You worked really hard today. You attended back-to-back meetings, wrote countless emails, and got interrupted more times than you thought you could handle. After you finally make it home from the office (or, if you’re working from home, you finally shut your laptop), you’re in the mood for a tasty dinner. But the last thing you feel like doing is standing by the stove for an hour or more. And you can’t stomach one more frozen meal…
You need a compromise. Something that takes 30 minutes or less and still delivers results. You need to make these fabulous, under 30-minute recipes by Alison Roman…
Cold Soba with Cucumbers, Watercress, and Sesame. You probably have most of the ingredients on hand already, since it calls for shelf staples like soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. There’s room for creative substitution too. Soba noodles or another kind of spaghetti. Watercress or arugula. Throw in some snow peas or shredded carrots on the side. Serve with fried tofu squares. The list goes on…
Vinegared Romaine with Sour Cream, Bacon, and Herbs. I’d eat this for dinner, lunch, and on certain mornings, even breakfast. The world’s your oyster when it comes to variations (sometimes I use cucumbers or cherry tomatoes or goat cheese or crumbled potato chips), but whatever you do, do NOT skip the crispy bacon and herbs.
Tomato-y White Beans with Breadcrumbs and Preserved Lemon. Another quick meal that relies primarily on kitchen staples like beans and tomato paste. If you really want to make this low maintenance, you can skip the breadcrumbs (though that should not be a hasty decision - consider what you’re giving up). I’ve made this dish many times, and sometimes add harissa paste to up the spice levels. I’ve also experimented with goat cheese.
Halibut and Asparagus with Brown Butter Peas. Halibut is not your typical weeknight dinner protein, especially when considering the price. But if you’re one of those special people who don’t mind splurging on your fish, then this recipe will deliver a most satisfying, healthy, and flavorful meal. No need to add anything else to the menu.
Spelt with Crispy Sausage, Flowering Broccoli, and Green Garlic. On nights when I have little energy for cooking, I often find myself cooking up some Italian sausages and combining them with whatever vegetables and grains I have on hand. I consider this Alison’s version of my go-to low-energy dinner.
Black Bass with Salty, Spicy Celery. Again, another slightly expensive fish option, but wow. What a combo. The beauty of the foil packet method makes this meal prep fly by.
Cumin Lamb Chops with Charred Scallions and Peanuts. From start to finish, these lamb chops take no time at all. The most labor intensive task involves crushing cumin seeds. Don’t skip the peanuts. I served this with a kale salad. Sweet potatoes would have been nice, too.
Tiny Creamy Pasta with Black Pepper and Pecorino. aka fancy mac ‘n cheese. It’s not as simple as adding cheese powder to milk, but it’s only 30-minutes of stirring and doesn’t even require boiling water for your noodles!
