If you’re stuck for inspiration, this collection of dairy free dinner recipes will help take the stress out of meal planning. I’ve been dairy free for over 10 years, and these are the meals I love and make regularly. I hope you find a few new favourites to add to your weekly dinner menu!
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “what can I make for dinner tonight?” then you’re in the right place. This list of easy dairy free dinner ideas is full of flavour-packed recipes that are simple to make and don’t rely on milk, cheese, butter or cream to be satisfying.
Whether you’re dairy free due to an allergy, intolerance or personal choice, these dairy free meals are here to make mealtimes a little easier. You’ll find plenty of variety including quick rice bowls, hearty curries, creamy pastas (yes, without the dairy), cosy soups and family favourites, all made without any dairy ingredients.
These easy dairy free meals suit a range of dietary needs, with options that are also gluten free, vegan and vegetarian. They use everyday ingredients and pantry staples, so they are practical for any night of the week.
I hope you enjoy these dairy free dinner ideas and find something new and delicious to make this week.
You’ll Also Love: Easy Rice Bowl Recipes for Busy Weeknights
36 Dairy Free Dinner Recipes for When You Need Ideas Fast
1. Teriyaki Salmon and Avocado Rice Bowls
This easy 20 minute meal is one of my favourites to throw together after a busy weekday. With a super simple sweet and sticky homemade teriyaki sauce, baked salmon and fresh avocado on a bed of rice you’ll be making this regularly in no time!
2. Grilled Prawn Tacos
Fire up the BBQ and make these prawn tacos with smoky chipotle grilled prawns, crunchy cabbage slaw and the ultimate creamy avocado jalapeno sauce. These are an easy light dinner and can be customised to suit your tastes!
3. Creamy Salmon Pasta (without cream!)
This creamy salmon tagliatelle is the ultimate dairy free comfort food. Its rich and creamy with a thick sauce, peas, flaked baked salmon and a squeeze of lemon. You won’t believe it’s dairy free!
4. 15 Minute Garlic Prawn Noodles
Short on time but still want a delicious and full of flavour meal? These 15 minute garlic prawn noodles come together quicker than you can order takeaway with thick and chewy udon noodles coated in a rich oyster sauce with broccoli and prawns.
5. 20 Minute Hoisin Pork Stir Fry
Get dinner on the table fast with this quick 20 minute hoisin pork stir fry made with tender strips of pork, crunchy vegetables and a big flavour hit of ginger and chilli. This is the perfect simple weeknight meal you’ll want to keep on rotation.
6. Honey Soy Chicken
Homemade honey soy chicken is so delicious and easy to do – the whole family will love the rich flavour of this meal that will rival any takeaway. Serve with your favourite veggies and rice for a complete meal.
7. Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
These crispy air fryer chicken tenders are so tender and juicy coated in a flavourful crumb that is anything but dry. Made in the air fryer, these dairy free chicken tenders are quick to cook and are delicious served in a wrap, on a salad, or on their own with my honey mustard dipping sauce.
8. Thai Red Curry with Baked Chicken Meatballs
Zesty chicken meatballs are packed full of flavour and definitely not dry thanks to being baked in the oven. Tossed in a thick and creamy Thai red curry sauce and served over a bed of fluffy rice, this a perfect twist on a classic weeknight dinner.
9. Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Coated in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce, these bang bang chicken skewers cook to juicy, sticky perfection in the air fryer. Serve them with some rice and quick pickled cucumber and dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!
10. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
These buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes are the perfect simple, delicious, and healthy weeknight meal. Made with tender, oven roasted sweet potatoes topped with flavourful shredded buffalo chicken and creamy dairy free ranch, you’ll love this pairing of sweet and spicy. Plus these sweet potatoes are gluten free and dairy free too!
11. Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli
This one pan baked salmon and broccoli is the perfect recipe for an easy weeknight dinner and is super delicious thanks to the sweet and sticky maple ginger glaze. It’s delicious, healthy and comes together in just 20 minutes!
12. Lemon and Garlic Chicken Tray Bake
This garlic and lemon chicken tray bake is the perfect weeknight meal with just 10 minutes hands on prep time. Made with just a few everyday ingredients, you really can’t go wrong with a tray bake!
13. 10 Minute Peanut Butter Noodles
What do you cook when you want takeaway but should really just eat the food you have in your house? These easy peanut butter noodles can be made within 10 minutes. They are creamy, cosy and so simple, they’ll quickly become a go-to!
14. Crispy Chicken Burger
These crispy chicken burgers are the ultimate made at home takeaway food. While they have a little more prep time than others on this list, it’s 100% worth it for the big pieces of juicy fried chicken!
15. Easy Beef and Broccoli
This easy beef and broccoli is a quick and flavourful dish that’s perfect for weeknights, coming together in just 20 minutes! This stir fry combines tender pieces of beef and big pieces of broccoli, with a rich, savoury sauce, all served over steamed rice.
Vegetarian Dairy Free Dinners
16. Sweet Potato and Chickpea Burgers
These vegetarian sweet potato and chickpea burgers are full of spices and served on a soft bun with tomato relish, pickles, lettuce and of course creamy mayonnaise. They are super easy to prepare using simple ingredients and will be a go to recipe when wanting a delicious veggie burger. This recipe can also easily be made vegan!
17. Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Green Goddess Sauce
These roasted vegetable bowls with green goddess sauce are the ultimate nourishing weeknight meal or Sunday meal prep. Loaded with a variety of colourful, spiced veggies and topped with a creamy avocado herb sauce, they’re naturally vegan, gluten free, and completely customisable.
18. Vegan Mac and Cheese (without cashews)
This rich and creamy vegan mac and cheese without cashews is made completely plant-based, vegan and nut free thanks to a combination of sweet potatoes, nutritional yeast and a few spices. This easy pasta recipe will become a favourite weeknight meal!
19. Lentil Bolognese
This rich and hearty lentil bolognese is the ultimate in comfort food. Made with budget-friendly ingredients, this recipe is full of savoury, meaty flavour while being naturally vegan and dairy free. This classic vegetarian pasta dish is sure to be a meal everyone will enjoy!
20. Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
This creamy vegan pumpkin pasta recipe is a super easy and delicious weeknight dinner. Finished with fresh sage and black pepper, this is a quick and easy dairy free pasta that is so warm and cosy – it’s perfect for the cooler months!
21. Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo
A rich and creamy vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce made without cream or cheese. This creamy dairy free pasta is so delicious, you’d never know it’s made with hidden vegetables.
22. Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad
You’ll love this roasted cauliflower and chickpea salad with a creamy garlic tahini dressing! With smoky paprika spiced cauliflower and crispy chickpeas tossed with fresh salad greens, cucumber, avocado and red onion, you’ll have a simple salad that is filling enough to be a meal on its own or as a side to your favourite BBQ dishes.
23. Chickpea and Lentil Curry
This chickpea and lentil curry is the ultimate cosy comfort food. Coming together in just 30 minutes, this easy curry is the perfect wholesome weeknight dinner. Packed full of flavour and using simple pantry ingredients, this creamy plant-based curry is completely dairy free and vegan.
Easy Dairy Free Pasta Recipes
24. One Pot Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta (Dairy Free)
This one pot creamy tomato chicken pasta is so easy to make, coming together in just 30 minutes! The pasta cooks in the one pot along with the sauce meaning not only an easier clean up, but a super flavourful and creamy pasta that is also unbelievably dairy free! You’ll love this easy pasta recipe for those busy weeknights where you need something quick and easy but still delicious!
25. One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
This one pot Cajun chicken pasta is creamy, spicy, and quite simply delicious. Plus it’s completely dairy free! This easy pasta recipe is perfect for weeknight cooking when you want something easy but without compromising on flavour.
26. Creamy Lemon Risoni with Grilled Chicken
This creamy lemon risoni (orzo) with grilled chicken is a simple and delicious dairy free weeknight dinner. Made with just a few ingredients, you’ll love the contrast of the creamy pasta with the perfectly grilled pieces of chicken breast.
27. One Pot Spicy Sausage Pasta
This one pot spicy sausage pasta is so easy and full of flavour made with chorizo, herbs and chilli flakes. It comes together in a single pot meaning less washing up and dinner can be ready in about 30 minutes!
Dairy Free Family Favourite Recipes
28. Mum’s Pumpkin Soup
This is my mum’s recipe and absolutely one of my must makes every winter season, and a classic in homes around the country! This version is dairy free and can easily be adapted to be vegan/vegetarian as well.
29. Cottage Pie
If you’re looking for something more traditional, this cottage pie is made with a rich savoury beef mince and a layer of creamy mashed potato and cooked until golden brown. It is the perfect homemade comfort food that the whole family will love!
30. Slow Cooked Curried Sausages
While not the prettiest dish, this classic comfort food is popular for a reason! The whole family will love these curried sausages plus you can turn the slow cooker on in the morning and be rewarded with a wholesome and comforting meal at the end of the day.
31. Dairy Free Potato and Leek Soup with Bacon Crumb
Made with just a few inexpensive ingredients, this easy meal is the perfect comfort food to feed the whole family. The bacon crumb is optional, but also, you should make it because it’s amazing.
32. Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This slow cooker beef stew is the ultimate classic comfort food. Simply prep, set, and forget, and at the end of the day you’ll have a rich and hearty dinner with tender vegetables and melt in your mouth pieces of beef. The whole family will be asking for seconds!
33. One Pot Sausage Casserole
This easy one pot sausage casserole is the kind of hearty, comforting dinner you’ll want to make on repeat. Made with tender pork sausages simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce, it’s a simple, family-friendly meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights or cold winter evenings. I recommend serving this one with garlic bread!
34. Dairy Free Butter Chicken
This is a super simple version of this family favourite meal that is so easy to make from scratch. It will become a staple in your weeknight recipe repertoire as you’ll love just how easy and delicious it is.
35. Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
Made with chicken thighs that become so tender they just fall apart, creamy coconut milk and a combination of vibrant Indian spices, you’re going to love this simple dairy free slow cooker recipe.
36. Dairy Free Chicken Enchiladas
These chicken enchiladas are my go-to ultimate cosy comfort food. With a chicken and vegetable filling, flour tortillas and a creamy homemade ‘cheese’ sauce, this will quickly become a weeknight dinner that everyone will enjoy!
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
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