blaZest
A new week, a new set of 7 quick lunch ideas. This time, you’ve got a selection of dishes that are just varied enough to keep the week from feeling boring, while still staying within the frame we all like best: as little fuss as possible, as much flavor as possible, and as little time in the kitchen as possible.
In this weekly menu, you’ll find creamy pasta, a quick chicken pan, a refreshing tortilla with barely any cooking, a light risotto, a fun crispy fish dish, rich gnocchi, and one slightly more Sunday-style lunch that still does not ask for half a day of work. In short: lunches for a normal week, when time is short but appetite is not.
Creamy Pasta with Feta and Cherry Tomatoes
This is the recipe that took over the internet because the sauce almost makes itself while you quietly cook the pasta and get something else done. It works so well precisely because very few ingredients turn into a surprisingly creamy lunch that feels richer than it really is to make. If you need a safe Monday lunch without any fuss, this is it.
- 200 g pasta (for example penne or fusilli)
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 block feta cheese (200 g)
- 2 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- dried basil
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Prepare a small baking dish or ovenproof dish in which you will bake the sauce.
- Place the whole block of feta in the middle of the dish. Arrange the washed cherry tomatoes around it. Add the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves as well.
- Drizzle everything with olive oil. Sprinkle with dried basil and pepper. Be careful with the salt because feta is already fairly salty on its own.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. The tomatoes should burst and soften, while the feta should become soft and slightly browned around the edges.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Before draining it, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. This will be very useful if the sauce turns out too thick.
- When the feta is baked, remove the dish from the oven. Carefully squeeze the garlic out of its skin directly into the dish. Then mash the feta, baked tomatoes and garlic with a fork until a creamy sauce forms.
- Add the cooked pasta and mix everything well. If you want a silkier, looser sauce, pour in a little of the reserved pasta water and mix once more.
- Taste and, if needed, add a little more pepper or basil. Serve immediately while the sauce is still nicely creamy.
Chicken Stir-Fry with Cashews
This is that quick lunch you can make even on a weekday when you have no patience for three pots and five separate preparations. Chicken, pepper and cashews make a lovely combination of soft, crunchy and slightly sticky, which is always a hit in dishes like this. Add rice on the side and you have a solid, quick and very useful lunch.
- 300 g chicken breast, cut into cubes
- 1 large pepper, cut into strips
- 2 spring onions, sliced into rounds
- 1 handful cashews
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- a little grated ginger (optional)
- a little oil for frying
- First prepare all the ingredients, because the dish comes together quickly. Cut the chicken into small cubes, the pepper into strips and the spring onions into rounds. If using ginger, grate it.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey and ginger. This way the sauce will be ready and you will not be mixing it in a rush over a hot pan later.
- Heat a little oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. You can lightly salt the chicken, but be careful because the soy sauce is already salty.
- Add the chicken and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes until it is nicely browned and golden. Stir it a few times while cooking so it cooks evenly. Once it is cooked, transfer it temporarily to a plate.
- Add the pepper and cashews to the same pan. Fry for about 3 minutes. The pepper should remain slightly firm, while the cashews should smell fragrant and lightly toast.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Pour over the prepared sauce and stir everything over high heat for about 1 more minute, until the sauce coats the meat and vegetables and becomes slightly glossy and sticky.
- At the end, sprinkle with spring onion. Serve immediately, ideally with cooked rice or noodles if you have them at home.
Tortilla with Salmon and Avocado
Wednesday is often just the right day for something that requires almost no cooking but still does not feel like a backup solution. This tortilla is refreshing, soft, creamy and filling enough to carry lunch nicely without any heavy feeling. It is also good because you can prepare it very quickly and take it with you if you want.
- 2 large wholemeal tortillas
- 100 g smoked salmon
- 1 ripe avocado
- 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
- a little lemon juice
- a bunch of fresh rocket or green lettuce
- salt
- pepper
- In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with a little lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a little pepper. This creates a simple, fresh spread that ties all the ingredients together nicely.
- Cut the avocado lengthwise, remove the pit and slice the flesh while it is still in the skin. Then carefully scoop the slices out with a spoon so they do not get too mashed.
- Warm the tortillas briefly in a dry pan, about 30 seconds on each side. This will make them softer, more flexible and easier to roll.
- Spread each tortilla with the yogurt mixture. Do not spread it all the way to the edges, so the filling will not spill out while rolling.
- Add the rocket or lettuce, arrange the avocado slices on top and then add the smoked salmon.
- Roll the tortilla tightly. If you want a prettier cut, slice it diagonally in half. Serve immediately.
Risotto with Peas and Lemon
This is one of those risottos that is not heavy yet still does not feel bland. The peas add sweetness and a bit of color, while the lemon brings freshness that makes the dish feel light and very pleasant for the middle of the week. If risotto has ever intimidated you, this is a good place to start, because it is not complicated, it just asks for a little attention.
- 160 g risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)
- 150 g frozen peas
- 600 ml hot stock or water with a stock cube
- finely grated zest of half a lemon
- 20 g butter
- 2 tbsp Parmesan
- a little oil
- Heat the stock or the water with a stock cube so it stays hot the whole time. This is important because risotto cooks more nicely when you add hot liquid.
- Heat a little oil in a pot or deep pan. Add the rice and cook it, stirring, for about 2 minutes until it becomes slightly translucent. It should not brown.
- Add the first ladleful of hot stock. Stir over medium heat until the rice has almost completely absorbed the liquid.
- Then continue adding the stock gradually, one ladleful at a time. Each time, wait until the rice has almost absorbed the liquid before adding the next ladleful. Continue like this for about 15 minutes.
- After about 8 minutes of cooking, add the frozen peas. Stir and continue gradually adding the liquid.
- When the rice is cooked but still slightly firm to the bite, remove the pot from the heat. The risotto should be creamy and slightly loose, not dry and dense.
- Stir in the butter, Parmesan and grated lemon zest. Cover for 2 minutes so everything comes together nicely, then stir once more and serve.
Hake in a Crispy Chip Crust
A Friday lunch can be simple and still a little playful. This fish version is a great trick for anyone who wants a crispy result without frying and without a big mess. The chips create a crust that is surprisingly good, while the potato salad makes the plate feel complete and homey.
- 2 hake fillets or another white fish
- 1 small bag salted chips (about 40 g)
- 1 egg
- 2 potatoes
- vinegar
- oil
- onion
- salt
- pepper
- First boil the potatoes in their skins. When they are tender, let them cool a little, peel them and cut them into slices. Add thinly sliced onion, oil and vinegar. Season to taste with pepper and salt, then mix gently. This way the potato salad will be just nicely combined by the time you serve it.
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C and prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Crush the chips into crumbs while they are still in the bag. They do not need to become a perfectly fine powder, a few slightly bigger bits will make the crust even more interesting.
- Beat the egg in a plate. Pat the fish dry well with paper towel so the coating will stick better.
- Dip each fillet first into the egg, then coat it well in the crushed chips. Press lightly so the crumbs stick to the surface.
- Place the fish on the prepared tray. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The crust should turn golden while the fish should be cooked through but still juicy.
- Serve with the prepared potato salad. If you like, add a few drops of lemon as well.
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Spinach
Saturday can afford something a little richer, creamier and more indulgent, especially if it is prepared almost without effort. Gnocchi with gorgonzola and spinach are exactly that kind of lunch: quick on the table, but with a flavor that feels much more substantial. The walnuts at the end add that nice crunchy finish that keeps the dish from feeling one-dimensional.
- 500 g fresh store-bought gnocchi
- 100 g gorgonzola
- 100 ml cooking cream
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach
- a handful chopped walnuts
- Bring salted water to a boil in a larger pot. Once the water boils, add the gnocchi.
- Gnocchi cook very quickly, usually when they float to the surface. That is why it is best to have the sauce ready almost at the same time.
- In a pan over low heat, warm the cream. Crumble in the gorgonzola and stir until the cheese slowly melts and forms a smooth sauce.
- Once the sauce is combined, add the fresh spinach. Stir for about 1 minute, only until it wilts. Do not cook it too long, so it stays nice and tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnocchi directly from the pot into the pan with the sauce. A little cooking water that comes along will make the sauce even silkier.
- Stir everything gently so the gnocchi are nicely coated in the sauce. Divide between plates and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts.
Pork Tenderloin in Pepper Sauce
For Sunday, it is nice to have a dish that looks a little more special on the plate, while the preparation still does not demand a whole morning shift in the kitchen. Pork tenderloin is excellent for that because it cooks quickly, while the sauce makes the main impression. Couscous and vegetables round out the plate beautifully, so you get a lunch that looks almost festive but is ready in less than half an hour.
- 350 g pork tenderloin
- 150 g couscous
- 100 ml cooking cream
- 1 tsp green peppercorns, lightly crushed
- vegetables of your choice for pan-roasting (for example courgette, carrot)
- salt
- Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over boiling, lightly salted water in a 1 : 1 ratio. Cover and leave for about 5 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork so it does not stay in one clump.
- Cut the pork tenderloin into medallions about 2 cm thick. Lightly salt the meat on both sides.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the medallions and cook them for about 3 minutes on each side so they develop a nice browned crust. If they are a little thicker, add another minute.
- Remove the cooked meat from the pan and loosely cover it or wrap it in foil. This way it will stay juicy while resting.
- Pour the cream into the same pan and add the lightly crushed pepper. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Meanwhile, use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan so you pick up all the flavor left from cooking the meat.
- In another pan, or in the free part of the same pan, quickly pan-roast the sliced vegetables. Cook them just until they soften but still remain slightly firm.
- Place the couscous on the plate, add the vegetables, set the pork tenderloin medallions on top and pour over the pepper sauce.
If you want even more quick meal ideas for busy days, open this collection of 30 minute meals and keep a bigger stash of simple, reliable recipes close at hand.
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