12 Quick Weeknight Meals to Make Dinner Easier

Doesn’t it seem sometimes that fixing dinner can be as time-consuming as putting together a puzzle? And along with it often comes that vexing question of “what to make?” To make our busy lives easier, I prepared this list of 12 quick weeknight meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

From stews, casseroles, and pastas to rice dishes, soups and a healthy burger, this list delivers comfort and convenience to your table… and a huge smile on the face of the cook and the eaters too!

Ready? So here are our quick, fuss-free dishes:

1. One Pot Shrimp in Coconut Sauce (Camarão no Leite de Coco) — A delicious stew made with shrimp in a creamy coconut-vegetable sauce that can be served over rice or noodles. It is dinner made easy!
2. 10-Minute, Healthy Fish Stew Packets (Moqueca in Papillote) — Tilapia fillets and vegetables oven-stewed in aluminum foil packets that can be served with rice, another grain of your choice, or hard-crusted bread… and all without having to clean one single pot!
3. Beef & Bulgur Wheat Cheeseburger (Kibe X-Tudo) — Known as kibbeh cheeseburger, this has a chubby patty made from a mixture of ground beef, cracked wheat, spices, red onion, parsley, and mint. One of the tastiest burgers ever!
4. Grandma’s Chicken Soup (Canja de Galinha) — A gluten-free soup made from chicken, rice, vegetables and eggs, based on my Grandma’s family recipe.
5. Brazilian Minestrone (Sopa de Feijão) — One pot soup made with canned black beans, pasta, bacon, and vegetables for those lazy or busy days, all while delivering maximum flavor.
6. Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta Bake — Chicken, bacon, and pasta mixed with a creamy cheese sauce and baked in the oven with extra cheese on top.
7. Chicken Casserole Nests — Pasta nests stuffed with morsels of chicken, cooked in the oven in a pool of tomato sauce.
8. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce — An easy, family-friendly spaghetti with ground beef and vegetable sauce for any day.
9. One Pot Sausage Pasta — A quick and easy pasta with sausage, tomato sauce, cheese, and herbs that has extraordinary flavor, although made using everyday ingredients.
10. Brazilian Chicken Enchiladas (Panquecas de Frango) — Homemade, thick crepe-like enchiladas filled with shredded chicken and topped with tomato sauce and cheese.
11. Greek Rice (Arroz à Grega) — Greek Rice is, in fact, a Brazilian dish that is made with assorted vegetables, raisins, and sometimes cubed ham. It’s a complete meal all by itself — and can be served as a main dish or as a side for chicken.
12. Easy Shrimp Coconut Fried Rice — A 30-minute dish made with shrimp, white rice, vegetables, coconut oil, and mango. A must-try!

Enjoy our 12 quick weeknight meals!!!