With Halloween in the rearview and Thanksgiving just weeks away, odds are you feel the holiday chaos looming. To save your energy for hosting, cooking and tolerating snarky relatives, I’ve rounded up seven low-lift, fast, foolproof dinners to cook this week that won’t stress you out or take a ton of time to prepare. My favorites include a fall spin on polenta, 15-minute fish and cozy mushroom grilled cheese.
Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (November 11 – 17)
Polenta, meet pumpkin
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Published Nov 7, 2024
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
puhimec/Getty Images
Shopping List
Produce
15 garlic cloves
1 large yellow onion
1 Scotch bonnet
1 jalapeño
1 lime
One 1-inch piece ginger
1 red chile
1 pound green beans
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon
8 Portobello mushroom caps
1 sweet onion
3 cups peeled, cubed pumpkin
2 bunches thyme
2 bunches scallions
1 bunch cilantro
Assorted fresh herbs (such as dill, parsley, basil or cilantro)
1 bunch rosemary
Meat
½ pound Mexican chorizo
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
Six 8-ounce fish fillets
Dairy
10 large eggs
2 ounces feta cheese
Sour cream, for serving
6 ounces grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
4 tablespoons cream cheese
8 tablespoons ricotta cheese
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
20 ounces milk
2 ounces heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Grains
White rice, for serving
1 cup cooked pasta, such as spaghetti, fettuccine or bucatini
8 slices crusty Italian bread
6 ounces dry polenta
Canned and Packaged Goods
2 pickled jalapeños
Two 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
16 ounces chicken stock
Two 15-ounce cans black beans
14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
2 ounces peanuts
2 ounces breadcrumbs or handful or crackers (such as Ritz or saltines)
Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, sugar, chipotle chili flakes, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, vegetable oil, allspice, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chile paste, crushed red pepper flakes, yellow mustard, balsamic vinegar
Monday: Skillet Eggs and Chorizo
Things you love: filling, flavor-packed meals. Things you hate: washing a million dishes after dinner. Thankfully, this one-pan meal contains 23 grams of satisfying protein and spares you the dirty sink. Top it off with chopped parsley (or cilantro, if that’s more your vibe), sour cream and a generous sprinkling of feta cheese.
Tuesday: Quick and Easy Spicy Coconut Black Bean Soup
This dairy-free soul-soother gets the optimal dose of heat from a whole jalapeño (or a Scotch bonnet, if you want it extra spicy). The soup is blended before it’s plated for an impeccably creamy, silky texture. Substitute vegetable stock for chicken to make it vegetarian.
Wednesday: Spicy Chicken Stir Fry
This weeknight delight is made in a single pan for painless preparation and cleanup. Green beans offer plenty of crunch to the dish (which pairs seamlessly with rice and noodles alike), but you can substitute bell peppers, snap peas or carrots if you’d prefer.
Thursday: Leftover Pasta Frittata
In my opinion, it’s one of the most drool-worthy way to repurpose last night’s noodles. The 15-minute frittata only calls for seven ingredients, one bowl and one skillet, so you’ll have dinner on the table in a blink and minimal cleanup to worry about afterwards.
Friday: 15-Minute Herb-Crumbed Fish
It doesn’t get more foolproof than this sheet pan main. Just blitz the herb crumb in a blender or food processor, dress the fish and bake until tender, then serve it with whatever grains or veggies you’d like. Hot tip: You can double the topping to store in the freezer for future last-minute dinners.
Saturday: Cheesy Roasted Mushroom Melts
Sunday: Pumpkin Polenta
Infused with fresh herbs, butter and plenty of Parmesan cheese, this fall polenta couldn’t be more comforting if it tried. Swap in two cups of canned pumpkin purée for roasted pumpkin if you’re pressed for time (or feel like a Sunday Funday shortcut).
