What should you cook for dinner when you want variety during the week, but do not have time for long preparation? This weekly plan brings seven easy dinners for two people, ready in 15 to 35 minutes and built around everyday ingredients.
The week starts with creamy pasta, continues with Asian rice noodles and a quick tortellini soup, then moves into a crispy toasted wrap, salmon, chicken curry and a Sunday-style pork steak dinner with pan sauce.
Jump straight to dinner
Before You Start
For an easier week, check basic ingredients such as oil, salt, pepper, garlic and dried herbs. Vegetables can be washed ahead of time, while meat and fish should stay in the fridge until cooking. For pasta and rice dishes, prep the other ingredients while the water heats or the rice cooks.
Creamy Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach
Creamy, juicy pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and young spinach, ready in only 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 200 g penne pasta
- 80 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 100 g fresh baby spinach
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- parmesan for serving, optional
Method
- Bring at least 2 litres of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into small strips, then wash and dry the spinach.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the spinach and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted. Add the cream cheese and reduce the heat to low.
- Before draining the pasta, save about 100 ml of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta directly to the pan.
- Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and mix well until the sauce becomes silky. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, with parmesan if you like.
Tip: Pasta water contains starch, which helps the sauce cling to the pasta and stay creamy.
Asian Rice Noodles with Chicken and Crunchy Vegetables
A light, colourful wok-style dinner with juicy chicken and vegetables that stay pleasantly crisp.
Ingredients
- 150 g rice noodles
- 250 g chicken breast
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 large carrot
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
Method
- Place the rice noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 5 to 7 minutes, or as directed on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Cut the chicken breast into thin strips. Cut the bell pepper, zucchini and carrot into very thin strips too.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan or wok over high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan, then add the vegetables. Stir-fry over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Return the chicken to the pan and add the drained rice noodles.
- Pour in the soy sauce, lime or lemon juice and sesame oil if using. Toss over high heat for another 1 to 2 minutes and serve immediately.
Tip: The secret to good wok-style cooking is high heat and quick stirring. The vegetables should stay bright and crunchy.
Creamy Vegetable Soup with Fresh Filled Tortellini
A warm spoon meal that sits somewhere between a rich vegetable soup and a filling main course.
Ingredients
- 250 g fresh tortellini, cheese or spinach filled
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 large carrot
- 1 celery stalk, or half a small zucchini
- 700 ml vegetable or chicken stock, or water plus a stock cube
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or cooking cream
- salt and pepper
- fresh parsley
Method
- Cut the onion, carrot and celery or zucchini into small cubes.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften slightly and the onion turns translucent.
- Pour in the stock. If you do not have stock, use 700 ml boiling water and a stock cube. Bring to a boil.
- Add the fresh tortellini to the boiling soup. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or according to the package instructions.
- In a small bowl, mix the cream with 2 tablespoons of hot soup from the pot. Pour the mixture back into the pot and stir gently.
- Taste, season with salt and pepper if needed, and finish with chopped fresh parsley.
Tip: Fresh tortellini from the chilled section are a useful shortcut because they cook in only a few minutes.
Toasted Wrap with Crunchy Fennel, Capers and Cherry Tomatoes
A crisp toasted wrap with a Mediterranean filling, fresh fennel, capers, cherry tomatoes and melted cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 large wheat tortillas
- 1/2 small bulb fresh fennel
- 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 to 2 teaspoons drained capers
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt or cream cheese
- 50 g grated cheese, such as mozzarella or gouda
- 4 lettuce leaves, or a handful of lamb's lettuce or arugula
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- a few drops of lemon juice
Method
- Wash the fennel, remove the tough base and slice it as thinly as possible. A mandoline helps. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into quarters, then roughly chop the capers.
- Mix the fennel, cherry tomatoes and capers in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss gently.
- Place a tortilla on a flat surface and spread 1.5 tablespoons Greek yogurt or cream cheese down the centre. Add lettuce or arugula, half of the vegetable filling and half of the grated cheese.
- Fold the sides of the tortilla inward, then roll it tightly from the bottom into a firm wrap. Repeat with the second tortilla.
- Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Place the wraps seam-side down and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp and the cheese inside melts.
- Cut the warm wraps diagonally and serve immediately.
Tip: Slice the fennel really thinly. That way it stays crisp, while its gentle anise-like flavour balances the capers and sweet tomatoes.
Juicy Pan-Seared Salmon with Buttered Broccoli and Mashed Potatoes
A simple, slightly more elegant dinner with juicy salmon, smooth mashed potatoes and buttered broccoli.
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets, about 150 g each
- 400 g potatoes for boiling
- 1 small head broccoli, about 300 g
- 30 g butter
- 50 ml warm milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ground nutmeg
- 2 lemon wedges
Method
- Peel the potatoes, cut them into evenly sized cubes and place them in a pot of cold salted water. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes from boiling, or until tender.
- Cut the broccoli into small florets. Add it to the potatoes for the last 5 minutes of cooking, or cook it separately in salted boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Place the salmon skin-side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn carefully and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Finish with lemon juice.
- Mash the drained potatoes. Add 20 g butter, warm milk, salt and a pinch of nutmeg, then mix until smooth.
- Toss the cooked broccoli with the remaining 10 g butter. Serve the mashed potatoes with salmon and buttered broccoli.
Tip: Do not overcook salmon. It should stay juicy in the centre and flake easily with a fork.
Fragrant Chicken Curry with Chickpeas and Basmati Rice
A rich, aromatic and easy dinner with chicken, chickpeas, coconut milk and fluffy basmati rice.
Ingredients
- 250 g chicken breast
- 200 ml coconut milk or cooking cream
- 200 g drained canned chickpeas
- 150 g chopped canned tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 150 g basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons oil
- salt and pepper
Method
- Rinse the basmati rice well under running water. Place it in a pot, add 300 ml cold water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
- Cut the chicken into small cubes. Finely chop the onion and garlic, then rinse and drain the chickpeas.
- Heat the oil in a large deep pan. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder, then stir for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken cubes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until coloured on all sides.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and coconut milk. Stir, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Fluff the basmati rice with a fork, divide between plates and top with the chicken curry.
Tip: Briefly frying curry powder in oil before adding liquid helps release its aroma.
Pork Steaks in Natural Pan Sauce with Roasted Potato Wedges
A quick Sunday classic with tender pork steaks, a simple pan sauce and crisp roasted potato wedges.
Ingredients
- 4 small pork steaks, pork loin or neck, about 100 g each
- 500 g potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 200 ml warm stock or water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper
- sweet paprika
Method
- Heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Wash the potatoes well and cut them into wedges. Spread them on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and sweet paprika. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Lightly pound the pork steaks so they are even in thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a pan. Cook the steaks over medium-high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Transfer them to a plate.
- Add the finely chopped onion to the same pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the warm stock and whisk, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the steaks to the sauce, cover and simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the meat softens and the sauce thickens.
- Spoon the pan sauce over the pork steaks and serve with roasted potato wedges and a green salad.
Tip: The browned bits left in the pan after searing meat are the base of a good natural sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions About Weekly Dinners
Are all dinners ready in less than 40 minutes?
Yes. The listed preparation times are between 15 and 35 minutes. The Sunday pork steaks with roasted potato wedges take the longest.
Which meals are the quickest?
The Monday creamy pasta and Thursday toasted wrap are ready in about 15 minutes.
Which dinners are meat-free?
The Monday pasta is meat-free, the Wednesday tortellini soup can be meat-free if you use vegetable stock, and the Thursday wrap is vegetarian.
Can I use cream cheese instead of Greek yogurt in the wrap?
Yes. Use 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt or cream cheese. Cream cheese makes the filling thicker and richer.
How do I stop the wrap from opening while toasting?
Fold in the side edges first, then roll the tortilla tightly. Place it seam-side down in the pan so the edge sets as it heats.
Final thought: a good weekly dinner plan does not need complicated recipes. What matters is variety, realistic preparation and ingredients that are easy to find in a regular shop.
AI summary
This BlaZest article presents a weekly plan with seven quick dinners for two people. It includes creamy pasta, Asian rice noodles with chicken, vegetable tortellini soup, a toasted wrap, salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes, chicken curry and pork steaks in pan sauce. Each recipe includes ingredients, step-by-step method, prep time and a practical cooking tip.
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