30-Minute Recipes That Will Save You Time In The Kitchen

Sometimes, you need to eat, but you just don't have an hour to spend in the kitchen. After all, you have so many other things to think about; whether it's work, taking care of your kids, doing your schoolwork, or enjoying your evening, there are nights when a big, elaborate dinner is out of the question.

On nights like these, you may think that takeout is your best option, but with the right recipes, you can easily make dinner at home. Turn to these simple recipe ideas from Mashed that take no more than a half hour, so you can chow down in no time.

And don't assume that these dishes are going to be less than tasty just because they come together quickly. In fact, some of these recipes might become go-to meals in your home, like spicy Chicken Fajita Pasta, a rich Lamb Stew, Tofu Nuggets, or a Skillet Lasagna. There are many cooking methods to choose from too, including an air fryer, Instant Pot, and stovetop. Check out our round-up of 30-Minute Dinner Ideas and make some of these delicious and filling recipes for yourself and your family tonight.

You may expect to be able to make something like a pasta dish in 30 minutes, but coconut shrimp? It may sound too good to be true. However, this recipe proves that it can happen. You'll only need a few ingredients from your pantry in addition to the shrimp, which you then just combine and fry up. Just remember to watch them while cooking, lest you end up with the dreaded rubbery shrimp. This dish will have your mouth watering pretty quickly, and it's sure to be a hit with the entire family. 

Recipe: Coconut Shrimp

These days, more and more people are making meat-free meals, including weekly Meatless Mondays. You don't have to be vegetarian or vegan to see the benefits of this kind of practice, though. It will help you eat more veggies, it's better for the environment, and it expands your culinary horizons. For a veggie dish the whole family will love, try this chickpea curry served with rice and naan. It may sound complicated, but you can make it in less than half an hour. Leftovers are perfect to take to work the next day.

Recipe: Chickpea Curry

When it comes to the ultimate quick and easy dinner, sloppy joes are at the head of the pack. If you're looking for a recipe that's inexpensive (not to mention one that your family is almost guaranteed to love), then you simply have to turn to this dish. There's a good chance you already have most of the stuff to make this recipe in your kitchen as we speak, including ground beef, onion, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.

Recipe: 30-Minute Sloppy Joes

Meatballs are notorious for taking a long time to prepare. It's not just the cooking — you also have to prep all the ingredients, mix them, and then shape the meatballs ... and that's before you cook them. Naturally, that means many people never try making their own. All the more reason to give this easy, 30-minute recipe a try. Pair the flavorful, oven-baked meatballs with pasta and jarred sauce, rice and gravy, or on hoagie rolls with melted cheese. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Turkey Meatballs

Remember when pasta skewers were a thing on TikTok? Not every food creation that goes viral on the platform is worth remembering, but pasta skewers are an exception. They're a fun dinner option that your family will love to help put together. Our pasta skewers are topped with a simple mixture of sauce and cheese; add even more toppings like sausage crumbles, cubed mozzarella, and diced veggies. Cook the skewers in an air fryer and serve with garlic bread.

Recipe: Air Fryer Pasta Skewers

This is a clever way of turning a simple potato into a filling meal, loaded with any toppings you love. The potatoes are cooked once while whole to soften the insides, and the timesaver here is your microwave oven. The spuds steam-cook in the microwave in only 10 minutes. Blend the cooked potato with add-ins like cheese, bacon bits, cooked sausage, taco-spiced ground beef, and chopped green onions. Pop them in the oven to melt the cheese, and they're ready to eat.

Recipe: 30-Minute Twice-Baked Potatoes

When you find yourself with leftover cooked turkey (or chicken breast), it's a great excuse to make a big batch of soup in your Instant Pot for dinner. While many homemade soups prepared on the stove have a long simmer time, in an Instant Pot, it takes only 20 minutes. Throw in carrots, celery, and any other veggies you like. Frozen, chopped veggies are a great timesaver with recipes like this. 

Recipe: Instant Pot Turkey Soup

Just add a side of garlic bread or Texas toast, and dig into this easy skillet meal. It's certain that your family or roommates will be asking for this delicious recipe often. Use a good quality marinara sauce like Bove's or Rao's — They're worth the higher price for a dinner that will taste the very best. Other ingredients include cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and a cheese blend of ricotta and Parmesan. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Tortellini Skillet Lasagna

If your family loves Mexican food, they'll really be psyched about this recipe: one that can be served for dinner or breakfast. Chilaquiles is a traditional dish made with fried tortilla pieces; the rest of the ingredients vary from cook to cook. Our version includes fried eggs, avocado slices, and cotija cheese. The whole dish is ready on the stove top in 30 minutes and makes enough to serve four. Add more of your favorite toppings like cilantro, salsa, refried beans, or pulled chicken. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Chilaquiles

Stratas are a brunch and holiday breakfast favorite, but because they're so chock full of savory ingredients, they're also a delicious choice for dinner. And since this recipe is ready in only a half hour, you can throw it together any night of the week. Our meat-free strata is loaded with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and big chunks of baguette that soak up the egg and cheddar batter. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Mushroom And Egg Strata

This is a recipe to make with leftover chicken from yesterday's dinner, or with meat from a rotisserie chicken from the store. From there, it's just a matter of filling tortillas with shredded chicken, beans, cheese, and any add-ins that you love. The rolled up enchiladas bake in only 20 minutes. They're filling on their own, but sides like microwavable Spanish rice, refried beans, or salad are great sides to add. 

Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas

Not all dinners have to be served hot, especially during the dog days of summer when turning on the stove or oven is the last thing you want to do. Gazpacho is a savory, delicious cold soup made with tons of fresh vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and corn. It's seasoned very simply with salt and pepper and blended to make a creamy texture. Serve gazpacho with buttered slices of crusty bread, and a glass of red wine. 

Recipe: 30-Minute Gazpacho Soup

Tuna comes to the rescue once again to create a meal that's comforting, full of veggies, and ready in a snap. This shortcut pot pie starts on the stovetop, where the vegetables are quickly sautéed and the gravy whisked together. It all goes into a casserole dish, with refrigerated biscuit dough for the top crust, and then to the oven. No sides are necessary, because this casserole is a complete meal.  

Recipe: 30-Minute Tuna Pot Pie Casserole

Recipe developer Jennine Bryant created this easy, weeknight dish that has all the flavors of traditional Greek moussaka, but is ready in a fraction of the time. The ingredients include ground lamb, eggplant, tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. From start to finish, it takes only a half hour to create this flavorful meal for four. Serve it with bread or pitas on the side. The leftovers are also delicious.  

Recipe: 30-Minute Lamb Stew

Building up your collection of easy, vegetarian dinner recipes? Add this one to the list. Stuffed peppers have been around for more than a century, and even though the filling is often made with meat, swapping in a vegetarian filling is a cinch. Our recipe uses rice and cooked beans, plus a flavorful tomato sauce and herbs. Top the peppers with grated cheese, or for a vegan version, use dairy-free cheese shreds.

Recipe: 30-Minute Stuffed Peppers

The Japanese dish yakisoba includes stir-fried veggies and meat tossed with soba noodles. A rich sauce of garlic, ginger, and soy sauce brings the whole thing together. The process of stir frying the ingredients goes quickly, so have anything prepped and ready to go before you turn on the burner. MasterClass shares that traditional garnishes to try with yakisoba include pickled ginger, aonori (a type of dried seaweed), and sliced green onions. 

Recipe: Chicken Yakisoba

Use leftover chicken breast to make a spicy pasta dish for dinner or for lunch. Our recipe builds the jerk seasoning from scratch with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin. Add diced Scotch bonnet peppers too if you'd like for more heat and a more authentic jerk flavor. The creamy sauce, shredded chicken, and strips of bell peppers are tossed with penne pasta. The dish is ready in less than 30 minutes and makes enough for eight servings. 

Recipe: Jerk Pasta

This recipe comes together even faster than many of the others in this collection: only 20 minutes! Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish with bright flavor from fresh lemon and tangy capers. Our recipe shows you how to slice regular chicken breasts into thinner halves that cook up quickly. Or, just pick up chicken breast cutlets to save a few minutes. Chicken piccata works with many sides like pasta, cooked rice, or roasted potatoes. 

Recipe: Chicken Piccata

Polenta is available to purchase in many forms, but the pre-cooked version sold in tubes is so convenient; just slice off what you need to make your meal. In our recipe, slices of polenta are layered with ground beef, cheese, and pasta sauce to make a fun twist on traditional lasagna. Best of all, it's ready in just a half hour: That's unbelievably fast for lasagna. Add a salad and a few slices of garlic bread for a complete dinner.

Recipe: 30-Minute Polenta Lasagna

You may recall from college or the first few years of living on your own that instant ramen noodles are one of the cheapest and quickest ways to get food in your belly. This recipe shows that those same, humble noodles can be the base of a tantalizing ramen bowl, chock full of healthful ingredients like shredded chicken and sliced veggies. Recipe developer Ksenia Prints builds the soup using three kinds of stock, mushrooms, and aromatics. Incredibly, this delicious and gorgeous meal for two is ready in just a half hour.

Recipe: 30-Minute Chicken Ramen

A dish that features fresh basil and tomatoes is perfect for summertime when fresh garden produce is abundant. But since many supermarkets stock an impressive amount of good-looking veggies year-round, this is a tasty recipe to make any time of the year. The pasta salad includes a tangy, balsamic dressing and fresh mozzarella. Make it a meat-free dinner or an easy lunch that you can take to work all week.

Recipe: Balsamic Caprese Pasta Salad