25 Easy Weeknight Dinners for May
Even food editors who cook all day need easy weeknight dinners. (We might not be hungry but, apparently, our families still have to eat.) Because we believe in cooking with the seasons, these weeknight recipes are designed with spring in mind. Think: cold noodles for unseasonably warm May nights, stovetop burgers for unseasonably cold May nights, and hot honey–glazed salmon for all the nights in between.
There are easy recipes that highlight spring produce (asparagus, leeks, herbs, etc.), sheet-pan dinners that make cleanup a breeze, and a few recipes we lean on for hurried weeknights, no matter the time of year.
Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Christina Allen2/25One-Pot Salmon and Shiitake Rice
Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. & Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne3/25Chicken Pasta Primavera With Lemon
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Linden Elstran4/25Skillet Gnocchi With Leeks and Bacon
For cooler May nights, this creamy, garlicky skillet dinner comes together in just 25 minutes for weeknight comfort that tastes like potato-leek soup in pasta form.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams5/25Rice Cooker Risotto
Think you’re not making risotto unless you’re endlessly stirring? This set-it-and-forget-it version—with sweet peas, Parmesan, and fresh mint—proves otherwise.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca6/25Weeknight-Fancy Ravioli With Creamy Peas
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi7/25Cold Noodles With Tomatoes and Peanut Sauce
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht9/25Spicy Salmon Roll Bowl
Using your broiler for this salmon recipe keeps the cooking time low—and eliminates the need to seek out pricey sushi-grade fish.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon10/25Kimchi Tuna Melts
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams11/25Lemon-Chile Calamari Pasta
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Drew Aichele, and Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović12/25Hot Honey–Glazed Salmon
Broiled, lacquered, and glistening, this weeknight-friendly salmon recipe is a staff-favorite. Reviewers report that it also works great in the air fryer.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams13/25Grilled Halibut With Basil-Shallot Butter
This easy grilled fish dinner comes together in 10 minutes and pairs well with grilled asparagus or quick coleslaw. Don’t want to break out the food processor? Chop the herbs and shallot finely, then mash into room-temperature butter.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Christine Keely14/25Cashew Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie15/25Spiced Beef Taco Bowls
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi16/25Gochujang Turkey Sweet Potatoes
This versatile dinner can be dressed up, down, and sideways. Set out sour cream, Greek yogurt, or shredded cheese as additional toppers. Nestle the meat mixture between toasted buns for a version of Sloppy Joes. No matter how you spin it, consider doubling the meat mixture and freezing half as a gift to your future self.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Anna Billingskog17/25The Basically Burger
If you’re looking forward to grilling season, but it’s not quite warm enough to cook outside, consider this stovetop burger your weeknight pinch hitter. Use this recipe as a guide, or follow our instructions for how to cook burgers on the stove.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Rosanna Anil, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea18/2515-Minute Teriyaki Chicken
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley19/25Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni20/25Cheesy Chickpea Salad Toast
In this vegetarian riff on a tuna melt, canned chickpeas and melted sharp cheddar create an open-face sandwich worthy of the weeknight dinner table.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime21/25Sheet-Pan Gnocchi
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman22/25Panini Alla Norma
Don’t tell anyone, but we prefer this sandwich version of pasta alla norma to eggplant parm. The only two steps to complete before you start building it are making the spread and frying off the eggplant. (And if you want a little meat in the mix, sliced turkey would be a good match.)
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen23/25Quick Butter-Braised Tomatoes and Dumplings
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht25/2510-Minute Bone Broth Soup
Cooking a healthy weeknight dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, often the simpler it is, the better it tastes. Case in point: this quick soup that starts with a box of bone broth.
