Looking for main dish dinner recipes to switch up your usual meals? Cheesy pasta, glazed salmon and a golden-topped pot pie give you plenty to choose from.
These dinner ideas are all about finding something that makes you want to pull up a chair.
You can keep things simple with a rice bowl or bring a big baking dish to the table. Start with the pictures below for inspiration, then use a complete recipe for ingredients and cooking directions.
Dinner ideas worth saving
browned medallions and sauce
We’re starting off strong with these browned meat medallions. I love the pale, speckled sauce spilling over the dark edges and pooling on the platter.
If you want to follow this serving idea, spoon sauce over each piece while leaving some of those browned sides showing. Finish with a little chopped green garnish.
mustard-glazed salmon
This baked salmon may just be one of my favorites here. The mustard glaze has a glossy golden finish over the pink fish.
Those lemon wedges look so pretty around the platter.
I’d serve this with rice and a green vegetable to keep the rest of dinner simple.
cheesy cutlets in red sauce
Who else goes straight for the browned cheese? These breaded cutlets sit in red sauce with melted cheese draped over the tops.
A little of the golden coating still shows around the edges.
For a dinner inspired by this dish, I’d add a green salad on the side.
beef and mushroom noodles
If you’re looking for a saucy noodle dinner, this one is for you. Wide ribbons of pasta curl around pieces of beef and sliced mushrooms in a pale brown sauce.
I especially love those big mushroom slices right on top.
Read also: 20 Chicken Sunday Dinner Ideas From Golden Roasts to Cheesy Bakes
pork chop with mushroom gravy
This is another pretty way to serve a mushroom-topped main dish. The browned pork chop rests over mashed potatoes, with gravy running down into the mash.
The mushroom slices piled in the middle are my favorite part. Keep the greens alongside if you want to follow this plate.
stuffed pasta shells
How lovely are these rows of stuffed shells? Each shell holds a white filling flecked with leafy greens, with red sauce underneath.
If this is the dinner you’re leaning toward, try a spinach-and-ricotta shell recipe for a similar look. I’d keep the filling facing up just like this.
shrimp over long pasta
The shrimp fans are going to want a closer look at this one! Browned shrimp cover a tray of long pasta, with pale sauce and little bits of seasoning throughout.
I’d bring this to the table with lemon wedges on a separate plate so everyone can add their own squeeze.
tacos with colorful toppings
Don’t want a big casserole for dinner? No problem! These tacos have browned crumbled filling, lettuce, tomatoes, purple onion and shredded cheese tucked inside.
Try putting the toppings in separate bowls if you’d rather let everyone assemble their own. Keep the lime wedges within reach.
golden chicken pot pie
I am obsessed with this golden pie top. You can see the thin pastry layers above a pale filling packed with chicken pieces, peas and carrots.
Read also: 19 Soup Ideas for When You're Sick, From Chicken Noodle to Wonton
This is one I’d save for a night when you want the pie to be the main event. A simple side salad would be my choice alongside it.
glazed meatloaf and potatoes
If you like a dinner platter with the side already included, take a look at this one. A dark, glossy glaze covers the meatloaf while browned potato chunks fill the other half of the tray.
I love those little red potato skins showing throughout.
lasagna with browned cheese
How good does this lasagna look? Not gonna lie, the browned cheese around the edges is the part I’d choose first!
The portion being lifted out shows the pasta layers beneath the topping.
A little green garnish is all I’d add for a similar presentation.
chicken curry and rice
Looking for a rice dinner with plenty of sauce? This bowl pairs chicken pieces in an orange-colored curry with white rice.
I love how the sauce meets the rice along the middle.
Choose a curry recipe with a spice level you enjoy. The color alone won’t tell you how hot it is.
pot roast with vegetables
This pot roast is another favorite on the list. The meat is pulled open in thick sections, with carrots and potatoes tucked into the brown sauce around it.
For your own serving, spoon some vegetables and sauce beside each portion. The long herb sprigs look lovely across the top of the roast.
browned chicken skewers
Don’t want to go overboard with the sides? No problem there!
Take inspiration from these browned chicken skewers laid over white rice. The chopped green onions add a little color without covering up those dark edges.
cheese-topped stuffed peppers
I love these red and yellow stuffed peppers. The open pepper at the front shows grains and browned crumbles beneath the melted cheese.
Try a mix of pepper colors for your own dish if you like this look. You don’t need matching peppers to make the whole tray look lovely.
red-sauce enchiladas
Here’s another dinner idea for anyone who loves a cheesy topping. These rolled tortillas have crumbled filling peeking out of the ends, with red sauce and yellow-and-white cheese over the top.
I’d keep the lime wedges on the side just like this plate. A small bowl of chopped lettuce would be a nice addition too.
chicken with lemon slices
This chicken platter is so pretty with the bright lemon slices. The browned pieces sit over sliced onions, with chopped herbs scattered across the top.
If you want to follow the serving idea, bring potatoes or rice to the table separately. Both are pictured alongside the chicken.
baked ziti with stretchy cheese
The cheese lovers are going to love this! This baked ziti picture shows short pasta tubes underneath a browned cheese topping.
I am obsessed with that lifted spoonful and the long cheese strands. This one doesn’t need an elaborate garnish to look inviting.
slow-cooker meat with dark sauce
This one shows the start of dinner rather than the finished plate. A dark sauce with small pale bits is being poured over raw meat in a slow cooker.
Save it as inspiration for a slow-cooker main, but follow a tested recipe for your particular cut. You can’t tell the sauce ingredients or cooking time from this picture.
shrimp fried rice
Last but definitely not least, we have this colorful shrimp fried rice. I love the orange carrots, green peas and little yellow pieces of egg mixed through the rice.
The shrimp are spread across the top rather than hidden underneath. Keep that serving idea if you want yours to look like this bowl.