5 dinners you can prepare in less than 30 minutes

Training, work, kids, chores… and if you still have to cook dinner in the afternoon, your hand reaches for the phone to order a pizza.

Eating on the run is a side effect of civilization development – we have neither time nor strength for complicated dishes. Fortunately, there are recipes for quick dinners that will still be a better alternative than fast food.

Pasta with spinach and cream sauce

This dish can be made with meat as well as in a vegan version.

You need:

• 400 g of shredded frozen spinach,
• 1 large or 2 medium onions,
• a clove of garlic,
• approx. 100 ml cream or 18% cream (with cream the sauce is slightly sweeter),
• 250-300 g of penne pasta, farfalle or classic spiral pasta,
• (optionally) 200-300 g chicken thigh meat or chicken/turkey fillet,
• salt, pepper to taste,
• oil or butter for frying.

1. Finely dice the onion and fry in olive oil over medium heat in a deep frying pan
2. Once the onion is glazed, add the chopped or crushed garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Reduce the heat, pour the frozen spinach into the pan. Stir and cover with a lid. Repeat stirring every few minutes to speed up defrosting and avoid burning.
4. On an adjacent burner, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
5. If you decide to add meat, dice it and season with salt and pepper, then fry for about 3 to 5 minutes in a separate pan until the meat is tender.
6. When the spinach is completely thawed, add the meat.
7. Add two tablespoons of cream or sour cream to the spinach and onion and stir to combine. If necessary (or if you want a creamier sauce) add another tablespoon or so until you reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add cooked and drained pasta and mix. Ready!

Pasta can be served with a pinch of grated yellow cheese. You can also use granulated garlic and soy sauce – add them during the final seasoning.

Lentil dish

A vegan dish.

You need:

• 300 g of red or green lentils,
• 2 cups of water or vegetable broth,
• 1 onion,
• a clove of garlic,
• a tablespoon of olive oil,
• a teaspoon of turmeric and salt,
• half a teaspoon of pepper and grated ginger,
• (optional) half a teaspoon of hot bell pepper,
• a tablespoon of soy sauce.

1. Rinse the lentils twice.
2. Dice the onion.
3. In a deep pot heat olive oil, put chopped onion, fry until glazed.
4. Add chopped or crushed garlic, fry for about 10-20 seconds.
5. Add turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger and optional hot bell pepper. Stir.
6. Pour in the rinsed lentils, stir and immediately pour in the water or broth.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
8. Cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the lentils have completely absorbed the water, add soy sauce, and additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with bread or rice.

The dish can also be diluted with coconut milk and a tablespoon of lemon juice, and served as a thick soup with parsley or dill.

“Canned” curry

You need:

• 1 onion,
• half a can each of: corn, peas,
• red, yellow, or green bell peppers (you can use jarred peppers to speed up cooking),
• one small zucchini,
• 400 g of chickpeas in marinade,
• 2 teaspoons of curry powder,
• a teaspoon of turmeric,
• half a teaspoon each of ginger and granulated garlic,
• a tablespoon of soy sauce,
• salt, pepper to taste,
• 400 ml of coconut milk,
• (optional) 400 g chicken meat,
• Butter or oil for frying.

1. Dice the onion, zucchini and peppers.
2. Heat olive oil in a tall pot, add onion, fry until glazed.
3. If you choose the option with meat: dice it and add to onion. Fry until the meat is “whitened”.
4. Add peppers to the onions. Fry for about a minute, stirring.
5. Add corn and peas. If you are concerned about the low amount of liquid, add a quarter cup of water (this can be the brine from one of the cans)
6. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer for about five minutes
7. Add the chickpeas with the marinade, increase the heat, bringing the mixture to a boil.
8. Add the zucchini, stir, and then add all the spices. Stir, taste the liquid, if it’s not intense enough, season it – the coconut milk will mellow the taste.
9. Once the zucchini pieces have softened, add the coconut milk and take the pot off the gas. Curry is ready! Serve it with rice.

If you think the sauce has become too thin after adding the milk, you can scoop it into a ladle and then stir in a flat teaspoon of flour. Once distributed, pour the slurry into the pot and stir. Enjoy!

Mac’n’cheese the Polish way

You need:

• a single chicken fillet,
• a small leek,
• onion,
• 100 g of lean bacon (preferably smoked),
• 200 g pasta,
• 100 g melted cheese,
• 2 tbsp grated yellow cheese,
• 2 cups of broth,
• 2 spoonfuls of sour cream or natural yoghurt
• salt, pepper, sweet and hot bell pepper.
• oil for frying.

1. Chicken, onion and bacon cut into cubes.
2. In a deep frying pan fry the onion and bacon, then add the chicken.
3. Fry until the meat is tender.
4. Cut the leek into thick peaks (cut slices in half), add it to the meat and onion and fry for 1.5 to 2 minutes.
5. Pour the broth into the pan, bring everything to a boil, then add the pasta.
6. Once it boils again, reduce the heat and cook covered for 5-6 minutes (depending on the preferred firmness of the pasta).
7. After this time add both cheeses and stir until they have integrated with the rest of the dish.
8. Once the cheeses have melted, add the cream and season the whole thing with salt, pepper and paprika. Enjoy!

Classic pesto with chicken

You need:

• 200 g green pesto,
• 300 g penne or farfalle pasta,
• onion,
• a clove of garlic,
• 200 g of chicken breast meat,
• two tablespoons of sweet cream,
• salt, pepper and olive oil,

Optionally:

• a spoonful of grated cheese,
• a pinch of dried basil.

1. Cook pasta.
2. Finely chop the onion and fry in olive oil in a deep pan until glazed, adding crushed garlic at the end.
3. Dice the meat, season with salt and pepper and add to the onion and garlic. Fry until the meat is golden.
4. Add about 100g of pesto, mix it with the chicken and onions.
5. Pour in the cream, season with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the pesto if it’s too mild.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, mix it with the rest of the pesto. Optionally add a spoonful of grated cheese, stir until it melts.
7. Pesto can be served sprinkled with dried basil.