In today's fast-paced world, finding time to prepare healthy and delicious meals can be a challenge. Many of us are deeply tired and frequently overwhelmed, especially with the demands of work, family, and other commitments. This article provides a collection of healthy staple meal recipes that are quick, easy, and satisfying, perfect for busy weeknights or any time you need a nutritious meal on the table fast.
The Need for Speed: 30-Minute Meals
The past few years have rendered most of us deeply tired and frequently overwhelmed. Becoming a parent has convinced me that recipes that take “under an hour” just won’t cut it when there’s a tiny window between after-school and bedtime, and a lot that can get derailed when everyone’s hangry. Sometimes, on a work-from-home day, I’m lucky enough to be able to put together a slow braise or soup that cooks, hands-off, while I do something else, but many, many nights I find myself with precisely half an hour to get dinner on the table and precisely zero housemates interested in eating scrambled eggs.
These recipes focus on options that are full of flavor but don’t require much cook time. There are pastas, of course, but also 10-minute skillet sautés, shockingly quick vegetarian chili, and the speediest pork chops and chicken. Instant Pot dinners that are actually instant? You’ll find those too. And when all else fails, there are pancakes, with a roasted-fruit sauce that makes breakfast for dinner feel like more than a backup plan.
Seafood Sensations
Yogurt and Spice Roasted Salmon
While pasta is often a go-to for quick meals, seafood can also be prepared in under 30 minutes. Cubing the salmon allows it to cook even faster, achieving a crispy exterior without overcooking the inside. The creamy marinade in this recipe not only enhances the flavor but also keeps the salmon moist.
Salmon Burgers with Red Pepper Mayo
Made from canned salmon-plus a few pantry staples you likely keep in stock-and slicked with tangy red-pepper mayo, this burger is easy to toss together on the fly.
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Spicy Salmon Teriyaki with Steamed Bok Choy
Toss large pieces of salmon in cornstarch before cooking and they'll develop a delicate crust that really grabs onto the spicy-sweet teriyaki glaze.
Beer-Steamed Mussels With Chorizo
If you've only every had mussels in a restaurant, you're in for a treat. They quickly pop open when cooked with beer and spicy pork chorizo.
Clams With Sherry and Olives
The complex flavor of this dish-briny, aromatic, slightly spicy-belies the extraordinarily simple method required.
Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce
This budget-friendly, crispy croquettes can be served over a salad, plated with vegetables, or piled on a bun for a salmon alternative to beef or turkey burgers.
Swordfish Steaks With Asparagus and Frisée Salad
This satisfying seafood dinner comes together in as little as 20 minutes. Cooking the fish, then making the warm, herby mustard dressing in the same skillet also means cleanup is a breeze.
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Pasta Perfection
Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Nothing beats the comfort of pasta, and this recipe is an all-time favorite. Everything cooks in one skillet - the chicken, sauce, and pasta - reducing both cooking and dishwashing time.
One-Pot Pasta Primavera With Shrimp
Skip the big boiling pot and colander with this lightning-fast version of the classic spring pasta. It includes just the right amount of water to cook the noodles and create a silky sauce, no draining necessary.
Salad Pasta
Pair nutty chickpea pasta with a garlicky anchovy sauce and a whole salad’s worth of leafy things.
Spaghetti with No-Cook Puttanesca
This flavorful pasta packs in all the punches puttanesca is known for-it's salty! briny! olive-y!-without the need to cook a sauce.
Fried Garlic Noodles
Make fried garlic in your microwave, then put this simple, flavorful noodle dish on the weekly meal plan. The noodles are seasoned with soy sauce, stir-fried garlic, and a sprinkle of umami-rich instant dashi powder, along with the crispy garlic and its oil.
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Creamy Tuscan Vegan Pasta
Far too often, we've tried vegan sauces that just don’t quite get the creaminess down right, so we decided to solve this problem outright with this instant classic: creamy Tuscan vegan pasta. This recipe takes a note from our classic creamy Tuscan chicken, but made vegan-friendly while still maintaining the creaminess you know and love.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Dreaming of a big bowl of your favorite creamy pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor and texture you’re looking for in a good Alfredo? We've got you! Add meat, à la classic chicken Alfredo, or keep it simple-it's guaranteed to impress no matter what.
Vegetarian Victories
Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili
This chili relies on pantry staples to deliver the flavors of slow-simmered chili in just 30 minutes, leaving you time to whip up some cornbread.
Steamed Winter Veggie Bowls
Everything in this dinner, including the eggs, cooks together in one steamer insert. This recipe offers a fresh-tasting winter meal when you're tired of roasted vegetables.
Dahi Dal (Yogurt Lentil Curry With Spinach)
Just a couple of fresh ingredients thrown into a pan of simply seasoned dal create a deeply warming and comforting dish. Serve with rice and a swirl of yogurt.
Spicy Braised Tofu
In this riff on dubu jorim, a popular Korean side dish, thick slices of pan-fried tofu quickly braise in a sweet-and-spicy sauce.
Butter Beans, Paprika, and Piquillo Peppers
A can of beans transforms into a hearty meal when cooked with onions, garlic, smoked paprika, sherry vinegar, and tomato purée, and mixed with sweet, tangy piquillo peppers.
Peppery, Creamy Greens With Eggs
This luxurious 30-minute meal features a mix of mustard greens, wild arugula, and peppery watercress to balance out the richness of the cream.
Baigan Chokha
A whole broiled eggplant gets silky and smoky inside and charred on the exterior-perfect for mashing and mixing with sautéed onion, garlic, and fresh tomato.
Kimchi Toast
There are many reasons to always keep a jar of kimchi in your fridge. Add this quick lunch idea to the list.
Grilled Greens and Cheese on Toast
Pile charred Halloumi cheese, kale, and cherry tomatoes on garlicky bread for an almost-instant dinner from the grill. No bread? No problem-toss everything else together and eat it as a salad.
Green Rice with Tomatoes, Eggs, and Almonds
Getting a big batch of rice ready in advance is totally worth it for this 15-minute dinner.
Roasted Cabbage Burgers
Roasted Cabbage Burgers is a healthy and interesting way of having burgers.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
This cauliflower fried rice is for you.
Mediterranean White Beans & Greens
A one-skillet recipe like this, made of hearty escarole stewed in a rich tomato sauce with lots of cannellini beans, is exactly what you’re surfing the web for. Eat these solo with grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top, mixed into pasta, or sopped up with a hunk of crusty bread.
Vegan White Bean Chili
Whether you’re full-time vegan or just love a plant-based moment, vegan chili is where it’s at. This flavor-packed vegan take on our white chicken chili has so much goodness going on and all of the fresh, crunchy toppings too.
Indian Butter Chickpeas
Indian Butter Chickpeas is a vegetarian option for dinner.
Vegetable Curry
When you want something comforting, savory, and just a little spicy, you can’t go wrong with some form of curry. In this recipe, a variety of vegetables takes center stage alongside a creamy Thai-style curry.
Pork and Poultry Pleasures
Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops
A pinch of sugar helps these chops caramelize and develop an exceptional golden-brown crust in record time.
Hot Honey Pork Chops With Escarole and White Beans
The spicy garlic-honey glaze for the pan-seared pork chops also forms the base of the sauce for the warm escarole-and-white bean salad in this easy one-pan dinner.
Sausage and Greens Sheet-Pan Dinner
With crispy mini potatoes and hearty greens roasted in a sweet-tart mustard dressing, this 25-minute dinner is an easy staple.
Chicken Under a Brick in a Hurry
Cooking boneless chicken thighs underneath a heavy skillet renders extra-crispy skin on the outside and super-juicy meat on the inside.
Chicken Korma
This 30-minute chicken korma is fragrant with spices and creamy from the cashews. Serve with naan or rice.
Quick Baked Chicken Parmesan
Skip the frying and bake crispy chicken with creamy mozzarella and jazzed-up jarred sauce for a quick Italian-American-inspired dinner.
12-Minute Saucy Chicken Breasts With Limes
Remove the bones from a skin-on breast, weigh it down for faster cooking and crisper skin, and toss some lime halves into the hot pan for a practically-instant smoky, tangy sauce.
Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken & Sweet Potatoes is a great combination for healthy dinner.
Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken is a delicious way to have chicken.
Chicken & Broccoli
Chicken & Broccoli is a great source of protein.
Breakfast for Dinner
Savory Dutch Baby for Two
A Dutch baby makes brunch at home feel fancy-and brunch-for-dinner even fancier. This rendition is decidedly savory, with Parmesan and thyme in the batter. Make the batter ahead and stash it in the fridge for a low-prep, no-stress meal.
Buttermilk Pancakes with Roasted Strawberries
Breakfast for dinner doesn't have to be a last resort. Caramelized strawberries and crunchy almonds dress up buttermilk pancakes with plenty of flair, but if strawberries aren't in season, you can substitute whatever fruit you have on hand.
Pantry Power
Curried Tomato Lentil Soup
This curried tomato lentil soup is one of my go-to pantry recipes! The ingredients are easy to keep on hand.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
- 1 28-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup dried French green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2½ cups water
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup diced cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and lightly browned around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing the heat to low as needed.
- With the heat on low, add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, lentils, water, coconut milk, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer, stirring only occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 25 to 35 minutes. If your soup is too thick, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup more water to reach your desired consistency.
- Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Meal Prep Magic
Meal prepping is a total game-changer. Meal planning is where I strategize and decide on my meals for the week, and then I’m able to meal prep by cooking and preparing the meals I’ve planned ahead of time for ease and convenience throughout the week.
Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches
This is my another one of my go-to’s for an easy, prep-friendly, breakfast option that’s both protein and veggie-packed!
Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad
Healthy, hearty, and loaded with colorful veggies my Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad is said by my family to be as scrumptious as it looks.
Stuffed Peppers
Each pepper is its own little ready-to-go meal in an edible container. These are, by far, one of my most versatile recipes for meal prep.
Quick and Easy Meals from the Reader’s Digest
Chicken Sausage Dinner
Chicken sausage makes an awesome one-dish dinner by itself or served with brown rice in a burrito.