Updated
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.
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.
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.
Thick, juicy grilled beef patties with melted American cheese on toasted sesame buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Makes 4.
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.
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.
Crispy-edged slices of flank steak tossed in a sweet, savory soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger glaze with green onions. Serves 4.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 tossed in melted butter and topped with garlic, Parmesan and seasoned bread crumbs. About 30 minutes from start to finish and it serves 4.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A five-minute fish dinner: scrod or any thick fillet brushed with mayonnaise, topped with seasoned bread crumbs and microwaved on High.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Quick food-processor pesto of fresh basil, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and salt, tossed with pasta and served hot or cold.
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.
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.
