In light of rising poultry and egg prices, or simply a desire for more variety in your diet, exploring recipes that exclude chicken and eggs is a great way to diversify your meals. This article provides a range of easy-to-make, delicious, and healthy recipes featuring seafood, pork, beef, and plant-based options, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Fish & Shrimp Recipes
Baked Cod with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Flaky cod is elevated with a rich layer of Pesto Rosso, infused with rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Preparing the pesto in advance can save time, making this dish an ideal weeknight option.
Smoky Shrimp with Lemony Orzo, Green Olives & Feta
This recipe involves a quick marinade for the shrimp, which can be prepared while you prep the other ingredients. Grilling the shrimp adds a smoky flavor, but sautéing in a skillet works just as well. The dish is finished with lemony orzo, green olives, and feta cheese.
Garlicky Salmon with Ginger, Lime & Peanuts
Salmon is a quick and reliable weeknight choice. This version is enhanced with fish sauce, peanuts, lime, and cilantro, offering a flavorful twist on the classic salmon-rice bowl.
Curry-Coconut Shrimp and Rice Salad with Pomegranate & Lime
This visually appealing dish is easier to make than it looks. Marinating the shrimp in curry powder, coconut milk, and lime juice, and cooking the rice like pasta, are simple hacks to boost flavor without additional cooking time. Garnish with pomegranate and lime for an impressive finish.
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Turkey, Pork & Beef Recipes
Turkey Meatballs with Herby Ricotta
These turkey meatballs are simple to make, requiring minimal prep and no eggs. Baking them in the oven instead of frying makes them a healthier, hands-off option. Serve with herby ricotta for added flavor.
Stuffed Peppers with Orzo & Halloumi
A creative take on traditional stuffed peppers. The recipe calls for ground lamb, but ground turkey or any ground meat can be substituted. Halloumi cheese is an excellent choice, but mozzarella can also be used.
Beef Bowl with Cilantro Rice
You don't need expensive beef to make this burrito bowl delicious. Elevate your rice with cilantro and seasonings, then add toppings like salsa, beans, or avocado.
Sweet Potato Taco Soup
This flavorful soup is packed with veggies and taco components, ready in about 25 minutes. It's enough time to accomplish a few evening tasks while it simmers.
Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Scallions & Broccoli
This quick weeknight stir-fry features a simple ingredient list and short cook time. A sesame-soy sauce enhances the pan-seared pork chops, served with scallions and broccoli.
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Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Think of these as sweet potato nachos, loaded with chorizo (or any ground meat), queso fresco, and fresh herbs.
Pasta Recipes
One-Pot Pasta with Sausage & Peas
This filling and flavorful pasta dish can be easily customized with your favorite frozen veggies, though sausage and peas are a classic combination. A squeeze of lemon and a splash of red wine vinegar add brightness.
Sheet-Pan Pasta With Brussels Sprouts & Garlicky Walnut Crumbs
Try this sheet-pan pasta with an extra box of penne. Swap in squash, cabbage, or broccoli for the Brussels sprouts, but don’t skip the garlic-walnut breadcrumb topping.
One-Pot Pasta with Tomato, Cheese & Shallots
This one-pot dish is a formula for easy, flavorful pastas. It’s great in its simplest, saucy state, but bacon, sausage, or breadcrumbs would all make excellent additions.
Baked Skillet Pasta
This comforting skillet pasta is packed with goat cheese, mushrooms, and spinach, all coated in a fragrant brown butter sauce. It comes together in one skillet and only requires a few minutes under the broiler to crisp up the parmesan (though you could skip it to save time).
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Weeknight Ragù
This quick and easy sauce relies on good-quality tomatoes, onion, and fresh garlic. Pop open a bottle of red wine to brighten up the sauce (but remember to save a glass for yourself).
Plant-Based Recipes
Sheet-pan Miso Tofu with Brussels Sprouts, Apple & Arugula
This recipe combines soy-miso marinated tofu, Brussels sprouts, arugula, and apple for a mix of textures and flavors.
Crunchy-Shell Cauliflower Tacos
These crunchy-shell cauliflower tacos offer plenty of room for customization. Add hot sauce, avocado, and a dollop of sour cream for the perfect bite.
Crispy Roasted Shallot and Lentil Sheet-Pan Mujadara
Spiced with cumin, thyme, and lots of fresh herbs, this lentil dish takes a bit more time (about 1 hour, 20 minutes), but most of it is hands-off. The recipe also includes a great preheated pan hack for getting the crispiest shallots.
One-Pan/Sheet-Pan Recipes
One-pan and sheet-pan recipes are excellent for easy meal prep and minimal cleanup.
One Skillet Crispy Chicken Thighs & Creamy Lemon Garlic Orzo
A meal that has no right being this good while being so easy.
Southwest Turkey Skillet
This recipe is packed with a variety of nutrients, antioxidants, and proteins.
One Pan Lasagna Skillet
PERFECT weeknight dinner that takes all the classic lasagna flavors and combines them into a simple, 30 minute, one pan meal!
One Pan Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet
Delicious, protein packed and makes great leftovers.
One Pan Italian Orzo Skillet
A protein heavy, 30 minute dinner that is so addicting and tastes even better the next day.
Cheesesteak Skillet
You can eat this as a low carb skillet or toss it into a hoagie roll for a cheesesteak sandwich.
Cauliflower Gnocchi Skillet
Insanely quick to make and delicious while simultaneously being gluten and dairy free! All around a win.
One Pot Egg Roll Bowls
This is the best for when you are craving takeout food, but don’t want to feel like trash after eating it.
One Pot Creamy Turkey Rigatoni
Sooo damn good and you probably have most of these ingredients at home already.
One Pan Sausage & Veggie Orzo
Savory, quick and PACKED with veggies. You can’t go wrong here.
Turkey Fall Skillet
The best combo of all those cozy fall flavors you want while making you feel nourished and satisfied afterward.
One Pan Rosemary Chicken Meatballs With Creamy Tomato Orzo
Creamy, cozy, flavor packed and all in one skillet.
One Pot Hamburger Helper Orzo
This comforting recipe is a grown-up version of the boxed Hamburger Helper we all used to love.
Beef Fried Rice
This is the meal I make after a long day of work and don’t feel like chopping or doing a bunch of dishes.
Summer Sausage Skillet with Creamy Pesto Sauce
Savory sausage with tons of summer veggies all in one skillet and topped with a delicious creamy pesto sauce. Serve over rice or pasta or enjoy as is!
Green Goddess Sheet Pan Salmon & Potatoes
Perfect weeknight meal to add to your rotation.
Sheet Pan Panko Salmon & Crispy Broccoli
One of my favorite ways to make salmon and only 20 minutes…go crazy.
Fall Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner With Maple Mustard Sauce
This one is the ultimate comfort sheet pan meal. The combination of these mixed with the sauce…drooling.
Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken
Packed with flavor and protein, it only takes 30 minutes and the cleanup is minimal.
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
I like to serve these over brown rice or in a tortilla with alllll the toppings. Easiest way to make fajitas and just so delicious.
Garlic Dill Sheet Pan Salmon
The healthiest, quick dinner that is packed with flavor.
Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Salmon
This Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Salmon is the perfect dinner for when you’re feeling something on the lighter side, but still want all of those cozy fall flavors.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Bell Peppers & Sausage Meatballs
A sheet pan full of colorful veggies, tender gnocchi, and protein-packed chicken sausage meatballs, this one is bound to become a weekly fav.
Meal Prep Ideas Without Chicken
Meal prepping involves preparing meals in advance, typically on the weekend, to save time during the week. This section focuses on meal prep ideas that do not include chicken.
- Make a Meal Plan That You Enjoy: Choose recipes that you find appealing.
- Don’t Make Too Much Food: Be realistic about how much you will eat before the food becomes unappetizing.
- Keep Ingredients Separate: Use containers with separate compartments to keep food fresh longer and allow for flexibility.
5-Minute Mediterranean Bowl (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
A quick and easy bowl with Mediterranean flavors.
Quinoa Fried Rice
A healthier alternative to takeout fried rice, ready in about 15 minutes.
Mediterranean Salmon Bowl
Salmon with hummus and greens makes for a balanced and delicious dinner.
Black Bean Quinoa Bowl
A vegan recipe with black beans, quinoa, guacamole, and tzatziki sauce.
Meal Prep Greek Couscous Salad
A refreshing and flavorful salad perfect for meal prepping.
Quinoa & Ground Beef Skillet
Prepare dinner for the next 3 days in 30 minutes with this one-pan recipe.
Meal Prep Shrimp Taco Bowls
A delicious, balanced, gluten-free meal with shrimp.