5 Easy Dinners For Any Busy Weeknight
- Piece of Cake Staff
- May 12
- 4 min read
Written by Sara Spangler
Ever come home after a long day and have absolutely no idea what to have for dinner? It truly happens to the best of us—at a certain point, those creative juices disappear, and you’re stuck thinking you’ll just have some ramen. But wait! Want something a little fancier that is still easy, quick, and delicious? Keep reading for five of my favorite weeknight dinners that can be made with few ingredients and little time and are both healthy and delicious. No more bleak Tuesday toast for dinner!
1. Mushroom Cheddar Omelette
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
2 tbsp fresh chopped scallions
Salt & pepper to taste
½ cup chopped white mushrooms
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar (I prefer Cabot.)
Instructions:
In a small egg pan, heat olive oil over medium heat for two minutes. While the oil is heating, crack eggs into a separate bowl and whisk vigorously with a fork. Mix in scallions and s&p.
Pour egg mixture into the pan and spread until an even layer coats the bottom. Let cook for two minutes, or until the egg is starting to cook on the bottom.
Add in chopped mushrooms and cheese. Let sit for two more minutes.
Carefully fold the omelette in half, and cook on one side for a minute.
Flip, cook for one more minute.
You’re done! Breakfast for dinner is served. Serve with buttered toast if you please.
2. Rice Bowl With Egg, Seaweed, and Cucumber
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients:
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 eggs
1 cup rice, cooked (I like using a rice cooker, like this one.)
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
Snack seaweed pack (These are my favorites!)
1 medium cucumber (or 2 mini ones), chopped
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
Heat an egg pan over medium heat with sesame oil. Once hot, add whisked eggs to the pan, continuously stirring until they are glossy and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, scoop rice and mix with tamari or soy sauce. Add eggs and cucumber over the top.
Top with chopped cucumber and sesame seeds (and more sauce if you want), and eat with seaweed on the side!
3. Sheet Pan Gnocchi, Broccoli, and Sausage - From NYT Cooking
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 (12- to 18-ounce) package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
1 large head of broccoli (about 1 pound), florets cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch pieces, stems thinly sliced
¼ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Salt
Crushed red pepper (optional)
1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
½ lemon
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss together the gnocchi, broccoli, olive oil, and garlic until well coated. Season with salt and crushed red pepper, if using. Spread into an even layer. Pinch off pieces of the sausage that are roughly the size of the gnocchi and place them on top of the gnocchi and vegetables. Roast until the sausage and broccoli are golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
Squeeze the lemon half over the top (about 1½ tablespoons juice) and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Stir until the cheese has melted. Serve topped with more Parmesan and crushed red pepper as you like.
4. Hummus Spinach Toast
Serves: 1 Serving
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups spinach
1 tbsp water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of sourdough bread (or bread of your choice!)
4 tbsp hummus of your choice (I love this one!)
2 tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
Instructions:
In a small pan, heat olive oil. Add in spinach, salt, and pepper, and stir until evenly coated.
Add 1 tbsp water and cover pan to let the spinach wilt. After two minutes, turn the heat off and mix.
While spinach is cooking, toast your bread! Top with even amounts of hummus on each slice.
Top your toasts with the spinach mixture.
Sprinkle a dash of hemp seeds on top for a nice added texture.
5. Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew) - From my dear friend, Violet
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1 medium yellow onion, diced (~1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp tomato paste
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups dry ditalini pasta
⅓ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (plus more for garnish)
Instructions:
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add onion and cook until fragrant, around 4 minutes. Add in garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Add tomato paste and stir until color darkens and caramelizes slightly, ~2 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and red pepper flakes (if using). Toss to coat.
Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Add pasta and lower to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente (~10 minutes). Stir often.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese until it melts. Adjusts seasonings as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated cheese and olive oil. Enjoy!
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