Dinner in 15-Minutes or Less
Do you find yourself in a pinch to get dinner done and on the table? Then these easy 15-minute dinner ideas are for you! You can eat healthy, balanced meals that take less than 15 minutes to fit your busy schedule. Many of these meal ideas use canned or frozen produce, 1-minute brown rice, quinoa, or other whole grains, and pre-cooked protein options. Stock your pantry up with these essentials and you have yourself an easy way to make quick, healthy, delicious meals!
1. Black Bean Quesadillas
What You’ll Need:
-Whole wheat tortillas
-Canned black beans, drained & rinsed
-Shredded Mexican cheese
-Red peppers, avocado, onion, or other veggies of choice (frozen, fresh, or canned), chopped
Directions:
Heat a skillet and spray with cooking oil. Lay tortilla down and add about ¼ cup of black beans, chopped veggies of choice, and 2-3 tbsp of shredded cheese on top of tortilla. Add lid to skillet to cook items. Once cheese is melted, take off skillet & fold in half. Serve with salsa or guacamole.
2. Veggie Scrambled Eggs w/Whole Wheat Toast
What You’ll Need:
-Whole wheat bread, toasted
-Zucchini, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, or other veggies of choice (frozen, fresh, or canned), chopped
-Scrambled eggs (if making for one person, 2 eggs is one serving)
-Shredded cheese
Directions:
Heat skillet with 1 tsp olive oil. Add chopped vegetables and cook until softened. Add scrambled eggs to pan and cook until eggs are no longer runny. Sprinkle with cheese, salt & pepper (or other seasoning of choice). Serve with 1 slice whole wheat toast.
3. Chicken & Veggie Flatbread Pizzas
What You’ll Need:
-Whole wheat naan flatbreads, or whole wheat pitas
-Canned chicken, drained & rinsed
-Zucchini, spinach, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, or other veggies of choice (frozen, fresh, or canned), chopped
-Shredded mozzarella cheese
-Pasta sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add pasta sauce and spread on flatbreads. Top with chicken and chopped veggies. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese & Italian seasoning. Bake in oven 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted.
4. Frozen bean, turkey, or salmon burger w/side salad
What You’ll Need:
-Frozen bean, turkey, or salmon burgers (your choice!)
-Whole wheat burger buns
-Sliced cheese
-Toppings for burger (lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc)
-Salad kit
Directions:
Make frozen burgers according to package directions. While cooking, toss together salad kit (TIP: add more vegetables or toasted nuts/seeds to salad if desired; can also use a homemade or lighter dressing). Add cheese & toppings to burger when done cooking.
5. Chicken, Rice & Broccoli
What You’ll Need:
-Rotisserie chicken or precooked chicken
-Minute brown rice
-Fresh or frozen broccoli florets
-Parmesan cheese
-Salt & pepper
Directions:
Shred or chop chicken as desired. Make minute brown rice. Steam broccoli in microwave for 6 minutes, or according to frozen package directions. Add sprinkle of parmesan cheese, salt, pepper & other seasonings of choice to steamed broccoli.
6. Easy Pitas
What You’ll Need:
-Precooked or canned chicken, tuna, or salmon
-Whole wheat pitas
-Cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, chopped
-Feta cheese
Directions:
Open pitas and stuff with chopped veggies and chicken. Add salt & pepper. Top pita pocket with feta cheese. Dip in tzatziki sauce or plain Greek yogurt.
7. Quinoa Power Bowls
What You’ll Need:
-Minute Quinoa or quick-cooking quinoa
-Pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
-Avocado, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, sweet potatoes, or other vegetables of choice (fresh, frozen, or canned), chopped
-Mexican cheese
-Cumin, salt, pepper & garlic powder
Directions:
Make quick-cooking quinoa. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in skillet. Add chopped veggies, beans, & seasonings; cook until tender. Add ingredients to quinoa. Sprinkle with cheese.
8. Stir-Fry
What You’ll Need:
-Shrimp, chopped chicken, or tofu (your choice!)
-Bell peppers, onion, garlic, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, or other veggies of choice (frozen, fresh, or canned), chopped
-Low sodium soy sauce (about 1 tsp)
-Sesame oil
-Fresh grated ginger (optional)
-Minute brown rice
Directions:
Add 1 tsp sesame oil to skillet. Sauté meat if using until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add in vegetables and soy sauce. Sauté together until tender. Add grated ginger if using. Serve over minute brown rice.
9. Leftover Veggie Soup
What You’ll Need:
-All the veggies in your refrigerator that are going bad or need to be eaten (i.e. spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, kale, potatoes, etc)
-1 can white beans
-Low sodium chicken or veggie broth
-1-2 bay leaves
Directions:
Chop veggies of choice. Add to crockpot with white beans, broth, and bay leaves. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Once cooked, remove bay leaves. Serve with whole wheat bread or crackers.