Hi, friends. If there’s one thing I really want to convince you to do, it’s to bring Big Saturday Energy to any night of the week. I firmly believe we shouldn’t save anything — the good plates, the good wine, the good recipes — for days that begin with S. Why not make a delicious, elegant meal on a random Wednesday? You definitely deserve it.
But I also know that spending hours in the kitchen on a weekday isn’t really feasible for most people — me included. On weeknights, I tend to turn to a mix of tried-and-true go-to recipes and random dishes I make up on the fly to satisfy cravings and use up what’s in the fridge.
And whenever I post these dishes to my Instagram Stories, I inevitably get a slew of messages asking for the recipe. (More so than any recipe I spent time testing/developing!) So, I decided to make a series of it. I’m calling it Weeknights Done Right, and it will live for the most part on Instagram as a (at least) once a week series featuring dinners that will easily elevate your weeknights in around 30 minutes.
As my loyal subscribers, you’re getting the first two recipes before anyone else, along with a roundup of a few more tried-and-trues that are quick and delectable. I hope you love them!
Chicken Caesar Smash Burgers
I love a burger. I love a Ceasar salad. Made sense to me to combine the two. I opted for a Greek yogurt-based dressing for a little more protein, though you could use your favorite bottled one to make this even easier. And don’t skimp on the parm in the ground chicken mixture!! It gives the burgers such a nice crust.
Ready in: About 35 minutes
Makes: 4 double or 8 single burgers
For the dressing:
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup grated parm
1 garlic clove, finally chopped or crushed
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 tbsp anchovy paste or chopped anchovies
Drizzle of olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Lots of salt and pepper
Whisk it all together. Taste and add more of whatever you think it needs!!
For the chicken burgers:
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Italian seasoning (this @harmonyblends Mediterranean seasoning is so so good)
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Mix everything together until it’s all well incorporated. Fry up a little piece and taste just to make sure the salt is good.
To cook, heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add about a tablespoon of oil (you’ll need more if yoir using stainless steel instead of nonstick). Grab a big handful of the chicken mixture, put it in your pan, and use a piece of parchment paper and a sturdy spatula to press it down. Cook for about 4 minutes until golden brown, flip, then cook another 4 minutes. Since we’re working with chicken, you want to insure it’s cooked to 165 degrees F internal!!
For assembly:
4-8 brioche buns
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Thinly sliced red onion
Dill pickle chips
Heat up brioche buns in the same pan with a little butter.
To assemble, place 1-2 patties on a bun, top with shredded iceberg, thinly sliced red onions, pickles, and more Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Drizzle on lots of the dressing. You can also mix up the lettuce and onions with the dressing before putting it on the burgers. Serve with fries and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Shrimp and Zucchini Quesadillas
Quesadillas are a go-to on weeknights chez moi because we can stuff them with whatever veggies or protein we have on hand, and I always know a simple cheese quesadilla will be a hit with Sasha. Shrimp is also a go-to for quick meals because it cooks so quickly! These pack an extra hearty punch since they’re also loaded with zucchini and onions. I love a salad on the side, but you could also heat up some canned refried beans and a microwavable bag of rice.
Ready in: 35 minutes
Serves: 2
For the quesadillas:
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned, deveined, tails removed
2-3 tbsp taco seasoning
2 large tortillas or 4 smaller ones
Lots of shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
Olive oil
Salt
In a large pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add your zucchini and red onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and a bit browned, about 10 minutes. You can let them go longer if you have the time and want them to be caramelized, but keep in mind that that will make the whole thing take longer than 30 minutes!
Remove the veggies from the pan when they’re done, add in a couple more tablespoons of olive oil, and add in your shrimp. Season with taco seasoning (most taco seasonings have salt but if yours doesn’t, season with salt, too), and toss to combine. Cook for a couple minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for another couple minutes. Remove from the pan, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
Wipe down your pan and add a tortilla. If you’re using bigger tortillas, you’re going to cover half with toppings then fold them over. If you’re using smaller ones, you’ll cover it all with toppings then put a second one on top.
Cover with shredded cheese, half of the shrimp, and half of the veggies. Sprinkle on more shredded cheese, then cover until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is browned. Flip, then cook for another couple of minutes until the second side is browned.
Throughout the process, use your spare time while the veggies and quesadillas cook to assemble your salad.
For the salad:
1 part lime juice
1 part champagne vinegar*
2 parts extra virgin olive oil
A good pinch of cumin
1 garlic clove, microplaned, finely chopped, or crushed
Salt and pepper
Salad greens of choice
Shake your lime juice, champagne vinegar, olive oil, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a jar. When ready to serve, drizzle on your greens and toss to combine.
*I love Brightland’s champagne vinegar (use this link for 15% off) which is a tad sweet. If you want to sub in another type of vinegar, like red wine vinegar, add in a sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of agave or maple syrup.
We make different versions of this year-round, but this one with fresh summer squash, tomatoes, olives, and herbes de Provence is my forever favorite. It’s really simple — just sauté your veggies, add your fish, and steam to finish — but packs a big punch. I like to serve it with crusty bread, a little salad, a glass of rosé, and the delusional belief that a good meal can transport me to the south of France.
Farfalle With Guanciale, Peas, and Alllll the Lemon
The perfect summer pasta if you want something lush but still light. The lemon adds such an irresistible zing, and I love guanciale here for the meatiness and richness it lends, though you can definitely sub in prosciutto or even bacon.
Serves: 2-3
Ready in: 20 minutes
8 oz farfalle or other short pasta
4 oz guanciale, cut into cubes
1⁄2 large shallot or 1 small shallot, diced (about 3 tbsp total)
2⁄3 cups fresh peas
4 tbsp lemon juice (from about 2 lemons, depending on how juicy they are)
Zest of 1 lemon
1⁄2 cup grated parmigiano, plus more for serving
Bring a medium pot of very salted water to a boil and add your pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat a medium-sized skillet over high heat. Add your guanciale and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the guanciale is crisp. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Reduce heat to medium and add your shallots. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, for 2-3 minutes, until shallots are golden. Add your peas and cook for 2 minutes. Add your lemon juice, zest, cooked pasta, and grated parmigiano, along with cooked guanciale and a ladleful or two of pasta water. Stir to combine. You want a glossy sauce that coats the pasta, so you might need to add more pasta water to achieve this. Serve with more parmigiano on top, and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Cannellini Beans With Tomatoes, Burrata, and Breadcrumbs
A stunner of a meal when you’re short on time and want something cheap but good. We use onions, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine to zhuzh up a humble can of beans, and top it all off with some homemade toasted garlic breadcrumbs (make extra of these — they taste good on everything) and a ball of burrata cheese. Also perfect as an appetizer. Serve with lots of crusty bread for dipping.
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2 for a main, 4 for a side/appetizer
For the garlic parm breadcrumbs:
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmigiano
sea salt
In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter is melted and foamy. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant and starting to brown. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasty. Turn off the heat and stir in the parm and a pinch of sea salt. Remove from pan to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out pan.
For the beans:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup white wine
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sliced castelvetrano olives
1/2 cup water
sea salt
1 ball burrata
Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat, then add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Add in garlic and cook just until fragrant. Add in cherry tomatoes along with white wine and a generous pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes begin to break down. Add in cannellini beans, olives, and water, and season again with salt. Cook until beans are very soft and tomatoes are jammy, about 10 minutes. If it looks too dry, add a splash more water.
To serve, top with burrata and breadcrumbs. Serve with crusty bread.
Chicken Piccata With Tomatoes and Olives
An Olive Garden chicken piccata this is not! Summery, fresh, and with my all-time favorite flavor enhancers, olives and white wine. So good for a dinner party, too! And easy to scale up.
Grilled Shrimp and Shishitos with a Spicy Tahini Caesar Salad
This was the original recipe that featured my tahini Caesar dressing recipe, which I have made so many iterations of since. It features grilled shell-on shrimp, shishitos, and croutons — though if you don’t have a grill, you can easily cook the shrimp and shishitos on the stove and the croutons in the oven. Shell-on is great for grilling, but I will often open for cleaned shrimp to save time and hassle on weeknights.
One-Pan Tomato-y Shrimp and Chickpeas
Told ya I love shrimp for a weeknight meal! This one brings in chickpeas for some extra staying power, as well as some sun-dried tomatoes, which are one of my favorite ingredients for making something taste like it’s been cooking all day.
Creamy, Spicy Red Pepper Pasta Alla Gin
Based on my favorite pasta alla vodka, but with a touch more sweetness and oomph to the sauce thanks to red peppers. They get cooked and then blended up, which I think makes the sauce’s texture a bit more pleasing. Feel free to use vodka, instead!
Gorgeous Green Coconut Cod with Watermelon Radish Slaw
Another absolute stunner. Definitely dinner party-worthy, but also the perfect thing to whip up for yourself when you want something quick, delicious, and elegant! You can blanch some herbs with the greens to add some more flavor to the sauce if you wish, or keep it simple. A recipe that quickly climbed to the top of my most popular.
Oooh Rita these recipes are fantastic thank you for sharing!
I downloaded 2 pdf's
Thank you for sharing!