8 quick and easy family dinners in under 15 minutes
Spending your weeknights slaving over the stove can leave you feeling drained and exhausted. Most of us want to get those meals on to the table as quickly as possible so we can spend more precious time with the family. The good news is that you can cook delicious and healthy meals without breaking your back, your budget or spending hours at the stove. Read on to find our 8 quick and easy dinner ideas that you can get to the table in under 15 minutes.
1. Wonton soup
Let’s begin with something to warm your stomach and heart. This wonton soup recipe is delicious and nutritious, and in terms of prep and cooking time we’re talking 10 minutes from start to finish. It’s a hearty and super adaptable meal that the whole family will love. Who says you can’t make tasty Chinese dinners in your own kitchen? The secret to this speedy recipe is frozen wontons and store bought chicken stock.
2. Mexican chicken wraps
If you feel like bringing a bit of Mexico to the dinner table but don’t want to spend hours preparing it, then this delicious Mexican chicken wrap recipe is the perfect choice. It’s not just quick and easy to make, but it’s also cheap. Plus it’s packed with protein from the chicken and vitamins and minerals from the greens. If you want to add some extra wow the kids will love, try adding some kewpie dressing before you roll your wraps up.
3. Fettuccine with sweet pepper-cayenne sauce
This is one delicious dinner recipe that takes just 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cook time. It’s a super flavourful and healthy dish from allrecipes.com that the whole family will love. In just four easy steps, you’ll have a piping hot pasta dinner on your dining table – and in next no time. Serve it with some garlic bread or add some left over chicken for a wholesome Italian dinner in a flash.
4. Watermelon and haloumi salad
This is a quick, easy and oh-so-fresh meal idea that will have the family coming back for more. Oozy, delicious haloumi is coupled with watermelon, crispy pita, fresh herbs and salad vegies – just pile it all onto a big platter and the family can serve themselves. Check out the recipe here.
5. Honey lime salmon
Honey brings a little bit of magic to any recipe, and when you add some zesty lime, things go to a whole new level. That’s why this Honey lime salmon is a spectacular dish that even the kids will love. What’s even better is that it only needs three ingredients to season that beautiful salmon fillet: honey, soy sauce, and fresh lime juice. The author of the recipe suggests you cook it on the stovetop first then transfer it to the oven for a lovely crispy skin finish, and all it takes is 15 minutes! Serve with a pre-made salad from the supermarket and you’re done!
6. 15-minute pork fried rice
Another blockbuster that’s sure to become a regular feature on the weekly menu is this pork fried rice. What’s great about this dish is that you can throw in whatever ingredients you have available in your fridge - mushrooms, peas, carrots, capsicum or whatever you like. It will still be tasty and colourful when combined with small cubes of pork and some leftover rice.
7. Chicken and asparagus stir-fry
Now, here’s a recipe with an actual cooking time of only 5 minutes. Yes, 5 minutes - but you need to factor in some prep and marination time too, but you still need less than 15 minutes to get this chicken and asparagus stir-fry on the table. It’s healthy, it’s savoury, and it’s easy to cook.
8. Beef stroganoff
The classic beef stroganoff usually requires hours to cook but who’s got the time for that? This quick and easy beef stroganoff recipe from Jamie Oliver takes only 15 minutes. The secret is a food processor to help you speed up the process. So, get it working for you, while the family is eagerly waiting for this super creamy, super yummy dinner.
Make that 15-minute magic happen
Cooking tasty and healthy family dinners doesn’t have to take forever. These quick and easy family dinner recipes don’t need more than 15 minutes, particularly if you invest in a few kitchen appliances to help speed things up (such as a food processor or thermomix). Don’t worry if new appliances don’t feature in your budget right now because we can help you make it happen. Just take a look at our cash loans from $1,000 to find out how quick and easy it is to get your hands on some extra funds. Once a loan is approved, we can usually deposit the cash into your bank account within a few hours - so you can update your kitchen gadgets and start whipping up these quick and easy family meals in next to no time!