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30 quick and easy meals to make this week

To make cooking after the holidays simple!
December 27, 2021 3:12 p.m. EST
December 27, 2021 9:00 a.m. EST

Looking for a weeknight dinner idea that's easy to make with minimal ingredients? We're counting down 30 of our favourite quick and easy meals—the ones perfect for busy nights where you don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, but still want something more substantial than say, toast!

From creamy lemon linguine to breakfast bowls, roasted chicken thighs to short ribs, you're sure to find a recipe you can make tonight that will satisfy everyone at the dinner table. 

Za-tar salmon with tahini

If you haven’t yet paired fish with tahini, then you’re in for a real treat! This baked version combines tahini with herbaceous za’atar and sour sumac. Using the nutty tahini will give you that creaminess you are after to balance out the spice. 

Crunchy Parmesan cauliflower steaks with curry aioli

These crunchy Parmesan cauliflower steaks are roasted and spiced to perfection, served with a deliciously spicy curry aioli—you won't even miss the meat. Cutting the cauliflower into thick slices makes for a hearty and satisfying plant-based meal.

Creamy lemon linguine with seared salmon

This simple and quick pasta dish makes for a great weeknight meal. Mary Berg cooks up creamy lemon linguine served with a delicious seared salmon. Feed the entire family with this dish, with little to clean up afterwards. 

Chicken shawarma wrap

This chicken shawarma is loaded with flavour and is one of the easiest and most delicious Mediterranean recipes to make at home. The chicken marinates in a simple spice blend and cooks in the oven until perfectly tender, juicy and golden brown.

One-pan chicken parmesan

This chicken Parmesan pasta uses the one-pot pasta method to cook your noodles, chicken and sauce all in one skillet for a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup.

Tofu scramble

High protein and super eggy tofu scramble! This hearty and satisfying vegan breakfast is the closest thing to scrambled eggs in taste without actually being scrambled eggs! Perfect for vegans who miss eggs and those who just want a hearty healthy breakfast.

Eggplant and parmesan lasagna boats

This stuffed eggplant lasagna recipe is low carb, and nutrient-packed. Made with ground veal, eggplant, and Parmigiano Reggiano these boats are perfect to make for a weeknight.  

Tomato chicken soup

Perfect for a cold winter night, this soup is hearty and flavourful. Made with diced tomatoes, boneless chicken and maple syrup, this soup is a one-pot wonder! 

Breakfast Buddha bowl

Hearty, filling, and delicious.  The greatest part about Buddha bowls is they can be completely customized to your liking or whatever you have on hand. Made with hard-boiled eggs, sweet potato, cabbage, and an avocado sprinkle feel good about serving this to the whole family. 

Portobello mushroom leek pizza

Bring back pizza nights with this zero dough veggie-packed portobello mushroom pizza. Unconventional and absolutely delicious. Cooked in 30 minutes, and gone in seconds!

Grilled chicken and rice noodle curry bowl

Get your protein in with this tasty grilled chicken and rice noodle curry bowl. Made with vegetable curry, carrots and rice noodles, serve with fresh herbs and cashews, you'll love how easy and delicious this meal is. 

15-minute sausage and leek pasta

This quick and easy pasta dish is sure to be a family favourite and it's ready in 30 minutes Add in sausage, leeks and zucchini and you're set for a weeknight meal that will feed everyone. 

Easy pan-roasted chicken thighs

Sophisticated enough for a Sunday supper yet quick enough for Wednesday's dinner, this master recipe is all in the unique ingredients. Made with pickle juice and garlic powder, this will become a staple meal in your house. 

Korean noodles with grilled short rib

Short ribs are the ultimate winter comfort food, and oh so easy to make when so easy and quick to make! Made with Korean flavours like soy sauce, gochujang and sesame oil and served with bean sprouts, you'll love how fancy this dish is—without the major clean-up. 

Sticky sweet sausage and vegetable bake

The best types of dinners are the ones with the least amount of work but the max amount of flavour! This sticky-sweet sausage and vegetable bake from food blogger, Vijaya Selvaraju does exactly that!

Lip smackin' chicken and rice

Chef Roger Mooking shares this easy and super delicious one-pot wonder for your hectic holiday schedules. Make this chicken and rice, made with bacon, black-eyed peas, basmati rice and coconut milk. 

One-pot creamy chicken pesto

This one-pot creamy chicken pesto is the perfect weeknight meal. It's easy to make, has little to no cleanup and fills the whole family.

Black bean, squash and cheese quesadillas

A vegetarian take on quesadillas, this dish is made with black beans and squash. Grab your favourite toppings and don't forget the cheese! 

Wagon wheel pasta with peas, bacon and ricotta

These fun wagon wheel pasta shells will add heartiness to this dish, along with the saltiness of the bacon, creaminess of the ricotta and crunchy peas, this dish will become your favourite meal to make because of how easy it is to whip up. 

Crispy fried pasta with spicy chorizo

Tomato sauced or not, this is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to serve pre-cooked pasta. All you need is a hot pan and some additional inspiration from your fridge, and you have an afternoon snack, side, or meal on your table in minutes. Since this recipe is more of a technique, I have only used the number of ingredients for two people. Scale up or down for the amount of pasta hanging around.

Easy skillet lasagna

With our simple recipe for Easy Skillet Lasagna, you can enjoy this comfort food any night of the week.  Everything cooks in just 30 minutes and all in one skillet, so cleanup is easy, too. 

Thai pork stir fry with tangy cucumber salad

Just a few ingredients pack a powerful flavour punch in this speedy dish that's light on the sauce. Pair with this tangy, crunchy cucumber salad to add freshness to the dish. 

Sheet pan perogies

These little cloud-like pasta pillow puffs of love are ridiculously delicious and a true one-pan wonder. Topped with green cabbage, sour cream and chives, you'll see these perogies disappear from your dinner table. 

Jalapeno popper-stuffed chicken

One of the most ideal ways to take boring boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a very fun direction, here they get filled with cream cheese and cheddar cheese for richness, fresh jalapeño for kick, and cilantro for brightness. Serve with rice, a stack of warm tortillas, or crusty bread to sop up the delicious pan juices. A pot of black or pinto beans would be nice, too, as would thick slices of avocado and tomatoes seasoned with lime and salt. 

Palmini shrimp scampi

Believe it, my dear friends, you can definitely have pasta for dinner while keeping it low carb and full of flavour. Palmini is a low-carb pasta alternative made from hearts of palm. The additional flavour notes of dry pinot grigio, Italian seasoning, butter and a dash of cream all come together to make this dish quick, hearty and delicious. 

Melt-in-the-mouth creamy fennel and fish gratin

This dish couldn’t be easier to make – it takes about 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. You can prepare this gratin the day before and then just pop it in the oven 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Fennel is the perfect partner for whitefish as the aniseed taste lifts the flavour and the dill adds so much freshness. I love serving this dish with fluffy basmati rice and a green leaf salad.

Ground turkey sloppy joes

Healthy turkey sloppy joes with an easy homemade sauce made with ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard. Everyone loves this recipe because it can also be made in the slow cooker and doubled… or tripled for a crowd.

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