🌟 About These Quick and Easy Recipes

While we strive to make all of our recipes quick and easy, these recipes have been specifically chosen and adapted for those nights when time is truly of the essence. These are the meals that will save you from ordering takeout or resorting to less healthy options.

In this recipe collection of easy last minute dinners, you’ll find a diverse range of options, including:

• Breakfast for dinner ideas
• Simple pork and chicken dinner recipes
• Fast seafood recipes
• Quick vegetarian recipes

You’ll also find recipes optimized for various cooking methods including Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker, air fryer, and classic stovetop recipes, giving you the flexibility to use the appliances you have and prefer.

Furthermore, we’ve included handy tips and ideas for ingredient substitutions to help you customize these recipes based on what you already have on hand, making the cooking process even faster and more efficient. The goal is to make these recipes work for *your* life!

🍽 Quick & Easy Side Dishes for Last Minute Dinners

While some of the recipe descriptions include suggestions for complementary side dishes, it’s always a good idea to have a few go-to quick and easy sides in your back pocket. The best side dishes are those that can be prepared with minimal effort while your main course is cooking.

Here are some of our favorite fast and easy side dishes to serve on busy weeknights:

• Air fryer zucchini and squash: A healthy and flavorful side that cooks in minutes.
• Instant Pot basmati rice: Perfectly cooked rice with minimal effort.
• Instant Pot green beans: Tender-crisp green beans ready in a flash.
• Air fryer garlic bread: Crispy, garlicky goodness in minutes.
• Frozen onion rings in the air fryer: A quick and easy crowd-pleaser.
• Instant Pot broccoli: Steamed broccoli that retains its vibrant color and nutrients.
• Pesto bread: A flavorful and aromatic addition to any meal.

👩🏻‍🍳 Last Minute Dinner FAQs

What’s the fastest way to defrost meat?

Other than cooking frozen meat in the Instant Pot (see below), we’ve found the Cold Water Method to be the fastest, safest way to defrost meat.

• Place the meat in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent water from seeping in.
• Submerge the bag in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold.
• Small cuts of meat can defrost in an hour or less, while larger cuts may take a few hours.

Note: Cook the meat immediately after defrosting using this method.

Can I cook frozen meat in the Instant Pot?

Yes, you can! The Instant Pot is designed to handle frozen ingredients, making it a convenient way to save time when you forget to thaw your meat. Here are a few key things to keep in mind:

• Avoid overcrowding the pot.
• Thicker cuts of meat will require longer cooking times.
• Increase the cooking time by approximately 50% when using frozen meat. For instance, if a recipe calls for cooking fresh chicken breasts for 10 minutes, you’ll need to cook frozen ones for around 15 minutes.
• Ensure you add enough liquid (such as broth or water), as the steam created by the liquid is essential for the pressure cooker to function effectively.
• Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches safe cooking levels (e.g., 165°F for chicken, 145°F for pork and beef).

How can I ensure leftovers are still safe to eat?

Every dish is different, but in general, most dishes should be stored properly in the refrigerator for anywhere from 2-5 days at the most. Some food can be stored for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. Be sure to check the FDA food storage recommendations for your specific leftovers. If there is an odd smell or discoloration, those can be telltale signs that it’s time to throw out those leftovers.

The Best Easy Last Minute Dinner Recipes

Breakfast for Dinner 🍳🥓

When in doubt, breakfast for dinner is always a winner! It’s quick, easy, and satisfying.

Salsa Eggs

This salsa eggs is such a fast and easy breakfast and hearty enough to enjoy as breakfast for dinner on those super busy weeknight dinners.

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Egg Vegetable Scramble

Breakfast for dinner with lots of veggies? Yes please! This is a fast and easy dinner that is also a great recipe to use up veggies in the fridge before they go bad.

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Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls

Store-bought cinnamon rolls make a sweet breakfast for dinner and cook up quickly in the air fryer. Serve them with bacon and eggs for a super satisfying meal.

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Air Fryer Hash Brown Patties

We always have frozen hash brown patties in the house and they cook up quickly in the air fryer. Serve them with sausage and sauteed veggies for a quick & easy dinner.

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Pizza Pizza 🍕🍕

Pizza is a family favorite, and these pizza recipes are fast, easy, and better tasting than delivery!

Easy Pizza Cups

We love these pizza cups! Made with refrigerated pizza crust dough and filled with your favorite pizza toppings, this is a quick and easy dinner that everyone can customize.

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Chicken Pesto Flatbread

Store-bought flatbread like naan bread, topped with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, and jarred pesto sauce is a quick, tasty dinner for even the busiest of weeknights.

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Barbecue Chicken Flatbread

Forget delivery, top your fave flatbread with BBQ sauce, rotisserie chicken, and red onions for a flavorful BBQ chicken pizza.

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Prosciutto Flatbread

Prosciutto flatbread is an elevated yet easy dinner, with piled-high argula and your fave cheese or non-dairy cheese alternative.

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Air Fryer Mini Pizzas

When time is tight, we make these mini pizzas in the air fryer. It’s a great way for each person in the family to make their own personal pizzas.

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Easy Last Minute Meat Dinners

These beef recipes come together quickly and offer big flavor for dinner.

Ground Turkey Teriyaki

This ground turkey teriyaki recipe is super versatile and can be made in 20 minutes. Serve it over rice or noodles.

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Air Fryer Filet Mignon

Filet mignon on a hectic Monday night? You betcha! Thanks to the air fryer, filet mignon is tender and juicy. The perfect elevated homecooked dinner for even the busiest weeknights.

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Thai Basil Beef

This Thai Basil Beef is better than takeout! Serve it over rice for a hearty, satisfying quick dinner.

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Air Fryer Steak Bites

These steak bites are flavorful and cook quickly thanks to the air fryer. Serve them with pasta, rice, over a salad, or use the meat for tacos!

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Easy Last Minute Pork and Chicken Dinners

Pork and chicken cook up quickly in these easy last minute dinner ideas.

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Not just for Game Day, crispy chicken wings are a great last minute dinner idea! The air fryer gets the chicken skin nice and crispy without extra oil.

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Air Fryer Paprika Chicken

This air fryer paprika chicken is one of my family’s favorite easy last minute dinners. So flavorful and so easy, there’s little prep time, and the air fryer cooks the chicken up quickly.

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Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks turn out tender and juicy, and cook fast, thanks to the Instant Pot. We serve these with rice, fries, or tater tots.

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Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are an inexpensive cut of chicken, and the meat is so juicy and flavorful when cooked in the Instant Pot.

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Honey Mustard Chicken Wrap

Make these Honey Mustard Chicken Wraps even faster by using store-bought frozen chicken tenders. Such a great last minute dinner idea!

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Instant Pot Pork Chops and Rice

Pork chops and rice cook up together in the Instant Pot for a quick, easy, flavorful dinner. Just add some sauteed frozen veggies to complete the meal!

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Easy Last Minute Seafood Dinners

Seafood cooks up faster than most other proteins, making it a great choice for those busy nights when time is limited.

Thai Basil Shrimp

You can make this tasty Thai Basil Shrimp even faster than the time it takes to order take-out and pick it up or have it delivered. So good!

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Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Salmon cooks quickly in the air fryer, and you only need light seasonings to add big flavors. We love serving these air fryer salmon bites with a side of rice or noodles, or over a big green salad.

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Dairy-Free Shrimp with Tortellini

Store-bought tortellini is a great shortcut for busy weeknight dinners. The shrimp cooks quickly, and we add frozen peas for veggies but you could also use frozen broccoli or a veggie medley of peas, carrots and corn.

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Easy Vegetarian Dinners

No meat? No problem! You can whip up these easy vegetarian dinners in a flash!

20-Minute Creamy Paprika Pasta

This creamy paprika pasta is simple yet satisfying. Serve it with a side of your fave veggies.

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Vegetarian Burrito Bowl (Instant Pot Recipe)

These Instant Pot vegetarian burrito bowls are hearty and oh so satisfying. So great for busy nights when there’s a chill in the air, as a big bowl of this dish will warm you right up!

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Tex-Mex Vegetarian Sheet Pan Nachos

Nachos are one of my family’s longtime fave last minute dinners. This Tex-Mex vegetarian nacho recipe is made in one sheet pan in the oven, making clean-up a breeze!

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Chili Garlic Noodles

I am in love with these chili garlic noodles and think you will fall for them too! They come together quickly – in 15 or 20 minutes – and you can adjust the heat to make them as mild or as spicy as you want. So great with a side of veggies, or you can always add seafood or meat.

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🍳 Kitchen Tools and Equipment

Ready to make these recipes? Here are some kitchen tools that help make busy weeknights less hectic when you need to whip up last minute dinners.

• Instant Pot
• Air Fryer

More 30-Minute Dinner Recipes

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• Tuscan Sausage Pasta
• Curry Chicken Fried Rice
• Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup