Three quick and healthy dinner recipes that are perfect for busy evenings! In just 30 minutes, you can create delicious meals packed with flavor and good-for-you ingredients.
Don’t let a busy schedule come between you and your health goals. Cooking and eating nutritious doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Remember also, that eating nutrient-dense meals made with clean ingredients helps increase your energy levels. Having more energy is great when your schedule is busy. Give your body the fuel it needs to withstand all the challenges it has to face to achieve your goals.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Sheet-Pan Shrimp With Couscous
- Vegetables — use vegetables that roast in 10 minutes. I use thin asparagus and bell pepper. You could also blanch some veggies first for a few minutes and then add to the baking tray. 5-minutes blanched green beans or broccoli could work great as well for example. Or very very thinly sliced carrots.
- Shrimp — I prefer to use shrimp still in its shell because it keeps the shrimp juicy and the shell gives the pan juices a ton of flavor. I choose deveined and easy-to-peel. You can also use already peeled though.
- Feta & Dill — Any other cheese will work as well of course and any other herb, too.
- Couscous — You could also serve the shrimp and veggies over quinoa, rice, or farro.
Mushroom Rice With Chicken
- Chicken — My favorite piece of chicken to bake is skinless boneless chicken thighs. Chicken breast works great as well of course. For bone-in pieces, you’ll have to double the baking time.
- Mushrooms — Dark cremini are my favorite but button mushrooms will work the same.
- Rice — White Basmati and Jasmin are my two favorite type for this recipe. If you want to use brown rice I recommend cooking on the stove instead or in the instant pot. Brown rice will take longer and the recipe won’t fit into the healthy 30-minute dinner recipes category anymore.
Couscous Salad With Sole Fillet
- Couscous — Couscous is fantastic when you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table because it only needs 10 minutes of steaming to be done. You can, however, just like for the sheet-pan shrimp dinner, use quinoa, rice, or farro.
- Fruits and veggies — My original couscous salad has nectarine in it. When that’s not in season mango is the best alternative. That’s why I used mango. This also means you can use any stone fruit that might be in season where you live. Instead of bell pepper, you could also use carrots, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, cucumber, or celery. Instead of arugula, you can use pretty much any other lettuce you like.
- Sole — I love sole fillet for any busy weeknight because it cooks so incredibly fast. You can use any other white fish though of course. If it’s thicker than the sole it might need an extra minute or two in the pan. No big deal.
Tips & Tricks For These Healthy 30-Minute Dinner Recipes
The recipes are all for two servings so if you are cooking for one then halve the recipe and if you’re cooking say for four then double the recipe.
If you are cooking the Mushroom rice for four I recommend you make the rice in the instant pot instead of a million little cocottes. You need a minimum of 1 cup of rice for the pot to get to pressure. That’s why in the original recipe we are simply using the cocottes and taking advantage of the oven heat but for larger amounts I would always pull out the instant pot. Much easier.
How To Store Leftovers
To store leftovers, add everything to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 2-4 days.
The Sheet-Pan Shrimp With Couscous and the Mushroom Rice With Chicken can both be frozen. For that add to a freezer-friendly container and freeze. To defrost simply place in the fridge 12-24 hours to defrost and eat immediately.
The couscous salad does not freeze well because of the raw veggies and arugula. It’s also the one that’s better eating within 2 days.
More Healthy 30-Minute Dinner Recipes You Might Like
3 Healthy 30-Minute Dinner Recipes
Ingredients
- Sheet-Pan Shrimp With Couscous
- 10 oz asparagus
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 small red onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 10 oz deveined easy-to-peel or peeled raw shrimp
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill
- 1 lemon
- Mushroom Rice With Chicken Thighs
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup basmati rice
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 1/2 small red onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup chopped pasley
- Couscous Salad With Sole Fillet
- 8 oz sole fillets
- 2 tsp butter
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 2 oz arugula
- 1 mango
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lime
- sea salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Sheet-Pan Shrimps With Couscous: * Preheat the oven to 400°F. * Cut off the dry ends of the asparagus and destalk and deseed the red bell pepper. Peel and slice the red onion and finely chop the garlic. Add everything to a large baking sheet and season with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Work oil and salt in with your hands. * Season the shrimp with paprika, Italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Work the oil and seasoning in with your hands. * Place the shrimp on top of the vegetables and place in the oven for 10 minutes. * In the meantime, add couscous to a bowl and season with sea salt. Pour boiling water over the couscous until it's barely covered. Put a plate on top of the bowl so the steam doesn't escape and set aside for 10 minutes. * Add crumbled feta and fresh dill over the roasted veggies and shrimp and serve over a bed of fluffed couscous with fresh lemon juice drizzled on top.
- Mushroom Rice With Chicken Thighs:* Preheat the oven to 400°F.* Season the chicken on both sides generously with poultry seasoning and drizzle with a little olive oil.* Add 1/4 cup Basmati rice to a cocotte and 1/4 to another, season with sea salt and add 1/3 cup boiling water to each and cover. (For an alternative to a cocotte see blog post above).* Place chicken and rice in the oven for 25 minutes.* In the meantime, slice mushrooms, thinly slice red onion, finely chop garlic, and add all to an ovenproof dish. Season with sea salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil and mix well. Add a few blobs of butter on top and place in the oven for 15 minutes.* Chop parsley and add to the cooked mushrooms together with the cooked rice and serve with chicken.
- Couscous Salad With Sole Fillet:* Add couscous to a bowl and season with sea salt. Pour boiling water over the couscous until it's barely covered. Put a plate on top of the bowl so the steam doesn't escape and set aside for 10 minutes. * In the meantime, peel and dice mango. Destalk, deseed, and dice a red bell pepper. Peel and finely chop the red onion. Add all the chopped ingredients, baby arugula, and crumbled feta cheese to the salad bowl, and season with sea salt, pepper, lime juice, and olive oil.* Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Use a paper towel to pat dry the sole fillet and season with sea salt and pepper. Add butter to the very hot pan and then fry the sole filet for 1 minute on one side and 1 minute on the other. * Serve fish over couscous salad.
Healthy Salad Dressings
Mushroom Chicken
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
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