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30-minute meals are my go-to meals at least a few times a week! Quick, easy, and incredibly delicious, there are so many to choose from!
There are just some days that a quick meal is a must! I have rounded up some of my very favorite meals that you can make in under 30 minutes! It doesn’t get much better than that! Start out with these shrimp fajitas, this honey garlic stir fry, or this amazing chicken parmesan!
Quick and Easy Meals in Under 30 Minutes
During the school year, I am constantly on the go! Between all of my work, family events, and my kid’s school and activities, I am busy! And I know that I’m not the only one! My goal is to make sure that we have at least our meals together during the week. Even if it only means sitting down for 10 minutes together! But in order to do this, I can’t be spending the entire day in the kitchen! This is why I love all of these 30 minute easy meals!
I have rounded up all of my very favorite meals that are easy and take less than 30 minutes to make! That way, I can spend my time eating amazingly delicious food AND still have some time to sit down and ask my family how their day went. Plus, a meal that doesn’t take that long AND tastes like you’ve been cooking all day is a win in my book! Take a look at these recipes and try some of them out! You will be surprised at how good something can taste, even when it’s quick and easy! Enjoy!
Tips for Quick Meals
If you truly want to make these meals in 30 minutes, some of them require a little prep work! Here are a few tips to making that happen!
Meal plan: If you plan your easy 30 minute meals ahead of time and do the grocery shopping at the beginning of the week then this will all work out! There is nothing more frustrating than going to cook a meal and realizing that you need to go to the store for ONE thing. And that definitely takes away from cooking it up in 30 minutes! So prepare your meal plan and groceries ahead of time and you will be so glad that you did!
Room temperature ingredients: Some recipes (especially ones that you bake) call for room temperature ingredients. So pull those out a little bit ahead of time so that they are ready to go when you are!
Thaw meat: If you have frozen meat, you will want to take that out and thaw it in the fridge overnight. These recipes will need thawed or fresh meat. If you forget, you can cook some recipes with frozen chicken in the pressure cooker. Find pressure cooker recipes here in case that happens to you!
Honey Dijon Garlic Chicken
5 from 4 votes
A quick and easy 30 minute meal that is packed with amazing honey dijon garlic flavor! The chicken is so juicy and tender and the sauce is sweet and tangy… you are going to love it!
This meatball soup is hearty and full of amazing flavor. It only takes about 30 minutes to cook up and can be made with homemade or frozen meatballs! It's a MUST TRY recipe for sure!
A 30 minute one skillet meal that is full of amazing flavor and veggies! The Thai peanut sauce glazes the chicken perfectly and this will be a hit for dinner!
Thai basil beef is simple and delicious! It's made with a homemade Thai sauce that has a bold and brilliant flavor and can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes. It is SOO GOOD!
A mouthwatering winter salad with quinoa, spinach, mandarine oranges, and crunchy pistachios. Topped with a creamy lemon greek yogurt dressing and feta cheese this makes one unforgettable salad!
This easy and comforting philly cheese steak sloppy Joe is made in less than 30 minutes and instantly became a family favorite. The flavor combination and melted cheese makes these sloppy joes irresistible!
Lemon Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Pasta is made in just one pot and ready in 30 minutes! Fresh shrimp is cooked in a buttery lemon garlic sauce and tossed in fresh parmesan cheese and pasta. It's unbelievably good and sure to become a new favorite!
Walnut Crusted Maple Salmon is a savory salmon dish that is coated in a sweet maple syrup, delicious Dijon mustard coated with a thick walnut crust all baked to perfection. Baked in under 30 minutes!
A quick and easy 30 minute meal that has all of the things that you love about a fajita. Bell Peppers, onions, pasta, and shrimp are in the most flavorful and creamy sauce that you are going to love!
Moo Goo Gai Pan is a classic Chinese dish! Tender chicken pieces and mushrooms with crisp vegetables such as carrots, water chestnuts, and snow peas all stir-fried together with a savory sauce. Way better than take out and it only 20 minutes!
Denver Omelet Breakfast Muffins are such a great breakfast and perfect for making ahead or on the go! Loaded with Peppers, onions, ham and ooey gooey cheese, these will become a favorite!
Easiest Homemade Pizza Ever! Foolproof, dough is ready in 20 minutes, best pizza ever and taken from my quick and easy dough recipe. Crispy crust with all your favorite toppings to make your pizza night a bonus!
This Instant Pot recipe is filled with all the lasagna flavors you love! Layers of creamy ricotta, melty mozzarella, and ground beef seasoned with Italian herbs come together in this super easy dish!
These air fryer fajitas are packed to the brim with flavor but only take a few minutes to make! They are perfect for those on-the-go, busy nights, and everyone will go crazy over them!
20 Minute Vegetable Lo Mein is a super easy weeknight dinner that is loaded with veggies! Crisp vegetables and long noodles all combined in a flavorful sauce the entire family will love it!
For those nights when you need something fast and easy turn to 10 minute Instant Pot Spaghetti. Superbly seasoned beef and tender noodles all cook together in a delectable sauce and is ready in no time.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup made with chicken thighs, veggies and egg noodles.This soup is comfort food at it's finest! Ready in less than 30 minutes!
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.
Awesome ideas! 🙂 Pinned