5 Weeknight Dinners You'll Crave Again Next Week

Tuck these recipes in your Trapper Keeper because your family will give you an A.

By
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo's recipes, writing, and food styling can be found on King Arthur Baking, Food Network, Delish, Food52, and more. She collaborated on the cookbook Delish Vegan Dinners and trained at Gramercy Tavern and Untitled at the Whitney Museum.
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Published February 24, 2025
Myo Quinn
Potato and Cabbage Soup

Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

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

My family is planning a big move abroad—7,000 air miles and two-ocean skips away, as my kids like to say. I'm sorting out where we'll live and the school my 7th, 5th, and 2nd graders will attend. The list of things to figure out before we go is long, but what stresses me most is how I'll feed my family in our new home.

Because we'll only be gone for one year and shipping our belongings overseas is expensive, I'm leaving behind all my cookware, kitchen tools, and gadgets. I'll outfit our new kitchen with essentials, but I'm unmoored by the idea of not having my favorite skillet, air fryer, and cutting board handy. Even the ingredients that line the grocery store shelves will look different. What will our weeknight dinners look like in someone else's country?

I've been encouraging my children, who are anxious about going to a new school and making friends. Just like me, they have the jitters, and together, we're navigating the anxiety and being open to opportunities for growth. Who knows... maybe I'll return with new weeknight dinner recipes in my back pocket.

For now, I'm still in my kitchen—for me, an oasis—and here are five familiar weeknight dinners I'm making this week, including tips from our contributors.

  • Thai-Style Chicken Fried Rice

    Thai fried rice on a platter at a table setting with a serving of fried rice on a plate, a small plate with Thai basil, a glass of water, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    Two time-saving tips from contributor Marianne Williams: "For an ultra-quick dinner, go ahead and chop the onion, carrot, and garlic up to a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge. If you’re in a pinch and didn’t have time to cook the rice a day ahead, slightly undercook some white rice."

  • Paccheri with Quick Sausage Ragu

    Pot of Paccheri With Quick Sausage Ragu With a Spoon, and in the Surroundings, a Glass, a Block of Parmesan, a Stack of Plates, and Basil Leaves

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    According to Simply Recipes Contributor Devan Grimsrud, "Both rigatoni and paccheri go extremely well with thick sauces and ragu, so if you’re in a pinch and can’t find paccheri, rigatoni makes a good substitute."

  • Oven-Roasted Salmon, Asparagus and New Potatoes

    salmon with potatoes

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    I don't wait to preheat the oven before throwing the potatoes in—start a 15-minute timer when it reaches 400°F. I also don't go through the trouble of flipping the potatoes halfway through. These small steps save you time and effort overall.

  • 4- Ingredient Cabbage and Potato Soup

    4-Ingredient Cabbage and Potato Soup in a large pot with a ladel

    Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

    According to Simply Recipes Contributor Stephanie Ganz, "On its own, it’s a pretty simple soup. But because it’s a bit of a blank slate, you can take it in all sorts of fun directions. Typically, I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh herbs, like dill, parsley, or chives to brighten things up a bit and add another layer of flavor. It’s also great with a dollop of sour cream and a big pinch of paprika."

    Continue to 5 of 5 below

  • Chicken Supreme

    overhead view of Chicken Supreme in a large cast iron skillet

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    Devan says, "Chicken supreme is nothing if not a super saucy dish, so when deciding what to serve with it, think of things that will help you soak up all the sauce. Mashed potatoes are a classic (and absolutely stunning) choice, but oven-roasted or smashed potatoes would also do the trick. If you want to keep it even simpler, steamed rice or boiled egg noodles would be nice, too."

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