Skip to content

Top Navigation

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Recipes & Cooking
  • Drinks
  • Travel
  • Holidays & Events
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Food & Wine

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Explore

    Explore

    • F&W Cooks

      Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. Read More Next
    • Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Read More Next
    • 50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. Read More Next
  • Recipes & Cooking

    Recipes & Cooking

    See all Recipes & Cooking
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Comfort Food Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Pasta & Noodle Recipes
    • Chefs
    • Meat & Poultry Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Fruit Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Special Diets
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Steal This Trick
  • Drinks

    Drinks

    See all Drinks
    • Wine
    • Cocktails & Spirits
    • Coffee Drinks & Recipes
    • Juices
    • Beer & Brews
    • Champagne & Sparkling Wine
    • Tea Recipes & Ideas
  • Travel

    Travel

    See all Travel
    • Wine Regions
    • Restaurants
  • Holidays & Events

    Holidays & Events

    See all Holidays & Events
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Passover
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • Gifts
    • Super Bowl
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • New Year's Eve
    • Holiday Entertaining
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. How To Chevron Right
  3. 17 Fast Dinner Recipes for Busy Nights

17 Fast Dinner Recipes for Busy Nights

By Food & Wine
Updated May 17, 2017
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Victor Protasio
Sheet pan meals. Grilled cheese. Pasta made with pantry staples. When we need to get dinner on the table quickly, we want recipes that have short cook times and even shorter ingredient lists. In this roundup, we’ve gathered several dishes that fit the bill, including an orzo and chickpea dish with turmeric-ginger broth that comes together in just 20 minutes and a smoked salmon salad that does double duty as an easy spring lunch or quick dinner. Read through to find the recipes and bookmark them for your next busy night.
Start Slideshow

1 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Grilled Salmon with Melted Tomatoes

Credit: JOHN KERNICK
Go to Recipe

Jalapeños not only garnish this sweet-smoky grilled salmon but also infuse the oil used to sauté the tomatoes.

  • Salmon Recipes

1 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Lemon-Stuffed Grilled Branzino

Go to Recipe

Barbara Lynch stuffs branzino with lemons and herbs, then grills it until the skin is browned and crispy to add even more flavor.

  • Healthy Fish Recipes

2 of 17

3 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Sizzling Shrimp Scampi

Go to Recipe

Scampi refers to shrimp that are split, brushed with garlicky butter and broiled. The recipe here calls for flavoring butter with lemon, garlic, parsley and thyme, then dotting it liberally on shrimp and roasting the shellfish until it sizzles.

  • Delicious Shrimp Scampi Recipes

3 of 17

Advertisement

4 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Hanger Steak with Herb-Nut Salsa

Go to Recipe

Naomi Pomeroy takes a version of the salsa verde from Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Vegetables and adds in toasted hazelnuts, plus double the herbs. Then, she serves it with medium-rare hanger steak for a quick, yet flavorful meal.

  • Delicious Steak Recipes

4 of 17

5 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Open-Face Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

Go to Recipe

This sandwich is perfect for summer, combining fresh tomatoes, grilled eggplant, basil, and buffalo mozzarella.

  • Delicious Sandwich Recipes

5 of 17

6 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Summer Farro Salad

Go to Recipe

Marco Canora says you can swap in any starch—like bread or pasta—for the farro in this recipe.

  • Terrific Farro Recipes

6 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Spring Onion and Salami Sheet-Pan Pizza

Credit: Greg DuPree
Go to Recipe

When making sheet-pan pizza, bring the dough to room temperature before shaping. This ensures the gluten is relaxed and the dough doesn’t shrink from the pan edges.

7 of 17

8 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Cod with Lemony Leeks, Snap Peas, and Herbs

Credit: Victor Protasio
Go to Recipe

In this dish, cod is quickly cooked in a skillet then given the elegant upgrade it deserves. Leeks take a quick bath in a broth composed of white wine and chicken broth, and snap peas get the briefest of simmers so they maintain their fresh texture. Butter is swirled in at the end to slightly thicken up the sauce, as well as some lemon juice for brightness.

8 of 17

9 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Knife-and-Fork Grilled Cheese with Honey

Credit: © Con Poulos
Go to Recipe

Chef Chris Cosentino proves here that you can elevate the humble grilled cheese sandwich into something magical with just a few tweaks. His buttery, crisp version is filled with luscious Taleggio cheese, then drizzled with honey and sprinkled with flaky salt and coarsely ground black pepper. It’s so simple, but also jaw-droppingly good.

9 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Salmon and Cherry Tomato Skewers with Rosemary Vinaigrette

Credit: © Nicole Franzen
Go to Recipe

Cook these simple salmon-and-tomato kebabs on skewers or even on sturdy rosemary sprigs.

10 of 17

11 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Steak Au Poivre with Red Wine Pan Sauce

Credit: Justin Walker
Go to Recipe

Red wine pan sauce is an amalgamation of fond (those browned bits left in the pan after searing meat), shallots, broth, good-quality red wine, and a few pats of butter to bind it all together and thicken it to a syrupy consistency. A perfect interplay of acid from the wine and sumptuous fat, the sauce is an ideal accompaniment to a peppercorn-crusted rib eye steak.

11 of 17

12 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Orzo and Chickpeas with Turmeric-Ginger Broth

Credit: Victor Protasio
Go to Recipe

Coconut milk and fresh lime juice are natural flavor partners to ginger and turmeric; here they come together to form a restorative tea-based broth that’s delicious studded with chickpeas and pasta.

12 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Roasted Merguez Sausage with Apples and Onions

Credit: Victor Protasio
Go to Recipe

For this sheet pan dinner, use Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, which hold their shape better during roasting that other varieties. Plus, their pleasant sweetness balances the intensely spiced merguez sausage.

13 of 17

14 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Spinach and Smoked Salmon Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing

Credit: CHRISTINA HOLMES
Go to Recipe

This refreshingly crunchy salad makes for an excellent spring lunch or super quick dinner.

14 of 17

15 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Florentine Butter Chicken

Credit: Greg DuPree
Go to Recipe

This recipe is inspired by Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis’ trip to 150-year-old Trattoria Sostanza in Florence. The best part? It’s ready in 20 minutes.

15 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pulling-from-the-Pantry Puttanesca

Credit: Victor Protasio
Go to Recipe

Chef Zoi Antonitsas is passionate about preserved fish. The salty, briny fillets are her favorite powerhouse pantry ingredient. They can make almost anything into a meal—and a delicious one at that. Use high-quality tins, like Matiz España brand, for the best results.

16 of 17

17 of 17

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Kimchi Fried Rice with Spicy Shrimp-and-Sesame Sauce

Credit: Victor Protasio
Go to Recipe

Chef Roy Choi’s Kimchi Fried Rice is the best way to reinvigorate day-old rice with spicy, potent kimchi. The kimchi actually sweetens when heated and adds not only its signature funk, tang, and spice but also a delicious crunch. The briny, spicy dipping sauce is the perfect punchy accompaniment.

17 of 17

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Food & Wine

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 17 Grilled Salmon with Melted Tomatoes
2 of 17 Lemon-Stuffed Grilled Branzino
3 of 17 Sizzling Shrimp Scampi
4 of 17 Hanger Steak with Herb-Nut Salsa
5 of 17 Open-Face Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
6 of 17 Summer Farro Salad
7 of 17 Spring Onion and Salami Sheet-Pan Pizza
8 of 17 Cod with Lemony Leeks, Snap Peas, and Herbs
9 of 17 Knife-and-Fork Grilled Cheese with Honey
10 of 17 Salmon and Cherry Tomato Skewers with Rosemary Vinaigrette
11 of 17 Steak Au Poivre with Red Wine Pan Sauce
12 of 17 Orzo and Chickpeas with Turmeric-Ginger Broth
13 of 17 Roasted Merguez Sausage with Apples and Onions
14 of 17 Spinach and Smoked Salmon Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing
15 of 17 Florentine Butter Chicken
16 of 17 Pulling-from-the-Pantry Puttanesca
17 of 17 Kimchi Fried Rice with Spicy Shrimp-and-Sesame Sauce

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Food & Wine

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Food & Wine
  • Contact Us
  • Media Kit
  • Content Licensing

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Food & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.foodandwine.com

View image

17 Fast Dinner Recipes for Busy Nights
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.