Excellent recipes for quick dinners when there is no time to cook. Get inspired!

If you don’t want to cook from ready-to-eat meals, then you’ll probably welcome tips on recipes for quick dinners that don’t take too much time to prepare.

Which ones are they?

The offer is wide!

From Asian stir-fried dishes, through soups to various pastas.

Try them all!

Kung Pao Chicken with Noodles

The perfect dinner quick dish with chicken, vegetables, noodles and a luxurious peanut sauce is great as a quick dinner that is also perfect for demanding guests.

Ingredients

• 230g (uncooked) noodles of your choice
• 2 tablespoons of peanut or olive oil
• 500g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
• 230 g of mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 large zucchini, grated into spirals or cut into pieces
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 batch Kung Pao sauce (see below)
• for garnish: chopped peanuts, thinly sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds

For the Kung Pao Sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil

Method

1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package.
2. Drain, drizzle with a little oil and toss.
3. Set aside until ready to use.
4. While the noodles are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
5. Season the chicken evenly with salt and pepper, then add to the pan.
6. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
7. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
8. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan along with the onion and mushrooms.
9. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
10. Add the zucchini and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Stir in the Kung Pao sauce (here you make it by whisking all the ingredients together until combined), stir-fried chicken and noodles and toss until evenly combined.
12. Saute for 1 more minute.
13. Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with chopped peanuts, spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Veal Saltimbocca

Popular throughout Rome, this quick and elegant dish requires only 3 main ingredients: veal chops, prosciutto and fresh sage. Serve with a simple Marsala Italian dessert wine sauce that is absolutely luxurious!

Ingredients

• 8 veal steaks
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 16-24 thin slices of prosciutto
• 16-24 fresh sage leaves
• 1⁄2 cup plain flour
• 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 12 tablespoons of butter
• 1⁄4 cup Marsala Italian dessert wine
• 1 cup chicken broth

Method

1. Using a meat mallet, pound the veal cutlets, one at a time, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until each piece is about 0.3cm thick.
2. Season lightly with salt (just a little because prosciutto is salty) and pepper to taste.
3. Place 2-3 slices of prosciutto on top of each piece of veal and gently press the prosciutto against the veal to adhere.
4. Place 2-3 sage leaves on top of the prosciutto and insert toothpicks into the veal.
5. Pour the flour onto a large plate.
6. Coat each piece of veal in flour, shake off excess and set aside.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add 2 pieces of veal and cook, turning once, until prosciutto is crisp and veal is lightly browned, about 1 minute per side.
9. Transfer the meat to a plate lined with a paper towel; drain and pour the oil and butter from the pan.
10. Repeat this process with additional oil, butter and remaining meat.
11. Remove and discard the toothpicks.
12. Drain and discard the oil and butter from the pan.
13. Return the pan to the stove and heat over high heat.
14. Add the Marsala.
15. Cook, scraping up browned bits as you do so, until wine is reduced by half, 1–2 minutes.
16. Add stock and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
17. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and reduce the heat to medium.
18. Return meat to pan; cook, turning occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 1–2 minutes.
19. Transfer to a plate and serve drizzled with the pan sauce.

Zucchini spaghetti with avocado sauce

Zucchini spirals in a creamy avocado-herb sauce are a great low-carb dish that’s a healthier alternative to traditional pasta. This is a great recipe for a quick meatless dinner any time of the week. You will love them!

Ingredients

• 3-4 large or 5-6 small zucchini
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped

For the avocado sauce:

• 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
• a large handful of coriander (parsley or basil can also be used)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• water as needed

Method

1. Cut off the ends of the zucchini.
2. Use a spiralizer to make zucchini spaghetti.
3. Heat a large frying pan over high heat.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the pan, then add the crushed garlic.
5. Sauté the garlic for just a few seconds or until golden.
6. Add the zucchini noodles, toss to combine with the garlic and cook for just a few seconds, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.
7. While the zucchini pasta is cooling, add the avocado, herbs (coriander, parsley or basil), lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
8. Blend until the mixture is creamy (optionally add 2-3 tablespoons of water or until the mixture reaches a runny consistency).
9. Pour the sauce over the zucchini noodles.
10. Mix and serve.
11. Garnish with Parmesan or chopped cilantro.
12. Enjoy your meal!

Mongolian beef with rice

Prepare this dish, thanks to which you will have a tasty and delicious restaurant-like dinner at home in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients

• 500 g beef flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 spring onions, cut diagonally into pieces about 2.5 cm in size

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of pressed garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)

Optionally:

• 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

Method

1. Add the sliced flank steak to a large bowl and mix thoroughly with the cornstarch.
2. Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet.
3. Once the oil is hot, add the beef and fry until browned, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir the meat a little so that it cooks evenly.
5. Transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel and drain the oil from the pan.
6. In a medium saucepan over low/medium heat, add the oil followed by the garlic and ginger, sauté and stir for 30 seconds and whisk in the cane sugar, soy sauce and water.
7. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes, then set aside.
8. Add the beef to the sauce pot and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
9. Stir in the spring onions.
10. Garnish with sesame seeds (optional).
11. Serve immediately with rice.

Simple garlic soup

An easy and quick recipe for garlic soup thickened with bread. It has a delicate and rich taste and will pleasantly warm you up during winter evenings.

Ingredients

• 7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 15 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 slices of bread (fresh or stale, white or whole wheat)
• 1 spring onion
• 1/3 cup sour cream (optional)

Method

1. Pour the stock into a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 7 minutes.
2. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and pour in the olive oil.
3. While heating, peel and roughly chop the onion.
4. Add it to the olive oil and mix.
5. Stir the onion occasionally while peeling the garlic cloves.
6. Spread all the peeled garlic in a single layer on a cutting board and run a knife through it a few times to roughly chop it.
7. Add it to the onion and stir-fry for 1 minute.
8. Season with salt and pepper, turn off the microwave (if it’s still running) and add the heated stock.
9. Mix and cover with a lid.
10. Increase the flame to high.
11. Cut the bread into centimeter cubes.
12. Add them to the soup and stir.
13. Put the lid back on.
14. Chop the spring onion.
15. Set aside.
16. Once the soup is cooked and the bread is well soaked, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth.
17. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
18. Pour into bowls and top each with sour cream, if using, and chopped spring onion.

Pad Thai

This Thai national dish is among the tastiest foods in existence. See for yourself! You can choose to add chicken, shrimp or tofu to it. Either way, the result will be worth it.

Ingredients

• 110 dry rice noodles for pad thai
• boiling water to cover the noodles
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (optional)
• 2 eggs, beaten with a fork with a generous pinch of salt
• 170-230 g of tofu, chicken breast or peeled shrimp
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of peanut oil or coconut oil
• 1 lime

For the Pad Thai Sauce:

• 3 spoons of fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons cane sugar (or coconut, palm or regular sugar)
• 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar (or a mixture of 1-2 teaspoons of tamarind paste with 2 tablespoons of water)
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce

To decorate:

• lime slices, fresh bean sprouts, chili flakes, chopped spring onions, roasted peanuts

Method

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions
2. They should not be completely soft, just flexible and pliable.
3. Chop the shallot, garlic and ginger.
4. In a bowl, beat two eggs with a fork and add a generous pinch of salt.
5. Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.
6. For the chicken: cut the chicken into thin strips and season with salt and pepper.
7. For the tofu: Clean the tofu with paper towels. Cut the tofu into 2 cm cubes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and add a little cornstarch.
8. For the shrimp: Peel them and season with salt and pepper.
9. Fry chicken, shrimp or tofu in a wok with hot oil until done.
10. Set aside and wipe the pan with a paper towel.
11. Prepare chopped shallots, beaten eggs, cooked noodles, ready-made chicken, tofu or shrimp, and sauce.
12. Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok, add the shallot mixture and sauté for just a few minutes until the vegetables are golden and fragrant.
13. Make a well in the center of the wok, put the shallot mixture to the side of the pan and add the egg.
14. Break the eggs into small pieces, let them brown a little and work them into the shallots, then break them into small pieces.
15. Add the drained, semi-soft noodles and toss with the egg mixture, stirring, turning and frying for 3-4 minutes.
16. Add the sauce and cook for 1 minute.
17. Add the cooked chicken, tofu or shrimp and stir for a while.
18. Cook until the noodles are soft (but still a little chewy), adding a little water if they seem too dry.
19. Add bean sprouts and roasted peanuts and sprinkle with chili flakes and spring onions.
20. Squeeze some lime juice and taste.
21. Adjust salt to taste, add more lime or more sugar.
22. Stir and serve immediately.
23. Divide between two plates.
24. Garnish with bean sprouts, fresh spring onions, coriander or basil, chilli, lime wedges and roasted crushed peanuts.

Tacos with scrambled eggs

A simple and quick dinner for which you only need a few ingredients and leftovers left in the fridge from previous cooking. And the result is definitely worth it!

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 2 to 3 cups cooked vegetables such as potatoes, zucchini, corn, or any other vegetables you have left over from previous cooking
• 1 cup cooked meat such as chicken, pulled pork, or any meat you have left over from previous cooking (optional)
• fresh cilantro and hot sauce to serve

Method

1. Beat the eggs until the whites and yolks are completely combined.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Once melted, reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs.
4. Stir frequently until eggs reach desired level of softness.
5. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a large serving plate.
6. Meanwhile, heat the leftover vegetables in the microwave or in a pan over low heat.
7. Transfer the warmed vegetables to a serving plate with the eggs.
8. Fry the tortillas briefly on both sides until dry in a pan.
9. Place a plate of taco fillings, tortillas, cilantro and hot sauce on the table for everyone to build their own tacos.

Pasta with cherry tomato sauce

With just a few ingredients, you can prepare a delicious pasta sauce in just 10 minutes. Enjoy this quick, warm dinner that is also suitable for children.

Ingredients

• 450 g of dry pasta
• salt to taste
• 4 medium cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 675 g of cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• parmesan, to serve

Method

1. Put the pasta in a large pot, cover with water and add a pinch of salt.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions recommend.
4. Meanwhile, heat the garlic and 4 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté, stirring often, until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes start to pop.
6. You can help them by pressing down on them with the back of a wooden spoon as they soften.
7. Continue cooking until the sauce is rich and creamy, about 5 more minutes.
8. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper.
9. When the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
10. Add the pasta to the sauce and increase the heat to medium-high.
11. Cook, stirring constantly, adding pasta water as needed to adjust to a nice creamy consistency.
12. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and grated Parmesan.
13. Serve immediately and add extra Parmesan cheese for sprinkling at the table.

Vegetable salad with salmon

This healthy salad is rich in nutrients and incredibly tasty. It contains spinach, avocado, tomatoes and red onion and you simply put the salmon on top of it all. After that, drizzle the dish with homemade lemon dressing and you have a light but filling meal on the table that takes less than 20 minutes to prepare!

Ingredients

• 4 cups baby spinach
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 salmon fillets
• salt and pepper to taste

For the lemon dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
3. Add the fillets, top side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
4. Turn the salmon over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Divide all other salad ingredients into two bowls and place the finished salmon on top.
6. Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and drizzle it over the finished dish.
7. Serve!

Asian-style roasted chicken with vegetables

A luxurious and quick dish that you can easily prepare any time of the week in less than 20 minutes! It is pleasantly spicy and the combination of Asian flavors, chicken, rice and vegetables will never get boring.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons of cornmeal or cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• a pinch of pepper
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of cane sugar
• 3 spoons of sweet chili sauce
• 2 spoons of ketchup
• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
• 1 small red chili pepper, seeded and sliced
• cooked rice or noodles, to serve

Method

1. Place the chicken on a plate, add the cornmeal, salt and pepper and toss to coat the chicken.
2. Add oil to a wok and heat to high.
3. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken and fry for 5-6 minutes – turning a few times until lightly browned.
4. Add the sweet peas and paprika and fry for another two minutes
5. Add garlic, soy sauce, Chinese rice vinegar, cane sugar, sweet chili sauce and ketchup.
6. Continue to heat on high, tossing everything with a spatula, until the mixture is heated through.
7. Check if the chicken is cooked by taking a large piece and cutting it in half.
8. If it’s no longer pink in the middle, it’s done.
9. Stir in the chopped spring onion and chopped chilli and sauté for another minute.
10. Serve with rice or noodles.

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