Quick Weeknight Dinners to Try

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The delivery industry is booming thanks in part to COVID-19. But with the cost of living crisis, they are becoming expensive. So here are some quick weeknight dinners to try.

Quick Weeknight Dinners

Noodles and Curry Dishes

Many of the cuisines that offer noodle dishes are express in their nature. Chinese is a perfect example. The trick to cuisines like this is to prepare everything in advance and have everything at hand. Also, remember to chop everything into similar sizes for even cooking. Then you need to fire up your wok (using peanut oil) to a very high temperature, adding ingredients as needed. You can even do this with liquid dishes like a Thai green curry recipe. It might take some time to learn, but you can make a dish in less than ten minutes when you get the hang of it.

Make a Hearty Omelet

Perhaps the original fast food recipe, the omelet, is a French classic. And in its simplest form, there’s only one ingredient, an egg. However, the beauty of an omelet is that you can make it anything you want. You can add cheese, onions, peppers, or deli meats from one fundamental element. For a classic omelet, mix three eggs with a fork, and add a drop of cold water and some salt. Add the mixture to some foaming butter in a medium heat pan and cook until golden underneath. Add your extras in the middle and close over. It should take less than five minutes. 

The Classic Sub Sandwich

Sandwiches, yeah! Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? There are so many to choose from. The range of bread alone is astounding, and you can make something unique by changing just one ingredient. But the king of sandwiches is undoubtedly the sub. In the USA alone, Subway sells almost eight million subs per day. But you don’t need to order one or break the bank. It’s much cheaper and quicker to make your own. For the price of one Subway sub, you could make four at home. All you need is no more than ten minutes and the patience of a saint for the requests.

Rustic Italian Delights

Rather than complex techniques like French cooking, Italian cooking relies on the freshness and quality of ingredients and adding herbs for flavor. Some of the quickest Italian recipes include:

• Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil (10 mins).
• Chicken pasta salad (5 mins with leftovers).
• Leftover New York meatball subs (5 mins max).
• Pan-cooked pizza (10 mins).
• Bruschetta with any topping (10 mins).

Some of the best Italian recipes take a while. But you can rustle up quick delights with some forethought. And Italian lunch is terrific for using leftovers from the night before.

Leftover Fried Rice

Further to leftovers, rice is amazing. One of the best dishes you can make with rice is fried rice. And there’s so much you can do with it. The reason it’s better from leftovers is because the secret to good fried rice is that it is already cooked and gone cold. If you fry hot rice, it will turn to mush and taste of nothing. For the best results, leave your boiled rice in the fridge overnight. Then the next day, fry it up in some peanut oil, add whatever you like, and serve with a drizzle of sesame oil. Try dried chilies, fresh prawns, or leftover chicken for a tasty lunch.

Make a Classic Burger

Surprisingly, burgers aren’t even in the top four most ordered take out foods. Perhaps because the world is a little more health-conscious. However, burgers aren’t inherently bad for you. It depends on how you prepare them. Using lean meat is a good example. Anyway, burgers are very easy to make at home and don’t cost much either. Most of the stuff you need, you probably already have. Make your patty as thin as possible and cook under a hot grill for quicker cooking. Fry some chopped onions and add mustard for the American classic in less than ten.

A British Beef Stew (Honestly)

There are some tricks you can use to reduce the time. First, use tender beef cuts at room temperature. This will help soften them as they cook. Also, dredge the beef in flour to help thicken the stew. Finally, chop any vegetables into small pieces for quick cooking. After browning, add boiled water, so it just covers the ingredients. Then cover with a lid for ten minutes. After ten minutes, remove the lid and boil down the liquid. Finish with good-quality gravy granules to thicken the stew and add flavor. It should be done in about thirty minutes.

Quick weeknight Dinners Summary

Takeout can get expensive. So instead, try noodles or fried rice for a quick and tasty lunch. Or how about a healthy omelet? And don’t forget classics like burgers and subs. These recipe ideas will keep your stomach—and wallet—happy.