75 Go-To Recipes for College Students

Shrimp and Ramen Stir-Fry  Recipe

The college student's standby gets a serious upgrade in this tasty stir-fry supper. Using quick-cooking, packaged ramen noodles (minus the seasoning packet) as a base, simply bulk them up with frozen shrimp, veggies, and a quick and flavorful homemade sauce to create a weeknight-friendly dinner. Added bonus: The leftovers make for an excellent next-day packed lunch. 

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Recipe

Sometimes there’s nothing better (or easier) than a grilled cheese. All you need is bread, cheese, and mayonnaise. Enjoy with a cup of tomato soup for a comforting meal.

Chicken Alfredo Soup Recipe

Inspired by the favorite pasta dish, this creamy Chicken Alfredo Soup comes together in no time with the help of a few store-bought shortcuts. Rotisserie chicken, frozen peas, and a jar of Alfredo sauce, which serves as the backbone of this highly comforting pot of soup, keep your hands-on prep to a minimum. This convenience factor, coupled with the fact that it’s is a guaranteed kid-pleasing recipe, makes this soup a perfect go-to for hectic weeknights. While it is undeniably luscious and satisfying, the soup is surprisingly not overly heavy or right. We used Gia Russa brand sauce, but feel free to use your own favorite. Served with a crusty bread, a green salad, and a glass of white wine, this quick and easy soup makes for an outstanding dinner on chilly nights.  

Whole-Grain Veggie Burrito Bowl Recipe

This is a Tex-Mex riff on the Korean rice dish bibimbap, in which various toppings are arranged over a bed of rice. Here, burrito bowl must-haves such as smoky black beans, fresh pico de gallo, and slaw top brown rice.

Extra-Easy Lasagna Recipe

When we say easy, we mean easy. You don't even have to cook the noodles for this speedy yet impressive lasagna that always gets rave reviews. Lasagna is a family favorite, but this version is extra-special because it only requires 5 quick ingredients: ground beef, pasta sauce, lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, and shredded mozzarella (we don’t count the water!). It’s rated 5 stars for a reason. Pro tip: Make a double batch: Enjoy one now and freeze one for a quick meal on a busy weeknight.

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

This chicken parmesan is an Italian classic that's easy to make and easy on your budget.

Fruit Crumble For One Recipe

Comforting and easy to make for one (or one dozen). 

Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Recipe

California Roll Salad with Sriracha-Lime Dressing Recipe

This light, fresh salad is a fun and easy way to enjoy a delicious sushi experience without having to actually roll sushi. 

Single Serving Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

Cooking for one doesn’t have to be boring or a hassle. This easy and delicious dinner comes together in one pan and in less time than it takes to go through a drive-thru.  

Greek-Style Chicken Salad Recipe

This Greek-style main dish salad features parsley salad topped with homemade chicken salad and pita chips. Make extra chicken salad to snack on throughout the week.

Spaghetti and Easy Meatballs Recipe

Serve a classic Italian-inspired dish for dinner. The easy meatball method will make you skip buying store-bought meatballs for good. Whether you're serving adults or a family-friendly crew, this dish is a pitch-perfect crowd pleaser.

Turkey and Swiss Wrap with Carrot Salad Recipe

Prepare this wrap with a carrot salad for lunch or a light dinner.

Easy Chicken Biryani Recipe

Flavored with fragrant, Indian spices, traditional chicken biryani is an incredible comfort food, but it typically requires cooking the chicken and vegetables separately, using several pans. Our simplified method delivers the classic, crave-worthy flavors with a little less effort and cleanup. 

Basic Pancakes Recipe

This easy pancake recipe is just as simple as using a box mix. 

Everything Smoked-Salmon Summer Rolls Recipe

Ham Biscuit Casserole Recipe

Teriyaki Cheesesteak Ramen Recipe

Though far from traditional, this mighty mashup meal combines two of our favorite comfort foods: Philly cheesesteaks and ramen. What’s not to love? 

Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice Casserole Recipe

Enjoy this classic, comforting casserole when you’re feeling homesick.

Sheet Pan Fried Eggs Recipe

Say hello to the easiest way to make fried eggs for a crowd. In fact, this sheet pan technique for frying eggs might just be the best thing to happen to breakfast since oven baked bacon. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Baked sweet potatoes are terrific with just a little butter and seasoning. Purists will love this recipe but if you need a little something extra, try sprinkling brown sugar or ground cinnamon over the top for a finishing touch.

Instant Pot Two-Minute Taco Soup Recipe

Dinner doesn’t get any easier than this tasty taco soup that the whole family will love. 

Instant Pot Rice Recipe

This easy Instant Pot Rice recipe yields the perfect pot of fluffy white rice—i.e. the ideal blank dinner canvas. To amp the flavor up a bit, upgrade your pot to Instant Pot Coconut Rice, Instant Pot Green Rice, or Instant Pot Saffron Rice. 

Lighter Sloppy Joes Recipe

This recipe for sloppy joes replaces half the meat with nutty-hearty canned chickpeas, which saves money and fat.

Simply the Best Guacamole Recipe

Always remember: The best guacamole is the simplest guacamole. 

Easy Chili Recipe

Let the slow cooker do the work and enjoy this chili when you get home from class.

Orange-Almond Chicken-and-Cabbage Bowls Recipe

Make these low-calorie, no-cook bowls ahead for an easy lunch or dinner when time is tight. Change up the fruit, nut, or protein for whatever you have on hand.

Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

This will quickly become one of your favorite ways to prepare squash. Warning: Your kitchen will smell heavenly. 

Two-Ingredient Fudge Recipe

Baking the potato in the microwave makes this dish a snap to prepare.

Sausage, Gravy, and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe

This breakfast sandwich will rival what you get at the drive-through.

Breakfast Meatballs and Spud-Ghetti Recipe

Kind of like breakfast for dinner, but still breakfast. 

Grilled Margherita Sandwiches Recipe

This quick 5-ingredient entrée transforms a the classic pizza combo into a melty grilled sandwich.

Everything Bagel Roasted Salmon Recipe

Everything bagel seasoning is an easy but unexpected way to add punch to salmon; the onion flavor is subtle, and the added crunch provides a nice textural contrast to the tender fish. Brushing on honey and mustard adds the perfect sweet and tangy kick.

Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe

Weeknight dinner doesn't get easier than this—we're talking cheesy, gooey, and ready in a flash. The next time the craving for hearty, comfort food strikes, just remember, Instant Pot Lasagna has your back.

Copycat Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe

Sure, they may be known for steak (being a steakhouse and all), but everyone knows that Longhorn’s Parmesan Crusted Chicken is the real MVP on their menu. Enjoy this cheesy chicken dinner any night you please with our easy copycat recipe. 

Easy Oven Rice Recipe

For anyone who’s ever struggled with cooking rice on the stovetop (and no, it’s not just you…), this easy oven rice recipe is for you. Say hello to your new foolproof method for perfect, fluffy rice—every time. The only real “tricks” to nailing this baked rice recipe are avoiding over-stirring and fighting the urge to “peek” while the rice is cooking. 

Loaded Faux-Tato Soup Recipe

This super easy soup is just like a loaded baked potato, but has half the carbs thanks to a secret ingredient - cauliflower. It's silky, thick, hearty, and filling, and doesn't contain any grainy cauliflower bits. The toppings - bacon, cheese, sour cream, and fresh scallions - cut the soup's richness by adding crunch, tang, and savory flavors. Go ahead and make it for the family on a chilly night. Nobody will know you're faking it. 

Easy Chili-Bean Dip Recipe

Get your dip on with this super easy, 7-ingredient Tex-Mex dip. Just combine your ingredients and heat them together on the stove. Then top the creamy dip with any cheese – we love sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or queso fresco – along with black olives, green onion, and anything else that strikes your fancy. If you can’t find canned pico, you can use Rotel diced tomatoes, instead.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamon Toast Recipe

Need to use up a small amount of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal that won't fill a bowl? Use it as a crunch-tastic accent for toast instead. This fun twist on cinnamon toast is easy enough for kids to make, and thanks to the cereal, no additional cinnamon sugar is needed. 

Sheet Pan Steak with Blistered Veggies Recipe

We have a saying around here: A good sheet pan dinner is always a winner. And this quick and easy steak and veggie supper is a shining example. It’s a delicious taste of what cookbook author Julie Grimes offers in $10 Dinners: Delicious Meals for a Family of 4 that Don't Break the Bank; grab a copy today for more family-friendly recipes that are equally friendly on your wallet. 

Mermaid Pasta Recipe

This perfect, butter pasta is super easy to make and will serve a group of kids for less than $3.00. Pack it in a school lunch (and cause some serious lunch envy), serve it as an after-school snack or add it to the spread at any summer or pool party. Hold on to a little bit of that pasta water: mixed with the butter and cheese, it keeps the pasta from being too dry. 

Quick Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Flour tortillas stand in for the traditional biscuit dough so you can bring this crowd-pleaser from stove to table in minutes.

Cinnamon-Apple Panini Recipe

With a touch of sweet spice, cream cheese richness, and tart apple crunch, these 8-ingredient melty-sweet sandwich triangles are sure to earn grade-A ratings. Enjoy as a quick-fix snack or dessert!

Easy Tomato Salad with Basil Chimichurri and Ricotta Recipe

For a simple and elegant way to serve your summer farmers' market tomatoes, this speedy salad is perfect. Dressed in a basil chimichurri and speckled with creamy dollops of ricotta cheese, this show-stopping side is perfect for effortless entertaining.

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips Recipe

To make these tasty chips, you'll need just 5 ingredients and a mandoline to slice the potato thin enough to crisp.

Basic "Baked" Potato Recipe

This recipe goes with: Spanakopita "Baked" Potato

Hazelnut-Sugar Cookie S'mores Recipe

In this takeoff the campfire classic, sugar cookies replace the graham crackers and a microwave replaces the campfire.

Creamy Chicken Quesadillas Recipe

A creamy base helps the cheese go further and keeps the chicken moist. For a crisp exterior, coat the filled tortillas with cooking spray instead of coating the pan.

Roast Chicken with Vegetables Recipe

Roast a chicken on Sunday and use it throughout the week. Add to wraps, sandwiches, salads, tacos, and grain salads for an easy (and homemade) protein fix.

Quick Parmesan Risotto Recipe

The pressure cooker creates creamy risotto in a hands-free way. Don't worry if the rice is a tad runny after cooking--it thickens as it stands before serving.

Chipotle Black Bean Dip with Corn Chips Recipe

A common craving among CookingLight.com users is chips; our homemade tortilla chips keep fat and sodium in check. This snack quells an oft-cited yen for Mexican fare and has protein, complex carbs, and fiber.

Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae Recipe

This decadent sundae delivers the best of salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy all in one bowl. 

Quick Chicken Piccata Recipe

This is the kind of recipe that's so simple, yet looks impressive enough for company. Serve it with angel hair pasta and dinner is done.

Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake Recipe

Everyone needs a straightforward chocolate cake recipe. Here, mayonnaise keeps the cake extra moist and mellows out the sweetness a little.

Ultimate M&M Cookies Recipe

Feed your inner child (or your actual child) with these chewy-in-the-center, crispy-at-the-edges, candy-studded cookies.

Keto Egg Roll Bowl Recipe

Get that crave-worthy egg roll filling without the carb-laden wrapper with this hearty keto entree. Drizzle with a little sriracha for a warming kick.

Wedge Salad On A Stick Recipe

Everything you love about a classic wedge salad, but in portable, party-perfect form. 

Pickled Mango Recipe

Sweet and tangy pickled mango is a delightful addition to salads, fish tacos, sandwiches, and more. Of course, it also makes for a fantastically refreshing snack enjoyed straight from the jar. 

Nutella Iced Coffee Recipe

Don’t be surprised if this decadent, chocolatey twist on a typical iced coffee becomes your #1 caffeinated beverage of choice. While you can also prepare this Nutella Iced Coffee by whisking the ingredients together by hand, the blender makes creating a perfectly smooth beverage easy work. P.S. You do not want to skip out on the coffee ice cubes—they make this cool caffeine hit all the more delicious. To make them, simply freeze lightly sweetened coffee (you can use leftovers from your morning pot) in ice cube trays overnight. 

Nashville Hot Chicken Bake Recipe

If you’re craving hot chicken but don’t feel like doing the work, try this quick and fun dish. It’s spicy with hints of sweetness, with juicy and flavorful chicken and crunchy bread topping. 

Tuna Melt Recipe

The tuna melt… you either love it or hate it. However, if you happen to be one of the few on the fence, you should definitely give this one a try. Our take on a classic tuna melt offers an element of childhood nostalgia, but with a layer of grown-up flavor. The incorporation of capers, Dijon, and fresh lemon juice give the tuna salad brightness and complexity to balance the buttery, toasted bread and rich, melty Swiss cheese. This classic sandwich is also delightful when served open-faced, so feel free to lose the second slice of bread if you’d prefer. 

Copycat Waffle House Hash Browns Recipe

Enjoy your favorite breakfast spuds—scattered, smothered, covered, and chunked—in the comfort of your own kitchen with our copycat version of Waffle House's iconic hash browns.

Beet-and-Orange Salad with Spiced Pecans Recipe

For this bright, beautiful salad, use ready-to-eat peeled and steamed beets (which cut the cook time down to just 15 minutes), or roast your own.

Restaurant Style Salsa Recipe

Just like the dip at your favorite Mexican restaurant—only better! This fresh and spicy homemade salsa makes a big batch, but trust us, it won't last long. 

Masala Oats Recipe

Flavored with garam masala, a toasty spice blend that’s essential to Indian cuisine, masala oats are the warming, savory start to a day you’ll find yourself craving after one serving. We topped our masala oats with a nut and dried fruit blend for a little flavor and texture contrast, along with a dollop of creamy yogurt and fresh cilantro for brightness. We found a bowl of these robustly flavorful oats to be wholly comforting and satisfying as-is; however, if you want an extra punch of protein, an over-easy egg would make a welcome addition. 

Pizza Rolls Recipe

These tender, buttery snack rolls are akin to cinnamon buns in structure… but they’re full-on pizza perfection in flavor. Using canned crescent roll dough and prepared marinara sauce keeps both the prep time and ingredient list short, making these cheesy, kid-friendly bites easy to whip up at a moment’s notice. Of course, you can also prep them ahead to enjoy as after-school snacks or on-the-go breakfasts throughout the week. Feel free to customize you homemade pizza rolls with your own favorite toppings. 

Roasted Turnips and Potatoes Recipe

Roasting the turnips softens their peppery bite, resulting in a caramelized flavor that goes perfectly with smoked paprika. Pair with roasted pork tenderloin and a salad to make an easy, company-worthy dinner.

New York-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe

Homemade pizza sauce is far superior to the jarred stuff. It’s fresher, far tastier, and much easier to make than you’d expect. With only eight ingredients and a no-cook prep, this classic New York-style pizza sauce is truly perfect for a quick and easy dinner kind of night.

Making pizza sauce from scratch is the fastest way to bring your own kitchen to Italian bistro status. The end result is a versatile, flavorful, and perfectly chunky sauce that is perfect for any pizza, calzone, or any other Italian dish that's on the menu.

Salmon Croquettes with Succotash Recipe

You’d never believe these crispy little croquettes with veggie relish were whipped up exclusively from pantry and refrigerator/freezer staples. It’s the perfect satisfying supper for those occasions when you’re next grocery shopping trip isn’t gonna happen for a few more days. 

Sheet Pan BLT Salad with Avocado Mayo Recipe

One of your favorite sandwich classics, transformed into a quick, easy, and totally vibrant sheet pan dinner. This BLT Salad is a delicious example of just how versatile the sheet pan can be. If you thought yours was only for roasted vegetables, give this weeknight-ready salad a try. 

Turkey Dinner Burgers Recipe

Rocking a succulent turkey patty (flavored with traditional turkey day aromatics), a cranberry mayo, pickled green beans, and French’s crispy onions between within potato bun, this burger boasts all the familiar flavors of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner—but packaged in a manageable, handheld entree.

Super Simple Pimiento Cheese Recipe

This foolproof recipe for classic pimiento cheese comes from Damaris Phillip's cookbook Southern Girl Meets Vegetarian Boy: Down Home Classics for Vegetarians (and the Meat Eaters Who Love Them). The mainstay Southern cheese spread makes for an excellent appetizer served with crackers, and is equally delicious in recipes like this Pimiento Cheese Roasted Chicken.