10 Quick Dinner Recipes for Lazy Weekends

Dinner

Dinner is easy on the weekdays when you’ve got some routine going on. But on weekends, everyone’s trying to shake it up a little… The weekend is the time for fun! For enjoying your day off, not worrying about anything else but spending time with family and friends. It’s the weekend after all and while making something special every now and again is fine. Sometimes you just want to kick back without having to think too much about what to do in the kitchen, right? I get that. That’s why today I’m sharing 10 quick dinner recipes that are perfect for lazy weekends, even if you’re cooking for one or two people. You’ll find everything from pasta dishes to slow cooker ones which require minimum effort but still taste amazing. Check them out below.

Easy One Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon with Asparagus

Dinner
Lemon Garlic Salmon with Asparagus | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the salmon, asparagus, garlic cloves, olive oil, and lemon juice out of the fridge.

Step 2: Season all of it to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the salmon filet skin side down on one half of the skillet. Add the asparagus on top of the fish, arranging them so that they are perpendicular to it – so that you have one long edge of each spear facing towards you. Place garlic along the other side.

Step 4: Cook for 8 minutes before flipping everything over to cook through for another 5-6 minutes or until cooked through (depending on how thick your fillets are). Before serving, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon on top.

Slow Cooker Sausage and Creamy Ranch Pasta

Dinner
Sausage and Creamy Ranch Pasta | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the ground beef, sausage, onion, crushed garlic cloves, tomato sauce, water, cream of chicken soup, cajun seasoning and uncooked pasta out of the pantry.

Step 2: Open up both cans before adding them along with salt and pepper to taste in a slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.

Step 3: Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 9-11 hours (depending on your slow cooker).

One-Pot Caribbean Jerk Chicken and Rice

Dinner
Caribbean Jerk Chicken and Rice | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the chicken thighs, scallions, thyme sprigs, jalapeno pepper (seeded and deveined), canned black beans, chicken broth, and uncooked long-grain white rice out of the pantry.

Step 2: Place all ingredients except for the rice into a large pot before adding salt and pepper to taste on top.

Step 3: Bring everything to a boil on high heat before covering with a lid and reducing the heat to medium-low; let the rice that has is absorbed simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid. Stir in cilantro leaves right before serving.

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Sheet Pan Fajitas | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the bell peppers, onion, jalapeno pepper (seeded and deveined), corn tortillas, minced garlic cloves, olive oil, fajita seasoning mix, and chopped cilantro out of the pantry.

Step 2: Place all ingredients in a sheet pan along with salt and pepper to taste before mixing everything together until well combined.

Step 3: Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Serve topped with your favorite toppings – sour cream is always a splendid choice!

Healthy Shrimp Scampi with Noodles

Shrimp Scampi with Noodles | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the raw shrimp tails, garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil, and zucchini out of the fridge.

Step 2: Preheat the oven on the broil setting.

Step 3: Drizzle some olive oil over the zucchini before adding salt and pepper to taste along with oregano; stir everything together until well combined. Spread everything out in an even layer on a baking sheet before broiling for 5 minutes or until tender (broil longer if you like your zoodles crunchier).

Step 4: While your veggies are cooking, grab a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by minced garlic cloves before sauteing for 30 seconds (be careful not to let it burn).

Step 5: Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes or until pink. Top with lemon juice before serving.   

One Skillet Mexican Quinoa Casserole

Mexican Quinoa Casserole | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the ground beef, garlic, tortilla chips (broken into pieces), onion powder, chili powder, and black beans out of the pantry.

Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by minced garlic cloves and chopped onions before sauteing for 3 minutes or until soft. Stir in crushed tomatoes and taco seasoning along with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3: Lay tortilla chip pieces across the bottom of your skillet before adding half of your quinoa on top. Repeat this step one more time so that you have two layers. Pour water over the top layer before covering with a lid and cooking on the quinoa has absorbed medium-low for 25 minutes or until most of the liquid. 

One-Pot Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the heavy cream, garlic cloves, chicken broth, artichoke hearts (chopped), parmesan cheese, and uncooked pasta out of the pantry.

 Step 2: Add all ingredients except for spinach to a large pot before cooking on medium heat until everything has been mixed together well before stirring in spinach at the end. Cook for an additional minute or two until wilted before serving!  

Step 3: Top with extra parmesan cheese if desired!   

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos

BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the pork roast, salt, and pepper out of the fridge.

Step 2: Add all ingredients into a crockpot along with salt and pepper before cooking on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours; shred meat before serving.

Skinny Italian Turkey Meatballs Pasta

Italian Turkey Meatballs Pasta | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the ground turkey and garlic out of the fridge along with your favorite spaghetti sauce, salt and pepper.

Step 2: Add all ingredients to a bowl before mixing everything together well; add meat mixture to slow cooker before covering and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.

Step 3: Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and enjoy!

Shrimp Fajita Pasta Skillet

Shrimp Fajita Pasta Skillet | Pinterest

Step 1: Take the raw shrimp, spices, and lemon juice out of the fridge along with your favorite pasta sauce, penne noodles, and chopped red bell pepper.

Step 2: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat; add olive oil to the pan before adding cooked pasta and vegetables on top – drizzle half of your fajita seasoning on top (you can always use more or less if desired but be careful since it is very spicy!) along with some lemons juice.

Step 3: Mix everything together before adding shrimp on top; cook for an additional 5 minutes or until pink. Top with fresh cilantro if desired!

Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka | Pinterest

Step 1: Take boneless, skinless chicken breasts out of the fridge along with diced onions and garlic cloves.

Step 2: Add all ingredients except for Greek yogurt to a blender or food processor before puréeing into a smooth paste; mix well.

Step 3: Pour marinade over chicken in a sealable bag or zip-top plastic bag before refrigerating for 30 minutes up to 12 hours.

Step 4: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat before adding chicken – cook for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through before stirring in minced garlic cloves and cooking for an additional 30 seconds.

Step 5: Pour tikka masala sauce into the pan along with half & half so that it heats for a few minutes before adding Greek yogurt and stirring to combine.

Step 6: Serve over basmati rice and sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired!       

There’s really something for everyone, right? So if you’re after quick dinners that don’t skimp on flavor, go check out those recipes above today!

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