If You, Like Me, Have Little Time (Or Energy) To Cook These Days, These Are The Approachable Meal Ideas That I Rely On

Some of the following meals are "no-recipe recipes" that you can get creative with, but I've included links to similar recipes for those who prefer to follow a road map.

I am a big spaghetti squash fan, especially during the fall and winter, when it's in season. I can count on finding this vegetable at my local farmers market, which is great for particularly lazy days when I have not planned any dinner whatsoever. I can just grab a squash without even stepping foot in a grocery store and then rely on ingredients I already have to whip up a meal. 

Slicing a spaghetti squash in half is so much easier if you make a few holes in the squash with a knife and microwave it for five minutes. Then cut it into two halves; drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper; and roast it, cut sides down, in a 450°F oven for about 30 minutes. Shred it with a fork, and the spaghetti-like flesh should fall right out. 

From there, add whatever ingredients you like best, even if it's just a jar of pasta sauce and some shredded Parmesan cheese. Or make a spaghetti squash boat with whatever you've got. Shred the cooked squash and toss it with your favorite ingredients (think: ground beef, tomato sauce, and sautéed mushrooms or shrimp and roasted broccoli), then add the filling back to the squash shells with a little grated Parmesan or sliced mozzarella for good measure, and continue roasting it for a few minutes until golden brown.

Similar recipe: Caprese Spaghetti Squash

I've been finding myself making these Korean bibimbap-inspired bowls often because they're easy and versatile. For the base, I tend to use rice or noodles plus some chopped cabbage or slaw. Then I load up on a bunch of vegetables like roasted mushrooms, shredded carrots, kimchi, cucumber salad, seaweed salad, etc. (some of which I buy already prepared from the Asian market down the block). I'll sometimes add some additional protein, but a fried egg is always necessary.

The old me would have woken up in the morning and prepared a homemade bulgogi beef marinade, but the new me doesn't always have that bandwidth. So sometimes I take a shortcut route. I've discovered that H-Mart sells this great, pre-marinated thinly sliced bulgogi beef that cooks in about two minutes, and Trader Joe's also sells frozen bulgogi that I have yet to try. Condiments are key here: A drizzle of gochujang sauce and Bachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce goes a long way.

Similar recipe: Easy Beef Bulgogi Bowls

Chicken noodle soup is my ultimate feel-good meal, and luckily, it is wildly easy to make. My favorite trick is to start with a box of matzo ball and soup mix, like the Manischewitz version. For this soup, use only the soup mix without the matzo ball mix. Grab a big old pot and fill it with water, plus the soup mix. From there, everything except for the pasta goes into the soup: a whole chicken (or bone-in chicken parts), peeled carrots, celery, turnips, a quartered onion, whole cloves of garlic, black peppercorn, and fresh herbs. The only actual work required is bringing the water to a boil and then reducing it to a simmer. 

Let everything simmer for a good hour or more as you go about your day. It honestly can't simmer for too long, and you don't really have to pay any attention. The flavor just gets better and better, and your entire home will smell incredible, which is an added bonus. When the chicken is cooked through, place it into another bowl and shred it, discarding the bones but transferring all the super-tender meat back into the pot. In a separate pot, cook your pasta. You can obviously use whatever noodle you like best, but IMO, cheese-filled tortellini takes a bowl of soup to the next level. I leave the tortellini separate until I'm ready to serve the soup so that it doesn't overcook. This meal is the gift that keeps on giving: The leftovers are heavenly. 

Similar recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup

As we all know, cottage cheese is having a moment. And I, for one, am embracing it. While it's traditionally a breakfast food, I particularly love savory CC bowls for lunch or dinner. This everything bagel cottage cheese creation is my go-to. Start with a big bowl of cottage cheese (Good Culture Classic 4% is my favorite), and add your bagel-inspired toppings, like diced tomato, red onion, capers, smoked salmon, cucumbers, and pita chips for a little crunch. Top it off with everything bagel seasoning and dive in. There's something wildly satisfying about this combo, but I implore you to get creative with your savory cottage cheese creations and go with what speaks to you.

Take it from a loyal Trader Joe's shopper: If you haven't tried the Cacio e Pepe Ravioli, then you are missing out. I keep a package in my freezer for last-minute meals. This packaged ravioli is one of my favorite things to make when I want something quick and comforting. Sometimes I'll spruce it up with additional ingredients like pancetta and leeks and serve it with a salad on the side, but I'm not above boiling a package of ravioli, drizzling it with olive oil, and calling it a night. It literally takes 10 minutes, but it tastes so satisfying, always.

IMO, you can never go wrong with fried rice. I use whatever vegetables and/or protein I have in the fridge — whether it's leftover broccoli and chicken thighs from last night's dinner or peas and shrimp from the freezer. I usually don't follow a recipe. I sauté scallions, garlic, and some veggies in oil, add some protein (or keep it totally vegetarian), toss in cooked rice, and stir-fry it all together with soy sauce and sesame oil. Scramble some eggs in the same skillet, or do as I like best — fry eggs in some chile oil.

Fried rice tastes best when you use leftover cold rice, but TBH, I'm not that great at planning ahead these days. I usually end up using one of those 90-second microwavable rice pouches, and you know what? The result tastes delicious. The result is a one-skillet recipe that tastes just as good for the next few days as leftovers.

Recipe: Fried Rice With Spring Vegetables and Fried Eggs (If you encounter a paywall, here's a similar version.)

There's a restaurant in Manhattan called Cervo's that I absolutely adore, and the one thing I always, always order there is the Louisiana white prawns — a big plate of sizzling giant prawns swimming in paprika-laden olive oil. One night, my husband and I decided to re-create this dish at home, and we were shocked at how easy and delicious our rendition came out. 

The key here is buying jumbo shrimp (the biggest you can find!) that can be butterflied and cooked with the shells on. Butterfly those bad boys and toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. I've pan-fried them in a cast-iron pan and cooked them on the grill, and both ways turn out great. And they cook quickly...just a few minutes on each side is all you need. Once the shrimp are cooked, douse them in even more good olive oil, some fresh lemon juice, and extra smoked paprika. And you're going to want some crusty bread to sop it all up.

Similar recipe: Garlicky Butterflied Prawns

Melissa Clark has a cookbook called Dinner in One that is more or less my kitchen bible these days. As you might expect, all the recipes can be cooked in one skillet, sheet pan, casserole dish, etc. All of the recipes I've tried so far are really great, but this Thai-inspired turkey larb might be my favorite of all. The recipe calls for ground turkey, but you can really use anything from ground chicken to plant-based meat crumbles. 

The larb comes together in a single skillet, and it's so, so flavorful, thanks to garlic, ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce. I personally love serving it in lettuce wraps, but I've made it over rice and vermicelli noodles as well. I'm not kidding when I say this recipe rivals takeout, except I can make it for a quarter of the price in about 20 minutes. It's the ultimate weeknight dinner.

Recipe: Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger (If you encounter a pay wall, here's a similar version.)

When I want something easy and super fresh, Greek salad with simple roasted fish is my favorite. I used to be afraid of the idea of cooking fish at home, as I think many people are. But believe me, you literally can't mess this up. 

I've actually gotten really into roasting a whole fish, but cooking fillets is far less intimidating. So buy fillets of your favorite flaky white fish, whatever it is. I personally love branzino, but think: cod, halibut, fluke...it all works! Drizzle the fish with olive oil, salt, and pepper; place it in a baking dish over thinly sliced lemons; and garnish with thinly sliced garlic and some fresh herbs. Roast the fish in a 400°F oven for 12 minutes or so until it's opaque and flaky. Squeeze some more lemon on top, and you're done!

As for Greek salad, you only need a few ingredients: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Roughly chop everything up and drizzle it with olive oil and red wine vinegar. It's one of my all-time favorite meals.

Similar recipes: Baked Branzino With Citrus Gremolata and Greek Salad

There's gourmet homemade mac 'n' cheese, and there's cheap and easy boxed mac 'n' cheese, but there's no such thing as bad mac 'n' cheese. And I will admit that you'll never find my pantry without a few boxes of Annie's Shells & White Cheddar. Life is all about balance, so adding a bunch of roasted or sautéed veggies into my big bowl of noodles helps me feel a bit more like an adult making good choices. You obviously don't need to be told how to make mac 'n' cheese, but the next time you're feeling lazy and don't know what to cook, I would suggest doctoring up your boxed mac.

I eat a mostly pescatarian diet, and I cook salmon often. I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to prepare it, and I've been loving this salmon Niçoise lately because it's healthyish and more or less comes together on a single sheet pan (except for the eggs, which are medium-boiled). 

I assemble all of the veggies — potato, tomato, haricots verts, and even olives — on a sheet pan. I give the veggies a head start in a 400°F oven before adding the salmon fillets for the last 10 minutes or so. And making a homemade dressing doesn't have to be a big production: I just whisk together Dijon mustard, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Thanks to the potatoes, this no-lettuce salad is actually very filling, but sometimes I make some orzo or rice pilaf on the side as well. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, and because Niçoise salad is usually served cold, it also makes excellent leftovers.

Recipe: Roasted Salmon Niçoise Salad

Frying eggplant for eggplant Parmesan is a pain: It's time-consuming and turns the kitchen into a mess. That's why I've been obsessed with this baked version. I promise you, the eggplant gets so crispy in the oven that you won't miss the fried cutlets. Breading the eggplant is really the only hands-on work, and it takes less than 10 minutes. From there on, everything occurs in the oven. The eggplant is baked on a sheet pan until golden brown, layered in a baking dish with marinara sauce and mozzarella, and then finished in the oven until melty and bubbly. 

This recipe makes a lot of eggplant Parm, so it's perfect for a family. Since most nights, just my husband and I are eating, I can make it on Sunday night, and we will eat leftovers for a few days. It also freezes well, so I can put a few portions away for future nights.  

Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe takes a homemade base (aka your favorite meatball recipe) and turns it into a takeout-style dinner with the help of a store-bought simmer sauce. It's minimal effort and only calls for a handful of ingredients, and the leftovers taste just as good.

I usually make my meatballs from scratch (often using this recipe from Pinch of Yum), bake them until golden brown, and then quickly toss them in Trader Joe's Tikka Masala Curry Sauce. I will admit that sometimes, when I really don't have the bandwidth, I just buy the meatballs all ready to go. Sometimes I'll add some extra ingredients to the sauce, like a dollop of yogurt for thickness or some tomato paste for a kick. I serve it over rice or with naan for sopping up all the tikka masala sauce.

In lieu of meatballs, you can make this with pretty much any protein you have on hand. I've made it with shrimp a few times, and it tastes amazing. And I've also made a vegetarian version with roasted cauliflower that I really enjoyed. If you don't live near a Trader Joe's, there are plenty of store-bought tikka masala sauces available at other grocery stores, and any will do the trick. Obviously, homemade tikka masala sauce is delicious, but opting for a jarred version takes a big chunk out of the cooking time (and it still tastes great).

Recipe: Best Anytime Baked Chicken Meatballs

Tacos and taco bowls are some of my favorite dinner creations. If you have tortillas or a bag of shredded cabbage, you're halfway there. On nights when I'm feeling particularly tired, scrambled egg and avocado tacos it is. But when I have a bit more ambition in the kitchen, I love making taco bowls. For the base, I go for Trader Joe's frozen Spanish Style Rice, which I pair with a simple slaw.

If I'm able to make it to the market to buy fresh fish, I love making shrimp or blackened cod tacos, but frozen seafood is my secret weapon for easy homemade bowls that taste so satisfying. I often go for coconut shrimp or fish sticks (the Trader Joe's Battered Fish Nuggets are really excellent). Pop a few in the air fryer and add them to your salad or tortillas. Even if I don't have any fancy condiments on hand, I can usually whip up a little blend of sour cream or Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and lime juice to drizzle on top. 

Similar recipe: Fish Taco Bowls

I love one-dish recipes, if that hasn't already become obvious to you. And honestly, what's not to love?! So let me introduce you to another favorite: one-pot shrimp scampi with orzo. 

The recipe says to marinate the shrimp for 15 minutes before combining it with the orzo, but honestly, it doesn't make a ton of a difference if you're time-pressed. You can just combine all of the ingredients and throw them in. Between the garlic, onion, white wine, and chicken broth, there's a ton of flavor in here. You can get this on the table in 30 minutes, and the only real work is stirring the orzo from time to time.

I've made this recipe before with some additional ingredients, like jammy tomatoes and sliced chicken sausage (almost like a jambalaya situation), and I've had zero regrets.

Recipe: One-Pot Shrimp Scampi With Orzo