Paleo Dinners: 26 Easy Recipes for Weeknights

Sweet honey and toasty sesame team up for a flavor combo everyone at the table is sure to love. *To make paleo-friendly, substitute ghee for butter.

Russets aren't the only spuds worth stuffing. Smoke and heat, achieved with chili powder and ground red pepper, work particularly well with sweet potatoes. This makes for a great paleo main dish, or cut them smaller and serve open-faced as a Super Bowl-style appetizer.

Microwaving, instead of roasting, the sweet potatoes saves more than an hour. *To make paleo-friendly, omit the Parmesan cheese.

Steak-centric salads are a staple of the American gastropub menu. Unfortunately, the “salad” interpretation is a bit loose—the lettuce merely a bed for a Flinstone-sized protein serving, the butter-yellow croutons, tons of cheese, and creamy dressing blanketing all. We kept the chargrilled steak then topped it off with good-for-you avocado and a vinaigrette that complements the vegetables rather than disguise them. This changes not only make it healthier, but it keeps the whole dish paleo-friendly. A little meat goes a long way: just 12 ounces is plenty to serve 4.

Escarole is amped up with a salty kick from fish sauce and is brightened with sweet, crunchy carrots. *To make paleo-friendly, omit pecorino cheese

Spiralized sweet potatoes make for a hearty pasta replacement in this fresh feeling paleo meal. Puttanesca is an ultra-savory Italian pasta dish that typically consists of capers, anchovies, olives, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. In this iteration, fresh tomatoes meet their salty match for a hearty, dairy-free pasta dish that's light on calories and heavy on flavor. For a vegetarian option, leave out the anchovies and use vegetable broth instead of chicken.

Shakshuka, a traditional Israeli breakfast food, is a skillet of spiced tomatoes, peppers, and onions with baked eggs. In this version, we swapped out our trusted cast-iron skillet for the walls of a spaghetti squash boat to create a paleo-friendly morning meal. Spaghetti squash adds a creamy texture and sweet flavor to this low-carb spin on a breakfast hash. Sprinkled with fresh cilantro, this hearty breakfast option is perfect for a brunch crowd or a lazy weekend morning in bed.

This flavorful paleo bowl is an easy and healthy way to liven up your next dinner. Topped with hearty shrimp and loaded with aromatic fresh ginger, this is a weeknight meal that the entire family can get excited about. Forget takeout because this quick skillet dinner is super straightforward and comes together in minutes.

Pair sea scallops with a cauliflower and potato purée for an elegant yet weeknight-friendly meal. Tip: Patting the sea scallops dry before cooking helps ensure a great seared crust.

Get dinner on the table quickly tonight by simply roasting shrimp and broccoli together for a quick, flavorful meal.

Mini spuds are a great gluten-free and paleo side for lighter mains like salads or soups. Look for small sweet potatoes about the size of your fist, or cook two larger potatoes and serve half a potato to each person.

Paleo meals don't have to be boring. Fresh dill and citrus add a pop of flavor to hearty salmon fillets and tender carrots. Remove the foil and arrange fillets over carrots for a lovely presentation. No grill? Bake the packets at 425° for 15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

Tender lamb combines with fresh veggies like kale and butternut squash to create the ultimate comforting winter stew. Richly spiced with coriander, cumin, and paprika, the secret ingredient is also a dash of cinnamon. The best part of this simple paleo recipe is that the majority of the cooking time is hands-off, leaving you time to focus on other things.

Who knew a simple veggie dish could taste this flavorful? Cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper add warmth to this Peruvian-inspired sweet potato hash. For an added serving of protein, top it with a fried egg. If you're cooking for a sensitive palate, use less red pepper for a mild flavor that everybody can enjoy.

You can still enjoy all the taste of a juicy, veggie-topped burger without any of the excess calories due to a thick bun or heavy mayo-based sauce. This paleo salad features a hearty burger patty, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and an herb-y vinaigrette to drizzle atop. We love the richness that a little ground lamb offers, but you can use all beef or even ground turkey instead.

Talk about a company-worthy meal without much effort or a hefty price tag. Serve this easy and elegant entrée over a bed of greens and with a side of steamed broccoli. Chicken thighs offer darker meat with more flavor than chicken breasts. Madras curry is a medium/hot, red curry sauce that possesses a strong chili powder flavor. Paired with the sweet flavor of pomegranate seeds and fresh mint, this chicken dish does not overwhelm the palate. This easy chicken dish is the perfect paleo weeknight dinner, as it requires very little preparation and is ready to serve almost immediately.

This paleo soup is perfect for ushering in fall: It's hearty enough for the beginning of soup season, yet brothy and veggie-packed so that it doesn't feel too heavy. Pair it with a slaw or kale side salad for a light, satisfying dinner. This recipe is ideal for a weekend, when you can check on the slow cooker after just a few hours; though you won't be able to leave the soup unattended all day, this still offers the benefit of hands-free, fuss-free cooking.

We're not entirely certain about the history of this classic recipe's name, but perhaps it has something to do with the spicy kick of the sauce. Our version is a shakshuka-like dish in which fiery harissa paste and heady spices slowly infused a rich tomato sauce where eggs gently poach. Look for jars of harissa with the Middle Eastern foods in your supermarket; you can substitute a half to full teaspoon of crushed red pepper in a pinch. The cook time for the eggs depends on the specific heat of your slow cooker. We offer a range of 15 to 20 minutes, so start checking at 15 minutes (or a couple minutes earlier) to ensure the eggs get done to your liking. 

White balsamic vinegar is slightly sweet; cider vinegar is tangier. Either will be delicious here. Canned salmon is an inexpensive, sustainable seafood option. Sub canned albacore tuna or 2 cooked salmon fillets.

A very hot oven quickly roasts the potatoes and finishes the chicken without overcooking. The simple oil mixture, using solely extra-virgin olive oil to keep it paleo-friendly, packs a ton of flavor without adding excessive calories or fat to an already flavorful dinner. To serve a family, double the recipe and use an additional sheet pan for added space. You can substitute fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise, for the small Yukon gold potatoes.

The mild flavor of spinach makes it wonderfully adaptable to sizzling garlic and spice from the crushed red pepper. For fullest flavor, cook spinach only until it begins to turn limp. Sautéed spinach can be made in a snap and pairs perfectly with almost every protein. If you have leftover spinach on hand or any wilting leafy greens, sautéing with a little olive oil and garlic instantly brings it back to life. Starting aromatics in a cold skillet lets them infuse the oil. The garlic also has less chance of burning. Let cooked potatoes dry out so they'll be extra crispy in the hash. Leftover cooked potatoes would be even better. Ground chicken has a touch more fat than ground chicken breast, key for more flavorful hash. Serve with Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Red Pepper.

Two teaspoons of smoked paprika may seem like a lot, but it will help to form a nice crust on the pork as it sears in the pan. You can also sub 1 teaspoon ground cumin plus 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder. A hot oven will help the sweet potato wedges crisp up on the outside without burning. Remove the pork from the oven just as it reaches 140. The temp will climb to an ideal 145, and the meat will be just right. This is paleo version of one of our favorite weeknight dinners.

One pan is all you need for this light and bright dinner. The tiniest bit of coconut sugar helps the avocado halves char in the pan, adding robust toasty flavor. While the original recipe called for sour cream (pictured), we kept it paleo by removing the drizzle.

Guaranteed to be a fast favorite, this recipe plays on the sweet-savory match made in flavor heaven: pork + apples. Sautéed apples add a hint of sweetness and delightfully smooth texture to this hearty paleo pork dish. If you don't have access to Honeycrisp apples, use a pink lady, gala, or jazz apple instead. Dijon mustard counteracts the sweetness of the apple adding incredible depth of flavor that the whole family can enjoy.

Grill scallops and cucumber halves for tasty toppings on this fresh and flavorful salad. You'll love how the sweet watermelon and mint flavors play off one another. *To make paleo-friendly, remove cooking spray.

Flavorful herbs and spices, red wine vinegar, shallots, and mushrooms give these plain chicken breasts rich flavor. A veggie side completes this paleo meal. If you don't care to use the red wine vinegar, you can use 1/3 cup of chicken broth.