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

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)

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)

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

Tabouli 
(Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad)

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

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)

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

Muesli 
(Swiss oats and fruit breakfast)

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

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

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

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)

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

Toshikoshi Soba 
(Japanese New Year soba noodles)

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

Shawarma 
(Middle Eastern spiced meat sandwich)

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

Carne Asada 
(Central American grilled steak)

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

Encebollado Ecuatoriano 
(Ecuadorian fish and onion stew)

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

Hamburgers 
(American grilled beef patty sandwiches)

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)

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

Chilaquiles 
(Mexican fried tortillas in sauce)

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)

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

Oyakodon 
(Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl)

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

Fettuccine Alfredo 
(Italian pasta tossed with butter and cheese)

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)

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)

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

Salade Niçoise 
(French Provençale tuna and vegetable salad)

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

Liang Mian 
(Chinese cold sesame noodles)

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

Blaff 
(Caribbean lime-poached fish)

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)

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

Mie Goreng 
(Indonesian stir-fried noodles with vegetables)

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

Migas 
(Portuguese, Spanish leftover bread dish)

Pollo en Fricasé 
(Caribbean chicken fricassee)
Caribbean chicken fricassee

Pollo en Fricasé 
(Caribbean chicken fricassee)

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

Dan Chaofan 
(Taiwanese egg fried rice)

Pollo Encebollado 
(Central American chicken simmered with onions)
Yellow onions

Pollo Encebollado 
(Central American chicken simmered with onions)

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)

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)

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

Falafel 
(Middle Eastern fried chickpea patties)

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)

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

Kuku Paka 
(Kenyan chicken in coconut curry sauce)

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

Matoke 
(Ugandan beef and plantain stew)

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

Gazpacho 
(Spanish chilled tomato-cucumber soup)

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)

Bulgogi 
(Korean barbecued beef)
Bowl of steaming bulgogi

Bulgogi 
(Korean barbecued beef)

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

Vatapá 
(Brazilian seafood stew with coconut milk)

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

Fesenjan 
(Persian chicken in pomegranate-walnut sauce)

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

Tostadas de Pollo 
(Mexican fried tortillas with chicken)

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

Shashlik 
(Central Asian grilled skewered lamb)

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

Aloo Gobi 
(Indian potato and cauliflower curry)

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

Moqueca 
(Brazilian fish and coconut milk stew)

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)

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

Bubble and Squeak 
(English fried potatoes and cabbage)

1 2

Whats4eats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.