Fast Weeknight Dinners (35 Minutes or Less)
Some nights the goal is simply dinner on the table without a long list of steps. Every recipe below takes about 35 minutes or less from start to finish, according to the total time on its recipe card, and most rely on pantry staples plus one or two fresh vegetables. Read through the recipe once, get everything chopped before the pan goes on, and the cooking itself moves quickly.
20-Minute Vegetable Fried Rice with Eggs
The fastest dinner here if you keep cooked rice in the fridge. Day-old rice fries up in separate grains instead of turning sticky.
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
A quick black bean and corn filling turns quesadillas into a proper meal. Add a green salad or some salsa and avocado on the side.
Vegetable Stir-Fry with Ginger-Garlic Sauce
Most of the work is chopping; the cooking takes minutes. Mix the sauce and cut the vegetables in the morning to make the evening even easier.
Sheet-Pan Organic Salmon with Green Beans
One tray, very little washing up. The green beans get a short head start, then the salmon joins them for the rest of the roast.
Easy Shakshuka with Peppers and Feta
Eggs poached right in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. Good for dinner with crusty bread, and the sauce can be made a few days ahead.
Spinach and Chickpea Curry with Tomatoes
Built from cans and pantry spices, with a big handful of spinach stirred in at the end. Leftovers make a good lunch the next day.
Tips for faster weeknights
Cook a pot of rice or grains on the weekend so it is ready for fried rice, curry or stir-fry. Keep canned beans, chickpeas and tomatoes in the cupboard, and a bag of frozen peas and corn in the freezer. If you have ten minutes after shopping, our guide to prepping vegetables for the week cuts down the chopping on busy evenings.