Fast Food To Save Your Time
Life gets busy. Work runs late. Kids need help with homework. The time spent in the kitchen is the last thing that you want to think about. Easy dinner recipes come to their rescue there.
These fast food concepts will put dinner on your table within 30 minutes or so. No gourmet cooking ability required. Only basic ingredients and clever shortcuts that can work with any real family with real schedules.
These recipes will become your staple when you want to cook alone or when you are feeding a starving family on those busy weekdays.
It Makes Perfect Sense to Eat in 30 Minutes
Quick food does not have to compromise flavor or nutrition. With the proper tricks, you can make wonderful food in half of the time it takes the old traditional recipes to make.
Rapid methods of cooking such as pan-frying, stir-frying, and cooking ready-prepared foods assist you to get food on the table quickly. These methods do contribute to the preservation of flavors and the crispness and color of vegetables.
The secret is to plan ahead and have your pantry ready with some universal ingredients that you can use in a variety of recipes.
The Kitchen Utensils You Must Have To Cook Fast
With the help of the proper tools, one can cook faster and easier. You do not require costly equipment, simply a few major items, which assist you work efficiently.
Your best friend is a large non-stick skillet when making quick meals. It warms quickly and rinses very well. A sharp knife cuts through preparation. A cutting board provides you with working room.
Have measuring cups, wooden spoon, and spatula close at hand. The simplest of tools fulfill the majority of the cooking duties and will allow you to get to the plate as soon as possible.
Staple Pantry Foods To Help Get Meal Ready
Weeknight cooking is made easier as a result of smart shopping. Stock your pantry with ingredients that keep well and which can be combined in an array of simple dinner recipes.
Pasta can cook very fast and be used with pretty much anything. Rice is more time consuming, but you may use instant rice or rice left over from earlier meals. Canned beans are a source of protein and do not need to be cooked.
Frozen vegetables take less time to cook than fresh vegetables and are, in many cases, more nutritious, as they are frozen when they are at their best. Ready-made meals such as rotisserie chicken or cans of chicken or salmon save a lot of significant preparation.
A few basic spices, onions, garlic, and olive oil transform simple food into tasty dishes. These fundamentals appear in dishes ranging in culinary style between Italian and Asian to Mexican. For more healthy recipe ideas and nutritional tips, check out our comprehensive recipe collection at FitFuel Blog.
Lightning-Fast Pasta Dishes
Pasta is the fastest easy dinner recipe. The majority of the shapes are cooked in 8-12 minutes when you are making a simple sauce.
Easy Mac and Cheese
Begin boiling pasta water. During the time that the pasta is cooking, warm up olive oil in a big pan. Add minced garlic and cook one minute until fragrant.
Add heavy cream and allow to simmer. Add grated Parmesan cheese and melt it. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Drain the pasta and add it straight into the cream sauce. Pour in a little pasta water in case the sauce has become too thick. Immediately top with additional cheese to serve.
Total time: 15 minutes
One-Pan Chicken Alfredo
Dice chicken breasts in bite sized chunks and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Heat skillet with a lot of oil on medium-high heat.
Cook pieces of chicken 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Add some minced garlic and continue to cook a minute more.
Add in chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and put uncooked pasta into the pan. Cover and cook 12-15 minutes and stir at intervals.
Once the pasta is soft then add Parmesan cheese and frozen peas. Allow the peas to warm up 2-3 minutes.
Total time: 25 minutes
Quick Stir-Fry Solutions
Stir-frying is cooking in a short period but still leaves the ingredients crisp and colorful. The trick to it is to be ready and then begin to cook.
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Cut beef into thin slices and combine with cornstarch, soy sauce and some oil. Allow to rest as you prepare other ingredients.
Add oil into a wok or large skillet and heat it over high heat. Cook beef 2-3 minutes until brown. Remove beef and set aside.
Add the broccoli florets and cook them 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook further 30 seconds.
Return beef to the pan. To this, add a sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce and a little sugar. Combine all of this and stir 1-2 minutes.
Serve over rice or noodles.
Total time: 20 minutes
Shrimp and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Get pre-cooked shrimp to make this even faster. Heat oil in a pot with lots of space and stir-fry frozen vegetables.
Vegetables should be cooked 3-4 minutes until they begin to become soft. Add some garlic and ginger to give it flavor.
Add the cooked shrimp and warm up. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes sprinkled over it.
Serve on top of rice or have as a complete meal.
Total time: 12 minutes
Simple Skillet Meals
One-pan food means less cleaning and cooking. These are simple dinner recipes that only cook in one skillet.
Sausage and Pepper Skillet
Cut Italian sausages and bell peppers. Heat skillet with a lot of oil on medium-high heat.
Brown the sausage slices on both sides for a total of about 6-8 minutes. Remove sausage from pan.
Put peppers and onions that have been sliced in the same pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft.
Put sausage back into the pan and mix all together. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs.
Serve with crusty bread, or over pasta.
Total time: 18 minutes
Chicken and Rice Skillet
Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken saves time. Warm oil in a big pan and add diced onion.
Cook onion until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking one minute.
Add instant rice, chicken broth, and frozen mixed vegetables. Boil, then lower the heat and cover.
Simmer for 5 minutes. Add cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt, pepper and your favorite herbs.
Total time: 22 minutes
Speedy Sheet Pan Dinners
Sheet pan meals are prepared together in the oven while you are doing something else. Busy families will find these recipes helpful.
Chicken Fajita Sheet Pan
Thinly slice chicken breasts and toss with oil and fajita spices. Cut peppers and onions.
Arrange all on a big sheet pan, in one layer. Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes.
Serve with warm tortillas, cheese and your preferred toppings such as salsa, sour cream and guacamole.
Total time: 25 minutes
Salmon and Vegetables
Place fish fillets on one side of a sheet pan. Toss vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and potatoes with oil and spices.
Place the vegetables over the remaining space of the pan. Bake 15-18 minutes at 400°F until salmon flakes easily.
Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper and serve.
Total time: 20 minutes
Fast Breakfast-for-Dinner Options
Breakfast food is sometimes the simplest dinner. These dishes are fast to cook and everybody loves them.
Veggie Scramble
Heat oil in a big non-stick pan. Add chopped vegetables such as mushrooms, peppers and onions.
Cook 4-5 minutes until tender. Whisk eggs in a bowl and add to the pan with vegetables.
When eggs begin to set, scramble everything together. During the final minute of cooking, add in cheese.
Serve with toast or English muffins.
Total time: 12 minutes
Pancake Dinner
Use pancake mix to obtain super-quick results. Prepare batter as package directs.
Heat up a large pan or a griddle on medium heat. Pour batter to prepare pancakes and cook until bubbles appear on the surface.
Flip and cook until golden brown. Serve with syrup or fruit or even savory toppings such as bacon and cheese.
Total time: 15 minutes
Time Saving Tips to Cook Faster
A few little modifications in your preparation and cooking can save you much time with these quick dinner recipes.
Read the whole recipe first. This aids in the avoidance of surprises and understanding of when to do something.
Prepare ingredients as other components of the food cook. Chop vegetables as pasta cooks or rice simmers.
When time is extremely limited, use the pre-cut vegetables found in the grocery store. They are more expensive but they save valuable minutes during busy nights.
Have an organized spice cabinet so you can reach what you want without digging through cabinets.
Easy Dinner Recipes Made Even Easier
Planning your meals keeps you well organized and eliminates the stress that occurs in day to day activities. Take a few minutes every week to consider what you are going to cook.
Batch prep on weekends. Pre-chop vegetables, cook grains or marinate proteins.
When you can make two servings and save half. A lot of these fast foods are freezable and easily reheatable.
Keep a grocery list on the go to ensure that you constantly have the ingredients to make your favorite go-to recipes.
Smart Ingredient Swaps
There is no need to worry about the absence of an ingredient. Majority of the easy dinner recipes can be substituted easily.
No fresh garlic? Use garlic powder instead. Out of heavy cream? Add a little flour to milk.
Most stir-fries and skillet meals are made with various kinds of vegetables. Use what you have or what is on sale.
Most recipes can be made using ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef. They cook as fast and in many cases are less expensive.
Creating Flavor With No Additional Time
Fast food does not equate to dull food. Simple techniques bring a lot of flavor without any additional time to prep.
Season with salt and pepper before cooking. This simple procedure makes a great taste difference.
Add acids such as lemon juice or vinegar to brighten flavors at the end of cooking. A fresh lemon squeeze will help transform a simple meal.
Herbs that are added at the end of cooking seem to be brighter than herbs that have been cooked over a long period.
Toast spices in a dry pan before adding the additional ingredients. This is the easiest thing to do to release flavor.
For more cooking tips and techniques to enhance your quick meals, check out America’s Test Kitchen, which offers excellent guidance on efficient cooking methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a dinner recipe easy? Simple recipes are those that involve simple procedures, simple ingredients and require little preparation. They usually take about 30 minutes or less, and they involve simple cooking techniques such as sautéing, stir-frying or baking.
Can I prepare in advance? Yes! Preparing chopped vegetables, marinating proteins, and organizing spices ahead of time will save time on a busy weeknight. Refrigerate ready-to-use components and make meals within 2-3 days.
What should I do when I do not have all the items? The majority of simple dinner recipes are adaptable. You are able to use a variety of similar items, omit unnecessary ingredients, or use what you have available. The trick is to maintain the same fundamentals of cooking.
How do I determine when food is well cooked? For proteins, get a meat thermometer. The chicken must reach 165°F and the beef must get to the temperature of doneness that you want. The vegetables must be tender yet not mushy.
Is it possible to prepare such recipes for large families? All of the recipes can be doubled, though you might need bigger pans or cook in batches. The time required to cook may be a little longer when preparing larger amounts.
How do you reheat leftover food? Add water or broth to already cooked pasta and warm it in the microwave. Stir fries can be warmed again in a skillet at medium heat. Leftover sheet pan meals can be placed back in the oven at a temperature of 350°F until warmed.
Your New Weeknight Routine
These quick dinner recipes will demonstrate that fast food does not necessarily need to be served through a drive-up window. Home-cooked meals can be made in 30 minutes or less with just a few simple tricks and clever ingredient selection.
Begin with one or two recipes that you and your family like. Master one and then add another. Before long, you will have a repertoire of dishes to rely on that will make weeknight cooking a breeze.
It is not about perfection. It is about preparing nutritious and delicious food without having to spend hours in the kitchen. These are easy recipes that will allow you to do just that and keep your family happy and well-fed.
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