The 5 best dinner ideas under 15 minutes
Are you in a rush to make dinner and don’t want to resort to fast-food or microwaveable meals? Typically, eating healthy dinners requires a little more preparation and patience than less healthy ones, but this doesn’t always need to be the case.
There are plenty of healthy and fast recipes that you can prepare in under 10 minutes, so you have something to eat without compromising on nutrition. Even though these recipes are designed to be quick, you will still get as much nutritional value from them as you would with dishes that take longer to prepare – it’s all about the quality of the ingredients.
Let’s take a look at a few ideas for dinner you can whip up in under 10 minutes.
1. Tacos/burritos
Tacos and burritos are examples of universally popular dishes that everyone loves, simply because they can take on so many different forms. A taco shell or burrito tortilla wrap is basically a vessel which you fill up with your own additions, so they can be as nutritious as you choose to make them.
Making healthy tacos and burritos is easy, just be mindful of the ingredients you are using. Instead of red meat like beef, try using lean chicken strips and use more varieties of healthy foods than just tomato and lettuce. Beans are a big staple in Mexican cuisine, as well as being great for you, so be sure to include them in your tacos and burritos to make them truly authentic!
2. Chicken/fish and vegetable stir fry
There’s nothing quite as straightforward as chopping up some vegetables, throwing them into a pan, and cooking them to the desired level of crispiness. Again, you want to use chicken or fish as your protein choice, since they will be healthier than opting for red meat like beef.
If you are someone who avoids vegetables because of their taste or texture, then a stir fry is a great way to disguise both of these factors. Make sure you select an excellent sauce to complete the stir fry and give it its signature flavour – Mongolian or Teriyaki sauces are great examples!
3. Super scrambled eggs/omelette
Scrambled eggs and omelettes are commonly thought of as staples of a good breakfast, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy them for dinner – just spruce them up a bit with some added ingredients. Add vegetables, herbs, spices, and even throw some cheese on top for good measure.
This kind of dish is super easy to make in bulk, so it’s a great idea when you have a lot of people to feed!
4. Garlic butter prawns
Prawns are an incredible weeknight dinner hero that a lot of people are surprisingly unaware of. They cook quickly and are incredibly versatile for how they can be seasoned, and it’s easy to make something that tastes great with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry (garlic, butter etc.).
This dish can take less than 5 minutes to prepare but feels like a treat every time you serve it. Perfect for feeding everyone on a camping or fishing trip and pairing it with your beer of choice.
5. Smashed avocado on toast
How could we not mention smashed-avocado on toast? This meal is a favourite with busy people when they want cheap eats that are both healthy and satisfying.
To vary things up, try adding in another ingredient like feta cheese that won’t add much time to the clock but will enhance the meal. Use any extra time you have to add more ingredients or make yourself a second helping (if you’re feeling extra hungry).