A beautiful orange dressing makes this simple barbecued salad shine by taking it to another level. You can make the dressing ahead for a quick summer dinner.
73 quick, easy and healthy midweek dinners
You’re tired and time poor, but really don’t want to order in or get takeaway. Luckily, you’ve got delicious. on your team. These are the perfect recipes to get you over hump day without costing you hours, effort, delivery fees or your healthy eating goals. Whether you’re after a hearty salad or some fresh seafood, want a one-pan meal or traybake dinner idea that will save on washing up, or are looking for punchy pastas or grilled meats that are ready in minutes, we’ve got all the quick and easy recipes you need to get you through the week, no stress.
Cauliflower and salmon traybake with tahini sauce
"A quick, tasty, low-carb midweek meal that still looks impressive." – Lucy Nunes
Chicken burrito bowl
"With a burrito bowl, you can add as many elements as you want (or have available). We’ve chosen black beans and chicken, but you could go with red kidney beans and beef. So many options!" – Lucy Nunes
Easy pasta primavera
“This pasta is one I love to make in spring, giving all the fresh, delicious vibes. I love packing vegies into a dish, and this pasta is a great example of this. Feel free to switch up some of the vegies here for other spring produce you have on hand.” – Tom Walton
Satay chicken traybake
“One-tray baking is such a satisfying way to cook. It’s versatile and makes it much more achievable to cook larger amounts to give you leftovers. Use a large baking tray for this recipe, or split over two smaller trays. Feel free to use other vegies you may have on hand, like wedges of cabbage, cauliflower or zucchini, so they aren’t wasted.” – Tom Walton
Fresh ideas
Corn
This summer, pick Australian grown corn with grassy green husks for a fresh addition to your BBQ.
Stir-fried salmon with crispy chilli and sesame noodles
"I am addicted to this stir fry! Fresh and packed with umami flavours, every mouthful gets better. Feel free to use any noodle you like - a thick, flat rice noodle is also delicious, as is an egg noodle. The most important part of a stir-fry, or any quick recipe, is to have everything prepared and chopped, so once you start cooking, it all comes together seamlessly in a few minutes." – Tom Walton
Creamy garlic and lemon salmon with tagliatelle
Fishing for a fast and fresh dinner? Look no further – this salmon pasta is the reel deal.
Crispy chicken poke bowl
Top a nourishing bowl of fresh, crisp vegetables with Obento’s addictive soy-ginger poke sauce and the satisfying crunch of panko-coated chicken for an easy midweek fakeaway that’ll go straight into your regular rotation.
Healthy sweet chilli chicken bowl with herby rice and mango salsa
On the table within 30 minutes, this wholesome meal will be on repeat in your house. Juicy, caramelised chicken served on a bed of rice that we’ve boosted with tasty greens and extra protein and fibre.
Cajun seafood traybake
This dish is also a great way to finish up any packets of frozen seafood you have in the freezer. You can buy a marinara mix or make up your own with your favourite seafood.
Scorched chipotle salmon tacos with jalapeno and corn salsa
Warren Mendes puts a spicy twist on a quick and easy Mexican classic – fish tacos.
Creamy cauliflower curry
"A quick, tasty vegetarian dinner to pop on the table on a busy weeknight. Like all curries, it gets better reheated the next day." – Lucy Nunes
Sticky turkey stir-fry
If you're looking for an easy weeknight meal, this turkey stir-fry recipe is a simple and delicious option. Turkey mince is a great lean alternative to beef and pork mince while still being full of juicy flavour. The warm Japanese udon noodles make a delicious, chewy addition and the perfect thing to slurp up all that rich, sticky sauce.
Vietnamese rare beef salad (bo tai chanh)
“Bo tai chanh is a super-vibrant and deliciously simple beef salad that’s cooked using the acidity in limes. The meat changes from red to light pink in the fridge as the garlic and fresh lime begin to coat the fillet. Combined with lightly pickled veg and a herbaceous salad, and finished with peanuts and nutty shallots on top of a prawn cracker, it’s a playground of texture and flavour. We usually serve this with different types of prawn crackers or cassava crackers. Grab some salad and place it on the cracker and have a bite.” – Khanh Ong
Cod and red capsicum traybake
“Cod is a great fish to use in a traybake because its firm texture means that it doesn’t flake apart when you’re scooping it out. If you keep some frozen fillets in the freezer, then this dish is pretty much a storecupboard dish, too.” – Samuel Goldsmith. From The Tinned Tomatoes Cookbook by Samuel Goldsmith, published by Murdoch Books, $39.99, out now.