Our 10 most popular dinners of 2023
Stuck for dinner inspiration? Discover what our readers turn to with our most popular dinners of 2023, from healthy one-pots to cheap curries, speedy pasta bakes and more.
Are you in need of a hit of dinner inspiration? Looking to boost your midweek repertoire with shiny new recipes? Fret not! We delved into our website stats to discover a hit-list of 10 dinner ideas which the whole family will enjoy. These common dinner meals have been visited thousands of times and rated highly by the bbcgoodfood.com community. Which one will you make? Don’t forget to register for a My Good Food account so you can save the recipes for a later date – you can organise them into your own collections for easy access.
These popular dinner stalwarts will become your new favourites, with recipes catering to meat, vegetarian and vegan diets. Expect crowd-pleasing pasta bakes, budget-friendly curries, one-pots galore and more!
10. Easiest ever seafood rice
At number 10 is our seafood rice, which uses pre-prepared mixed seafood to make it extra easy to rustle up. Boasting more than 300 ratings, it's our most popular seafood recipe on the website, with audiences commenting on how easy it is to prep and provides a lovely balance of flavours. Plus, using one pot means you save on washing up!
See more paella dishes with our best paella recipes, including meat, seafood and vegetarian options.
9. Spinach, sweet potato & lentil dhal
Homemade dhal is always a good idea when you're running short on inspiration – this comforting one-pot counts for three of your five-a-day, as well as being rich in iron and low in fat and calories. It's totally vegan, but will satisfy the staunchest of meat-eaters.
Fans of dhal, rejoice! Discover our collection of dhal recipes to save for future mealtimes.
8. Burnt aubergine veggie chilli
Low in fat and and counting for four of your five-a-day, it's not surprise to see this veggie chilli make its way into the website hall of fame. Boasting smoky, spiced flavours, this knockout veggie supper is one which the whole family can tuck into. It can be easily frozen, too.
Find more mouth-watering chilli dishes with our best chilli recipes, including meat, vegetarian and vegan options.
7. Chorizo & mozzarella gnocchi bake
Cheesy tomato pasta gets the gnocchi treatment in this excellent bake. A midweek staple in hundreds of households, the combination of chorizo, mozzarella and gnocchi makes it a tad more luxurious than your average pasta bake.
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Find more cheesy gnocchi dishes with our best gnocchi and gnocchi bake recipes.
6. Chicken pasta bake
Our most popular pasta bake, with more than 600 star ratings, this gooey cheese and chicken dinner is perfect for when only a pasta dish will do. Serve straight from the dish with a green salad on the side.
Like the look of this? Dive into more bubbly pasta perfection with our best pasta bake recipes, freezable pasta bakes and vegetarian pasta bakes.
5. The best spaghetti bolognese recipe
It's no surprise to see this Italian staple make it into our top ten, with almost 1,000 star ratings from our audience. Its simple combo of meaty, chilli sauce and spaghetti has kept families fed and satisfied for many years, served with parmesan shavings and crusty bed to wipe plates clean.
Find more family favourites with our best cheap and healthy family meals, including our popular vegetarian enchiladas.
4. Sweet potato & peanut curry
In fourth place, with more than 900 star ratings, it's our thrifty vegan curry. It's a great way to boost your veg intake, boasting two of your five-a-day, while staying under 400 calories per portion. Cook tonight for an easy family dish which is ready in under an hour.
Discover more meat-free curries with our best vegan curry recipes and best vegetarian curry recipes.
3. Creamy courgette lasagne
Impress your vegetarian friends with our quick and creamy courgette lasagne. Rocking in a number three on the list, our audience loves how its light yet filling, as well as great for using up courgettes when in season. You only need 30 minutes to prep and cook, too.
See more veggie lasagne recipes with our vegetarian lasagne collection.
2. Chilli con carne recipe
In close second is this great chilli con carne, a classic dinner that's perfect for serving to friends for a casual get-together. With more than 2,500 star ratings, it's a recipe which has been followed many times by our audience, who praise it as a 'delicious crowd pleaser' that's easy to adapt to your own preferences.
Chilli con carne is a great way to use up storecupboard ingredients – find more ways with our best storecupboard recipes.
1. Chicken & chorizo jambalaya
Our chicken & chorizo jambalaya takes the top spot with a whopping 2,500+ star ratings and 900+ comments from our audience. This Cajun-inspired dish sees rice combined with spicy sausage, sweet peppers and tomatoes, resulting in a healthy one-pot which the whole family can enjoy. Try it for yourself and watch it become a family favourite in no time.
For more riffs on this recipe see our vegan jambalaya, prawn jambalaya and microwave jambalaya.
