Being strapped for time doesn't mean the drive-thru is the only dinner option. Try these easy dinners prepped in 15 minutes or less.
A 7-Day 15-Minute Prep Meal Plan
Updated on Mar. 01, 2022
1/7
Sunday: Easy Seafood Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This super simple, deceptively delicious recipe was inspired by a seafood salad I had in the Bahamas that featured conch. I substituted crab and shrimp for the conch and like it even more! —Cindy Heyd, Edmond, Oklahoma
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 128 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 141mg cholesterol, 309mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 22g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat.
2/7
Monday: Chicken Rice Bowl
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This chicken rice bowl recipe is so easy to toss together on a busy weeknight, and I usually have the ingredients already on hand. I start sauteing the onion and pepper first, then I prepare the instant rice. If you like, top it with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese. —Tammy Daniels, Batavia, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 239 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 914mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein.
3/7
Tuesday: Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas
Total Time
8 hours 10 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
“We enjoy the flavors of Mexican food, so I was glad when I spotted the recipe for the spicy entree,” relates Twila Burkholder of Middleburg, Pennsylvania. “I simmer the beef in my slow cooker…and it always comes out nice and tender.”
Nutrition Facts:
2 fajitas: 435 calories, 15g fat (6g saturated fat), 54mg cholesterol, 897mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 6g fiber), 28g protein.
4/7
Wednesday: Pressure-Cooker Simple Poached Salmon
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I love this recipe because it’s healthy and almost effortless. The salmon always cooks to perfection and is ready in hardly any time! —Erin Chilcoat, Central Islip, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 salmon fillet: 270 calories, 16g fat (3g saturated fat), 85mg cholesterol, 115mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 29g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat.
5/7
Thursday: Southern Okra Bean Stew
Total Time
30 min
Servings
11 servings (about 4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
When this spicy stew’s simmering on the stove, my family has a hard time waiting for dinner. It’s much like a thick tomato-based soup with a hearty mix of okra, brown rice and beans. Everyone leaves the table feeling satisfied—and eager to have it again soon. —Beverly McDowell, Athens, Georgia
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 217 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 661mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 9g fiber), 10g protein.
6/7
Fried Chicken and Waffles
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Chicken and waffles as a culinary tradition has origins in both Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine and soul food, with some variations. This version features fried chicken in a flavorful coating that is crispy outside, tender inside, and a spongy, chewy waffle with some crisp ridges. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Nutrition Facts:
4 ounces cooked chicken with 1 waffle: 668 calories, 40g fat (7g saturated fat), 162mg cholesterol, 691mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 34g protein.
7/7
Saturday: Cheeseburger Crescent Ring
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is an easy entree that can be put together quickly after a long day at work. I guarantee that adults will enjoy it as much as kids do. —Stephanie Hurd, Oxford, Alabama
Nutrition Facts:
2 pieces: 333 calories, 18g fat (3g saturated fat), 29mg cholesterol, 899mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 0 fiber), 14g protein.
