Skip to content
Open menu Close menu

Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors

penguin logo

14 Quick and Easy 30 Minute Dinner Recipes

by Lottie Huckle

published on 20 September 2016

These 14 quick and easy 30 minute meals are perfect for mad midweek days and lazy weekend feasts. Minimal effort and time spent, maximum flavour and satisfaction! 

Miso Noodle Soup | Midweek Meal

Monday Miso Noodle Soup from Eat Happy: 30 Minute Feel-good Food by Melissa Hemsley

Start your week with Melissa Hemsley’s warming noodle soup, packed with nutritious veggies in a soothing miso broth. It makes enough for a satisfying portion with enough for leftovers too, which is a bonus for busy weeknights. 

Buy Eat Happy: 30 Minute Feel-Good Food here.

From the book

Melissa Hemsley

Creamy Avocado Pasta | Quick Midweek Meal

15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta from Oh She Glows by Angela Liddon

Rushed off your feet? Don’t even have 30 minutes to spare on dinner? How about 15? This easy pasta recipe is packed with nutrients and can be made in a flash. 

Buy Oh She Glows here.

Salmon and Spinach Curry | Quick Midweek Meal

Salmon and Spinach Curry from Made in India by Meera Sodha

This recipe is one of our most popular, and for good reason. Loaded with plump, tasty salmon, sweet tomatoes and earthy spinach it’s a treat to eat.  Learn how to make this dish to perfection with our tutorial video

Buy Made in India here.

Halloumi Avocado Lime Salad | Easy Midweek Meal

Halloumi, Avocado and Lime Salad from The Little Green Spoon by Indy Power

This salad is perfect for when you need something with flavour, stat! With minimal cooking it’s ideal for those who are time poor or with limited kitchen resources. 

Buy The Little Green Spoon here.

Parsnip Chorizo Hash | Easy Breakfast

Parsnip Chorizo Hash with Lime, Thyme and Fried Eggs from FIVE by Rachel de Thample

Comfort food doesn’t have to come at the cost of laboriously slaving over a stove. This simple recipe from FIVE uses star ingredients and clever tricks to produce a pan of heart-warming food in next to no time. 

Buy a copy of FIVE here.

Noodle Bowl | Quick Midweek Meal

My Favourite Quick Noodle Bowl from Stirring Slowly by Georgina Hayden

This recipe is a real midweek saviour and can be knocked together in 10 minutes. It’s a brilliant Monday night choice as it can utilise leftover roast meat from the weekend.  

Order a copy of Stirring Slowly here.

Rainbow Chard Saag Aloo | Easy Midweek Meal

Rainbow Chard Saag Aloo from Fresh India by Meera Sodha

One of the perks of fast cooking – gorgeous, fresh ingredients stay flavoursome and crunchy. This recipe from Fresh India showcases earthy chard and buttery Desiree potatoes at their best, thanks to the short cooking time. 

Buy a copy of Fresh India here.

Carbonara with Smoky Bacon, Peas, Almonds and Basil | Easy Midweek Meal

Skinny Carbonara Smoky Bacon, Peas, Almonds and Basil from Everyday Super Food by Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver’s twist on a spaghetti carbonara is ideal for those looking to make healthy dinner choices on limited time. This dish is ready in less than 25 minutes and we promise you won’t be hungry afterwards! 

Order Everyday Super Food here.

Pumpkin Soup | Easy Midweek Meal

Pumpkin Soup from Comptoir Libanais by Tony Kitous

Filling, comforting, nutritious. This soup from Comptoir Libanais ticks all the boxes after a long day at work. 

Buy Comptoir Libanais here.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken | Easy Midweek Meal

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken from Mary Berry’s Cookery Course by Mary Berry

In need of an all-round family favourite? Try this recipe from Mary Berry’s Cookery Course. Nobody will be able to resist this moist chicken, topped with crispy, crunchy Parmesan breadcrumbs. 

Buy Mary Berry’s Cookery Course here.

Cod with Peas and Parsley | Easy Midweek Meals

Cod with Peas and Parsley from Tapas Revolution by Omar Allibhoy

Bring a little Spanish sunshine to your dinner with this recipe from Tapas Revolution. Quick, simple and packed with flavour and attitude this recipe is brilliant for the midweek or weekend.

Order Tapas Revolution here.

Prawn, Coconut and Aubergine Curry | Easy Midweek Meal

Simple Prawn, Coconut and Aubergine Curry from Cook. Nourish. Glow. by Amelia Freer

Want a curry in a hurry? Keep it simple with this recipe from Amelia Freer. Plus as it’s a one-pot meal, there’ll be less washing up for you too! 

Buy Cook. Nourish. Glow. here.

Butternut Squash and Pancetta Penne | Easy Midweek Meal

Butternut Squash and Pancetta Penne from Jamie’s Food Tube: The Pasta Book by Gennaro Contaldo

Switch up your routine pasta dish with this recipe from Jamie’s Food Tube: The Pasta Book. Pasta expert Gennaro Contaldo has created a warming, hearty recipe that will be on your plate in no time. 

Buy Jamie’s Food Tube: The Pasta Book here.

Merguez Meatballs | Quick Midweek Meal

Merguez Meatballs from Simply Nigella by Nigella Lawson

Quick cooking doesn’t have to mean skipping on more indulgent dishes. This clever recipe uses a couple of tricks and hacks to produce a hearty, meaty stew that tastes like it has been simmering away for hours. 

Order a copy of Simply Nigella here.

Share

You might also like


View all

Recipe Collections

Ideas for using up leftover Easter eggs

From cookies, cakes and fondants to a mousse, these recipes will be a fitting end to the last of your Easter eggs.

Features

Simply Jamie: 5 things we can reveal so far

Learn more about Jamie Oliver’s upcoming cookbook Simply Jamie, including release date, recipes, and the accompanying TV series on Channel 4.

Recipe Collections

Traditional (and not-so-traditional) Easter bakes

From a traditional simnel cake and hot cross buns to Creme Egg cupcakes, this set of recipes covers all of the Easter baking bases.

newsletter

Subscribe to The Happy Foodie email newsletter

Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every week