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  1. HomeChevron Right
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  3. 31 Fast, Satisfying Weekday Meals

31 Fast, Satisfying Weekday Meals

By Food & Wine
Updated January 07, 2019
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Fast dinner ideas
Weeknight dinners can sometimes be a challenge, but not with these ultrafast recipes: Filling and nourishing, they all hit the table in 30 minutes or less.
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Garlicky Spaghetti with Mixed Greens

Garlicky Spaghetti with Mixed Greens
Credit: © Marcus Nilsson
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Kay Chun makes her silky, garlicky pasta with an abundance of greens so that each bite is equal parts of both.

  • How to Butcher a Chicken

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Chicken Smothered in Gravy

Chicken Smothered in Gravy
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
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This satisfying riff on smothered pork chops calls for skinless chicken drumsticks, which have only slightly more fat than breasts, as well as more zinc and iron and tons more flavor.

  • Always Perfect Chicken Recipes

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Creamy Buckwheat Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

Day 9: Creamy Buckwheat Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
Credit: TINA RUPP
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Chefs love showcasing the intensely earthy flavor of buckwheat in rich, luxurious dishes. Chef Matthew Accarrino tosses buckwheat pasta with creamy mascarpone, silky mushrooms and runny eggs.

  • More Delicious Pasta Recipes

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Spicy Kimchi Tofu Soup

Spicy Kimchi Tofu Stew
Credit: Christopher Testani
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Stop at a Korean market on the way home from work, and you can have this soothing, vibrant dish on the table in 30 minutes.

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Sunflower-Seed Risotto

Sunflower-Seed Risotto
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The secret to this tasty sunflower-seed "risotto"? A pressure cooker.

  • More Italian Recipes

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Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach
Credit: © Stephanie Foley
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Using sausage in burgers is a smart shortcut, because the meat is already seasoned.

  • Grilling Tips from Star Chefs

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Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki
Credit: © Yunhee Kim
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Greeks make souvlaki by marinating chunks of meat (usually pork or lamb) in oil, lemon juice and oregano, then skewering and grilling them. Grace Parisi opts for pork shoulder because it's so tender and succulent. Instead of threading the meat onto skewers, she simply cooks it (with onions) in a grill pan until it's nicely charred, then serves it with store-bought pita and the garlicky cucumber-yogurt sauce, tzatziki.

  • More Pork Recipes

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Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Grapes

Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Grapes
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You’d expect to find lamb chops grilled with rosemary, but the sauce, a fruity mixture of grapes, white wine, and just a touch of honey, is a delightful surprise. You’ll want to choose seedless grapes for this recipe.

  • Easter Recipes

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Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas

Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas
Credit: © James Baigrie
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To create this Southwestern-inspired dish, chef Melissa Rubel Jacobson tosses shrimp with chipotle chile powder (made from dried, smoked jalapeños), grills them, then layers them on top of crunchy fried corn tortillas and crisp, citrusy slaw.

  • Video: Peeling and Cleaning Shrimp

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Macaroni and Many Cheeses

Macaroni and Many Cheeses
Credit: © James Baigrie
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This adaptation of mac and cheese works beautifully with any semi-hard cheese but is particularly good with an international blend of French Mimolette, aged Dutch Gouda and American Vella dry Jack. A fine layer of Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano forms a crisp topping.

  • F&W's Guide to Comfort Food

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Grilled Shrimp with Mom's Avocado-and-Orange Salad

Grilled Shrimp with Mom's Avocado-and-Orange Salad
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This grilled shrimp salad uses a surprise of hot sauce in the dressing. Try to use a fruity hot sauce from the Caribbean made with habaneros.

  • Caribbean Travel Guide

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Chicken in Vinegar Sauce

Chicken in Vinegar Sauce.
Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Master French chef Paul Bocuse's recipe reflects his interest in lightening up the classics. For his poulet au vinaigre de vin, he's swapped fresh tomatoes for tomato paste, used lower-acid rice vinegar in place of red wine vinegar and significantly reduced the amount of butter.

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Chicken-and-Rice Salad with Pesto Yogurt Dressing

Chicken-and-Rice Salad with Pesto Yogurt Dressing
Credit: © Dana Gallagher
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Dinner doesn't get much simpler than this: Boil some rice and toss it with pesto, yogurt, and rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Leftover cooked chicken or turkey will work just fine, too.

  • Healthy Recipes

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Greek Baked Pasta

Greek Baked Pasta
Credit: © Yunhee Kim
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The moist and fragrant casserole pastitsio combines béchamel (a sauce of butter, flour and milk), pasta, ground lamb, tomato sauce, cheese, cinnamon and nutmeg. Instead of béchamel, Grace Parisi stirs a ricotta mixture into the pasta before baking it.

  • More Great Pasta Recipes

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Chicken Scarpariello

Chicken Scarpariello
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
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To make her Sunday-supper scarpariello—chicken sautéed in a tangy lemon glaze with bell pepper—Fran Parisi always uses a whole chicken cut into pieces, then cooks it on the stove for hours. Grace Parisi opts for faster-cooking boneless thighs and skips the bell pepper in favor of jarred Peppadews, sweet-spicy pickled pepper.

  • Chicken Recipes

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Hanger Steak with Herb-Nut Salsa

Hanger Steak with Herb-Nut Salsa
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Naomi Pomeroy, a F&W Best New Chef 2009, shares her updated version of salsa verde with toasted hazelnuts and doubling the herbs. The salsa is a vibrant addition to simple grilled hanger steak.

  • Video: Tips on Grilling Steak

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Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic

Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic
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This exquisite, super simple version of linguine con vongole is packed with garlic and a judicious amount of crushed red pepper. If you prefer, shell the clams before tossing them with their juices in the pasta.

  • How to Shuck an Oyster or Clam

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Chicken Goulash with Biscuit Dumplings

Chicken Goulash with Biscuit Dumplings
Credit: © Yunhee Kim
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The chicken stock and sour cream both serve a dual purpose here: They moisten the biscuits and enrich the thick, luscious sauce.

  • Global Recipe Guide

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Grilled Fish with Artichoke Caponata

Grilled Fish with Artichoke Caponata
Credit: © Stephanie Foley
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To top meaty mahimahi chef Michael White makes a vinegary caponata (a Sicilian relish) with fresh artichoke hearts, not the traditional tomatoes and eggplant. Trimming artichokes can be time-consuming, so buy marinated artichoke hearts from the grocery store instead.

  • F&W's Ultimate Guide to Fish Recipes

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Grilled-Zucchini Subs with Fresh Mozzarella and Olivada

Grilled-Zucchini Subs with Fresh Mozzarella and Olivada
Credit: Photo © John Kernick
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This fresh sandwich benefits from a generous topping of olivada made with tangy green olives, lemon and oil. It's great with the creamy mozzarella and the lightly smoky grilled-zucchini slices here; it's also wonderful with grilled fish and shellfish and roasted meat and chicken.

  • Video: Tips for Summer Fruits and Vegetables

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Bucatini with Pancetta, Pecorino and Pepper

Bucatini with Pancetta, Pecorino and Pepper
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This rich, pancetta-studded bucatini that's tossed with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and Pecorino is a perfect make-ahead dish—reheat a big bowl of it when you come home from work late at night.

  • More Pasta Recipes

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Dry-Rubbed Salmon Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado Slaw

Day 5: Dry-Rubbed Salmon Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado Slaw
Credit: MARCUS NILSSON
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For maximum flavor in minimal time, opt for spice rubs over marinades. A big pinch of ground coffee lends earthiness to the rub.

  • Time Saving, Fast Recipes

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Orecchiette with Sautéed Greens and Scallion Sauce

Orecchiette with Sautéed Greens and Scallion Sauce
Credit: © Tina Rupp
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For an easy take on this restaurant-style recipe, toss store-bought orecchiette with arugula and chard (both are tastier than spinach) and make the sauce with scallions instead of green garlic, which can be hard to find.

  • More Delicious Italian Recipes

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Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Credit: © Frances Janisch
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This simple salad showcases the creamy Latin favorite, the avocado.

  • Video: Peeling and Cleaning Shrimp

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Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Credit: © Frances Janisch
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Creamy truffled artichoke tapenade is a bold and flavorful substitute for the mayonnaise.

  • Best New Sandwich Recipes

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Red Lentil Dal with Tamarind and Asparagus

Red Lentil Dal with Tamarind and Asparagus
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During her stay in Bangladesh, Naomi Duguid fell in love with dals (soupy lentil dishes) known as tok dal, or tart dal. "They all have an intriguing balance of tartness from tamarind and lime, and sweetness from slow-cooked onions." While asparagus isn’t a traditional ingredient, Duguid was inspired to add it because Bangladesh is so fertile, and many green vegetables grow there.

  • Global Recipe Guide

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Peruvian Marinated Chicken

Peruvian Marinade
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
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This deliciously lemony and garlicky recipe is based on Peruvian rotisserie chicken. A bit of vinegar makes it even brighter-tasting. Serve it with avocado and red onion salad.

  • F&W's Guide to Chicken Recipes

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Mahimahi with Sage Garlic Chips

Mahimahi with Sage Garlic Chips
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Thin slices of garlic cooked in olive oil make a double contribution to this dish: The flavorful oil is used for basting the fish, and the garlic "chips" are sprinkled over the finished dish as a crunchy topping.

  • More Fish Recipes

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Mussels with Saffron and Citrus

Mussels with Saffron and Citrus
Credit: Photo © Fredrika Stjärne
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Chef Mourad Lahlou simmers mussels in a lovely saffron cream sauce. Lahlou prefers Mediterranean mussels. "The ones I get are called that, but they really come from the Pacific Northwest," he says. "They're plump, juicy and don't toughen up as much as other varieties when you cook them."

  • How to Clean Fish and Other Seafood

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Chickpea Vegetable Stew

Chickpea Vegetable Stew
Credit: Photo © Fredrika Stjärne
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"The dish is rich in texture and full of healthy goodness," chef Cathal Armstrong says about this hearty vegetable stew. Armstrong adds heft to the coconut milk broth with quick-cooking fingerling potatoes, and subtle heat with harissa, a Tunisian chile paste.

  • F&W's Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Recipes

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Soba Noodles with Miso-Roasted Tomatoes

Fast dinner ideas
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Roasting cherry tomatoes in a mix of miso, ginger, sesame, lime juice and honey creates a tangy, bright sauce for soba noodles; try adding shrimp for an even more substantial dish.

  • More Healthy Recipes

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    1 of 31 Garlicky Spaghetti with Mixed Greens
    2 of 31 Chicken Smothered in Gravy
    3 of 31 Creamy Buckwheat Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
    4 of 31 Spicy Kimchi Tofu Soup
    5 of 31 Sunflower-Seed Risotto
    6 of 31 Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach
    7 of 31 Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki
    8 of 31 Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Grapes
    9 of 31 Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas
    10 of 31 Macaroni and Many Cheeses
    11 of 31 Grilled Shrimp with Mom's Avocado-and-Orange Salad
    12 of 31 Chicken in Vinegar Sauce
    13 of 31 Chicken-and-Rice Salad with Pesto Yogurt Dressing
    14 of 31 Greek Baked Pasta
    15 of 31 Chicken Scarpariello
    16 of 31 Hanger Steak with Herb-Nut Salsa
    17 of 31 Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic
    18 of 31 Chicken Goulash with Biscuit Dumplings
    19 of 31 Grilled Fish with Artichoke Caponata
    20 of 31 Grilled-Zucchini Subs with Fresh Mozzarella and Olivada
    21 of 31 Bucatini with Pancetta, Pecorino and Pepper
    22 of 31 Dry-Rubbed Salmon Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado Slaw
    23 of 31 Orecchiette with Sautéed Greens and Scallion Sauce
    24 of 31 Shrimp and Avocado Salad
    25 of 31 Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches
    26 of 31 Red Lentil Dal with Tamarind and Asparagus
    27 of 31 Peruvian Marinated Chicken
    28 of 31 Mahimahi with Sage Garlic Chips
    29 of 31 Mussels with Saffron and Citrus
    30 of 31 Chickpea Vegetable Stew
    31 of 31 Soba Noodles with Miso-Roasted Tomatoes

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