30-Minute Dinner Recipes for Busy Moms

1. One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients: Shrimp, pasta, garlic, lemon, spinach, and Parmesan.

Instructions: Cook pasta in a large pot. Add shrimp, garlic, and spinach, and cook until shrimp is pink and spinach is wilted. Toss with lemon juice and Parmesan, and serve immediately.

2. One-Pot Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients: Chicken, pasta, cream, Parmesan, garlic, and spinach.

Instructions: Sauté chicken in a large pot until browned. Add pasta, cream, garlic, and enough water to cook the pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender. Stir in Parmesan and spinach, and serve hot.

3. One-Pot Mexican Quinoa

Ingredients: Quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, and taco seasoning.

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Serve with avocado slices or sour cream.

4. One-Pot Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients: Ground beef, egg noodles, mushrooms, sour cream, beef broth, and onion.

Instructions: Brown ground beef and onions in a pot. Add mushrooms and beef broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in egg noodles and cook until tender. Mix in sour cream and serve.

5. One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

Ingredients: Pasta, tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and Parmesan.

Instructions: Cook pasta with tomatoes and garlic in a pot. Stir in fresh basil and olive oil, and top with Parmesan before serving.

6. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, bell peppers, onions, fajita seasoning, and tortillas.

Instructions: Slice chicken and vegetables. Toss with fajita seasoning and spread on a sheet pan. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes. Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

7. Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

Ingredients: Sausages, potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, olive oil, and herbs.

Instructions: Slice the sausages and vegetables. Toss with olive oil and herbs, then spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 425°F for 25-30 minutes.

8. Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus

Ingredients: Salmon fillets, asparagus, olive oil, lemon, and garlic.

Instructions: Arrange salmon and asparagus on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Roast at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.

9. Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients: Shrimp, garlic, lemon, butter, parsley, and bread crumbs.

Instructions: Arrange shrimp on a sheet pan and top with minced garlic, lemon juice, butter, parsley, and bread crumbs. Roast at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.

10. Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken

Ingredients: Chicken thighs, BBQ sauce, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.

Instructions: Brush chicken with BBQ sauce and arrange on a sheet pan with diced sweet potatoes and broccoli florets. Roast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

11. Chicken Stir-Fry with Broccoli

Ingredients: Chicken breast, broccoli, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.

Instructions: Stir-fry chicken in a hot pan with garlic and ginger until browned. Add broccoli and soy sauce, and cook until the broccoli is tender. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.

12. Shrimp and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients: Shrimp, mixed vegetables, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

Instructions: Cook shrimp in a hot pan until pink. Add garlic and mixed vegetables. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil, and cook until vegetables are tender.

13. Beef and Snow Peas Stir-Fry

Ingredients: Beef strips, snow peas, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

Instructions: Cook beef in a hot pan until browned. Add garlic, ginger, and snow peas. Stir in soy sauce and cook until snow peas are tender.

14. Tofu Stir-Fry with Mixed Veggies

Ingredients: Tofu, mixed vegetables, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

Instructions: Cook tofu until golden brown. Add garlic, ginger, and vegetables. Stir in soy sauce and cook until vegetables are tender.

15. Sweet and Sour Pork Stir-Fry

Ingredients: Pork, bell peppers, pineapple, sweet and sour sauce, and garlic.

Instructions: Cook pork until browned. Add garlic, bell peppers, and pineapple. Stir in sweet and sour sauce and cook until vegetables are tender.

16. Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients: Spaghetti, eggs, Parmesan cheese, pancetta or bacon, garlic, and black pepper.

Instructions: Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. In a skillet, cook pancetta or bacon until crispy. Whisk eggs and Parmesan together. Toss hot spaghetti with pancetta and garlic, then quickly mix in the egg mixture to create a creamy sauce. Season with black pepper and serve.

17. Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients: Pasta, pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese.

Instructions: Cook pasta according to package instructions. Toss with pesto sauce and halved cherry tomatoes. Top with Parmesan cheese before serving.

18. Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

Ingredients: Fettuccine, mushrooms, garlic, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.

Instructions: Cook fettuccine according to package instructions. Sauté mushrooms and garlic in a skillet until tender. Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Toss with cooked fettuccine and garnish with parsley.

19. Baked Ziti

Ingredients: Ziti pasta, marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

Instructions: Cook ziti according to package instructions. Mix with marinara sauce and ricotta cheese. Transfer to a baking dish, top with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

20. Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients: Linguine, shrimp, butter, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley.

Instructions: Cook linguine according to package instructions. In a skillet, sauté shrimp in butter with garlic until pink. Toss with cooked linguine, lemon juice, and parsley before serving.

21. Skillet Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, garlic, lemon, chicken broth, and parsley.

Instructions: Sear chicken breasts in a skillet until golden. Add garlic and chicken broth, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley.

22. Skillet Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients: Beef strips, broccoli, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.

Instructions: Stir-fry beef strips in a hot skillet with garlic and ginger. Add broccoli and soy sauce, and cook until the broccoli is tender. Drizzle with sesame oil before serving.

23. Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients: Shrimp, rice, peas, carrots, soy sauce, and eggs.

Instructions: Cook shrimp in a skillet until pink. Add cooked rice, peas, carrots, and soy sauce, and stir-fry until heated through. Push rice to the side, scramble the eggs, and mix them into the rice before serving.

24. Skillet Turkey Tacos

Ingredients: Ground turkey, taco seasoning, black beans, corn, and tortillas.

Instructions: Brown ground turkey in a skillet with taco seasoning. Stir in black beans and corn, and cook until heated through. Serve with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings.

25. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

Ingredients: Gnocchi, sausage, spinach, garlic, and marinara sauce.

Instructions: Cook sausage in a skillet until browned. Add gnocchi and garlic, and cook until golden. Stir in marinara sauce and spinach, and simmer until the spinach is wilted and the gnocchi is tender.

26. Veggie Quesadillas

Ingredients: Flour tortillas, shredded cheese, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and salsa.

Instructions: Spread cheese, black beans, corn, and bell peppers on one tortilla. Top with another tortilla and cook in a hot skillet until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy. Serve with salsa.

27. Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients: Black beans, taco seasoning, corn tortillas, avocado, and salsa.

Instructions: Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions. Mix ricotta cheese with cooked spinach, and stuff into the shells. Arrange in a baking dish, cover with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, and bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.

28. Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Ingredients: Jumbo pasta shells, ricotta cheese, spinach, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Instructions: Brown ground beef in a skillet. Add mixed vegetables and beef broth. Transfer to a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

29. Chickpea Curry

Ingredients: Chickpeas, coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, ginger, and spinach.

Instructions: Sauté garlic and ginger in a pan. Add chickpeas, coconut milk, and curry powder, and simmer until thickened. Stir in spinach until wilted, and serve with rice or naan bread.

30. Caprese Salad with Garlic Bread

Ingredients: Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, balsamic glaze, garlic bread.

Instructions: Slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and arrange on a plate with basil leaves. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve with toasted garlic bread.

1. Plan Your Meals: Use the cookbook to plan your dinners for the week, choosing from a variety of quick and easy recipes.

2. Create a Shopping List: As you select your recipes, jot down the ingredients you need to pick up at the store.

3. Prep in Advance: Look for recipes in the cookbook that can be prepped ahead of time, like chopping vegetables or marinating proteins, to save time during the week.

Stay Organized: Keep the cookbook handy in the kitchen for easy access to recipes, and mark your favorites for future reference.