50 Delicious 30-Minute Dinner Ideas Perfect for Busy Nights
Meal kits, schmeal kits. You can get dinner on the table just as quickly with these fast dinner ideas.
Fred Hardy
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.
Salt and Pepper Chicken
Jen Causey
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
Shrimp Tacos with Caramelized Pineapple
Jennifer Causey
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
Green Olive and Rosemary Lamb Chops
Greg DuPree
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.
Shrimp and Artichoke Scampi
Fred Hardy
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
Sheet Pan Sausages and Veggies
CAITLIN BENSEL
This 30-minute dinner couldn't be easier. Just pop sausage and some roughly chopped veggies onto the pan, and cook until sizzling.
Antipasto Salad
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.
Easy Green Shakshuka
Greg DuPree
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.)
Pasta With Zucchini and Goat Cheese
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
Carbonara Pizza
Jen Causey
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.
Tofu Fried Rice
Fred Hardy
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.
Fast Italian Fish Stew
Top a tomato-bean stew with a fish filet and plenty of fresh herbs for a cozy and quick weeknight dinner.
Spicy Dumpling Soup
Jen Causey
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.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
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
Linguine With Cherry Tomato Sauce
Skip the jarred pasta sauce and make your own with flavorful cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
Linguine With Cherry Tomato Sauce
Miso Noodle Soup
Greg DuPree
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.
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Salsa Verde
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
Related: 20 Quick and Easy One-Pan Recipes For Nights When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking
Summer Tacos With Scallion-Peanut Relish
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
Related: 20 Rotisserie Chicken Dinner Ideas That Are Quick and Easy
Fancy Tomato Sandwiches
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.
Eggplant and Tomato Masala With Chickpeas
Vegetarian dinners don't have to skimp on flavor—as this spicy Indian-style dish shows.
Eggplant-and-Tomato Masala With Chickpeas
Grilled Halloumi Salad
Firm, grilled halloumi is the centerpiece of this Mediterranean-style salad that's gets onto the table fast.
16 Grill Recipes That Take 40 Minutes or Less
Southwestern Beef Chili With Corn
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
Grilled Turkey Zucchini Burgers
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
Speedy Pork Banh Mi
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
Udon With Seared Beef and Zucchini
Greg DuPree
Mushrooms, zucchini, and seared beef add plenty of flavor to this classic Japanese noodle dish.
Udon with Seared Beef & Zucchini
Pasta With Shrimp and Spicy Butter
Greg DuPree
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
No-Bake Summer Lasagna
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.
Crispy Peanut Tofu With Sugar Snap Peas And Peppers
Greg DuPree
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
Black Bean and Eggs-Over-Easy Tostadas
Fred Hardy
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
Smoky-Sweet Steak Supper
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.
Real Simple Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad
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
Italian Sausage Burgers
Greg DuPree
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
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
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.
Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Salmon and Broccolini
Fred Hardy
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
Swiss Chard Mac and Cheese
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.
Mango Chicken Curry
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.
Five-Spice Steak With Couscous
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
Soppressata Pizza With Arugula and Honey
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
Speedy Linguine and Clam Sauce
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
Crispy Chicken-And-Cheddar Sandwich With Pickle Dijon
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
Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps
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.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
We love a good sheet pan recipe, and this veggie-packed fajita recipe will definitely end up in regular rotation.
Clam Pizza
Fred Hardy
Think pasta with clam sauce, but on a pizza. Store-bought pizza dough and canned clams help this meal come together in 25 minutes.
Related: These 18 Pizza Recipes Are So Good, You'll Never Order In Again
Buttery Shrimp With Marinated White Beans
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
Almond-Crusted Chicken With Arugula Salad
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
Spring Minestrone
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.
Vegetarian Tacos With Sweet Potatoes and Corn
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
Orange Chicken Stir-Fry With Rice Noodles
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
Hummus, Tomato, and Feta Pita Pizzas With Arugula Salad
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
Cheesy Chicken Nachos With Avocado and Radish
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
Spanish Omelet With Potatoes and Chorizo
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
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