla tray bake can easily be prepped in just 10 minutes.

Thai creamy chicken one-pot.

Thai creamy chicken one-pot

This mild chicken curry is creamy and family friendly, and just needs a side of steamed rice to soak up the tasty sauce. You can customize it if you like - add some frozen peas, blanched snow peas or even baby spinach a few minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Healthier salmon slice

Quick and easy, this salmon slice combines zucchini, brown rice and cheese to create a filling and better-for-you dinner.

Mexican beef pasta bake

Save time without sacrificing the flavour with this easy prep-ahead Mexican beef pasta bake. Store the cooked meat and pasta in the fridge in a Ziploc bag for up to three days, and it’ll be ready to heat and bake when you need it during the week.

For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as Back-to-school dinner recipes to help families stay on track