Cooking Tips: Easy Dinner Recipes-- Fast (2024)

We're all strapped for time, but making dinner doesn't always have to be a three-hour event. In fact, you can whip up and eat a delicious and healthy meal in less time than it would take to chow down at a restaurant. So stop stressing about dinner: We've compiled the most delicious recipes in our quick meals database so you don't have to. Bon appétit!

Loaded with omega-3s, this meal boosts heart health and is low in fat and calories.

Ingredients:
• Onion
• Red bell pepper
• Yellow bell pepper
• Olive oil
• White wine
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Halibut steaks

Click here to get full recipe and directions.

Forget delivery, this pizza is healthier and tastier than Pizzas R Us.

Ingredients:
• Refrigerated pizza dough
• Prepared pesto
• Roasted red pepper strips
• Canned tomatoes
• Gorgonzola cheese

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The protein in the beef and fiber in the broccoli make this dish a nutritional powerhouse. Serve with rice to complete this well-rounded meal.

Ingredients:
• Cornstarch
• Beef broth
• Light soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Vegetable oil
• Boneless sirloin steak
• Broccoli florets
• Garlic
• Onion

Click here to get full recipe and directions.

Didn't think you could make soup from scratch in less than 30 minutes? Guess again. This healthy dinner goes great with a salad and dinner roll, or by itself on a cold day.

Ingredients:
• Red onion
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Black beans
• Chicken broth
• Feta cheese

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You can't really go wrong with the Mexican classic. But don't let this ultimate comfort food be a diet buster—substitute lean ground beef or ground turkey to make the meal low-fat.

Ingredients:
• Ground beef
• Red bell pepper
• Taco seasoning
• Whole-grain tortillas
• Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
• Romaine lettuce
• Diced tomatoes
• Salsa
• Olive oil

Click here to get full recipe and directions.

Debating going out for dinner? You don't need to spend money on tax and tip when you can make this delicious Thai curry dish in your own kitchen.

Ingredients:
• Broccoli florets
• Low-fat coconut milk
• Chicken breast
• Penne
• Sesame oil
• Garlic
• Thai seasoning
• Thai curry paste
• Peanuts

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You might pay $15 for this dish at a gourmet restaurant, but you can prepare it yourself for much less. This recipe serves four, so if there aren't that many of you eating, count on bringing leftovers to work for lunch the next day. Talk about a bargain.

Ingredients:
• Olive oil
• Baby clams
• Shrimp
• Mushrooms
• Tomatoes
• Garlic
• Dill
• Whole-wheat linguine
• Parmesan cheese

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This one-wok dish is a perfect weeknight meal for two. Already low in calories, you can make this dish even healthier by stir-frying the vegetables in their own moisture instead of an oil bath. Just add a few drops of oil to start, and then use water as you cook.

Ingredients:
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Red pepper
• Egg
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Hot sauce to taste
• Precooked chicken
• Cooked brown rice
• Scallions

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This low-cal dish uses spice to flavor the mild fish. Not only will it taste better, but it turns out that capsaicin (the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality) also fires up your metabolism. Eating about one tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for our fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology .

Ingredients:
• Olive oil
• Red-pepper flakes
• Baby spinach
• Asparagus tips
• Tilapia fillets
• Scallions
• Lime

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The apricots in this dish add an unexpected sweetness to this savory meal. The pork takes only five to 10 minutes to cook, making this one of the quickest meals out of the bunch.

Ingredients:
• Chopped apricots
• Apricot preserves
• Hoisin sauce
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Pork tenderloin
• Olive oil
• Cooked rice (optional)

Click here to get full recipe and directions.

Fresh and flavorful, the salsa is a lovely blend of orange, olive, onion, and fennel—delicious atop grilled salmon. To save prep time, look for pitted olives; they're often available in the olive bar.

Ingredients:
• Sherry vinegar
• Olive oil
• Orange
• Kalamata olives
• Red onion
• Fennel
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Salmon fillets

Click here to get full recipe and directions.