68 Back-to-School 30 Minute Recipes

Does your hectic schedule leave you feeling like you have no time to cook dinner? Just say “no” to the fast food drive through and say “hello” to these easy 30 minute recipes.

During the school year, evenings are usually a rush of homework, after school activities and prep for the next day. I don’t have the luxury of taking my time with diner like I enjoyed during the summer month. I need dinner to be quick, I need it to be easy and I need it done fast. As in less than 30-minutes fast.

I rounded up all my tried-and-true 30 minute recipes. But for some variety, polled a few other bloggers for their favorite ideas. The response was overwhelming! I included the most droolworthy submissions that are definitely getting a turn on our dinner rotation. I hope this 30 minute recipe compilation takes the stress out of dinner for you just as much as for me.

Looking for more ideas? Check out my 30 Minutes or Less tag or follow my 30 Minute Meals Pinterest board. You’ll find all of these recipes saved there.

Beef

• Oven Roasted Roast Beef Dinner
• Tequila Lime Skirt Steak
• Pepper Jack Stuffed Burgers with Bourbon Caramelized Onions
• Moroccan Spiced London Broil
• Steak Fajitas
• Whole30 Mongolian Beef from What Great Grandma Ate
• 30 Minute Ginger Beef from Lord Byron’s Kitchen
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry from Savory Tooth
• Beef and Noodles from Salt and Lavender

Chicken

• Bacon, Chicken and Mushroom Skillet
• Chicken Meatballs with Apricot Bourbon Sauce
• Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy
• Bourbon Chicken
• One-Pan Sausage and Vegetable Sauté from The Fit Cookie
• One Pan Chicken Fajitas from Blue Bowl
• Apricot-Ginger Glazed Chicken from What a Girl Eats
• Stir-Fry Sesame Chicken from Easy Cooking

Pasta

• One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta from Salt and Lavender
• Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes from Yay! for Food
• Pesto Shrimp Fettuccine from What’s in the Pan?
• Red Pesto Pasta from One Clever Chef

Pork

• Pulled Pork Crescent Rolls
• Italian Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats
• Ham and Egg Hash with Potatoes
• Asian Pork Kebabs
• Maple Glazed Pork Loin Chops
• Roast Fennel Pork Tenderloin from Platter Talk
• Pork Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles from Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Cajun Smoked Sausage with Gnocchi from Erica’s Recipes

Salads

• Black and Blue Steak Salad
• French Chicken Salad from Whip & Wander
• Sesame Beef Thai Noodle Dinner from Homemade Food Junkie

Sandwiches

• Cuban Reuben Sandwiches
• Homemade Sloppy Joes
• Barbecue Bacon Mushroom Quesadillas
• Turkey Burger With Greek Yogurt Topping from Natalie’s Happy Health

Seafood and Fish

• Baked Teriyaki Salmon
• Sauteed Catfish Fillet with Creole Mustard Sauce
• Pan Seared Salmon with Bacon-Molasses Vinaigrette
• Skillet Grilled Catfish
• Shrimp and Grits
• Easy Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry from The Forked Spoon
• Roasted Cod with Asparagus and Jalapeño Dressing from Sidewalk Shoes
• Pan Seared Fish with Tamarind Sauce from The Delicious Crescent

Sheet Pan Dinners

• Smoked Sausage and Peppers Sheet Pan Dinner
• Sheet Pan Fish Tacos with Peppers from The Cook Report
• One Pan Cod with Chorizo and Chickpeas from Supergolden Bakes

Soup

• Tomato Basil Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Garden Vegetable Sausage Meatball Tortellini Soup
• 30 Minute Minestrone Soup from Fun Food and Frolic

Vegan and Vegetarian

• Black Bean Vegetarian Fajitas from A Simple Palate
• 15 Minute Vegan Peanut Noodles from Delightful Adventures
• Creamy Vegan Gnocchi with Garlic & Kale from A Virtual Vegan
• Portobello Vegan Fajitas from Vegan Huggs
• Tofu in Chili Garlic Sauce from VNutrition
• Lazy Falafel from Rhian’s Recipes
• Healthy Vegan Lettuce Wraps from The Live-In Kitchen
• Corn and Black Bean Tacos from Rhubarbarians
• Simple Vegan Quinoa Fried Rice from Happy Kitchen Rocks

Other

• BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza from Girl Heart Food