Thirty minutes has become the default for fast recipe cook times. I can guarantee you that many recipe writers just kinda estimate their times so it gets to that magical 30-minute window, even if it’s truly more of a 40-45-minute vibe.
But, sometimes even 30 minutes feels long.
After a long day getting kids out the door to school, working, picking kids up, and managing after-school activities, 30 minutes can be a stretch.
So Fifteen-minute meals are the new 30-minute meals.
Five in 15 will be a recurring series here on the Crunch Time Club!
Here are five recipes that you can make in, I promise, in about 15 minutes. The bonus about writing 15-minute recipes is that they also tend to be low-ingredient because we just don’t have the time for a lot of ingredients!
Let’s dive in!
This recipe doesn’t HAVE to involve any cooking, but the pan croutons are kind of next-level and a quick way to add some texture to this salad.
Makes two large dinner-portion salads
Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 roma tomato, chopped
3-4 small sweet peppers, sliced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 5-ounce can tuna fish, drained
2-3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Drizzle of olive oil
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Pan Croutons:
2 slices bread, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
Directions:
To make pan croutons, toss cubed bread with olive oil and spices. Add to a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add bread cubes and toast in the skillet for 3-4 minutes, tossing frequently. Cook until the croutons get very crunchy, but not burned. Keep an eye on them as they can quickly go from perfect to burned.
Meanwhile, divide salad ingredients between plates - starting with spinach, red onion, tomato, peppers, feta cheese, olives, and top with tuna (drained well). Drizzle the whole salad with olive oil and a spray of fresh lemon juice and season with black pepper. Add pan croutons and dinner is done!
I love this vegetarian take on quesadillas. It’s quick to stir together and you don’t have to chop a single thing. Also, cheater guac is my go-to fast side dish for any Tex-Mex recipe on a busy weeknight.
Makes two large quesadillas
Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces cheddar cheese
4 large flour tortillas
Sour cream for serving
Cheater Guac:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup salsa
Directions:
In small bowl, stir together black beans, corn, salt, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder.
Spread this mixture evenly between two flour tortillas. Top with the grated cheese, divided evenly.
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray or a little oil and place tortilla in the skillet. Cook each quesadilla for 3-4 minutes per side, being careful to flip. Quesadillas are done when filling is melted and tortillas are crispy.
Chop up the quesadillas and serve with cheater guac (avocado and salsa mashed together) and sour cream.
This recipe appears to have a lot of ingredients for a 15-minute recipe, but I believe in you. It’s just boiling noodles and then mixing stuff in a food processor for the dressing. It’s a serious 15 minute recipe if you time it right!
Serves 4.
Kimchi Dressing:
1 cup mild or spicy kimchi
2 tablespoons kimchi liquid
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 tablespoon gochujang (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 orange, zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
Other Ingredients:
8 ounces rice noodles
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 cucumber, chopped
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
6 radishes, chopped (optional)
3 scallions, chopped
Sesame seeds, garnish
Directions:
To make this recipe in 15 minutes, start your noodles first, cooking them in boiling water until they are cooked through.
While your noodles are cooking, make the dressing. In a small food processor, add all the dressing ingredients, pulse until it’s in a coarse paste. Remove and set aside. (If you don’t have a food processor, just mince the kimchi and ginger and whisk everything together.)
Also, chop vegetables and toppings. Buy pre-grated carrots to save time.
When noodles are cooked, drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. Toss with sesame oil to prevent sticking.
Add cooked noodles to a big bowl and toss well with the dressing mixture.
Add the veggies (not sesame seeds or scallions) to the noodles and stir well to combine.
To finish noodles top with sesame seeds and scallions.
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