What’s your go-to recipe for a quick weeknight dinner that never fails?
"What’s your favorite quick weeknight dinner recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes? I’m looking for something easy to prepare with ingredients I likely already have on hand. If you have any tips for making the dish even faster or adapting it for different dietary needs (like vegetarian or gluten-free), that would be fantastic! How do you ensure the dish turns out delicious every time?"
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-Rigatoni all vodka (Smitten Kitchen). I sometimes add vegetables, sausage, or shrimp. We love it and it takes 30 minutes to prepare.
-Indian Coconut Chicken or Shrimp Curry. PipingPotCurry.com has these 2 recipes that are cooked in the instant pot. Delicious and quick.
- grilled chicken thighs. Season about a pound of chicken thighs with Sazon seasoning and a little salt and 2-3 TB of oil (don't skimp on the oil; it keeps the chicken from sticking to the grate). Let it marinate for about 1-2 hours in the fridge. Then grill. Last night I served it with a tomato salad and Chinese marinated cucumbers.
- Shrimp with lemon,garlic & capers. This recipe evolved from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. I adjusted it include capers (which I LOVE, leave out if you don't), lemon, and smoked paprika. With peeled and deveined frozen shrimp. It's done in 15 minutes. So good with rice.
-Vietnamese grilled pork chops. This one can be prepped overnight or in the morning to let the meat marinate. I make this with and without lemongrass, mostly without.
But I do have some tried-and-true tips for making one you and your family or guests will like and enjoy.
A quick reliable dinner relies as much or more on shopping and preparing as kn cooking:
• stock up on protein(s) your family likes, portion them and store in fridge, freezer or pantry, depending on their nature and how often you use them.
• for produce, trim and store in the fridge when you bring it home (maybe give a quick wash if you will use in a few days). And/or buy frozen vegetables from your grocery. For dinner, quick sauté or mix the vegetables as a salad. For dessert, poach quickly or make a fruit platter.
• For carbs (breads, pasta, crackers, some vegetables), do the same as your proteins. Remove from cold storage or pantry, cook as needed and serve with garnishes. You can do this for both gf and regular grain foods.