12 Super Easy & Delish Recipes For Beginner Teen Cooks

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This post: 12 Super Easy & Delish Recipes for Beginner Teen Cooks

While it might not be marked on the calendar just yet, there’s going to come a time when your teen will leave the nest and have to manage life on their own, including making their own meals.

Before your teen takes flight, you might want to arm them with the culinary knowledge they need to cook (at least) a few easy and inexpensive meals… you know, so they don’t starve when they’re on their own. 

We’ve rounded up a handful of easy, go-to recipes your teen can make that are small in the number of ingredients, big on flavor, AND crazy easy to make. (Ahem… even if your teen IS a little clueless in the kitchen.) Check out these easy, delish, and fun-to-make recipes that are perfect for beginner teen cooks!

3-Ingredient Lazy Lasagna

This easy Lasagna recipe combines frozen ravioli, pasta sauce and cheese, resulting in a mouthwatering meal that tastes like traditional lasagna with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Pair this hearty meal with a salad and your teen will never go hungry!

Check out the recipe at Lazy Dish HERE

The Perfect No-Fail Omelet 

The humble omelet is sometimes thought of as being too fancy for teens to cook. But, with a teensy bit of practice, it’s actually very easy to make and arguably hard to mess up. Even if they get it wrong, a botched omelet is still edible and delish! Plus, not only are omelets easy to make, they’re quick! Whether they just make a cheese omelet or pile on a few extras like meat and veggies, it’s super easy to whip up in no time!

Check out the recipe (AND Video) from Natasha’s Kitchen HERE

Good Ole’ Fashioned Pizza

If your teen knows the basics of whipping up a great homemade pizza, they’ll never go hungry. There are actually quite a few great pre-made pizza crusts they can buy at the store, or if they’re feeling really ambitious they can make their own.  The best part? There are so many variations depending on what their tastebuds are calling for. (Need ideas on what to put on your pizza? Check out this post!)

Check out this easy and delish pizza from The Food Charlatan HERE

8-Ingredient Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

Is there a teen out there who doesn’t love Ramen noodles? Even if they aren’t a big fan of Ramen, they might want to give this easy 8-ingredient recipe a try – it has more than 128K shares on Pinterest! 

Just a few simple blocks of Ramen noodles along with snap peas, mushrooms, bell peppers, and carrots come together with a savory stir fry sauce that’s easy, so good, and way better than takeout. 

Check out the recipe from Build Your Own Bite HERE

Build-Your-Own Quesadilla

Is there a teen out there who doesn’t go mad over crispy tortillas stuffed with delicious, cheesy goodness? The cool thing about quesadillas is that they’re cheap and easy to make and it’s also one of those recipes that invite your teen to add some veggies and lean meats while also tapping into their inherent love of melted cheese.

Check out the recipe from Recipe Tin Eats HERE 

5-Ingredient Sheet Pan Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas

Chicken, bell peppers, an onion, Fajita seasoning, and olive oil… that’s IT! (Oh, and the tortillas, of course.) Even “clueless in the kitchen” teens who are a little intimidated about learning how to cook can pull off this easy recipe. 

Check out the recipe at Lazy Dish HERE

4-Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Chicken

My daughter makes this all the time and it’s so ridiculously easy and crazy good! You can serve the BBQ chicken with a baked potato on the side OR serve it on a bun sandwich style. Either way, top with lots of onions and a little extra BBQ sauce, and your teen will feel like a gourmet cook. 

Check out the recipe at All Things Mamma HERE

Classic (and Easy) Chicken Noodle Soup

When you think about comfort food, classic Chicken Noodle Soup always comes to mind. It’s great for a rainy day or just when your teen feels like they need a warm hug straight out of a bowl. While this recipe has a few more ingredients than some of the other recipes we’ve posted, it’s actually really easy and comes together in under 20 minutes – perfect for teens learning to cook! To make life easy, skip making the chicken breasts and use store-bought rotisserie chicken instead.

Check out the recipe from Eating on a Dime HERE

5-Ingredient Cheeseburger Biscuit Casserole

Let’s face it, how can you go wrong with a casserole that tastes like a cheeseburger? And, the best part is, it’s only 5 ingredients including, Pillsbury biscuits, ground beef, shredded cheese, onion, and a little seasoning! Even if your teen has never stepped foot in the kitchen, they’ll be able to make this dinner with confidence. 

Check out the recipe from Lazy Dish HERE

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

It doesn’t get a whole lot easier than this! It’s a super easy recipe that not only tastes great, it’s easy and looks rather gourmet! Your teen or young adult is really going to wow their friends if they serve this up to them. 

Check out the recipe from The Clever Meal HERE

The BEST 4-Ingredient Breakfast Sausage Casserole

Just 4 ingredients and they’ll have a deliciously hearty breakfast that’s perfect for sleepovers with their friends or relaxing Saturday mornings. Seriously, even teens who don’t have a single culinary skill can master this recipe with confidence!

Check out the easy recipe at Lazy Dish HERE

Easy 3-Ingredient Ham & Cheese Crescents

Just three simple ingredients – honey ham, cheese, and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls – but don’t let that fool you! This simple recipe is packed with flavor! Just pop them in the oven for 9 minutes and they’re ready to eat! They’re great for a quick dinner or snack, or for teens to serve friends when they’re all hanging out gaming or watching Netflix.

Check out the recipe at Fresh Simple Home HERE

Helping our teens learn how to cook doesn’t have to be hard. If we focus on foods they love and make sure they know that even the best cooks mess up from time to time, they’ll be a little less intimidated and more likely to give these recipes (and others) a try! Happy cooking!

If you enjoyed reading, “12 Super Easy & Delish Recipes For Beginner Teen Cooks,” here are a few other posts you might want to check out!

25 Simple Recipes Teens Can Cook Themselves

22 Protein-Packed Snacks for Always Hungry Teens

25 Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Teenagers