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

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

Baleadas 
(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)

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)

Gai Pad Grapow 
(Thai spicy chicken and basil stir fry)
Plate of Thai basil chicken over rice

Gai Pad Grapow 
(Thai spicy chicken and basil stir fry)

Moqueca 
(Brazilian fish and coconut milk stew)
Moqueca Brazilian fish and coconut milk stew

Moqueca 
(Brazilian fish and coconut milk stew)

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

Chilaquiles 
(Mexican fried tortillas in sauce)

Łosoś Pieczony z Koperkiem 
(Polish baked salmon with dill)
Polish baked salmon with dill and lemon slices on a plate

Łosoś Pieczony z Koperkiem 
(Polish baked salmon with dill)

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

Encebollado Ecuatoriano 
(Ecuadorian fish and onion stew)

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

Migas 
(Portuguese, Spanish leftover bread dish)

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

Pollo Chilindrón 
(Spanish chicken with tomatoes and peppers)

Zaru Soba 
(Japanese cold buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce)
Zaru Soba (Japanese cold buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce)

Zaru Soba 
(Japanese cold buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce)

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

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

Cedar Plank Salmon 
(Canadian salmon grill-roasted on aromatic wood)
Salmon on cedar planks cooking on a grill

Cedar Plank Salmon 
(Canadian salmon grill-roasted on aromatic wood)

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)

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

Matoke 
(Ugandan beef and plantain stew)

Carne Asada 
(Central American grilled steak)
Carne asada taco on paper plate

Carne Asada 
(Central American grilled steak)

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

Su Udon 
(Japanese noodles in broth)

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)

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

Blaff 
(Caribbean lime-poached fish)

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)

Pollo en Fricasé 
(Caribbean chicken fricassee)
Caribbean chicken fricassee

Pollo en Fricasé 
(Caribbean chicken fricassee)

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

Oyakodon 
(Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl)

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

Vatapá 
(Brazilian seafood stew with coconut milk)

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

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)

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

Fettuccine Alfredo 
(Italian pasta tossed with butter and cheese)

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

Gazpacho 
(Spanish chilled tomato-cucumber soup)

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

Dan Chaofan 
(Taiwanese egg fried rice)

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

Shashlik 
(Central Asian grilled skewered lamb)

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

Kuku Paka 
(Kenyan chicken in coconut curry sauce)

Tostadas de Pollo 
(Mexican fried tortillas with chicken)
A plate of chicken tostadas

Tostadas de Pollo 
(Mexican fried tortillas with chicken)

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

Falafel 
(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

Quiche Lorraine 
(French bacon and egg tart)
Quiche lorraine with a slice missing

Quiche Lorraine 
(French bacon and egg tart)

Salade Niçoise 
(French Provençale tuna and vegetable salad)
French Provençal tuna and vegetable salad

Salade Niçoise 
(French Provençale tuna and vegetable salad)

Sopa de Ajo 
(Spanish garlic and bread soup)
Bowl of sopa de ajo on a table with sunglasses and napkin

Sopa de Ajo 
(Spanish garlic and bread soup)

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

Muesli 
(Swiss oats and fruit breakfast)

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

Shawarma 
(Middle Eastern spiced meat sandwich)

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

Tabouli 
(Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad)

Mie Goreng 
(Indonesian stir-fried noodles with vegetables)
Serving of Indonesian stir-fried noodles with vegetables

Mie Goreng 
(Indonesian stir-fried noodles with vegetables)

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

Liang Mian 
(Chinese cold sesame noodles)

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

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)

Bulgogi 
(Korean barbecued beef)
Bowl of steaming bulgogi

Bulgogi 
(Korean barbecued beef)

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

Bubble and Squeak 
(English fried potatoes and cabbage)

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

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

Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs 
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)
Platter of Hawaiian kalbi beef ribs

Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs 
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)

Mae-un Dak Gui 
(Korean hot and spicy grilled chicken)
Korean hot and spicy grilled chicken

Mae-un Dak Gui 
(Korean hot and spicy grilled chicken)

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