I Literally Never Have Time to Cook But I ALWAYS Eat Well—Here Are My Go-To, Crunch-Time Dinners
There’s nothing quite like a cozy, well-made dinner at the end of a long day. Unfortunately, having a nice dinner at the end of a busy day means having to spend time and effort on one (ugh). I don’t like to sacrifice having a quality meal, but during the week, I rarely ever have the energy to spend making it. That’s when I turn to these easy and quick recipes. All of these dinners are ready in 35 minutes or under, require relatively few ingredients, and couldn’t be easier to make (even when you have 0 energy). But don’t worry—these recipes are anything but boring. Get creative with a can of beans with cacio e pepe beans or black bean tostadas, switch up comfort food favorites with a burger bowl or ramen carbonara, or up the protein on a cozy pasta with cottage cheese Alfredo. You deserve a satisfying meal at the end of the day—skip take-out, and make one of my go-to crunch-time dinners instead.
Shrimp Scampi
Sometimes simple is the most satisfying. One of our favorite examples? The combo of lemon, garlic, and butter. Requiring ingredients you most likely already have on hand, shrimp scampi is a weeknight savior that is truly always satisfying, no matter how you serve it.
Get the Shrimp Scampi recipe.
Chicken & Broccoli
If you're like me, nothing sounds better on a busy weekday than a quick and easy stir-fry. Instead of turning to take-out, reach for this recipe. This fast and easy one-pot chicken and broccoli is coated in a sweet and savory sauce with plenty of ginger and garlic.
Get the Chicken & Broccoli recipe.
Cacio E Pepe White Beans Skillet
Craving 5-star flavors at home on a weeknight? Make these cacio e pepe white beans. Using just six ingredients, this classy one-pan dinner promises the luscious richness and bold flavors of a fine dining restaurant in just 15 minutes.
Get the Cacio E Pepe White Beans Skillet recipe.
Brown Sugar Salmon
When it comes to 15-minute weeknight dinners, nothing is better than a simple piece of flaky, tender, savory-sweet brown sugar-glazed salmon. It takes 5 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to cook, and cleanup is an absolute breeze.
Get the Brown Sugar Salmon recipe.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Figuring out how to give Alfredo sauce more nutritional value is the ultimate healthy meal hack. This classic creamy sauce already had a place in our hearts, but adding cottage cheese and spinach took the love to new heights.
Get the Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe.
Black Bean Tostadas
With only 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes, these black bean tostadas will have you serving up an easy and delicious vegetarian dinner on the table with hardly any work at all. These tostadas use ingredients you’re more than likely to have on hand, making them the easiest last-minute meal to throw together when you just can’t be bothered to cook up anything else.
Get the Black Bean Tostadas recipe.
Ramen Carbonara
Craving carbonara, but also in need of a cheap and easy dinner? Instant ramen is here to save the day. If you’re looking for a creative way to use up that last ramen package, this is the recipe that will class up the pantry staple.
Get the Ramen Carbonara recipe.
Burger Bowls
Craving a juicy cheeseburger but not the mandatory nap that comes with it? This cheesy, saucy, veggie-packed burger bowl is your solution. To make this easy bowl, we skip the carb-coma-inducing potato bun and swap it for a bed of fresh romaine lettuce topped with everything you’d find on a classic American diner cheeseburger
Get the Burger Bowls recipe.
Taco Gnocchi Bake
We’re no strangers to a one-pan dinner. On busy weeknights when we can’t be bothered to clean up a sink full of dishes, we love turning to our trusty skillets to build a meal from start to finish. And many of our favorite low-effort meals feature one trusty ingredient: gnocchi.
Get the Taco Gnocchi Bake recipe.
Freezer Burritos
Despite the savory, cheesy filling, the best part about this recipe is all of the pantry-friendly, time-saving shortcuts. Using pre-made taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and canned seasoned refried beans means you get to save time on prep without skimping on flavor.
Get the Freezer Burritos recipe.
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