Quick and Easy

A plate of chicken tostadas
Image by Takeaway

Some (most?) days you’re pressed for time, and you just need to get a meal on the table with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Turn to the wider world for a cornucopia of options!

The following recipes are relatively straightforward and simple to prepare. And for the most part, they will allow you to get dinner on the table in around an hour or less. Keep in mind that a few do call for time to marinate meat, poultry or fish or to soak dried beans. Start marinating or soaking in the morning, and things will come together quickly for dinner that night.

International quick and easy recipes

Ma Yi Shang Shu – Ants Climbing a Tree 
(Chinese cellophane noodles with ground pork)
Serving of ants climing trees

Ma Yi Shang Shu – Ants Climbing a Tree 
(Chinese cellophane noodles with ground pork)

Pasta alla Puttanesca 
(Italian pasta with tomatoes, olives and capers)
Bowl of pasta puttanesca

Pasta alla Puttanesca 
(Italian pasta with tomatoes, olives and capers)

Pancit Bihon 
(Filipino stir-fried rice noodles with meat and vegetables)
A plate of pancit bihon rice noodles

Pancit Bihon 
(Filipino stir-fried rice noodles with meat and vegetables)

Garides me Feta 
(Greek shrimp baked with tomatoes and feta)
Bowl with garides me feta Greek shrimp dish

Garides me Feta 
(Greek shrimp baked with tomatoes and feta)

Migas 
(Portuguese, Spanish leftover bread dish)
A pan of migas murcianas

Migas 
(Portuguese, Spanish leftover bread dish)

Baleadas 
(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)
Baleada on a plate

Baleadas 
(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)

Tabouli 
(Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad)
Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad on a plate

Tabouli 
(Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad)

Fesenjan 
(Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)
Fesenjan (Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)

Fesenjan 
(Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)

Falafel 
(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)
Falafel (Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

Falafel 
(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

Kushari 
(Egyptian pasta, rice and lentils with tomato sauce)
Egyptian kushari shop

Kushari 
(Egyptian pasta, rice and lentils with tomato sauce)

Bubble and Squeak 
(English fried potatoes and cabbage)
Skillet with bubble and squeak

Bubble and Squeak 
(English fried potatoes and cabbage)

Xihongshi Jiang Xia 
(Chinese stir-fried shrimp in tomato sauce)
Chinese shrimp in tomato sauce

Xihongshi Jiang Xia 
(Chinese stir-fried shrimp in tomato sauce)

Kuku Paka 
(Kenyan chicken in coconut curry sauce)
Pot of kuku paka Kenyan curried chicken stew

Kuku Paka 
(Kenyan chicken in coconut curry sauce)

Maine Lobster Rolls 
(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)
Lobster roll sandwich

Maine Lobster Rolls 
(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)

Dan Chaofan 
(Taiwanese egg fried rice)
Dan chaofan fried rice on a plate

Dan Chaofan 
(Taiwanese egg fried rice)

Fettuccine Alfredo 
(Italian pasta tossed with butter and cheese)
Plate of fettuccine alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo 
(Italian pasta tossed with butter and cheese)

Shashlik 
(Central Asian grilled skewered lamb)
Shashlike lamb skewers on the grill

Shashlik 
(Central Asian grilled skewered lamb)

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)
Bowl of Japanese New Year soba noodles

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)

Liang Mian 
(Chinese cold sesame noodles)
Plate of Chinese sesame noodles

Liang Mian 
(Chinese cold sesame noodles)

Camarões Piri-Piri 
(Mozambican, Angolan shrimp in fiery red pepper sauce)
Piri-piri peppers

Camarões Piri-Piri 
(Mozambican, Angolan shrimp in fiery red pepper sauce)

Char Kway Teow 
(Malaysian, Singaporean stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp)
Serving of char kway teow on a plate

Char Kway Teow 
(Malaysian, Singaporean stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp)

Blaff 
(Caribbean lime-poached fish)
Limes on the three

Blaff 
(Caribbean lime-poached fish)

Oyakodon 
(Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl)
Oyako Don (Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl)

Oyakodon 
(Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl)

Chilaquiles 
(Mexican fried tortillas in sauce)
Platter with chilaquiles, garnished with crema

Chilaquiles 
(Mexican fried tortillas in sauce)

Vatapá 
(Brazilian seafood stew with coconut milk)
Vatapa Brazilian seafood stew

Vatapá 
(Brazilian seafood stew with coconut milk)

Truchas a la Navarra 
(Spanish, Basque ham-stuffed trout)
Two fried trout on a plate with lemon and serrano ham

Truchas a la Navarra 
(Spanish, Basque ham-stuffed trout)

Pollo Chilindrón 
(Spanish chicken with tomatoes and peppers)
Pollo chilindron Spanish chicken with peppers

Pollo Chilindrón 
(Spanish chicken with tomatoes and peppers)

Moules Marinières 
(French, Belgian, Dutch mussels in white wine sauce)
Bowls of French mussels in white wine sauce

Moules Marinières 
(French, Belgian, Dutch mussels in white wine sauce)

Su Udon 
(Japanese noodles in broth)
Bowl of udon noodles in broth with chopsticks

Su Udon 
(Japanese noodles in broth)

Shawarma 
(Middle Eastern spiced meat sandwich)
Shawarma vendor slicing for a sandwich

Shawarma 
(Middle Eastern spiced meat sandwich)

Orecchiette con Broccoli 
(Italian ear-shaped pasta with broccoli)
Bowl of orecchiette con broccoli

Orecchiette con Broccoli 
(Italian ear-shaped pasta with broccoli)

Hamburgers 
(American grilled beef patty sandwiches)
Cheeseburger with tomatoes, lettuce and onion wrapped in paper

Hamburgers 
(American grilled beef patty sandwiches)

Matoke 
(Ugandan beef and plantain stew)
Ugandan beef and plantain stew

Matoke 
(Ugandan beef and plantain stew)

Encebollado Ecuatoriano 
(Ecuadorian fish and onion stew)
Encebollado Ecuatoriano (Ecuadorian fish and onion stew)

Encebollado Ecuatoriano 
(Ecuadorian fish and onion stew)

Gazpacho 
(Spanish chilled tomato-cucumber soup)
Woman enjoying a bowl of gazpacho

Gazpacho 
(Spanish chilled tomato-cucumber soup)

Aloo Gobi 
(Indian potato and cauliflower curry)
A small bowl of aloo gobi

Aloo Gobi 
(Indian potato and cauliflower curry)

Kaeng Khiao Wan Kung 
(Thai shrimp in sweet green curry sauce)
Bowl of Thai shrimp green curry

Kaeng Khiao Wan Kung 
(Thai shrimp in sweet green curry sauce)

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)
Tasty Greek salad in a bowl

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)

Sloppy Joes 
(American Midwest seasoned ground beef sandwiches)
Two sloppy Joe sandwiches

Sloppy Joes 
(American Midwest seasoned ground beef sandwiches)

Gai Pad Yod Khao Pod 
(Thai chicken with baby corn)
Baby sweetcorn on a cutting board

Gai Pad Yod Khao Pod 
(Thai chicken with baby corn)

Muesli 
(Swiss oats and fruit breakfast)
Pouring muesli into a bowl

Muesli 
(Swiss oats and fruit breakfast)

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)
Paprikas csirke Hungarian paprika chicken

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)

Kålpudding 
(Swedish caramelized cabbage meatloaf)
A casserole dish with baked kalpudding

Kålpudding 
(Swedish caramelized cabbage meatloaf)

Zhajiang Mian 
(Chinese pork and noodles in brown bean sauce)
Zhajiang Mian (Chinese pork and noodles in brown bean sauce)

Zhajiang Mian 
(Chinese pork and noodles in brown bean sauce)

Sonoran Hot Dogs 
(Mexican, American Southwestern beef frankfurter sandwich)
Two Sonoran hot dogs

Sonoran Hot Dogs 
(Mexican, American Southwestern beef frankfurter sandwich)

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