30 Spring Dinners in 30 Minutes (2024)

Get a healthy meal on the table in record time with these dinner recipes. These dinners are ready in just 30 minutes and are packed with seasonal vegetables. Recipes like Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing and Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta are filling and fast while showcasing the flavors of spring.

01of 30

Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta

View Recipe

We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor.

02of 30

Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

View Recipe

For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.

03of 30

Easy Saag Paneer

View Recipe

The paneer cheese in this fast and easy dinner doesn't melt when it cooks. It browns instead, giving a toothsome texture to this Indian classic packed with spinach and spices. Serve over brown basmati rice to round out this healthy meal.

04of 30

Quinoa Avocado Salad

View Recipe

Protein-packed quinoa pairs with creamy avocado in this refreshing grain salad. It's the perfect make-ahead side dish to bring on a picnic or take to a potluck. Or pack it for lunch or enjoy it as a light dinner.

05of 30

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto

View Recipe

While the cauliflower gnocchi crisp up in a sauté pan, steam fresh asparagus in the microwave to keep it bright green and crisp-tender. Substitute frozen asparagus (or green beans or peas) in a pinch. Toss them together with prepared basil pesto for a satisfying supper.

06of 30

30-Minute Mini Meatloaves with Whipped Cauliflower & Green Beans

View Recipe

Comfort food but make it fast! This recipe incorporates a number of pantry ingredients and shortcuts like frozen cauliflower and steam-in-the-bag green beans to cut way down on prep time. Baking the meatloaf in a muffin tin reduces cook time by more than half and makes portion control easy.

07of 30

3-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas

View Recipe

Making your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil and bake to crunchy perfection! Here we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy 3-ingredient meal.

08of 30

Chicken Sausage & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

View Recipe

This one-pan pasta combines tasty chicken sausage and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. It's a quick and easy weeknight dinner everyone is sure to love. This recipe is a variation on our , which is a super-popular recipe developed by Devon O'Brien.

09of 30

3-Ingredient White Bean & Pesto Risotto

View Recipe

Amp up the protein and flavor of a box of risotto by adding some roasted white beans and prepared pesto. You'll be amazed how delicious it is when you combine these three easy ingredients!

10of 30

Beef Pad Thai

View Recipe

We've bulked up the serving size of beef pad thai by adding in lots of healthy veggies like matchstick carrots, snap peas and scallions. Look for whole-grain brown-rice pad thai noodles to add an additional 3 grams fiber to each serving.

11of 30

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

View Recipe

The rich mushroom sauce in this vegan version of classic beef stroganoff gets thick and creamy thanks to vegan sour cream.

12of 30

Old Bay Salmon with Lemony Mashed Peas

View Recipe

Cooking butter until it browns adds a toasty, nutty flavor to this easy skillet salmon recipe. Here it gives Old Bay-rubbed salmon a chef-worthy finish--not bad for 20 minutes!

13of 30

Tortellini Primavera

View Recipe

This creamy tortellini and vegetable pasta is a real crowd pleaser. To make it even quicker, use frozen chopped vegetables instead of fresh. Serve with: A green salad and whole-grain baguette.

14of 30

Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas

View Recipe

We love sausage, but it can be high in sodium. In this fast, healthy dinner, we make our own turkey sausage with crushed red pepper, garlic, fennel seeds, paprika and just a touch of salt.

15of 30

Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables

View Recipe

This fridge-clean-out meal is the perfect way to use up whatever vegetables you have on hand. Chop up anything that's been left behind in your veggie drawer for this quick scramble that's the perfect healthy dinner for one.

16of 30

Honey-Mustard Chicken Tenders with Couscous & Carrots

View Recipe

Thanks to the quick-cooking power of chicken tenders, this honey-mustard chicken dinner comes together fast and easily for a family-friendly weeknight meal. The baby carrots are cooked in a simple orange juice and butter sauce which is lovely drizzled over the chicken and couscous.

17of 30

Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos

View Recipe

Give juicy shrimp tacos a Cajun flavor spin with spices and a quick sear on a hot grill. An easy avocado mash adds creaminess to cool off the spicy kick.

18of 30

Easy Brown Rice Pilaf with Spring Vegetables

View Recipe

This quick 3-ingredient dinner takes advantage of foods you can keep stocked in your fridge and pantry for a fast, healthy meal the whole family will love. Want to kick it up a notch? Use a frozen vegetable blend that has added seasoning for extra flavor (just watch the sodium).

19of 30

Polenta Pizza with Mushrooms & Arugula Salad

View Recipe

This healthy homemade pizza for two is small enough that it can be made in the toaster oven, if your toaster oven has a "broil" function.

20of 30

Creamy Spinach Pasta

View Recipe

This might be one of the creamiest light pasta dishes you've ever had! The mascarpone cheese adds a richness to the spinach pasta that's unexpected--especially in a healthy pasta recipe.

21of 30

Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

View Recipe

Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.

22of 30

Linguine with Lemon Alfredo Shrimp

View Recipe

This bright and lemony shrimp pasta dish was inspired by traditional Alfredo but comes in at only a fraction of the fat and calories. Reduced-fat cream cheese adds body to the sauce, while Parmesan cheese adds its signature robust flavor. This recipe calls for brown rice pasta, which is gluten-free, but if gluten is not a concern for you feel free to serve this sauce over regular linguine or fettucine--or any pasta you like!

23of 30

Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach

View Recipe

Simmer eggs in a rich tomatoey cream sauce studded with chickpeas and silky spinach for a super-fast vegetarian dinner. Serve with a piece of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Be sure to use heavy cream; a lower-fat option might curdle when mixed with acidic tomatoes.

24of 30

Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

View Recipe

An easy-to-make slaw served on the side of these salmon tacos makes for a filling and fast weeknight dinner. If you prefer more heat in these fish tacos, simply add a pinch or two of chipotle chile powder or cayenne with the chili powder.

25of 30

Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki

View Recipe

Creamy tzatziki and crisp sliced cucumber add a refreshing twist to this easy Greek-inspired burger recipe loaded with feta, spinach and Mediterranean spices. No tzatziki? No problem! Make your own at home by combining plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon, dill and finely chopped cucumber.

26of 30

Lemony Linguine with Spring Vegetables

View Recipe

Instead of cooking pasta in a huge pot of water, here we use just 3 1/2 cups for this one-pot pasta recipe. When the pasta is al dente, most of the water has evaporated and the bit that's left is thickened with the starch that cooks off the pasta. With just a few add-ins like lemon and Parmesan cheese you have a delicious silky sauce. Want to use up your veggie stash in the freezer? Swap in 8 ounces frozen spinach for fresh.

27of 30

Skillet Pork Chops with Peas, Carrots & Pearl Onions

View Recipe

This superfast one-dish dinner is full of classic flavor and is such a crowd pleaser that you'll want to work it into your regular weeknight dinner rotation. We call for bone-in pork chops to maximize flavor, but boneless pork chops are a fine substitution. To round out this meal a little more, serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

28of 30

Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce

View Recipe

This steak, broccoli rabe and pea dinner is a one-skillet meal that will be on your table in just 25 minutes! The pan drippings combine with mushroom, broth and grainy mustard to make a thick and delicious sauce.

29of 30

Lemon-Tahini Couscous with Chicken & Vegetables

View Recipe

When you want pasta in no time, couscous is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls cook up in minutes, and absorb all the water so you don't have to fuss with draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables plus leftover chicken, it's a fast and tasty meal in a bowl that's perfect as an easy dinner recipe.

30of 30

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

View Recipe

Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.

FAQs

What can I cook in 30 min? ›

30-minute meal recipes

Mustard-stuffed chicken. A star rating of 4.6 out of 5. ...
Air-fryer fish tacos. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users. ...
Coconut fish curry. ...
Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) ...
Air-fryer sweetcorn fritters. ...
30 minute chicken & tarragon pasta. ...
Thai prawn noodles. ...
Pork noodle stir-fry.

More items...

How to survive a week on $20? ›

Your Shopping List

1 bag of dried beans: $1.49.
2 pounds of chicken breast: $3.76.
1 jar of peanut butter: $1.98.
1 jar of jelly: $1.79.
1 loaf of whole wheat bread: $1.63.
1 dozen eggs: $1.26.
1 container of oatmeal: $1.35.
1 bag of dried lentils: $1.39.

More items...

What should I do for the next 30 minutes? ›

30 Things You Can Do In 30 Minutes (Or Less)

Fold laundry and put it away.
Read a few chapters of a book.
Do a spot clean of your house and put things away out of place.
Do a face mask.
Do a workout.
Go walk for 30 minutes.
Clean out and organize your dresser drawers (a few of them)

More items...

Keep Reading ›

What is the 30 minute diet? ›

The 30/30/30 is a weight loss method that involves eating 30 g of protein within the first 30 minutes of your day, and following it with 30 minutes of light exercise.