21 Quick Dinner Recipes That You Can Turn To Time & Again
These quick dinner recipes are low on time but high on flavour.
With daylight saving’s exit earlier this week, our autumn evenings have plunged into sudden darkness. Gone are the patient summer nights — the insistent sunset pushes us into hibernation mode, seeking early dinners and early bedtimes.
With this new demanding schedule, we also turn to quick-to-make recipes that are vehicles of comfort. In this recipe collection, you’ll find meals that come together in short timeframes and with minimal preparation. There are also plenty of warming carbs, from pasta to potatoes.
For each dish, you’ll be rewarded for generous additions of spices and herbs. They are easy additions but create comforting flavours that will sing you straight to sleep.
This potato and cauliflower curry is a wholesome meal. Make a big batch and store it in the refrigerator for quick meals or packed lunches (the spices grow stronger after luxuriating for days).
Chicken with tomatoes and jalapenos
This one cast-iron pan meal sees oven-baked chicken draw flavour from red onion, jalapeno, chopped thyme and white wine. It’s perfection when paired with crispy or mashed potatoes.
Make sure to toast your tortillas for extra crispiness and warmth. Serve these beef tacos with a squeeze of seasonal citrus and a few parsley leaves.
Quick and easy vegetable ramen
Egg noodles, umami broth and crispy shallots — this breezy ramen promises snug company during chilly evenings.
This potato topping supplies a decadent and creamy texture to a smoked fish mixture.
Vegetable and tofu satay salad
If you’re craving greens and seeking comfort, this satay salad is an ideal option. Finish with a scattering of peanuts.
Flaky salmon and creamy pasta sauce is a textural match made in heaven. A few sprigs of dill make the hefty dish feel fresh.
A generous topping of fresh mozzarella will make this vegetarian lasagna extra melty and delicious.
Toasting a few sesame seeds can elevate this luscious bowl of miso noodles (as well as properly caramelised button mushrooms).
Turn to a sturdy cast iron to create a heavy char on the chicken for these vibrant sandwiches.
Sambal chicken, vegetables and egg noodles
A chilli-based sauce creates a powerful flavour for this breezy egg noodles serving.
Crunchy chicken, spinach and pine nut salad
Top this light chicken salad with a hefty handful of crunchy and salty noodles.
Roast vegetables with lemon honey dressing
You could double the recipe for this tangy honey dressing and add it to your other salad recipes too.
This fresh and vegetable-packed bowl is the perfect pick-me-up. It’s also drizzled with a spicy and sweet gochujang sauce.
Vegetarians rejoice! This jackfruit mixture mimics the texture of pulled pork, while a punchy spice blend delivers plenty of flavour.
Crispy tofu and chewy noodles make this stir fry an unmissable weeknight staple.
Curried rice and savoury mince
This garlicky, umami serving is simple but rewarding (topped with crispy noodles).
Chorizo and vegetable-packed pasta
This oven-baked pasta forms a crunchy top when sprinkled with plenty of parmesan.
Baked salmon with fennel and lemon pasta
A cut of baked salmon feels special, even with a simple squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of honey. In this recipe, it’s elevated with a bed of soft, citrus-tinged pasta.
Seasonal figs make an unlikely but delicious pair to tender beef kebabs. Best served with a tangy yoghurt sauce.
Sticky eggplant with chickpeas and noodles
Is there anything more satisfying than twirling forkfuls of noodles? This sweet and sticky noodle dish says no.