31 Easy March Dinner Ideas to Cook (and Devour) This Month
March is the bridge between winter gloom and spring sunshine. This time of year, we’re still craving cozy dishes (read: don’t stash the slow cooker away just yet) while simultaneously sinking our forks into the fresh seasonal produce we’ve been craving since last year. Read on for 31 March dinner ideas to tackle every night this month, from soul-warming soups to crisp salads.
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March 1: Sweet Potato Chili with Turkey and Black Beans
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
This one-pot gem is hearty, nutritious and ever so cozy. Feel free to use kidney beans instead of black beans, or ground beef or chicken instead of turkey. Just don't skip the buttery avocado on top.
March 2: Pancetta-Wrapped Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
YUM CREATIVE/I HEART CHEESE
Your go-to lazy dinner just got a major upgrade. Herbed, garlicky mozzarella is just the match for salty cured pork, and this delightfully indulgent sammy proves it.
March 3: Slow Cooker Korean Short Rib Tacos
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Your Crockpot is the secret to fall-apart-tender beef sans babysitting. Gochujang adds savory-spicy flavor to the meat while cabbage and dill pickles cool things down. Top each taco with a mound of kimchi.
March 4: Citrus, Shrimp and Quinoa Salad with Feta
Allison Day/Modern Lunch
Let's end citrus season with a bang, shall we? This vibrant seafood dish is equal parts nourishing, refreshing and tangy, but most importantly, it's ready in 20 minutes flat.
March 5: Creamy Dijon Penne with Kielbasa
Kristen Kilpatrick/Dinner Tonight
Lightning-fast pastas are a year-round delight at our house, and this one is begging for a spot in your weekly rotation. Ready in 25 minutes and packed with protein, the recipe calls for gluten-free noods, but you can sub wheat-based ones if you feel so inclined.
March 6: Baked Feta with Garlicky Kale and Chickpeas
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
Now that you're well-versed in baked feta (thanks, TikTok), why not try this pasta-free recipe on for size? Each serving boasts a whopping 21 grams of protein, and it's prepared in a single skillet for next to no cleanup.
March 7: Garlic-Confit Chicken with Lemon and Thyme
Kate Sears/The Modern Table
You should *always* have a jar of garlic confit—garlic that's been slow cooked in oil until rich and tender—in your fridge for fresh baguettes, salad dressings and this chicken dish. Prepare it in advance to save time before dinner.
March 8: 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Low-carb, keto-friendly and beyond easy to make, this protein-and-veg skillet is a guaranteed win on its own, wrapped in tortillas or served over cauliflower rice. Picky eaters will love it served over saucy lo mein.
March 9: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Did winter even happen if you never cooked this crowd-pleasing, soul-soothing soup? Each helping is crowned with a hunk of crusty baguette and a generous dose of melty Gruyère.
March 10: Cheesy Kale Farfalle
Emily Morgan
Grown-up mac and cheese? Yes, please. A 50/50 ratio of fresh kale to pasta makes this a pretty healthy dinner. (You know, in theory.) If you need more convincing, the recipe only calls for six ingredients.
March 11: Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
Katherine Gillen
Any soup that's topped with ridged potato chips (and bacon...and cheese) is one after our own heart. And thanks to the handy pressure cooker, this one only needs 30 minutes to come together.
March 12: Grilled Flatbread Pizza with Artichoke, Ricotta and Lemon
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
This pie, starring marinated artichoke hearts, is just the thing to hold you over while you wait for fresh artichokes to hit the farmers market. Creamy, mild ricotta cheese curbs their brininess just right.
March 13: Sweet and Sour Tofu (Tang Cu Doufu)
Ching Ying Wong/Tiffy Cooks
Even the carnivores at your table will fall for this plant-based gem at first bite. The key to getting the tofu supremely crispy is soaking it in a salt brine to draw out as much excess moisture as possible, then patting it dry and coating it in tapioca starch before frying.
March 14: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Our favorite thing to do on a Sunday? Set and forget something delicious in the Crockpot. All you need to do is chop the ingredients, mix the sauce and dump it all in the slow cooker.
March 15: Cheesy Broccoli Soup with Caraway Croutons
Alanna Hale/Joyfull
Psst: It actually doesn't contain cheese at all—or dairy of any kind. Blended cashews, olive oil, almond milk and vegan butter create a rich consistency, while nutritional yeast offers an impressively uncanny "cheesy" flavor.
March 16: Bacon-Wrapped Black Cod with Spinach and Capers
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
It turns out that crackly, savory bacon and fresh, flaky fish are soulmates. The punchy capers merely gild the lily. Can you believe the recipe only requires nine ingredients and 40 minutes of your time?
March 17: Shepherd’s Pie
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Instead of cooking corned beef this year, give this Guinness beef stew topped with goat cheese mashed potatoes a whirl. (Oh, and wash it down with your favorite Irish stout, obvi.)
March 18: 15-Minute Cheater’s Pad Thai
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
If you’re a habitual pad Thai orderer, it’s time to learn how to make your beloved noodle dish even faster than it can be delivered. Our simplified version is loaded with ground pork, sriracha, bean sprouts and peanuts.
March 19: One-Pan Eggs with Asparagus and Tomatoes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Eggs have come to the rescue on countless weeknights in our kitchen. Instead of wolfing down a fried one straight from the pan, pair it with a few fresh veggies (hi, spring asparagus) and roast everything to perfection on a sheet pan.
March 20: Salmon Al Pastor
Kristen Kilpatrick/The Comfortable Kitchen
Because an olive oil-lemon fillet gets boring after the millionth time, opt for sweet-tart pineapple, smoky ancho chile powder and tangy pickled onions instead. Serve it with rice, or flake up the salmon to put in tacos or atop tostadas.
March 21: Scallion Beef Stir Fry (Cong Bao Niurou)
Ching Ying Wong/Tiffy Cooks
If you're always too intimidated to cook steak at home, let this ridiculously easy stir fry change that. Freezing the beef before slicing it against the grain and seasoning it with a tenderizing, acidic marinade before cooking guarantees melt-in-your-mouth results—even for newbies.
March 22: Deb Perelman’s Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup
DEB PERELMAN/SMITTEN KITCHEN KEEPERS
The canned kind just won't cut it once you taste this impeccably seasoned riff on the O.G., topped with chile crisp for good measure. Ramen takes over for old-school egg noodles, while black rice vinegar, soy sauce and fresh ginger liven up the broth.
March 23: Radish Barbecue Bowls with Tangy Honey-Mustard Dressing
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
'Tis the season for bringing home a bunch of farm-fresh radishes and transforming them into something spectacular. These are brined in pickling solution, then splashed with honey-mustard vinaigrette.
March 24: Chili Garlic Ginger Shrimp
Rob Palmer/RecipeTinEats Dinner
You only need 17 minutes and a single skillet to prepare this high-protein main. Serve the shrimp in lettuce wraps, over white rice or with noodles or bread—just don't let a drop of sauce go to waste.
March 25: Joanna Gaines’s Asparagus and Fontina Quiche
AMY NEUNSINGER/MAGNOLIA TABLE
You say breakfast, we say dinner. Sink your teeth into this eight-ingredient wonder that's oozing with fontina and Gruyère cheeses. (In case that doesn't sway you, the recipe is made easy with a store-bought pie crust.)
March 26: Cheater’s Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Trust us: This eight-hour, low-and-slow masterpiece is well worth the wait. Might we suggest serving the French staple with 20-minute mashed potatoes and a glass of red wine?
March 27: Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Fennel and Mandarin Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
REN FULLER/DOWNSHIFTOLOGY: HEALTHY MEAL PREP
This salad is decidedly wintry, but it'll still brighten up your dinner with fresh citrus, sharp fennel, salty pecorino Romano and zingy lemon-mustard dressing. Add grilled chicken or crispy tofu to make it more filling.
March 28: Seared Scallops with Green Peas, Mint and Shallots
AMANDA FREDERICKSON/SIMPLE BEAUTIFUL FOOD
Repeat after us: I can cook shellfish at home. Seriously, this dish takes about 20 minutes and only requires six ingredients, including in-season peas. Be sure to thoroughly pat the scallops dry to ensure a gorgeous sear.
March 29: Joanna Gaines’s Spring Vegetable Risotto
Amy Neunsinger/Magnolia Table, Vol. 2
Mushrooms, radishes, peas, spinach and chives will all be at peak deliciousness by this time of the month. Creamy white wine-Parm risotto will only make them even tastier, no?
March 30: Spring Pea Soup with Mint
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Hit the farmers market for fresh peas, celery, leeks and alllll the fresh herbs (parsley! mint! dill!) to make this seasonal gem shine its brightest. Bonus points for serving it alfresco on a just-balmy-enough evening.
March 31: Lamb Shawarma Sandwich
Feast: Food of the Islamic World
March came in like a lion—and will go out with some lamb. Celebrate warmer days on the horizon with Lebanese-inspired lamb shoulder and a tahini sauce you'll never forget.
