How to Make Easy Weeknight Dinners For Family

After an exhausting day, the last thing everyone wants is to spend hours cooking a full meal. And, ordering and taking aways is not an option daily. Fortunately, there are some easy and quick dinner recipes for weeknight dinners for the family (See our best noodles collections). 

Luckily, the recipes are quick and delicious, which will satisfy every foodie in your home. So let's have a look and decide what you're going to cook tonight:

#1 Try all Time Favourite Veggie Fried Rice

Do you've some leftover rice? Well, that's great! You can prepare a wholesome dinner for yourself and your family with rice and fresh vegetables that are readily available. So let's explore the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Oil - 2 teaspoons
• Minced garlic - 1 tablespoon
• Carrots - ½ cup
• Onion - ½ cup
• Bell pepper - ½ cup
• Broccoli - ½ cup
• Pea - ½ cup
• Corn - ⅓ cup
• Eggs - 3
• Cooked rice - 3 cups
• Soy sauce - 2 tablespoon
• Sesame oil - 1 tablespoon
• Some pepper

Procedure:

• In a deep wok, let the oil heat.
• Add garlic, carrots and onion. Cook and saute them until they turn translucent.
• Add bell peppers and broccoli till they turn soft.
• Now, push all the veggies to one side of the pan.
• Break the eggs on the empty side of the wok. Stir it to make scrambled eggs.
• Now mix all the veggies and eggs 
• Lastly, add peas, corn, rice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper.

Top it up with your favourite garnishings and enjoy!

#2 Delicious Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry

This is an exceptional twenty minutes recipe that is both healthy and yummy. So, take out your instant noodles and prepare this fulfilling quick and easy dinner recipe.

Ingredients: 

Stir Fry: 

• Dry instant noodles
• Cooking oil - 1 Tablespoon
• Chopped chicken breasts - 500 gms
• Few broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
• Green onions - 2 (optional)
• White sesame seeds - 1 Tablespoon (optional)

Sauce:

• Soy sauce - ¼ cup
• Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon
• Chicken stock or water - ⅓ cup
• Rice vinegar - 1 Tablespoon
• Brown sugar - 2 tablespoon
• Chopped garlic - 3 Cloves

Procedure: 

• Whisk together cornstarch and vinegar in a bowl
• Now add chicken stock, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic and stir it to make a smooth sauce.
• Heat a bowl and add instant noodles to it. Read instructions on the packet for perfect cooking.
• Now toss the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat the pan with oil and add chicken. Saute it for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked.
• Then, add 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add broccoli and cook it until it turns tender.
• Add prepared sauce to the broccoli pan. Cook until it reduces.
• Add chicken and noodles to the pan. Toss them and garnish them with green onions and sesame seeds.

#3 Try Quinoa Unstuffed Peppers

Prepare this thirty-minute recipe with great nutritional value and serve a perfect dinner.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable stock - 1 ½ cup
• Quinoa - ¾ cup
• Italian turkey sausage - 500 gms
• Sweet red pepper - 1
• Green pepper - 1
• Sweet onion - ¾ cup
• Garlic clove - 1
• Garam masala - ¼ tablespoon
• Pepper
• Salt 

Procedure:

• Boil vegetable stock in a pan. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce the flame, cover it and let it be there for 10-15 minutes.
• In a skillet, cook and crumble sausage with pepper and onions.
• Add Garlic and seasonings to it. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Add in quinoa mixture and enjoy this scrumptious dinner.

See Noodle Topping Ideas for Healthier and Tastier Treats

#4 Make Inviting Vegetable Risotto

The straightforward vegetable risotto is perfect for weeknight home dinners. To make this dish follow this recipe:

Ingredients:

• Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
• Finely chopped onion - 1 
• Medium chopped carrots - 2
• Medium chopped celery sticks - 2
• Garlic cloves - 2
• Risotto rice - 275 gms
• White wine - 100 ml (optional)
• Dried flaked chillies - 2 pinches
• Grated lemon - 1
• Parmesan or vegetarian cheese - 50 gms
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley (optional)

Procedure:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Now add Onion, carrots and celery. Stir and cook it over medium flame with a lid. Stir it in between and cook it for 10 minutes.
• Add the risotto rice to it. Add white wine like vermouth to the saucepan.
• Add chilli and stock to the risotto at once. Now cook everything for 20 minutes with constant stirring. 
• Finally, add lemon and cheese. Season it with salt and pepper with extra cheese and parsley.

#5 Anytime Thai Prawn Curry

Busy weeknights demand some quick and fulfilling dinner. It's the recipe that your family will love and can be prepared in under thirty minutes. So, try this:

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon
• Chopped onion - 1
• Ginger root - 1 teaspoon
• Red Thai curry paste - 1-2 teaspoon
• Chopped tomatoes - 400 gms
• Coconut cream - 50 gms
• Frozen prawns - 400 gms
• Coriander (optional)

Procedure:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add some onion and ginger, cook, until it gets soft. 
• Put curry paste in the saucepan. Stir and cook for one more minute. Bring in the chopped tomatoes and coconut cream to the saucepan. 
• Add a little boiling water and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until a smooth taste is formed.
• Introduce prawn in the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes.
• Now pair this Thai curry with rice and garnish it with fresh coriander.

#6 Try Healthy Broccoli & Green Beans with toasted Hazelnut Butter

It's a super quick recipe for very hectic nights. It's a light and delicious meal which you can prepare in ten minutes. So, check out this quick and easy dinner recipe:

Ingredients:

• Trimmed green beans - 250gms
• Broccoli stems - 220 gms
• Chopped Blanched hazelnut - 25gms
• Butter - 25 gms

Procedure:

• Boil water in a large pan. Add the trimmed beans and set the flame to medium for one minute.
• Now add thin broccoli stems and cook for 3 minutes. Make Sure the vegetables have turned tender.
• On the other hand, heat a large frying pan and toast Chopped chopped hazelnuts. Add some butter and let it turn crispy and golden.
• Finally, add vegetables to the frying pan after draining them. Toss it in some butter until everything is coated and turned crispy.

Season this healthy quick dinner with freshly ground pepper, salt or fresh seasonings. 

Let's Wrap it

So, make your dinners even more enjoyable with these easy and quick dinner recipes for the family. Try them all, and let us know which one turned out to be your family's favourite.

Read: What Are Udon Noodles?