Most nights, spending an hour making dinner isn't in the cards. Don't worry: These 30-minute dinner ideas make meal planning simple—and many of them require less than 15 minutes prepping!
The best part: Many of these dishes are fancy enough for entertaining—so having a dinner party or other get-together is even easier than ever.
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Salt and Pepper Chicken
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Make your favorite Chinese takeout at home with this fast-and-easy recipe. Chinese five-spice powder is the secret ingredient to give your chicken extra flavor.
Salt and Pepper Chicken Recipe
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Shrimp Tacos with Caramelized Pineapple
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Shrimp cooks up in just minutes, so it's a great protein to include when you need to get dinner done fast. Here, it's paired with caramelized pineapple for a sweet and tasty meal.
Shrimp Tacos With Caramelized Pineapple Recipe
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Green Olive and Rosemary Lamb Chops
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This super-tasty dish takes only 15 minutes to come together—including flavorful . rosemary-olive bulgur wheat and a smashed cucumber salad. The chops cook in the broiler in just eight minutes.
Rosemary Lamb Chops Recipe
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Shrimp and Artichoke Scampi
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Pasta is one of the most popular picks for fast weeknight meals. Artichokes are added to turn shrimp scampi into a complete one-dish dinner.
30-Minute Shrimp and Artichoke Scampi
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Sheet Pan Sausages and Veggies
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This 30-minute dinner couldn't be easier. Just pop sausage and some roughly chopped veggies onto the pan, and cook until sizzling.
Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
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Antipasto Salad
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No cooking required for this hearty and delicious salad. Just chop and mix all your favorite antipasto fixings for a dinner that's ready in 15 minutes.
Antipasto Salad
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Easy Green Shakshuka
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Shakshuka is generally eggs cooked in a spicy red sauce—but why not go green with artichokes, spinach, salsa verde, and avocado? (You can swap in other veggies, like kale, zucchini, or broccoli if you're not into what's in the recipe.)
Easy Green Shakshuka Recipe
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Pasta With Zucchini and Goat Cheese
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If you're someone who gets way too many zucchini in the summer, this 30-minute dinner idea will use up plenty of your bounty. Lemon zest adds a little brightness, and a creamy goat cheese.
Pasta With Zucchini and Goat Cheese
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Carbonara Pizza
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Anything that's a delicious pasta dish can also be a decadent pizza. Pair pre-made pizza dough with traditional carbonara fixings for a delicious alternative to a standard margarita pie.
Carbonara Pizza Recipe
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Tofu Fried Rice
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Fried rice is a fast and easy weeknight meal—and a perfect way to toss in any leftover veggies you have in your fridge. This fresh take on fried rice includes Indian flavors like ginger, turmeric, and yogurt.
Tofu Fried Rice Recipe
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Fast Italian Fish Stew
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Top a tomato-bean stew with a fish filet and plenty of fresh herbs for a cozy and quick weeknight dinner.
Fast Italian Fish Stew
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Spicy Dumpling Soup
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Soup is a smart and speedy meal. This soup uses frozen dumplings and a generous helping of chili crisp for a flavorful and fast dinner idea.
Spicy Dumpling Soup Recipe
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Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
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Sheet pan dinners make dinner prep simple and post-dinner cleanup even easier. This one takes 10 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to get on your table.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
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Linguine With Cherry Tomato Sauce
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Skip the jarred pasta sauce and make your own with flavorful cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
Linguine With Cherry Tomato Sauce
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Miso Noodle Soup
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Ramen noodles and wilted spinach bulk up a traditional miso soup. You can add extra flavor by crisping up the tofu before you add it to the soup.
Miso Noodle Soup Recipe
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Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Salsa Verde
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This Mexican-style sheet pan dinner is packed with flavor, thanks to salsa verde, cotija cheese, and plenty of cilantro.
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Salsa Verde
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Summer Tacos With Scallion-Peanut Relish
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These tacos swap out the traditional salsa for a flavorful and spicy chopped peanut and scallion relish. Using rotisserie chicken helps it come together in 25 minutes.
Summer Tacos With Scallion-Peanut Relish
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Fancy Tomato Sandwiches
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For the very busiest nights, a tasty (and totally satisfying) sandwich that comes together in 15 minutes flat is the perfect fast and easy meal.
Fancy Tomato Sandwiches
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Eggplant and Tomato Masala With Chickpeas
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Vegetarian dinners don't have to skimp on flavor—as this spicy Indian-style dish shows.
Eggplant-and-Tomato Masala With Chickpeas
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Grilled Halloumi Salad
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Firm, grilled halloumi is the centerpiece of this Mediterranean-style salad that's gets onto the table fast.
Grilled Halloumi Salad
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Southwestern Beef Chili With Corn
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Chili in under 30 minutes? This tasty beef chili recipe makes it happen. And if you like make-ahead meals, double up the recipe and stash a batch in the freezer.
Southwestern Beef Chili With Corn
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Grilled Turkey Zucchini Burgers
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Turkey has a bad reputation for drying out when cooked, but we have the solution. Mixing in shredded zucchini packs in vitamins and moisture for a perfect burger every time.
Grilled Turkey-Zucchini Burgers
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Speedy Pork Banh Mi
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A sweet-tart marinaded and quick roast make for pork perfection for this variation on the Vietnamese classic sandwich. (You can skip the cilantro for anyone who hates the flavor.)
Speedy Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches
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Udon With Seared Beef and Zucchini
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Mushrooms, zucchini, and seared beef add plenty of flavor to this classic Japanese noodle dish.
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Pasta With Shrimp and Spicy Butter
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Add a little extra flair to pasta night with curly mafalde noodles and shrimp. Korean condiment gochujang spices up the butter for a perfect sauce.
Pasta With Shrimp And Spicy Butter
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No-Bake Summer Lasagna
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Lasagna tends to be a cold-weather meal staple, but try this variation in the summer, when you can use up tomatoes and zucchini from your garden or farmer's market, and enjoy lasagna without having to turn on the oven.
No-Bake Summer Veggie Lasagna
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Crispy Peanut Tofu With Sugar Snap Peas And Peppers
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For a fast and easy dinner, you can't beat stir fry. Tofu and veggies get a generous helping of peanut sauce for added flavor (and protein).
Crispy Peanut Tofu With Sugar Snap Peas And Peppers
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Black Bean and Eggs-Over-Easy Tostadas
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Eggs aren't just for breakfast. Pair them with black beans, crispy tortillas and an array of veggies for an easy 30-minute dinner.
Black Bean and Eggs-Over-Easy Tostadas
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Smoky-Sweet Steak Supper
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A brown sugar and paprika rub gives ribeye steak the sweet and smoky flavor. Pair it with a green bean and tomato salad for an easy date-night dinner.
Smoky-Sweet Steak Supper
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Real Simple Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad
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Not only does this Mediterranean style pasta salad come together quickly—it also tastes better if you make it ahead and let the flavors meld together.
Real Simple Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad
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Italian Sausage Burgers
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Trade in basic ground beef for ground Italian sausage for a more flavorful (but just as fast) burger.
Italian Sausage Burgers Are an Easy Meal the Whole Family Will Love
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Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
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This may sound like a college kid's concoction, but don't knock it until you try it. Gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil combine with peanut butter for a sauce with plenty of kick.
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
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Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Salmon and Broccolini
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Compound butters are a great way to add plenty of flavor to a meal, fast. Sundried tomatoes, Italian seasonings, and garlic are mixed with butter, then slathered on salmon for an easy weeknight dinner recipe.
Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Salmon and Broccolini Recipe
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Swiss Chard Mac and Cheese
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You can make homemade (and healthier!) mac and cheese in the about the same time it takes for the boxed style. This version calls for parmesan and mozzarella cheeses in lieu of cheddar.
Swiss Chard Mac and Cheese
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Mango Chicken Curry
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Mango adds a little extra sweetness to this quick-to-make curry recipe. It's pureed into a coconut milk curry sauce for a sweet-and-savory base to cook chicken thighs in.
Mango Chicken Curry
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Five-Spice Steak With Couscous
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Chinese five-spice powder—a potent mix of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns—gives steak a perfect crisp crust and plenty of flavor.
Five-Spice Steak With Couscous
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Soppressata Pizza With Arugula and Honey
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This pizza still has the classic tomato sauce and mozzarella, but finishing it with soppressata, arugula, and a drizzle of honey will elevate your pizza night.
Soppressata Pizza With Arugula and Honey
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Speedy Linguine and Clam Sauce
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You don't have to worry about cleaning clams (or dealing with any that fail to open when cooked) to get that white clam sauce flavor. Just sub in canned clams and clam juice for a 30-minute pasta dinner.
Speedy Linguine and Clam Sauce
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Crispy Chicken-And-Cheddar Sandwich With Pickle Dijon
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No need for the drive-through when you can make an even better crispy chicken sandwich at home in just 15 minutes. Bake up some crispy homemade chips on the side, and kiss fast food goodbye.
Crispy Chicken-And-Cheddar Sandwich With Pickle Dijon
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Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps
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This fresh and easy weeknight meal is perfect picky eaters. You prep all the ingredients, and everyone can stuff their lettuce leaves (or make a little platter) of their favorites.
Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps
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Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
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We love a good sheet pan recipe, and this veggie-packed fajita recipe will definitely end up in regular rotation.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
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Clam Pizza
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Think pasta with clam sauce, but on a pizza. Store-bought pizza dough and canned clams help this meal come together in 25 minutes.
Clam Pizza
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Buttery Shrimp With Marinated White Beans
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If you need a fast (but sophisticated) dinner fast, bookmark this favorite. You'll likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry or fridge on any given day—and you can sub in chickpeas or cranberry beans if you've run out of cannellini.
Buttery Shrimp With Marinated White Beans
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Almond-Crusted Chicken With Arugula Salad
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For a more keto-friendly crust, this 30-minute dinner recipe calls for almond flour in lieu of panko crumbs.
Almond-Crusted Chicken With Arugula Salad
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Spring Minestrone
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When you're feeling under the weather, opt for this veggie-filled minestrone to soothe your symptoms and help you pack in a healthy dose of nutrients.
Spring Minestrone
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Vegetarian Tacos With Sweet Potatoes and Corn
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Spicy sweet potatoes and corn stand in for meat in vegetarian tacos in this 20-minute diner idea.
Vegetarian Tacos With Sweet Potatoes and Corn
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Orange Chicken Stir-Fry With Rice Noodles
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Shhh...the secret for this Chinese takeout favorite is orange marmalade. If you don't have rice noodles, plain rice is an alternative accompaniment.
Orange Chicken Stir-Fry With Rice Noodles
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Hummus, Tomato, and Feta Pita Pizzas With Arugula Salad
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This no-cook dinner can be assembled in minutes, and features plenty of flavor, thanks to the hummus and feta cheese.
Hummus, Tomato, and Feta Pita Pizzas With Arugula Salad
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Cheesy Chicken Nachos With Avocado and Radish
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Nachos for dinner will likely be a popular addition to your menu rotation. Plenty of veggies and shredded rotisserie chicken make this a healthier alternative to the traditional nachos.
Cheesy Chicken Nachos With Avocado and Radish
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Spanish Omelet With Potatoes and Chorizo
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If you like breakfast for dinner, try this quick and easy meal. Spanish omelets are like a crustless quiche—and this one is packed with spicy chorizo and lots of potatoes.
Spanish Omelet With Potatoes and Chorizo
