7 super easy dinners in under 30 minutes
The night-time dilemma in many households is what to make for dinner. It’s oh so easy to be tempted to just grab your phone and order takeout, but you don’t have to give in to that temptation - because there are loads of quick dinner ideas you can make in under 30 minutes. When your pantry is well stocked, dinner can be easy-peasy and delicious!
Short on time doesn’t have to be short on the taste. Check out our quick dinner ideas and recipes – at least one is sure to become your favourite.
1. Easiest barbecued chicken
Marinating chicken breasts or boneless thighs for the BBQ is super quick and you only need 6 basic ingredients – garlic powder, chicken seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, barbecue sauce, and salt.
It’s best to marinate the fillets for several hours, so if possible, get your marinade groove on in the morning and leave the chicken to soak up all of that taste throughout the day. When it’s time for dinner, you can cook your chicken in the oven, in a pan or on the BBQ, then partner with a quick salad and some rice or spuds. Voila! You'll have a delicious and nutritious chicken dinner in next to no time. Here's the full recipe.
2. Mushroom, thyme and walnut linguine
Yes, that’s right! This vegetarian recipe has only four main ingredients, which is why we’ve included it in our list of quick dinner ideas.
There are a few other ingredients needed but you’ll probably have these in your pantry or fridge, and you can get the whole thing on the table in around 15 minutes if you make the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Don’t forget to add some sour cream at the end for extra flavour. Here's the full recipe.
3. Hawaiian pork chops
After a hard day at work or running around after the kids, we know you’re looking for a super easy dinner to put on the table, and this sure is one easy recipe to add to your repertoire.
Besides pork chops and canned pineapple, everything else you need are the basics, such as onion, capsicum, stock and brown sugar - so it won’t take long until your sweet, sour, and flavourful dinner is ready for you to devour. Here's the full recipe.
4. Chinese-style orange chicken
Since we’re at it, here’s another one of those fruity and savoury easy dinners everyone will love. It’s sweet with the orange juice and crunchy because of the corn starch and egg coating. What’s not to love?
This one is sure to be a hit whether some surprise guests arrive or you simply want to give your family a tasty Chinese-style dinner! And don’t even think about ordering a take-out instead, because you’ll be done cooking way before the order arrives. Here's the full recipe.
5. Baked fish
If you fancy a quick fish dinner, you really can’t go past this fast baked fish - and for good reason. You can use any flaky white fish available – and probably even freshly frozen fillets. In terms of time, this one is super fast – all you need to do is preheat the oven then whack the fish in once you’ve seasoned it with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of butter.
That’s it! Just cook for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, and it’s ready to serve and enjoy. If you throw some oven fries in first, you’ll have the prefect, no-fuss, fish and chip dinner with hardly any effort at all! Here's the full recipe.
6. Chicken fajita tray bake
If you’re looking for more quick dinner ideas you can make in a flash, this one is definitely for you. Ten minutes is all it takes to make this Mexican-inspired chicken fajita tray bake.
Surprised? Well, apart from tossing some chicken pieces (save chopping time by buying stir-fry slices) in a spice mix, all you need to do is throw the chicken on a baking tray, bake it for 3 minutes, add some chopped capsicum and bake for another 2 minutes. How quick is that? Don’t forget to serve it with warm tortillas and your favourite Mexican dips. Here's the full recipe.
7. Basic fried rice
Nothing beats a fast dinner that’s not only quick and easy but also a complete meal in itself. This fried rice recipe is the fastest, tastiest, and healthiest you can make in just 20 minutes.
The ingredients combine all the essential nutrients you’ll need after a hard day’s work, such as carbohydrates from the rice, protein from the meat, and vitamins and minerals from the vegetables. So, what are you waiting for? Try it out tonight! Here's the full recipe.
Get one of these dinner ideas on the table tonight!
In a world where time is of the essence, the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. These quick dinner ideas will save you a lot of time while still enjoying tasty and healthy meals. And don’t forget - if you need some new kitchen equipment to make cooking even easier, we’re here to help. Just take a look at our cash loans from $500 - $5,000 to find out how quick and easy it is to get your hands on some extra funds. Once a loan is approved, the cash is usually in your bank account within a few hours – so you can get these dinner ideas cooking in next to no time.