When it comes to unabashedly delicious and comforting food, we know Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman , will get us there—often after a few pats of butter, splashes of heavy cream, or spoonfuls of gravy. The cookbook author, food blogger, and Oklahoma ranch matriarch doesn't fool around when it comes to family-favorite recipes that get you from busy weekdays to the dinner table in a no-fuss, flavorful fashion. (After all, she feeds her four hungry children and husband—The Marlboro Man—after long days working the ranch; and they don't seem to have any complaints!) Whether her Perfect Pot Roast, White Chicken Enchiladas, or Smothered Pork Chops, you'll come out of dinnertime on top and reeling with praise every time. Here are a few of our favorite Pioneer Woman dinner recipes that are guaranteed to never disappoint your crowd. With these simple recipes, you'll have dinner on the table tonight in no time.
Baked Ziti
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Baked Ziti
Southern Living Recipe: Baked Ziti with Sausage
This gooey, decadent baked pasta dish is a classic. It's simple and quite hard to beat on any day. A hearty meat sauce comes together with al dente pasta and a delicious cheesy mixture to create a melty casserole you'll be drooling over.
White Chicken Enchiladas
Pioneer Woman Recipe: White Chicken Enchiladas
Southern Living Recipe: Smothered Enchiladas
We're telling you this much: these creamy, dreamy white chicken enchiladas will become your go-to recipe for family dinners, potlucks, and meal trains. A hearty amount of Monterey Jack cheese goes into a melty, skillet-cooked cheese sauce that you pour right over these enchiladas before popping in the oven!
Chicken Spaghetti
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti
Southern Living Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
This creamy casserole is one of Drummond's favorites, due to that fact that she's never met someone who doesn't love it. Cream of mushroom soup, sharp Cheddar cheese, and touches of Lawry's and cayenne pepper give this chicken and pasta-packed dish its wow factor.
Simple, Perfect Chili
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Simple, Perfect Chili
Southern Living Recipe: Classic Beef Chili
It says it right there in the name, and we're hooked. This chili is simple, easy, and perfect for weeknight dinners. Ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, and tomato sauce give a warm heartiness to the stew. Serve with shredded cheese, chopped onions, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
Smothered Pork Chops
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Smothered Pork Chops
Southern Living Recipe: Pork Chops with Dijon-Buttermilk Sauce
She had us at "smothered." Smothered pork chops are perhaps one of our favorite smothered Southern dishes, and this interesting bell pepper-packed gravy is the perfect addition to our repertoire of gravies (which we most definitely have). Well-seasoned dredge flour makes all the difference in these chops, and serve with her Crash Hot Potatoes for a well-rounded meal.
Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
Southern Living Recipe: Beef Stew
Big chunks of tender beef and hearty root vegetables get amazing flavor from just a few standout ingredients. Worcestershire, paprika, and a can of beer are your secret weapons to success. This stew will warm your soul!
Chicken Broccolini with Mustard Cream Sauce
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Chicken Broccolini with Mustard Cream Sauce
Southern Living Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Breaded chicken breasts are wrapped around tender broccolini in this recipe for a fun new twist on stuffed chicken breasts. The creamy mustard sauce is the true star though! Give it a hearty pour over the breaded chicken, and even over some of her Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes that pair wonderfully with the main dish.
Spicy Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Spicy Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits
Southern Living Recipe: Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole with Polenta Crust
This crowd-pleasing dish is surprisingly easy to make, and you'll savor the ultra-tender meat that gets a huge kick of spice from chiles, chipotle peppers, and chili powder. The super creamy, mild grits make the perfect partner-in-crime!
Chicken Fried Steak
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Chicken Fried Steak
Southern Living Recipe: Chicken Fried Steak
Can you get any more Southern than chicken fried steak? It's a favorite on any meat-and-three or country-cooking menu, and the creamy, indulgent gravy is utterly to-die-for. Drummond pairs this with her Creamy Mashed Potatoes !
Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili
Southern Living Recipe: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
We love the surprising amount of flavor you get in white chili, and this white chicken chili is about the best we've tried. It's finished with lime juice and Monterey Jack cheese at the end of the slow-cooking process for a zingy, cheesy finishing touch.
Lemon Basil Shrimp Risotto
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Lemon Basil Shrimp Risotto
Southern Living Recipe: Oven-Baked Risotto with Ham, Leeks, and Peas
This risotto gets its creamy texture from white wine, vegetable broth, and a tiny touch of cream. Lemon juice and zest, along with fresh basil, give you a simple, yet ultra-flavorful dish. Chopped cooked shrimp is added at the end for a hearty meal!
Beef Stroganoff
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Beef Stroganoff
Southern Living Recipe: Beef Stroganoff
This old-school comfort dish is all about that sauce. Sirloin, mushrooms, and vegetables are brought together in a thickened beef broth sauce touched by a little bit of booze (brandy, cognac, or wine works). Spoon it over our favorite wide egg noodles, and call it a day!
Best Tomato Soup Ever
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Best Tomato Soup Ever
Southern Living Recipe: Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheddar Cheese
This fan favorite recipe lives up to its name as an all-time best tomato soup. Drummond adds a hint of sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes, while a splash of sherry gives an interesting twist of flavor. Serve with grilled cheese halves or toasted sourdough bread for a dunkable garnish!
French Dip Sandwiches
Pioneer Woman Recipe: French Dip Sandwiches
Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches
We think that sandwiches are wholly underrated when it comes to dinnertime. There are some fabulously delicious sandwiches that go well beyond your basic grilled cheese, like these tender French dip sandwiches. Thinly sliced beef is piled onto a toasted deli roll and dipped into the salty, addictive au jus .
Cashew Chicken
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Cashew Chicken
Southern Living Recipe: Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This Asian dish is our favorite go-to tangy weeknight meal. It's full of cashews, chestnuts, ginger, garlic, and a myriad of delicious Asian sauces.
Tamale Pie
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Tamale Pie
Southern Living Recipe: Beef Tamale Pie
You'll be loving this easy one-dish dinner. A quick Tex-Mex chili serves as the filling for this baked savory pie, and the crust is made with masa (dough used to make tamales and tortilla) for an authentic touch.
Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves
Southern Living Recipe: Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Herb-smothered pork tenderloin makes the perfect vessel to layer on the preserve-and-vinegar sauce for a tangy finish. Drummond often uses fig preserves, but you can choose peach or plum if you prefer! Her Perfect Potatoes au Gratin pair nicely with the pork.
Drummond's Favorite Meatloaf
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Favorite Meatloaf
Southern Living Recipe: Old-fashioned Meatloaf
Despite the bad reputation meatloaf often gets, it's a truly delicious dish if done correctly! Bound together with bread and eggs and made delicious with Parmesan and seasonings, this recipe is then wrapped with thin, flavorful bacon and topped with a tangy-sweet sauce. Serve with Drummond's delicious Creamy Mashed Potatoes .
Mexican Rice Casserole
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Mexican Rice Casserole
Southern Living Recipe: Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls
One of Drummond's most popular recipes, this Tex-Mex casserole lets you off the hook by using canned staple, Rotel, in the baked rice dish. Plenty of seasonings, long-grain rice, and cheese later—you have a hearty casserole on the dinner table.
Tequila Lime Chicken
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Tequila Lime Chicken
Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken
This zingy chicken dinner gives a burst of Southwestern flavor. Perfect for when you want to branch out for the night, this recipe is best served with grilled or warm tortillas and all the fixings you can pile on!
Hamburger Soup
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Hamburger Soup
Southern Living Recipe: Hamburger Stew
This no-fuss, veggie-packed ground beef soup will warm your family up on any weeknight. Red potatoes and canned whole tomatoes are standout ingredients, and Drummond recommends adding cayenne if you want a little more heat or tomato paste if you want a little more tang.
Sloppy Joes
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Sloppy Joes
Southern Living Recipe: Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are simple and might seem quite unrefined; but, man, they are tasty in that no-fuss, comfort food way. These Sloppy Joes will be ready for your hungry family in less than half an hour! Pop the buns with some butter on the griddle for the perfect toasted finish.
Italian Chicken Sheet Pan Supper
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Italian Chicken Sheet Pan Supper
Southern Living Recipe: Baked Caprese Chicken with Green Beans and Corn
Something about roasting tomato halves always feels special, since we rarely do it! The tender, blistered tomato tastes completely different this way, especially when paired with Italian seasonings and balsamic vinegar. For a fun variation, place mozzarella, parmesan cheese, or feta cheese over the chicken and veggies right before taking out of oven or when it's still piping hot!
Corn and Cheese Chowder
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Corn and Cheese Chowder
Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder
This thick, delicious corn chowder will cure about any blues, especially when served in a bread bowl! Bacon, corn, and Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses create your hearty helping of weeknight comfort.
Spaghetti Pie
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Spaghetti Pie
Southern Living Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole
Change up this weeknight staple dish by throwing it in a pie dish and baking it until it's gloriously bubbly. Piling the noodles up on the sides when layering with a hearty meat sauce forms a slightly crispy crust.
Perfect Pot Roast
Pioneer Woman Recipe: Perfect Pot Roast
Southern Living Recipe: Classic Beef Pot Roast
This meal is nothing less than a household staple for any family, and Drummond uses a wonderfully marbled chuck roast to ensure the most flavor and tenderness once finished. Serve with her delicious Creamy Mashed Potatoes for an instant family favorite.