6 Easy Weeknight Dinner Cooking Recipes

Weeknights can be hectic, but dinner doesn’t have to be stressful. With these 10 easy weeknight dinner cooking recipes, you can whip up delicious meals without spending hours in the kitchen. From comforting classics to exotic flavors, these recipes are designed to simplify your evenings and delight your taste buds.

6 Easy Weeknight Dinner Cooking Recipes: A Lifesaver for Busy Families

Life can get chaotic, but dinner time doesn’t have to be a hassle. These 6 easy weeknight dinner cooking recipes are here to save the day! Let’s dive into each mouthwatering dish:

1. Quick and Flavorful Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

• 225 grams pasta (penne, spaghetti, or your choice)
• 30 milliliters olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 150 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100 grams broccoli florets
• 150 grams bell peppers, sliced (any color)
• 100 grams mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, bell peppers, and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine with the vegetables.
6. Serve hot, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

2. One-Pot Chicken and Rice Delight

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 800 grams)
• 200 grams long-grain rice
• 500 milliliters chicken broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.
2. In a large skillet or pot, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in rice and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing it to toast slightly.
5. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
6. Return chicken thighs to the skillet, nestling them into the rice mixture.
7. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
8. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

3. Flavorful Beef Stir-Fry with Fresh Veggies

Ingredients:

• 450 grams beef sirloin, thinly sliced
• 30 milliliters soy sauce
• 15 milliliters oyster sauce
• 15 milliliters hoisin sauce
• 15 milliliters sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 grams ginger, minced
• 200 grams broccoli florets
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• Cooked rice for serving

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil. Add minced garlic and ginger.
2. Marinate thinly sliced beef in the sauce mixture for 15-20 minutes.
3. Heat some oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add marinated beef and stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, add more oil if needed. Stir-fry broccoli florets, bell pepper, and onion until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Return cooked beef to the skillet and toss everything together until well combined.
6. Serve hot over cooked rice.

4. Zesty Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

• 400g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 250g linguine pasta
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Cook linguine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add cooked linguine to the skillet and toss to coat with the shrimp and sauce.
6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

5. Cozy and Nourishing Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken breast, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 liters chicken broth
• 200g egg noodles
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat some oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add diced chicken breast to the pot and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4. Add egg noodles to the pot and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

6. Speedy Taco Tuesday with Homemade Guac

Ingredients:

• 500g ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 8 taco shells
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
2. Stir in taco seasoning and cook according to package instructions.
3. In a bowl, combine mashed avocado, diced tomato, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix well to make guacamole.
4. Heat taco shells according to package instructions.
5. Fill taco shells with seasoned ground beef and top with homemade guacamole.
6. Serve immediately.