5 Quick and Easy Dinners for Busy Weeknights

I'm hungry just thinking about it.

By
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel has over 10 years of experience developing recipes and writing about food. She is the author of 4 cookbooks, including the bestselling "The Instant Pot Electric Cookbook."
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Published April 21, 2025
Laurel Randolph
Vegetable fried rice in a blue bowl with a fork

Simply Recipes / Cheyenne Cohen

Every Monday, our editors bring you Simply (Weeknight) Recipes, five quick and easy dinner recipes to make this week.

We're solidly into spring now (I know the first day of spring was a month ago, but it sure didn't feel like it), and everything's in bloom. Beyond delighting my senses but aggravating my sinuses, this means I start to crave veggies. I eat them all year long, but spring is when I crave them. One waltz through the farmers market, and my heart goes all aflutter at the piles of vibrant, colorful produce.

And while a salad is always welcome, I also love piling vegetables into dishes like fried rice, which can serve as a catchall for whatever you have lying around. Balance it out with a meaty Cuban sandwich and a few other quick and easy dinners, and your week is looking delicious.

  • Roasted Chickpeas and Artichokes

    roasted chickpeas, artichokes, and feta

    Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

    Mondays are hard. It's great to have a reliable pantry meal in your back pocket since sometimes you just don't make it to the grocery store. This 20-minute dinner is ideal for trying times like these.

  • Chicken Fajita Pasta

    One-Pan Chicken Fajita Pasta in a pot with a hand scooping some with a wooden spoon, limes, napkins, salt on the side

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    All of the flavors of fajitas conveniently contained in a one-pot pasta. Recipe developer Sara Haas says, "I like penne, fusilli, or rotini here, but feel free to use whichever shape is your favorite and adjust the time accordingly (refer to the package for cooking times)."

  • Upside Down Chili Pie

    slice of upside down chili pie on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    Recipe developer Malina Syvoravong says, "Any diehard chili fan will love this casserole. Instead of heating up chili and baking cornbread separately, cook them all at once for a complete dinner. It just takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to whip up."

  • Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

    Easy vegetable fried rice in a blue bowl with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Cheyenne Cohen

    One of my favorite ways to use up some random vegetables hanging around in the crisper drawer is to make veggie fried rice. Toss in a protein if you have leftovers, but it's not required. I like to serve this dinner with chili crisp for a bit of texture and heat.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below

  • Cuban Sandwich

    Two halves of a traditional cuban sandwich are resting on parchment paper and a wooden cutting board. Ridged potato chips and a pickle are in the background.

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    Fridays call for a fun but low key dinner, like these Cuban sandwiches. This is a great time to pull some leftover roast pork from the freezer. As recipe developer Marta Rivera says, "If I’ve made a roast pork for Sunday dinner, this is what I’m making with the leftovers. You can be sure of that."

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