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Easy Dinner Ideas

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If you’re like me, coming up with easy dinner ideas in the summer is simple. In summer, so many peak-season veggies and fruits are delicious raw, or they require little cooking to make them a delicious meal. Once fall arrives, though, my dinner cravings change. I want heartier, warming dishes, but I don’t have the time – or the energy – to spend an hour over the stove each night.

On busy evenings, I have 5 healthy dinner strategies that I turn to:

  1. Make a 30-minute recipe.
  2. Meal prep something that will keep well on the weekend, and enjoy it all week.
  3. Batch cook and freeze freezer-friendly recipes to reheat on busy nights.
  4. Have a bunch of prepped components in the fridge to mix & match into flavorful meals.
  5. Make one of my standby no-recipe easy dinner ideas.

If you’re looking for some new easy dinner ideas this fall, read more about these strategies below. Plus, find recipes to guide you along the way!





1. Make any of these 30-minute dinner recipes.

Nothing beats a good weeknight dinner recipe, one that comes together from start to finish in 30 minutes or less. These quick dinner ideas pack a punch of flavor despite their short cooking time and without any extensive meal prep. If you’re someone who enjoys cooking at the end of a long day or who wants to eat something different each night of the week, this strategy is a great one. I do recommend choosing weeknight dinner recipes ahead of time, so you know you’ll have the ingredients on hand when you’re ready to cook. Here are some of my favorite quick dinner recipes:


Easy dinner ideas







2. Meal prep dinner recipes that keep well ahead of time.

Certain dinner recipes keep well in the fridge for a few days, and some, like most soups, even improve as their flavor develops. I love making a big batch of soup for the week ahead on a Sunday, and veggie patties keep and reheat well too. The same goes for meaty, saucy jackfruit – I like to make it ahead to stuff into tacos or sandwiches throughout the week!


Healthy dinner recipes


3. Batch cook freezer-friendly dinner recipes ahead of time, and freeze them.

When you have a busy schedule, using your freezer is one of the best ways to prioritize eating healthily. Thawing a frozen slice of lasagna or big bowl of chili is cheaper and healthier than ordering takeout, and it’s just as good. When you cook a pot of soup or bake a lasagna, make a double batch, and freeze the leftovers in individual portions for quick healthy dinners on nights when you don’t have time, or you’re just not in the mood, to cook. Make sure to allow your food to cool to room temperature before covering it and freezing it in freezer-safe containers (I like these).


Easy Dinner Recipes


4. Have prepped sauces or grains on hand to inspire creative healthy dinner ideas!

I like to think of this strategy as “component cooking,” and it’s a great way to go if you don’t want to eat the same thing every night of the week. On Sunday, prep components from each of the categories below:

  1. Roasted or grilled vegetables
  2. A starch or grain. Pasta, tortillas, cooked quinoa, brown rice, cilantro lime rice, or even cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or roasted spaghetti squash work here.
  3. A protein like roasted or cooked chickpeas, black beans, white beans, baked tofu, or eggs.
  4. A good sauce – Think tzatzikicilantro lime dressingchipotle sauce, pesto, etc.
  5. Flavorful extras – Cheese, olives, capers, nuts, avocado, or pickled vegetables like kimchi, jalapeños, or onions add great flavors and textures!

Prep components for a single recipe and assemble it at dinnertime throughout the week, or mix and match components into a different dish each night! For example, if you make roasted cauliflower and chipotle sauce over the weekend, you can top them onto quinoa bowls on Monday and Tuesday, and then stuff them into tacos or lettuce wraps later in the week.

Example component recipes:


Easy dinner ideas


5. Learn how to come up with easy dinner ideas using what you have.

While I encourage you to try new healthy dinner ideas, know that it’s good to have a few quick standards to rely on. With a few tried-and-true quick dinner ideas, you can figure out how to mix and match leftover or fresh components in your fridge to make a yummy, healthy meal. Here are a few of my favorite no-recipe easy dinner ideas:

  • Stuff leftover ingredients into quesadillas with avocado or guacamole and salsa.
  • Toss pasta with sautéed or roasted veggies, cheese, and a squeeze of lemon.
  • Use a leftover grain to make fried rice.
  • Make a frittata with leftover roasted vegetables or any fresh vegetables in the fridge.
  • Simmer a simple pot of many-veggie soup made with whatever veggies you have on hand.
  • Make a classic grilled cheese, dressed up with green harissa or whatever sauce you have on hand.
  • Bake a sweet potato and stuff it with a fun, flavorful veggie filling and quick sauce!


Easy Dinner Ideas


Do you have any go-to easy dinner ideas? Let me know in the comments!

Easy Dinner Ideas: Herb & Garlic Mushroom Pasta

 

Author:

Recipe type: main dish

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
  • 8 ounces spaghetti, plus ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay or pinot grigio)
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup cashew cream (recipe below)
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh tarragon
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives
  • ⅓ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews + ½ cup water (or heavy cream)
  • ½ clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  1. Make the cashew cream by blending all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Set aside. (note: it’s not going to be very thick, it should be the consistency of half & half or heavy cream).
  2. In a large pan heat the olive oil oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, and cook until soft and wilted, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 12 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water 1 minute short of the package directions, until al dente. Reserve ⅓ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
  4. To the mushrooms, add the wine. Stir and let it reduce for 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. Stir in the garlic, then the cooked pasta and toss. Add a few splashes of the cashew cream and a few splashes of the pasta water and toss to create a light sauce. Add half of the fresh herbs and season to taste. Serve immediately with remaining fresh herbs and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top.
Heavy cream can be used in place of the cashew cream.

To make this vegan, skip the cheese and and serve with a few drizzles of balsamic vinegar.

Change up the herbs: rosemary and/or sage would be delicious here, but add those heartier herbs to the pan as you add the mushrooms so that they’ll cook more than the softer herbs.

3.4.3177

 

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Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Overhead view of a bowl of lemon ricotta pasta with a fork and lemon wedges.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Overhead view of lemon ricotta pasta in a skillet.

Overhead view of a bowl of lemon ricotta pasta.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 400kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon $0.89
  • 8 oz. pasta* $0.67
  • 1 cup frozen peas $0.50
  • 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
  • 1 Tbsp butter $0.11
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
  • 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

  • Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
  • Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
  • Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
  • Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
  • Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
  • Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 335mg | Fiber: 4g

close up side view of lemon ricotta pasta in a bowl.

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

A zested and juiced lemon on a cutting board.

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Boiled pasta in a pot, water being scooped out with a measuring cup.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Peas and cooked pasta in a colander.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Sautéed garlic in butter in a skillet.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Pasta, peas, and pasta water added to the skillet.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Cheese and lemon added to pasta.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.

Salt, pepper, and red pepper added to the pasta.

Add more of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too thick or too dry. Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.

Finished lemon ricotta pasta in the skillet.

Enjoy the lemon ricotta pasta while still warm!

Overhead view of a bowl of lemon ricotta pasta.

The post Lemon Ricotta Pasta appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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