17 Quick Meals That Taste Like You Spent All Day

If you need a great meal but don’t have a lot of time to cook, these recipes are perfect for you. They are all made to be super simple and quick for anyone who is busy but still wants to eat something really good. Every single dish here can be ready to eat in about thirty minutes or even less, and they are all packed with lots of flavor that your whole family will love.

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Table of Contents

1 Old Bay Oven Roasted Salmon
2 Fajitas de Res (Beef Fajitas)
3 Cacio e Pepe Pasta
4 Pescado a la Diabla (Mexican deviled fish)
5 Air Fryer Unsloppy Joes Biscuit Pockets
6 Espagueti Rojo
7 Mexican Shrimp Salad
8 Air Fryer Steak
9 Chicharrón en Salsa Verde (pork rinds in green sauce)
10 Chicken Fajitas
11 Tuscan Chicken Pasta in the Instant Pot
12 Milanesa de Res (Beef Milanese)
13 Cajun Sausage and Rice
14 Camarones al Mojo de Ajo
15 Vegetarian baked gnocchi with feta and tomatoes
16 Korean-style Sauteed Beef with Bean Sprouts and Cabbage
17 The Viral Spicy Vodka Pasta Recipe

Old Bay Oven Roasted Salmon

Three seasoned salmon fillets baked on a tray with roasted Brussels sprouts and sliced potatoes, garnished with herbs. — Old Bay Salmon. Photo credit: Easy Weeknight Recipes.

A piece of salmon gets a big flavor boost from a coating of Old Bay seasoning and is then roasted in the oven until it is perfectly flaky and tender for a fast meal.
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Fajitas de Res (Beef Fajitas)

Fajitas de Res Tacos placed on a wooden cutting board. — Fajitas de Res. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

You can make a sizzling platter of Fajitas de Res at home with tender beef and colorful strips of peppers and onions, which is a fun and tasty meal for everyone to enjoy.
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Cacio e Pepe Pasta

A plate of spaghetti pasta coated in a light, creamy sauce, served on a white dish with a blue floral pattern. — Cacio e Pepe Pasta. Photo credit: Christina’s Cucina.

This simple dish called Cacio e Pepe Pasta is a classic Italian meal that only needs a few basic ingredients to make a really creamy and delicious dinner any night of the week.
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Pescado a la Diabla (Mexican deviled fish)

A white plate with a meal consisting of tomato-coated fish fillet, white rice, and sautéed green beans. The plate is set on a table with a small clay mug and a colorful napkin partially visible in the background. — Pescado a la Diabla. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

For a spicy seafood dinner, you should try Pescado a la Diabla, which is a Mexican fish dish that brings a lot of heat and flavor to your table in very little time.
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Air Fryer Unsloppy Joes Biscuit Pockets

A golden-brown baked bun, sprinkled with sesame seeds, is split open on a white plate, revealing a savory filling of ground meat, onions, and sauce spilling out from the center. — Air Fryer Unsloppy Joes Biscuit Pockets. Photo credit: XoxoBella.

These Air Fryer Unsloppy Joes Biscuit Pockets use canned biscuit dough and ground beef to create a fun, handheld version of the classic sandwich that cooks up perfectly in the air fryer.
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Espagueti Rojo

The Mexican pasta dish called Espagueti Rojo is a simple way to make your regular spaghetti much more exciting with a flavorful red sauce that the whole family will want to eat.
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Mexican Shrimp Salad

This Mexican Shrimp Salad is a light and refreshing meal that combines juicy shrimp with fresh vegetables and a creamy dressing, making it perfect for a quick lunch or a simple dinner.
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Air Fryer Steak

A grilled ribeye steak topped with melting herb butter is served with roasted asparagus on a white plate, garnished with chopped parsley. — Air Fryer Steak. Photo credit: Dr. Davinah’s Eats.

You can cook a really good Air Fryer Steak that comes out with a nice brown outside and stays juicy inside, and it only takes a few minutes with very little work needed.
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Chicharrón en Salsa Verde (pork rinds in green sauce)

Pork rinds cooked in green sauce sitting in an oval clay bowl. — Chicharron en Salsa. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

The dish called Chicharrón en Salsa Verde features soft pork rinds that are simmered in a tasty green tomatillo sauce, making it a comforting and traditional Mexican meal that is ready fast.
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Chicken Fajitas

A sizzling skillet of Chicken Fajitas with tender strips of chicken and sweet cooked onions and peppers is a restaurant-style meal that you can make at home on any busy weeknight.
Get Recipe: Chicken Fajitas

Tuscan Chicken Pasta in the Instant Pot

A bowl of creamy penne pasta with pieces of chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and wilted spinach, served in a light-colored dish. — Tuscan Chicken Pasta in the Instant Pot. Photo credit: Cooking With Carlee.

You can make a creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta right in your Instant Pot, which is a full meal with chicken and pasta in a rich sauce that cooks all together easily.
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Milanesa de Res (Beef Milanese)

Milanesa de Res served with avocado slices on top and potato fries on a glass plate — Milanesa de Res. Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

The recipe for Milanesa de Res is a fast way to get a crispy, breaded beef cutlet onto your dinner plate, and it is a very satisfying meal that everyone will enjoy.
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Cajun Sausage and Rice

A close-up of a spoonful of jambalaya, featuring seasoned rice, sliced sausage, diced bell peppers, onions, and garnished with chopped parsley. — Cajun Sausage and Rice. Photo credit: I Heart Eating.

A skillet of Cajun Sausage and Rice is a simple, one-pan dinner that is filled with spicy sausage and seasoned rice, making it a very hearty and flavorful meal that comes together quickly.
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Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Shrimp and rice served in a glass plate with lime slices as garnish — Camarones al Mojo de Ajo. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

The shrimp in Camarones al Mojo de Ajo are cooked in a delicious buttery sauce that is full of garlic flavor, making it a very special seafood dish that is also very quick to prepare.
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Vegetarian baked gnocchi with feta and tomatoes

A close-up of a spicy paneer bhurji dish, featuring crumbled paneer, cooked tomatoes, onions, and garnished with fresh chopped cilantro. The food looks rich, colorful, and flavorful. — Vegetarian baked gnocchi with feta and tomatoes. Photo credit: GreenBowl2Soul.

This Vegetarian Baked Gnocchi with Feta and Tomatoes is an easy one-pan meal where soft gnocchi, sweet tomatoes, and creamy feta cheese bake together into a super tasty dinner.
Get Recipe: Vegetarian baked gnocchi with feta and tomatoes

Korean-style Sauteed Beef with Bean Sprouts and Cabbage

A plate of white rice topped with stir-fried ground beef, bean sprouts, julienned carrots, and chopped green onions, served on a dark plate with garlic cloves in the background. — Korean-style Sauteed Beef with Bean Sprouts and Cabbage. Photo credit: Manila Spoon.

This Korean-style Sauteed Beef is a fast meal that mixes thinly sliced beef with fresh bean sprouts and cabbage in a tasty sauce that is both savory and a little bit sweet.
Get Recipe: Korean-style Sauteed Beef with Bean Sprouts and Cabbage

The Viral Spicy Vodka Pasta Recipe

A bowl of penne pasta covered in creamy tomato sauce, garnished with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves, sits on a rustic wooden table with a fork and a white napkin beside it. — Gigi Hadid Pasta. Photo credit: The Cinnamon Star.

The popular Spicy Vodka Pasta has a creamy tomato sauce that gets a little bit of heat from some red pepper, making it a very comforting and trendy dish to make for dinner.
Get Recipe: The Viral Spicy Vodka Pasta Recipe