Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a treasure trove of fancy ingredients to pull together a showstopping meal. In fact, some of the tastiest dishes are simple ones that let fresh produce and basic seasonings shine. We’ll prove it with seven dinners to cook this week that require ten ingredients or fewer to come together. (Bonus: Many of them are pantry staples.)
Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (August 16 – 22)
Shopping List
Produce
4 lemons
14 garlic cloves
4 red onions
3 pints cherry tomatoes
3 medium zucchini
1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes
1 small head romaine lettuce
10 ears corn
4 ounces arugula
4 peaches
3 tomatoes
1 large white onion
3 celery stalks
1 russet potato
1 bunch radishes
2 bunches thyme
2 bunches basil
Meat
2 pounds jumbo shrimp
6 chicken drumsticks
Four 6-ounce salmon fillets
8 pieces chicken, thighs and legs
Dairy
3 sticks unsalted butter
Burrata cheese, for serving
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
12 ounces evaporated milk
Grains
White rice, for serving
Dinner rolls, for serving
1 pound store-bought gnocchi
Canned and Packaged Goods
2 ounces white wine
One 32-ounce carton chicken broth
Pantry Ingredients: kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, all-purpose flour, bay leaf
Monday: Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo (shrimp In Garlic Sauce)
Tuesday: Roasted Drumsticks With Tomatoes
All the juicy meat and crispy skin of a whole roast bird, minus the bulk of the work. These roasted drumsticks are cooked to perfection in a casserole dish and require way less fussing.
Wednesday: Cold Lemon Zoodles
Thursday: One-pan Roasted Salmon With Potatoes And Romaine
Friday: Summer Skillet Gnocchi With Grilled Corn And Burrata
Saturday: Skillet Roast Chicken With Peaches, Tomatoes And Red Onion
Three cheers for seasonal produce. Everything comes together in your trusty cast-iron skillet, so you’ll only have one dirty dish to clean after dinner. (It tastes even better eaten alfresco, BTW.)
Sunday: Crock-pot Corn Chowder
Sundays are for setting and forgetting. This decadent summer dish just calls for adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker and letting them simmer for six hours. Easy peasy.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.