[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #71CCD5;”] Y[/dropcap]ou know the feeling…
You get home much later than planned.
The pressure is on.
You need dinner on the table, like an hour ago.
It happens to the best of us :)
That’s when I reach for my trusty favourite 15-minute dinner recipes.
10 Favourite 15-Minute Dinners
1. An Omelette
I know I’m very lucky that we have chooks so I always have lovely fresh eggs in the house. Which means there is always an omelette when I need a super quick dinner.
While I’m happy with a grating of parmesan to flavour, if I’m feeling like something more exotic this Indian Spiced Omelette really takes things to the next level. My other fave is this Sun-Dried Tomato number.
2. A Quick Curry
I always have a jar of commercial curry paste and some coocnut milk in the pantry so I can pull together a quick curry like this 10-Minute Massaman OR my ‘Buy-Nothing-New’ Curry which will save you a trip to the shops as well.
3. Fish & Salad
Quickly pan fry a fillet of fish. Open a bag of salad leaves. Make a super quick sauce like this Lime & Miso Butter or this Rosemary Macadamia Salsa or this Parisian Almond Sauce. Or if you don’t have the energy for a sauce just chop a lemon in half and drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil.
4. Taco Bowls
Everyone loves tacos! And these Taco Tuesday Bowls keep things low carb (and save you having to warm the tortillas!).
5. Minute Steaks
You can either buy minute steaks from your butcher. Or get regular steaks and bash them out yourself so they cook in literally a minute on each side. As an added bonus the bashing process also tenderises the meat. So good.
In fact these days I pretty much always opt for minute steaks when we’re having steak.
If you want more ideas try these Minute Steaks with Quick Chive Butter or Minute Steaks with Smashed Olives & Goats Cheese.
And if you’re not a red meat eater, this Minute Chicken with Green Olive Chimmichurri applies the same principle to chicken breast or thigh fillets.
6. A Quick Ragu
Brown some minced (ground) meat or crumbled sausages. Add some tomato and butter. Simmer for a few minutes and serve on a bed of baby spinach or any cooked veg you have in the fridge. Finish with some parmesan. A classic recipe for a reason :)
Pescetarians will love this Quick Tuna Ragu.
7. Beautiful Broccoli
Seriously one of my favourite, favourite things to eat. Chop some broccoli and boil / steam it in a covered pot with about 1cm deep for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and serve with a simple sauce or some poached eggs and mayo. More sauce ideas here. Yum yum yum!
8. Shakshuka!
This middle eastern classic of baked eggs isn’t just for breakfast. Or lunch. I love it for an easy dinner. This ‘Next Day Shakshuka‘ recipe is perfect for when you have leftovers that need eating up.
9. Cabbage Bowls.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I love cabbage. So I encourage you to try this Quick Tuna & Pesto Cabbage or Darya’s Egg Fried Cabbage to discover for yourself. You won’t regret it!
10. An Abundance Bowl
I normally have these for lunch. But if I need a quick option for a last minute dinner for myself, I’m always happy to have another Abundance Bowl for dinner.
What about you?
What are your go-to 15-Minute Dinners? Let me know in the comments below. I’m always on the lookout for new ideas!
Have fun in the kitchen – even if you’re only in there for 15 minutes ;)
With love,
Jules x
I’m with you for omelette. Some quick dinners we have are:- ready to eat avocado, halved, with a sachet of tuna https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/252424032?gclid=CKPbxLPJzeMCFRn_GwodphkH1w&gclsrc=ds and a boiled egg, halved (always have some in the fridge) on top. I have just bought (reduced price) 2 smoked basa fillets so they do in the microwave in about 90 secs, on a bed of ready to use spinach with poached eggs on top. I always have loads of stuff in the cupboard like pickled mushroom, beetroots, gerkins etc to stick on top of some salad with tuna or ham. Love your recipes, Janet
Yum Janet! Thanks for sharing – love the idea of your avo and tuna and egg combo.
I love whipping up any asian dish in the wok for a go-to quick and healthy feed. I pretty much find I can throw any vegetable or protein into a stir fry – makes a wonderful fridge clean out, too! :) My go to sauce is simply soy, garlic & ginger, chilli, lemon or lime. It’s a friendly, versatile base that I learnt when I began to expand my cooking skills and knowledge. Easy to remember. Mix it with nut butter or coconut milk etc for other variations :)
Also, brocolli is awesome!!!
I enjoy reading your website. Thank you.
And thank you for some great cabbage ideas, btw. My partner’s german and loves it so I try to find ways to incorporate it more. Silly me turned all the eggs purple! Children thought it was like something from Dr Seuss, hahaha!
LOVE the sound of your stir fry Amanda!
And glad your partner is enjoying the cabbage :)
We love Dr Seuss in our house too. I actually have a green eggs recipe in my first cookbook :)