10 Easy, Quick Dinner Recipes – With Make-Ahead Steps to Speed Things Up!

My goal here is to help you answer the eternal question: “What’s for dinner?”. Between packing lunches, meal prepping, and the overall go-go-go pace of life, by the end of the day we’re done. And yet we still need to sit down to dinner. Many will feel frazzled by 6pm and either not know what to make for dinner, or will be crunched for time with everything else going on. This is where easy, quick dinner recipes can step in to make your life easier and keep you satisfied (and the family fed).

This month, I am heading ‘back to school’ for the 11th online run of the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program and you can bet your tushy that I will be having these recipes on repeat.

Each of these quick dinner recipes are simple to make and don’t require a ton of hands-on cooking time, relying on the oven or pot to do most of the work. You’ll still need to prep your veggies, but I’ve also provided make-ahead prep and cook tips to help get dinner on the table even faster.

10 QUICK DINNER RECIPES

Moroccan-Inspired Lamb with Turmeric Rice

This is our go-to when we want something fast and easy. We like the turmeric rice for extra jazz, but you could easily skip it and have plain rice for an even faster dinner.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the turmeric rice (or cauliflower rice, or another gluten-free grain) ahead of time
• Blend a quick batch of hummus a day or two before

GET THE RECIPE

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Easy and Delicious Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

It took me many iterations to develop this allergen-friendly pizza crust, and it never disappoints – plus it’s a reader favourite. You can make these full-size or roll into small pizzas so everyone in the family can choose their own toppings.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Batch prep your flour mix, so it’s ready to go
• Freeze tomato sauce or pesto in small jars for pizza making
• If you’re out of sauce, thin out some tomato paste with water or olive oil and add dried herbs
• Double the recipe, roll out your crusts and freeze them between sheets of parchment for instant pizza making

GET THE RECIPE

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Coconut Curry with Cod

You really can’t go wrong with a one-pot meal, and this one cooks in about 20 minutes. So easy!

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prep your veggies ahead of time
• Mix a large batch of homemade garam masala, so you have it on hand
• Use leftover cooked grains to bulk it up if desired
• Use rice noodles, which only need to sit in hot water for a few minutes

GET THE RECIPE

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All Dressed Sweet Potatoes

A filling and quick dinner recipe that you can top with whatever your heart desires. Alternate stuffing idea? Try portobello mushrooms and bell peppers!

Make-Ahead Tips

• Bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time and re-warm in the oven when ready to serve
• Make an all-purpose sauce or salad dressing and use it for this and other dishes during the week
• Use leftover chili, curry, refried beans, scrambled eggs, guacamole or hummus for toppings

GET THE RECIPE

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Pineapple Fried Rice

This one is always a hit with our son. We make this with whatever veggies we have on hand. If you don’t have pineapple, try mango chunks – or just leave it out!

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the rice the day or two before (this is always better for fried rice!)
• Use any leftover cooked/roasted veggies you have, but add them at the end of cooking, so they don’t overcook

GET THE RECIPE

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Slow Roasted Veg and Sausage (or Tempeh/Tofu) Pasta

The oven really does all the work for this one. Aside from cooking the pasta, this is basically a one-pot meal.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prep your veggies a day or two beforehand
• Skip the pasta – we also like to eat this grain-free and pile it on its own bowl!

GET THE RECIPE

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Paleo Chicken Fingers

These chicken fingers are simple and also extremely kid-friendly. It’s easy to throw together a side salad to go with them, or you could make baked fries.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the chicken fingers ahead of time, cool fully, freeze on parchment, and then bake in the oven when ready to serve
• Double the recipe and freeze some or all for later

GET THE RECIPE

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Yellow Split Pea Dahl

A cozy and quick dinner recipe that is packed with protein and fibre. You can eat this on its own or add in some rice.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Soak your yellow split peas in the morning
• This recipe is really simple and doesn’t require a lot of prep, but you could make it ahead of time and heat up the leftovers any night during the week

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Quiche

Don’t forget about breakfast for dinner! If quiche seems like too much effort, try an omelette, hash or scramble with leftover veggies.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the millet for the crust ahead of time, or skip it entirely and make a crustless quiche!
• Use leftover veggies or meat in the filling

GET THE RECIPE

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Simple Butter Chicken (or Tofu) and Homemade Garam Masala

This is one of my favourite freezer meals. It’s also a good option for a slow cooker or Instant Pot if you have one.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prep the spice mix ahead of time and store in your spice cupboard or pantry
• Prep your veggies in advance
• Cook rice or another grain ahead of time
• Make the entire recipe and freeze for later, or double the batch and eat half fresh and freeze the rest

GET THE RECIPE

More Resources and Inspiration

• How to Solve What’s For Dinner Stress and Revive Mealtime
• The Ultimate Guide to One-Pot Meals
• How to Prepare Freezer Meals
• Best Freezer Meals for New Moms and Busy People