11 Easy Recipes for Hungry, Busy People

By Margaux Laskey 

1. Ginger-Dill Salmon

This party on a plate from Ali Slagle will delight even the most sophisticated of diners. A salmon fillet is tossed with a fragrant combination of dill, ginger and olive oil, then lightly seared and served with a juicy citrus-radish salad and slices of just-ripe avocado. Leftovers make a great lunch and are great served warm or cold.

2. Alfredo sauce

One look at the comments on this recipe and you'll see that the origin of Alfredo sauce is hotly debated, but this version is the funnest: Alfredo di Lelio, a restaurant owner in Rome, came up with the recipe in 1914. for his pregnant wife Ines, who was suffering from severe nausea and could not hold herself very well. He put it on the menu at his restaurant, and when Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford dined there during their honeymoon in 1920, they loved it and brought the recipe back to the United States. It is traditionally served over noodles, but you can also drizzle it over fried chicken breast, stewed beans or sautéed vegetables.

3. Baked chicken on a baking sheet with pears and arugula

What's not to love about this dinner plate from Yasmin Fahr? Crispy chicken thighs seasoned with cumin and coriander are sprinkled with delicate toasted pear wedges and then sprinkled with sunflower seeds for crunch. A sprinkling of arugula takes it into whole food territory. One tip: Use pears that aren't quite ripe so they don't turn to mush in the oven.

4. Orzo in one pan with spinach and feta

This orzo, a reader favorite from Melissa Clark, is a delicious light dinner just as it is, but top it off with canned chickpeas or add raw shrimp in the last few minutes of cooking. When seasoning, it's worth remembering that feta itself is very salty, so be careful not to add too much salt.

5. Dumpling noodle soup

Get into the habit of keeping a bag of dumplings in the freezer and you'll reap the rewards. Hetty McKinnon packs little pillows of goodness into this noodle soup that comes together in less than half an hour. Ginger, garlic, turmeric and miso (or soy sauce) make a tasty broth to which you can add virtually any vegetable such as carrots, peas or mushrooms.

6. Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce

Credit...Suzy Allman for The New York Times

The use of butter is also hotly debated in Italian cooking, but it is actually a common ingredient in many northern Italian cuisines. It's the central ingredient in this surprisingly simple silky tomato sauce from Marcella Hazan. All you need is canned tomatoes, butter and peeled onions. Cook until velvety and rich, then serve over noodles, use in baked pasta or as a pizza sauce.

7. Prawns on a tray with tomatoes, feta and oregano

Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

This sheet pan meal is classic Mark Bittman: It's easy, so satisfying, and uses just a few simple ingredients. If you like bolder flavors, double the oregano, thyme, and garlic.

8. Salmon baked in maple

Credit...Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

For incredibly tender, tangy-sweet salmon, do what Genevieve Ko does: Brush the filet with a combination of maple syrup, mustard, mayo, and cilantro stalks and pop it in the oven. It provides the best tip for telling salmon doneness that you'll use again and again: When you take a knife from the center of the fish and touch the blade to the upper lip, it should feel very warm, but not hot.

9. Toast with cheddar and sauerkraut

Credit...Lindo Pugliese for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

This open-faced sandwich from Ali Slagle is like a Reuben without the corned beef, and it hits all the right notes: cheesy, spicy, and tangy. Kimchi is a great replacement for cabbage, and pepperoncini is a nice substitute for jalapeños. One reader used a tortilla instead of bread for a quesadilla.

10. One Pot Chicken and Ginger Rice

Credit...Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

A dinner of ginger fried rice and garlic stir-fried vegetables served at Uncle Lou, a Cantonese restaurant in New York City, inspired this one-pot meal by Yasmin Fahr. Everything – ginger and garlic, boneless chicken, rice and vegetables – is cooked together in one pot, so it's a breeze and each ingredient lends its flavor to the other.

11. Sopa de Fideo

Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

You can use late-season ripe or canned tomatoes for this tomato noodle soup from Jocelyn Ramirez. Fideo, thin noodles with.