5 Weeknight Dinners To Make When You Need Something Fast and Delicious

Quick, easy, no-nonsense recipes that work every single time.

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 10, 2025
Myo Quinn
spaghetti in a white bowl

Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

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

Because I was raised in a family that ate in silence and inhaled our dinners fast enough to leave Joey Chestnut in the dust, it shocks me when my husband and kids pause to chat between bites and chew their food with such... dedication. By the time they're three bites in, my dinner plate is cleared.

Maybe I'm a product of my environment. Call me efficient, competitive, or impatient. I also bring this energy to cooking dinner—quick, easy, no-nonsense recipes are my jam. Luckily, as an editor for Simply Recipes, I'm surrounded by weeknight-friendly recipes that bolster me.

Here are five of my favorite weeknight-friendly dinners I'm making for my family this week, including tips from our contributors.

  • Caramelized Cabbage Spaghetti

    A closeup of caramelized cabbage spaghetti in a white bowl, garnished with parsley

    Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

    Take note of this tip from Contributor Molly Adams: "I like using green cabbage, but any head of cabbage you need to use up will work well. (Red cabbage will turn the pasta an interesting color.) Just make sure to shred it thinly and cook it until it is super caramelized and sweet!"

  • Easy Beef Krapow

    Beef Krapow in two bowls

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    This recipe calls for ground beef, ideally 80/20 lean, but you can use ground pork or lamb. According to Contributor Frank Tiu, "Ground chicken tends to be a bit too lean." You need some of the fat for it to stay moist and flavorful.

  • Tomato, White Bean, and Fennel Stew

    Dutch oven filled with tomato, white bean, and fennel stew on a kitchen counter, a bowl of the soup and garlic bread alongside

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    I make this soup often, and what I love most is that the recipe calls for Better Than Bouillon, a concentrated chicken-flavored paste. It's the best substitute for homemade and boxed chicken broth. Plus, you can keep it in the fridge for almost forever.

  • Kielbasa, Potato, and Broccoli Skillet

    Overhead view of a white bowl of Kielbasa, Potato, and Broccoli Skillet with a fork next to a skillet on a blue fabric napkin and a drinking glass

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Bring out your biggest skillet—one that is at least 10 inches wide. This will give you the most surface area so that the sausage and vegetables cook quickly. Plus, everything will steam instead of brown if there isn't enough room on the skillet to spread out.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below

  • Miso Glazed Salmon

    Miso Glazed Salmon on a Platter with a Fork

    simplyrecipes / Ciara Kehoe

    This recipe calls for red or white miso. Simply Recipes Founder Elise Bauser says, "Red miso is stronger tasting than white miso. You can use either, but if using white miso, you may want to use a little more than if using red miso." In fact, you can use any kind of miso you have in the fridge. Start with one tablespoon, taste, and add more if you'd like more.

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