A vibrant quinoa salad perfect for quick dinner recipes, topped with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, and a lemon slice.

After a long and exhausting day, all we need is a good comforting meal. Whether you’re a student living away from home, a mother managing work and your kitchen, or you’re trying to cook yourself quick dinner recipes at home to avoid ordering from outside.

Whatever may be the situation, we got you! In this blog, we will explore dinner recipes that can be prepped in less than 30 minutes. The recipes are made from staple ingredients lying around in your kitchen. These recipes will surely get added to your list of quick dinner ideas.

Wholesome Quick Dinner Recipes For You

1. Moong Dal Khichdi

Moong Daal Khichdi Quick Healthy Recipes - Studywox

Indian households widely acknowledge khichdi as a beloved comfort food. This is a rice dish that contains moong dal (yellow lentils). Rice is easy on the stomach. At the same time, it is a complete meal. This protein-rich dish possesses fiber and contains magnesium alongside potassium minerals.

 This simple one-pot healthy recipe becomes easy to digest. When had with curd and pickles it not only adds complimentary tastes but also proteins in the diet.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup moong dal (split yellow lentils)
  • The dish requires ½ cup rice although you can substitute it with brown rice instead to increase the fiber content.
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 small tomato chopped
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 cups water
  • Fresh coriander for garnishing 

Instructions:

  1. Wash the rice and dal thoroughly with water.
  2. Put ghee into the pressure cooker before adding cumin seeds as it heats up.
  3. Once the ghee is heated, saute chopped onions until they become golden brown.
  4. Now add tomatoes to and cook them until they become soft.
  5. Add turmeric along with garam masala and salt to the mixture.
  6.  Add rice, dal, and water. Pressure cook until 2-3 whistles.
  7.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it hot.

Nutritional Value (per serving):

  • Calories: ~300 kcal
  • Protein: 12g
  • Carbohydrates: 45g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Fat: 5g

2. Besan Chilla (Gram Flour Pancake)

This quick pancake prepared with besan flour delivers a protein-rich dish that serves as an ideal low-carbohydrate in the queue of quick dinner recipes. Eaters who are conscious of their weight will find Besan chilla attractive because it contains both protein and fiber in abundant amounts.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup besan (gram flour)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 green chili finely chopped
  • ½ small onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
  • 1 tsp oil for cooking

Instructions:

  1. A bowl contains the combination of besan with water alongside turmeric and cumin seeds along with ajwain and salt with the addition of cut vegetables. Make a smooth batter.
  2. Place a non-stick pan on the heat before lightly coating it with oil.
  3. Using a ladle pour the batter then distribute it across the pan in pant-like motions.
  4. The pan requires medium heat to achieve both sides reaching a golden brown state.
  5. Serve the chillas with mint chutney or curd as condiments.

Nutritional Value (Per Chilla):

  • Calories: ~150 kcal
  • Protein: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Fat: 4g

3. Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cottage Cheese Curry)

Palak Paneer is essentially a traditional Punjabi recipe that is made of protein-packed paneer and a thick paste of spinach as its main components. The nutritious content of this dish includes iron along with calcium and protein which strengthens muscles and boosts immunity systems.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups spinach (palak) chopped
  • 100g paneer cubed
  • Fox nuts (makhana)
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 small tomato chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cream for garnishing 

Instructions:

  1. Cook the spinach for 3-4 minutes before puréeing it into a thick and smooth paste.
  2. Boil cumin seeds simultaneously with garlic and onions in hot oil. Sauté until onions turn golden.
  3. Add tomatoes, turmeric, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
  4. The mixture of pureed spinach is to be cooked at medium heat for five minutes.
  5. Lightly cook the paneer cubes separately in a pan until they turn light brown and crispy on the sides.
  6. Add the paneer cubes to the palak paste and mix it all together. Add fried makhanas too.
  7. As per taste add garam masala powder over the dish and present it steaming with roti or rice.
  8. Garnish the dish with fresh cream on top.

Nutritional Value (Per Serving):

Calories: ~280 kcal

Protein: 15g

Carbohydrates: 10g

Fiber: 4g

Fat: 18g

4. Masoor Dal Tadka (Red Lentil Soup)

Masoor dal being a household staple is one of the quickest dals to cook. It provides essential amino acids and both protein and fiber. Quick dinner recipes like Masoor dal serve as a digestive aid and combine protein content with carbohydrates into a well-balanced meal.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup masoor dal (red lentils)
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 small tomato chopped
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander for garnishing 

Instructions:

  1. Wash and pressure cook masoor dal with water, turmeric, and salt up to 2 whistles.
  2. Add ghee to a pan then add cumin seeds and minced garlic to it. Sauté until fragrant.
  3. Put the chopped tomatoes and chili powder into the pot until the tomatoes become soft.
  4. To this heated mixture of ingredients add the boiled dal and fuse everything together.
  5.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Nutritional Value (Per Serving):

  • Calories: ~250 kcal
  • Protein: 14g
  • Carbohydrates: 35g
  • Fiber: 7g
  • Fat: 5g

5. Vegetable Upma

South Indian cuisine offers Upma as a weight-balanced dish that uses semolina, mixed vegetables, and nuts. Upma is a great source of complex carbs and keeps you full for a long.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup semolina (sooji)
  • 1 tsp oil
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 green chilies chopped 
  • ½ onion chopped
  • A mixture of 1/2 cup carrots along with peas and beans 
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander for garnishing

Instructions:

  1. To obtain golden semolina one must dry roast it and set it aside.
  2.  To begin, pour oil into a pan and add both mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
  3. Green chili goes into the pan with onions after which sautéing commences until onions become soft.
  4.  Stir the pan with mixed vegetables for two minutes.
  5. Add water along with salt to a boiling state.
  6. Mix the roasted semolina into the mixture by stirring it constantly.
  7. Cook until the upma thickens. Garnish with coriander.

Nutritional Value (Per Serving):

  • Calories: ~280 kcal
  • Protein: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 45g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Fat: 6g

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