How can I get dinner ready faster?

Read the recipe first, prep everything before cooking, and preheat the pan or oven while you chop.

Do these times include prep?

Yes; each recipe is 30 minutes or less from start to finish.

30-Minute Meals

Dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less, from start to finish. These recipes lean on quick-cooking steaks, seafood and stir-fries, and fast techniques like the air fryer and a very hot skillet.

Times include prep, so read the recipe through and get everything ready before you turn on the heat.

35 recipes

Steak and beef

Steak au Poivre30 min total | 2 servings
Strip or filet steaks pressed into cracked black peppercorns, seared in a hot skillet and finished with a creamy brandy pan sauce. A French bistro classic for two.
Smash Burgers25 min total | 4 double burgers
Double smash burgers with thin, crispy-edged patties pressed onto a hot griddle, melted American cheese, pickles and a tangy burger sauce on soft buns. Makes 4.
Classic Grilled Cheeseburger27 min total | 4 burgers
Thick, juicy grilled beef patties with melted American cheese on toasted sesame buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Makes 4.
Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites20 min total | 4 servings
Bite-size sirloin cubes seasoned and air-fried until browned outside and juicy inside, then tossed in melted garlic butter and parsley. Ready in 20 minutes; serves 4.
Beef and Broccoli30 min total | 4 servings
Tender sliced flank steak and crisp broccoli stir-fried in a glossy garlic, ginger and oyster sauce. Better than takeout in 30 minutes; serves 4.
Mongolian Beef30 min total | 4 servings
Crispy-edged slices of flank steak tossed in a sweet, savory soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger glaze with green onions. Serves 4.
Korean Ground Beef Bowls25 min total | 4 servings
Lean ground beef browned with garlic and green onion and simmered in a sweet soy, sesame and ginger sauce with a little heat, spooned over hot rice. Dinner in 25 minutes; serves 4.

Seafood

Teriyaki Salmon25 min total | 4 servings
Salmon fillets seared until crisp, then glazed in a quick homemade teriyaki sauce of soy, mirin, sake and sugar. Serve with rice and broccoli. Serves 4.
Blackened Salmon15 min total | 4 servings
Salmon fillets coated in a smoky Cajun spice blend and seared in a very hot cast-iron skillet until a dark, flavorful crust forms. Ready in 15 minutes; serves 4.
Air Fryer Salmon13 min total | 4 servings
Salmon fillets brushed with a honey, Dijon and garlic glaze and air-fried in about 8 minutes until flaky inside with lightly crisp edges. Serves 4.
Lemon Herb Baked Salmon24 min total | 4 servings
Salmon fillets brushed with a lemon, garlic, Dijon and fresh dill butter and baked at 400°F until just flaky. Ready in about 25 minutes; serves 4.
Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna15 min total | 4 servings
Sushi-grade ahi tuna crusted in sesame seeds, seared for 30 seconds a side so it stays rare inside, and sliced with a soy-ginger dipping sauce. Serves 4.
Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Lemon Butter18 min total | 4 servings
Sea scallops seared in a very hot skillet until deeply golden, then finished with a quick lemon, garlic and butter pan sauce. Ready in about 20 minutes; serves 4.
Broiled Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter23 min total | 4 servings
Lobster tails butterflied so the meat sits on top of the shell, brushed with garlic, lemon and paprika butter and broiled until just opaque. About 25 minutes; serves 4.
Air Fryer Shrimp16 min total | 4 servings
Large shrimp tossed with olive oil, garlic, paprika and a little Parmesan and air-fried in 6 minutes until crisp-edged and juicy. Serves 4.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp25 min total | 4 servings
Shrimp dusted in cornstarch and fried until crisp, then tossed with garlic, sliced chiles, green onions and a seasoned salt and pepper mix. Serves 4.
Gochujang Garlic Shrimp23 min total | 4 servings
Large shrimp seared in a hot skillet, then tossed in a sticky glaze of gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar and plenty of butter-sauteed garlic. Ready in about 25 minutes; serves 4.
Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema25 min total | 4 servings (12 tacos)
Chili-lime shrimp seared in minutes and tucked into warm corn tortillas with crunchy cabbage, avocado, pickled onion and a cool lime crema. Serves 4.
Shrimp Fajitas30 min total | 4 servings
Spiced shrimp seared on a sizzling skillet with charred bell peppers and onions, squeezed with lime and wrapped in warm tortillas. Dinner in 30 minutes; serves 4.
Fish Tacos with Lime Cabbage Slaw30 min total | 8 tacos, 4 servings
Chili-and-cumin seasoned cod seared in a hot skillet, flaked into warm corn tortillas and topped with a crunchy lime cabbage slaw and creamy chipotle sauce. Serves 4.
Shrimp Scampi and Pasta30 min total
A light shrimp scampi: shrimp poached in a garlic, shallot and parsley chicken broth and served over angel-hair pasta with the broth spooned on top.
Baked Shrimp with Garlic Parmesan Crumbs30 min total | 4 servings
Baked shrimp tossed in melted butter and topped with garlic, Parmesan and seasoned bread crumbs. About 30 minutes from start to finish and it serves 4.
Moules Frites (Mussels and Fries)30 min total | 4 servings
Mussels steamed in white wine, garlic, shallots, butter and parsley, served with crisp fries and mayonnaise for dipping. The Belgian and French bistro classic. Serves 4.
Steamed Crab Legs with Garlic Butter15 min total | 4 servings
King or snow crab legs steamed just until hot, then served with lemon and a warm garlic butter for dipping. Ready in 15 minutes; serves 4.
Escalope of Salmon with Lime and Ginger24 min total | Serves 4
Salmon sliced paper thin, arranged on oiled plates, topped with fresh ginger and lime zest and baked at 500°F for just 3 to 4 minutes. Elegant and fast; serves 4.
Broiled Fish with Sour Cream30 min total | Serves 4
Whitefish or red snapper fillets topped with lemon juice, seasoned bread crumbs and a layer of sour cream with garlic and onion powder, broiled until golden. Serves 4.
Microwave Fish Fillet10 min total
A five-minute fish dinner: scrod or any thick fillet brushed with mayonnaise, topped with seasoned bread crumbs and microwaved on High.
Connecticut Lobster Roll (Warm with Butter)25 min total | 4 rolls
Chunks of sweet lobster warmed in melted butter with a squeeze of lemon and piled into a toasted, buttered split-top bun. The warm Connecticut-style roll. Makes 4.

Chicken and more

Chicken Piccata30 min total | 4 servings
Thin chicken cutlets dredged in flour and sautéed golden, then finished in a bright pan sauce of lemon, capers, white wine and butter. Ready in 30 minutes; serves 4.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings30 min total | 4 servings
Extra-crispy chicken wings with a simple garlic, paprika and pepper rub, air-fried in about 25 minutes with no oil. Serve plain or tossed in any sauce. Serves 4.
Cajun Grilled Pork25 min total | 4 servings
Boneless pork chops or tenderloin coated in a quick homemade Cajun rub of paprika, cayenne, sage, black pepper and seasoned salt, then grilled. Serves 4.
Kimchi Fried Rice25 min total | 2 to 3 servings
Day-old rice stir-fried with chopped ripe kimchi, bacon, onion and a spoonful of gochujang, finished with sesame oil and topped with a runny fried egg. Ready in 25 minutes; serves 2 to 3.
Pesto Sauce with Pasta22 min total
Quick food-processor pesto of fresh basil, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and salt, tossed with pasta and served hot or cold.
Toast Skagen (Swedish Shrimp Toast)25 min total | 4 servings
Sweet cold-water shrimp folded into a dill, lemon and crème fraîche dressing and piled on butter-fried toast, topped with roe and fresh dill. Serves 4 as a starter.
Räksmörgås (Swedish Open-Faced Shrimp Sandwich)30 min total | 4 sandwiches
The classic Swedish shrimp sandwich: buttered bread layered with lettuce, sliced egg and a generous pile of cold-water shrimp, finished with mayonnaise, cucumber, lemon and dill. Serves 4.

Common questions

How can I get dinner ready faster?: Read the recipe first, prep everything before cooking, and preheat the pan or oven while you chop.
Do these times include prep?: Yes; each recipe is 30 minutes or less from start to finish.