25 Fast, Satisfying Weekday Recipes

Fast dinner ideas
Photo:

© Christina Holmes

Weeknight dinners can sometimes be a challenge, but not with these ultrafast recipes: Filling and nourishing, they all hit the table in 45 minutes or less. Try a baked pasta casserole like Greek pastitsio, a tossed pasta such as bucatini with pancetta and cheese, a big bowl of chickpea vegetable stew, or creamy broccoli-potato soup. Whatever you're craving, keep this collection of quick meal ideas in your back pocket for whenever time is of the essence.

01 of 25

Chicken Smothered in Gravy

Chicken Smothered in Gravy
© Quentin Bacon

This satisfying riff on smothered pork chops calls for flavorful skinless chicken drumsticks rather than breasts. Serve it over rice with a quick veggie side for a hearty meal.

02 of 25

Creamy Buckwheat Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

Day 9: Creamy Buckwheat Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
TINA RUPP

Chefs love showcasing the intensely earthy flavor of buckwheat in rich, luxurious dishes. Here, chef Matthew Accarrino tosses buckwheat pasta with creamy mascarpone, silky mushrooms, and runny eggs.

03 of 25

Spicy Tofu and Zucchini Stew

Spicy Tofu and Zucchini Stew
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Sommelier Annie Shi, co-owner of King in New York City, grew up going to Korean restaurants with her family. Memories of dishes like soondubu jjigae, a spicy Korean tofu stew, became inspiration for a quick and easy stew of tofu and vegetables that she makes for cozy weeknight dinners. 

04 of 25

Italian Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach
© Stephanie Foley

These pre-seasoned Italian sausage burgers are just the thing to make when you're short on time. Don't forget to spread pesto on the ciabatta rolls.

05 of 25

Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki
© Yunhee Kim

Greeks make souvlaki by marinating chunks of meat in oil, lemon juice, and oregano, then skewering and grilling them. We opt for pork shoulder here because it's so tender and succulent. Instead of threading the meat onto skewers, simply cook it with onions in a grill pan until it's nicely charred, then serve it with store-bought pita and garlicky cucumber-yogurt sauce.

06 of 25

Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Grapes

Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Grapes

© Ashley Rodriguez

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.

07 of 25

Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas

Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas
© James Baigrie

To create this Southwestern-inspired dish, shrimp is tossed with chipotle chile powder (made from dried, smoked jalapeños), grilled, then layered on top of crunchy fried corn tortillas and crisp, citrusy slaw.

08 of 25

Macaroni and Many Cheeses

Macaroni and Many Cheeses
© James Baigrie

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.

09 of 25

Chicken Scarpariello

Chicken Scarpariello
© Quentin Bacon

Traditional scarpariello — chicken sautéed in a tangy lemon glaze with bell pepper — is typically made with a whole chicken cut into pieces, then cooked on the stove for hours. To speed things up, we opt for faster-cooking boneless thighs and skip the bell pepper in favor of jarred Peppadews, a sweet-spicy pickled pepper.

10 of 25

Pastitsio (Greek Baked Pasta)

Greek Baked Pasta
© Yunhee Kim

The moist and fragrant casserole pastitsio traditionally combines béchamel with pasta, ground lamb, tomato sauce, cheese, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Here, instead of béchamel, we stir a ricotta mixture into the pasta before baking it.

11 of 25

Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic

Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic
© SIMON WATSON

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.

12 of 25

Bucatini with Pancetta, Pecorino, and Pepper

Bucatini with Pancetta, Pecorino and Pepper

© John Kernick

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. Otherwise, make it fresh in only 30 minutes.

13 of 25

Mussels with Saffron and Citrus

Mussels with Saffron and Citrus

© Fredrika Stjärne

For this dish, chef Mourad Lahlou simmers mussels in a lovely saffron cream sauce. Lahlou prefers to use Mediterranean mussels. "They're plump, juicy, and don't toughen up as much as other varieties when you cook them," he says.

14 of 25

Chickpea Vegetable Stew

Chickpea Vegetable Stew

© Fredrika Stjärne

"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.

15 of 25

Orecchiette with Sautéed Greens and Scallion Sauce

Orecchiette with Sautéed Greens and Scallion Sauce
© Tina Rupp

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.

16 of 25

Shrimp with Roasted Corn, Leeks, Tomatoes, and Basil

Shrimp with Roasted Corn, Leeks, Tomatoes, and Basil
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Showcasing late-summer produce, this simple sauté is a perfect shoulder-season weeknight dinner. Marinating sweet cherry tomatoes in vinegar and salt tenderizes them and draws out their juices, creating a light sauce.

17 of 25

Soba Noodles with Miso-Roasted Tomatoes

Fast dinner ideas

© Christina Holmes

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

18 of 25

Broccoli and Potato Soup

bowls of broccoli potato soup
Photo by Adam Friedlander / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

The bright green broccoli florets floating on top of this hearty soup make it especially eye-catching, but it's the broccoli stems that do the real work. They're cooked with the potatoes and then pureed to form a creamy base. A final sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese gives the soup an extra savory touch.

19 of 25

Inside-Out Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

FWX INSIDE OUT GRILLED HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICHES_0
© CON POULOS

The best way to improve on a great grilled cheese is to sprinkle some cheese on the outside of the bread. It creates a super-crisp, cheesy crust. This version is bolstered with ham, pickles, mustard, and apricot preserves to hit all the flavor notes.

20 of 25

Pappardelle with Red Wine and Meat Ragù

Pappardelle with Red Wine and Meat Ragù
© David Loftus

This spectacular pasta dish combines pappardelle with a meaty ragù made from red wine, ground beef and turkey, and dried porcini mushrooms. It's table-ready in just 30 minutes. 

21 of 25

King Trumpet Schnitzel with Mixed Herb Pesto

King Trumpet Mushroom Schnitzel

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner

Here, king trumpet mushrooms get the schnitzel treatment. Double-breading them creates a crispy crust that stays crunchy even as they cook and release moisture. Black pepper and turmeric add a savory, bitter flavor to complement the mushrooms' earthiness, while fragrant Meyer lemon juice and nutty pecorino cheese amp up the herb-packed pesto. 

22 of 25

Gnocchi with Roast Chicken, Bacon, and Kale

Gnocchi with chicken, bacon and kale
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

Roast chicken, crispy bacon, tender kale, and sweet red onion are tossed with gnocchi and topped with lemon zest and Parmesan for this hearty meal.

23 of 25

Miso Air Fryer Salmon With Baby Bok Choy

Air fryer salmon with baby bok choy
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen


Cooking salmon in the air fryer allows the miso marinade to form a salty-sweet crust on the surface of each fillet. While the salmon rests, you can quickly cook the bok choy in the air fryer; the edges of the leaves will char a bit, creating a savory contrast to the ginger, soy, and sesame oil sauce that goes on top.

24 of 25

Longevity Noodles with Oyster, Shiitake, and Enoki Mushrooms

Longevity Noodles with Oyster, Shiitake, and Enoki Mushrooms
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

The longer the noodles the better to symbolize longevity in this spicy, savory dish, a must at Lucky Chow producer Danielle Chang's Lunar New Year feast. A mix of torn and sliced mushrooms (also a symbol of health and longevity) adds a variety of textures and a bite of umami to this quick-cooking dish.

25 of 25

Grilled Shrimp with Mom's Avocado and Orange Salad

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

© Tina Rupp

This grilled shrimp salad uses a surprise of hot sauce in the dressing. Try it with a fruity hot sauce from the Caribbean made with habaneros.

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