23 Meals You Can Make in 15 Minutes or Less
There are recipes you make when you’re looking to impress, and then there are the ones you make when you’re bone tired and need sustenance fast. That’s why we love these 15-minute meals: They can do both. From Korean-inspired seafood fritters to a classic few-ingredient Roman pasta dish, these back-pocket recipes don’t require hours of planning or prep. Some don’t even require you to turn on the stove. And many involve only a handful of ingredients that may already be in your pantry, fridge, or freezer.
With these recipes, you can come home after a long day and whip up a bowl of creamy noodles, a crunchy main-course salad, or a sizzling lamb stir-fry in less time than it takes to set the table or decide what TV show you want to watch. Here are 15-minute meals to try any time you want to eat well without a lot of fuss.
Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco1/23Pork and Tomatillo Udon
A duo of store-bought pantry staples, hoisin sauce and tomatillo salsa, join forces in this tangy, speedy meal. It’s also ripe for improvisation: Substitute parsley for cilantro, top each bowl with handfuls of bean sprouts instead of radishes, or swap out the udon for whatever long noodle you have on hand.
Photograph by Scott Semler, food styling by Michelle Gatton, prop styling by Erica Lutz2/23Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls
Excellent quality tinned fish is now available by the shipload in supermarkets and online. Stock up on a can or two, either salmon, tuna, or BA staff favorite mackerel to fashion into these quick-assembly hand rolls when you simply can’t turn on the stove. And if even fashioning nori into rolls sounds too ambitious for a weeknight, fill and fold seasoned seaweed snacks to eat like tacos.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Rosanna Anil, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea3/2315-Minute Teriyaki Chicken
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca5/2310-Minute Lamb and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Thinly slicing scallions and asparagus spears means they cook to crisp-tender in minutes. That vegetal crunch meets bright lemon, fragrant dill, and earthy lamb—bold flavors that taste like this took way longer to cook than it did. It also works great with any crisp vegetable like green beans, sugar snap or snow peas.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Erica Lutz6/23Gambas al Ajillo
Garlic does double duty in this Spanish tapas bar staple: Some of it gets grated into a flavor-packed rub with paprika and chili flakes, and the rest is sauteed in olive oil to imbue the quick-cooking shrimp with an extra layer of garlicky kick. Using fresh shrimp keeps the cook time down, but you can use frozen shrimp if you have time to thaw it.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley7/23Microwaved Tofu With Butter and Soy Sauce
Not only does this take less than 15 minutes, you also don’t have to turn on the stove. Top your microwave-only, buttery, silky tofu with thinly sliced scallions or chopped chives, add toasted sesame seeds and a few cracks of black or white pepper, and sop it all up with crusty bread or steamed rice.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness8/23Shrimp and Pea Pancake
Inspired by Korean pajeon, this quick pancake is all about texture. It gets its crunch from thinly sliced scallions and snap peas and golden-frizzled edges from frying. Add the chopped and seasoned shrimp to the pancake mixture right before frying for the best (read: crispiest) results.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens9/23Pasta al Limone
Sunny citrus meets a luxurious amount of cheese in this five-ingredient lemon pasta you’ll be twirling on your fork in minutes. Serve it with a leafy green salad and crusty garlic bread for dinner, or à la carte for a cheeky late-night snack.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams10/23The Ultimate Tuna Melt
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen11/23Pad Kra Pao
Frying the eggs in a separate pan shortens the cook time of this already speedy, Thai-inspired weeknight meal. Try it with any type of basil—like pesto, it’s a great way to use up a big bunch—and swap the ground pork for ground chicken.
Photograph by by Travis Rainey, Food styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marc Williams12/23Cold Soy Milk Noodles With Chili Crisp
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Christina Allen13/23Creamy Chili Crisp Pasta
Stirring jarred chili crisp into Greek yogurt creates a luscious sauce that makes for an excellent pasta sauce, but would be just as welcome as a dipping sauce for french fries or latkes, or as a flatbread spread beneath scrambled or fried eggs. If you’re using it on pasta, don’t hold back when adding cooking liquid; the sauce thickens as it sits.
Photo by Chelsie Craig15/23Chickpea and Chorizo Tostadas
Whisking lime juice and zest into yogurt with cilantro creates a quick, kicky crema for this 15-minute meal. Try black beans instead of chickpeas, or sandwich the mixture between tortillas to make quesadillas.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime17/23Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad With Cabbage
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen18/23Quick Butter-Braised Tomatoes and Dumplings
Try this recipe with frozen pork, chicken, or veggie dumplings and whatever tomatoes look good; just chop up bigger ones so they’re all about the same size. All that’s left is plopping into a pan and popping on the stove. It all comes together in one skillet, which means cleanup is a breeze too.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser21/23Tortellini With Garlicky Brown Butter and Dill
Store-bought, refrigerated tortellini is a major, time-saving leg up in pulling together this five-ingredient dinner. It’s simple, but nutty brown butter and herby dill help it punch above its weight. Substitute parsley, basil, or another tender green herb for the dill, and use meat or veggie tortellini or store-bought gnocchi instead.
23/23Stir-Fried Eggplant With Basil and Chiles
Slender Japanese or Chinese eggplants take only a few moments in a hot skillet to become creamy-tender, with blistered skins. Try this 15-minute meal with ground pork, chicken, crumbled tempeh, or firm tofu. Basil is nonnegotiable: It’s sweet, herby, and makes this quick dinner taste like summer (regardless of the season).
