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The daily grind of cooking dinner can sure take a toll on someone. Even if you meal plan, you can have unexpected circumstances forcing you to change your plan. In this article, we will go over 10 genius “no recipe” quick weeknight meals ideas to rescue you when you feel stuck. Let’s jump right in!
1. Fried Rice
Fried rice is always a go-to for me. It’s a great way to use leftover meat that won’t taste like leftovers. Your family won’t even notice you are using yesterday’s chicken because it is presented so differently.
You can use pretty much any leftover protein like chicken, steak, shrimp, or pork. If your family likes beans you can even you chickpeas for example. Fried rice is also a great dish allowing you to incorporate veggies into your meal. You can chop almost any vegetable and add it to fried rice. Complete the dish with some soy sauce or coconut amino and some fresh or dried herbs and you’ll have a yummy dinner in no time.
2. Pasta
Pasta is such a versatile meal. You can seriously make hundreds of different combinations. Here are a few of my go-to:
Thai pasta
First, cook some noodles. Then, add cooked chicken, pork, tofu, or steak. Throw in some carrots, broccoli, green onions, and any other veggies you like. Finish it up by adding some soy sauce and sesame seeds. Super quick and so good!
Marinara pasta
Add your favorite marinara sauce to cooked pasta. Second, add some cooked chicken, ground beef, or ground turkey. Add some veggies if you’d like such as zucchini, spinach, and mushrooms. Finally, top off with shredded parmesan and devour!
Rose sauce pasta
Simply add some cream to your marinara sauce. Then add some cooked shrimps, peas, and mushrooms. Complete by topping off with fresh parmesan and basil. This is a crowd-pleaser for sure.
3. Dinner soups
One of the best tips I got when I was in college what the following. Use a chicken noodle soup mix and cook according to the package direction. Add some diced carrots and celery to the soup mixture while the soup is cooking. Once the soup is done, add some cooked chicken and fresh herbs of your choice. Serve with warm bread, crackers, or even a grilled cheese sandwich.
4. Omelets and frittatas
This is one of the easiest yet filling meals you can fix when you don’t have much on hand. All you truly need are eggs, just use your imagination for the rest. Some of my favorite omelets are:
- Diced ham, mushrooms, green bell pepper, onions, and swiss cheese
- Bacon, tomatoes, spinach, zucchinis, and feta cheese
Add rice, hash-brown, or leftover pasta to make it more like a frittata. Seriously one of the yummiest quick weeknight meals there is.
5. Dinner salads
Salads are a great way to get your veggies in. Contrary to what some people believe, they can be very filling and satisfying. You just need to follow this overall pattern when creating your salad.
First, create a nice bed of greens (can be lettuce, spinach, or even arugula). Make sure you shred the lettuce in bite-size pieces. Second, mix some of your dressing with the greens. This will ensure each bite of salad will be perfectly flavored. Third, add some diced veggies, carbs and a protein. Be creative, there are so many options!. I like adding cooked but cooled rice into my salad or warm cooked sweet potatoes for my carb. Make sure you have a good mix of protein, carb and vegetable to increase the satiety. Drizzle more dressing on top and admit that salads can make an awesome dinner.
6. Quiches
Quiches are similar to omelets in terms of what can be in them but are a nice variation for egg-based quick weeknight meals. It’s easy to keep some frozen pie crusts on hand and just wing a quick quiche (say that 10 times) in the oven for a delicious dinner.
My favorites are the quiche lorraine or a vegetables quiche with some feta cheese. Some of my go-to veggies are broccoli, yellow or red bell pepper, onion, and zucchini.
7. Sandwiches and quesadillas
There is nothing wrong with a nice sandwich or a quesadilla for dinner. It is a great way to use up some leftovers. For example, you can make a chicken salad, use leftover steak for Philly cheesesteak, or add grilled veggies and hummus to fresh bread. Pair your sandwich with homemade fries. Cut up some potato wedges and drizzle with olive oil, add salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice on top and bake in the oven. And voila, you have a nice, healthy ,and super easy meal.
8. Tuna or salmon patties
Keep canned tuna and salmon in your pantry. They can be such a lifesaver when you are uninspired or out of food. All you need is to mix the tuna or salmon with a beaten egg, some bread crumbs, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and dill. Grill the patties in avocado oil and serve with a salad, rice, or steamed vegetables.
9. Tortilla or English muffin pizzas
This is a kid’s favorite. Grab some tortillas or a few English muffins and put some pizza or marinara sauce on top. Then, just add whatever you want and cover with your favorite cheese. Stick them in the oven at 350 F for about 15 minutes and enjoy your ridiculously simple pizzas.
10. Nourish bowls
Last but not least, the very Instagram-friendly nourish bowl. If you are not familiar, the concept of a nourish bowl is as follows. You start with grain at the bottom. This could be rice, quinoa, couscous , or another grain you like. Next, you neatly arranged toppings such as meat, beans, vegetables, cheese, seeds, etc. On top, people usually drizzle a dressing of some sort. I love to drizzle tahini on mine. You can probably see why this made the top 10 list. You can put anything that you like in a nourish bowl which makes them easy to customize for different preferences people might have in your home.
In conclusion..
This article was all about giving you ideas for quick weeknight meals you can make at home. Don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Even if you are a new cook, plenty of dishes are super easy to customize and make your own.
Thank you for reading and let me know what are some of your go-to easy meals.
Bon apetit!
Cat xx