I don’t mean to be bossy or anything, but… You must. Stop. Ordering. Takeout. NOW . You must fill your kitchen with the smells of a delicious meal that took you less time to make than deciding what to watch on TV.
No, seriously. FIFTEEN MINUTES. I’m putting on my bossypants for the joy of your weeknights. So obey. Please.
1. 15-Minute Mac and Cheese
I am a total sucker for a no-fuss dinner that doesn’t come out of a box. Let’s be real, no kid can turn down a creamy bowl of mac and cheese, and honestly, what adult can either?
All it really takes is some shredded cheese, milk, and a few spices to create something magical. Serve it up with some chicken tenders from the air fryer, and I promise you’ll have clean plates all around.
2. 15-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp
What happens when you don’t have the time to whip up a full shrimp scampi? You make this instead! Just think about this combo for a second: garlic, butter, lemon, and parsley.
It’s the dream team. This recipe delivers juicy, tasty shrimp that are perfect tossed with some noodles for a super quick meal.
3. 15-Minute Chicken Burritos
The secret weapon here is a store-bought rotisserie chicken, which is a total must-have for busy weeks. This dish is just that chicken, some refried beans, onion, and shredded cheese all wrapped up in a flour tortilla that gets grilled in a pan.
You’ll want to serve it with salsa and sour cream for a meal that definitely requires two hands and a whole bunch of napkins.
4. Quick and Easy 15-Minute Chicken Pasta
The key to this meal’s super short cook time is all in the prep. You get to enjoy a cheesy chicken pasta in just minutes by cooking the pasta while you sauté the chicken in a pan at the same time.
The chicken only takes about 10 minutes! Just add it to your pasta and tomato sauce, top it with cheese, and you’ve got something simple and so satisfying.
5. 15-Minute Beef and Noodles Skillet
You can go ahead and toss that box of Hamburger Helper, because this recipe is just as fast and has ten times the flavor!
Get your favorite noodles boiling while you brown some ground beef that’s marinating in a mix of tomato soup and cream of mushroom soup. Toss in a ton of shredded cheddar, and what you get is a skillet full of gravy-filled, melty pasta goodness.
6. 15-Minute Shrimp Tacos
Get ready for these super chill and refreshing shrimp tacos. This recipe uses a store-bought coleslaw mix, which saves you a ton of time on chopping veggies.
Just sauté some fresh shrimp for a few minutes, wrap them up in warm corn tortillas with a squeeze of lime and some cilantro. Every single bite is just so good!
7. 15-Minute Stovetop Enchiladas
Making enchiladas can feel like a whole project, right? You have to make the stuffing, wrap it all up, and then carefully arrange everything in a baking dish.
This recipe is a game-changer. It takes all those flavors you love and turns them into a deconstructed bowl with a way faster prep time. It’s genius!
8. 15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken
Honey is a total staple in my pantry. It can soften, sweeten, and deepen any flavor profile! This honey garlic chicken reaches a whole new level of sophistication and is just so easy to make.
All you need is some boneless, skinless chicken, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes to enjoy this tangy protein over a bed of brown rice.
9. 15-Minute Mongolian Beef
White rice is always a fantastic base for a quick meal, and this Mongolian beef is such a treat to pile on top!
This dish calls for flank steak, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce. It’s an elevated meal for any night of the week.
10. 15-Minute Wonton Soup
If you’re one of those people who keeps frozen wontons in your freezer, you are already ahead of the game. This simple wonton soup whips up a rich broth in no time.
It’s filled with those bite-sized wontons, leeks, and your choice of dark greens like baby spinach, bok choy, or some chopped kale.
11. 15-Minute Italian Garden Pasta
This dish is truly delectable, especially for anyone who is lactose intolerant or just prefers less cheese. This spaghetti has just a few classic ingredients, like fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes.
You can make this your main course and pair it with a vibrant Caprese salad for a light yet incredibly pleasing meal.
12. 15-Minute Chicken and Halloumi Burgers
Talk about a gourmet burger! This one has such diverse flavors and comes together faster than an appetizer challenge on a cooking show.
These whole chicken breasts are pan-fried and then topped with grilled halloumi, peppers, hummus, and some fresh coleslaw for a meal that feels so fancy.
13. 15-Minute Pasta Carbonara
Not only is this carbonara so easy to prepare, but it also has some serious star quality. It’s made with just a few ingredients like linguine, bacon bits, and fresh parmesan.
This is the kind of dish that’s best served family-style with some French bread and a simple house salad.
14. 15-Minute Chili
Chili in only 15 minutes? What kind of magic is this? The secret is all in the canned ingredients!
This dish cooks in a flash by using canned pinto and kidney beans, canned stewed tomatoes, and ground turkey. Just blend everything together, top it off with shredded cheese, and get ready to dunk a dinner roll into this bowl of goodness.
15. 15-Minute Grilled Salmon
Do you have some leftover sides in the fridge and just want to add a protein to reinvent dinner tonight? Try this super straightforward grilled salmon.
Take your filets out to the grill with just a few spices slathered on top for a charred yet moist delight that’s ready in no time.
16. 15-Minute Spicy Chicken
Want to put together a seamless rice bowl that has a little kick? Look no further than this spicy chicken to take your meal to another level.
Make sure to add a special ingredient to your grocery list, because this dish calls for sambal oelek. The search is totally worth it for this rich and robust stir-fry chicken.
If you can’t find it, you can try using an Asian chili garlic sauce as a substitute.
17. 15-Minute Lasagna
Lasagna is a meal you’ll never have to convince me to eat. I’m not one of those people who tries to sneak veggies into this dish; I like my lasagna cheesy and meaty, with the greens saved for a side salad!
This speedy recipe is pretty unique because it uses breakfast sausage. It also has ground beef, cheese, and tomato sauce, making for a layered and hearty meal.
18. 15-Minute Picnic Pasta
This dish just reminds me so much of summer. It’s such a sophisticated dish.
It has a really clever ingredient selection, with dried conchiglie, cucumber, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. It all just works together beautifully.
19. 15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup
Elevate your lazy grilled cheese dinner with this tomato soup that will be ready at the exact same time as your sandwich. There’s no need to open a can of lifeless soup!
This recipe just requires peeled stewed tomatoes, garlic, onion, and spices. It’s a total upgrade.
20. 15-Minute Chicken Stir-Fry Noodles
My number one late-night craving is for Chinese lo mein. And you’re telling me I can make this genuinely addicting masterpiece in only 15 minutes? Sign. Me. Up.
It’s all made in a simple garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. That sauce gets poured over thin spaghetti, broccoli, scallions, and chicken, then topped with sesame seeds. Sorry, takeout, but I can handle this myself now.
21. 15-Minute Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
I have to say, this might be a dish you break out when the in-laws visit! It’s perfect for a family-style dinner and looks truly impressive.
You can save even more time by using frozen stir-fry veggies instead, or just quickly chop up some broccoli, onion, and pepper to fold into this creamy flank steak.
22. 15-Minute Pork-Fried Rice
This pork fried rice would be the perfect companion to the wonton soup for a full Asian fusion spread that’s all made in a flash.
Just take out that leftover white rice and add it to a pan with ground pork, a frozen stir-fry veggie mix, and eggs. Then, cover everything in a blend of soy sauce and oyster sauce. It’s a weeknight win.
23. 15-Minute Creamy Tomato Pasta
If you need to feed a large group of people but are short on time, this is the perfect pasta dish to serve. This recipe cuts your time in half by using tomato paste.
It’s already cooked down and has a level of flavor that fresh tomatoes would need an hour to develop. Just toss some frozen garlic bread in the oven, and you’ll have a lot of happy bellies!
24. 15-Minute Pizza Dough
I know what you’re thinking, a quick pizza obviously means using a frozen dough. Well, get ready to have your mind blown. This is a 15-minute recipe for fresh dough.
You’ll be spinning pies in no time with this yeast-less dough that only needs flour, baking powder, and salt. Lather it with cheese and your favorite toppings and voilà! That’s amore.
25. 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak
I love this dish for a quicker version of steak fajitas. Layer some thinly sliced top round beef, bell peppers, and onion in a grilled flour tortilla and top it all off with a dollop of sour cream.
Pair it with Mexican rice and refried beans for a sizzling dinner that is destined to be enjoyed with a skinny margarita.
