22 Lazy Weeknight Dinners To Make When It's Cold Outside

From setting up a hands-off slow cooker dinner to really quick meals with 5 ingredients or fewer, I've got your lazy dinner wishes covered.

It can be hard to admit when you feel just a little bit tired, rundown, or lazy. When the last thing you want is to get off the couch to make dinner, especially when it's so cold outside, let these recipes take some weight off your shoulders.

Whether you need a 10-minute meal, a 3-ingredient dinner that you can set and forget, or a 5-ingredient roast, this list has you covered. Don't forget to read the helpful tips and tricks from our editors and contributors as you go.

Mom’s 5-Ingredient Barbecue Meatloaf

Get Recipe: My Mom’s 5-Ingredient Meatloaf Is My Favorite

"A box grater actually does a great job of finely cutting up the onion and making the pieces nice and juicy. I’ve discovered there are far fewer tears during grating if you use a sweet onion like Walla Walla or Maui. This less sulfurous onion also lends a milder flavor to the meatloaf—an extra bonus since the onion goes in raw." —Simply Recipes Contributor Ivy Manning

Lemon Chicken

Get Recipe: Katie Couric's 5-Ingredient Chicken Is My Favorite—It's So Delicious

"The recipe suggests serving the chicken with fresh parsley. I opted for fresh dill. Most herbs play well with lemon—try everything from rosemary to tarragon." —Simply Recipes Contributor Meleyna Nomura

4-Ingredient Chicken Salad

Get Recipe: The 4-Ingredient Chicken Salad I Can’t Stop Making

"My favorite way to enjoy this chicken salad is on crackers and cucumber rounds for a snacky lunch. Water crackers, rice crackers, or shrimp chips are all tasty pairings. You can also make a chicken salad sandwich, layered with tomato and lettuce." —Simply Recipes Contributor Coco Morante

Baked Feta Beans

Get Recipe: These Creamy Feta Beans Are My Favorite Lazy Dinner

"In all honesty, any block feta will work here. That being said, there is a real divide between good feta and fine feta. If you have the luxury, look for sheep’s milk feta, preferably packed in brine. Avoid crumbled feta, since it won’t melt the same way in the oven." —Simply Recipes Senior Editor Laurel Randolph

5-Ingredient Pasta Bake

Get Recipe: The Budget-Friendly 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake My Family Asks Me For All the Time

"Other cheeses work well for this pasta bake. Swap ricotta for the cottage cheese. Use half mozzarella and half Monterey Jack instead of the Italian blend. It’s delicious with a sprinkle of feta or a few slices of provolone cheese." —Simply Recipes Contributor Sara Haas

Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla

Get Recipe: The 5-Ingredient Dinner I Make on Repeat—It Only Takes 20 Minutes

"I see absolutely nothing wrong with cheesy chicken for dinner, but if you’re craving some veggies or simply want to bulk up the quesadillas, add some drained and rinsed canned black or pinto beans, thawed frozen corn, or any mix of cooked zucchini, onions, or bell peppers." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Liv Dansky

5-Ingredient Roast Chicken

Get Recipe: This 5-Ingredient Roast Chicken Is Always There for Me

"If I’m in a hurry, I limit the marinating window to the time it takes for the oven to preheat and the squash slices to par-bake (about 30 minutes). If I have more time (and forethought), I like to marinate the chicken in the maple syrup mixture overnight in the refrigerator so the meat is even more deeply flavored throughout." —Ivy

Creamy Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas

Get Recipe: This 5-Ingredient Is the Most Comforting Weeknight Dinner

"The Boursin variety you use is up to you. Shallot and chive, garlic and herb, or caramelized onion and herb will all work well." —Simply Recipes Senior Editor Sara Bir

3-Ingredient Brisket

Get Recipe: This 3-Ingredient Brisket Is the Only One I Ever Make

"Consider cooking this recipe a day or even a week or more ahead of time. It freezes really well!" —Simply Recipes Contributor Alison Spiegel

Mississippi Chicken

Get Recipe: Mississippi Chicken

"If you don’t have chicken stock base, you can swap for two teaspoons of chicken bouillon granules." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Liz Mervosh

10-Minute Creamy White Beans and Greens

Get Recipe: This 10-Minute Meal Warms Me up on Cold Nights

"You can use any canned white bean for this dish, but I prefer cannellini or butter beans as they tend to have a softer texture that works really well here. Make sure to drain the beans in a sieve set over a bowl as you’ll need the aquafaba." —Simply Recipes Contributor Devan Grimsrud

Turkey Taco Bowls

Get Recipe: Turkey Taco Bowls

"Serve with shaved red cabbage or thinly sliced radishes for extra crunch." —Liv

Linguine With Tuna and Capers

Get Recipe: Linguine With Tuna and Capers

"I love the Tonnino tuna in jars. If you can find them, use them here! You may need to add less olive oil to the recipe, as the jars have more oil in them than cans do." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Julia Levy

Gyeran Jjim (Korean Steamed Eggs)

Get Recipe: Gyeran Jjim (Korean Steamed Eggs)

"Comforting and nutritious, this dish is best enjoyed with freshly cooked rice and your choice of banchan like kimchi and siguemchi namul for a satisfying (and economical) meal. You can either eat it right out of the bowl it was cooked in or scoop it out into individual bowls." —Simply Recipes Contributor Joy Cho

4-Ingredient Spinach White Bean Soup

Get Recipe: The 4-Ingredient Soup I Make When I’m Short on Time and Need Comfort

"If you don’t own an immersion blender, you can purée the soup in a food processor or a regular upright blender." —Simply Recipes Contributor Alexandra Shytsman

Miso Glazed Salmon

Get Recipe: Miso Glazed Salmon

"Red miso is stronger tasting than white miso. You can use either, but if using white miso, you may want to use a little more than if using red miso." —Simply Recipes Founder Elise Bauer

Crispy Chicken With Zucchini and Shallots

Get Recipe: Crispy Chicken With Zucchini and Shallots

"For incredibly crispy and delicious chicken thighs, don’t crank up the heat—medium is where it’s at. The long cook time helps to render out the fat more evenly, yielding crispy goodness." —Julia

Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

Get Recipe: Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

"Since easy is the name of the game for this skillet dinner, I like to use baby kale or spinach. Both come pre-washed and wilted in just a minute or two under the heat of the pasta. If you want to turn the volume up on the pepperiness even further, you can also try baby or regular arugula." —Simply Recipes Contributor Sheela Prakash

Cheesy Baked Tacos

Get Recipe: Cheesy Baked Tacos

"This recipe is easy to double for 12 tacos. Spread the tortilla over two baking sheets. Swap the baking sheets in the oven when you flip the tacos so that they crisp evenly." —Laurel

3-Ingredient Taquito Enchilada Casserole

Get Recipe: This 3-Ingredient Dinner Is My Weeknight Hero

"Depending on the shape of your pan you may need to lay some of the taquitos horizontally across the length of the pan. I found this works better than trying to double stack them and it fills the pan more appealingly." —Simply Recipes Contributor Megan Splawn

5-Ingredient Gingery, Garlicky Ground Beef

Get Recipe: This 5-Ingredient Ground Beef Dinner Might Be the Best Thing I’ve Ever Made

"Whenever making rice from scratch feels like a hassle, I reach for Hetbahn, a microwaveable instant rice and ubiquitous pantry staple for rice-loving Koreans worldwide. Costco sells Bibigo Hetbahn, a popular brand of cooked white sticky rice. The rice comes portioned in single-serving bowls, and when microwaved for just 90 seconds, it's delicious, just like freshly cooked rice." —Associate Editorial Director Myo Quinn

Creamed Tacos

Get Recipe: This Is the Only Way I'll Eat Velveeta—It's So Delicious

"To save time, as the meat browns, you can use the time to prep the lettuce and fresh tomato." —Sara