Midweek Meals: Five quick and easy dinners that go from pot to plate in under 30 minutes 

A super quick bolognese, sausage stew, salmon and veggies, mac and cheese and a butternut squash soup with cheese toasties. Yes please

Quick, easy and delicious dinners to make this week.

Speedy bolognese

recipe by:Darina Allen

Don't have time to make a slow-cook bolognese? Try this quick version tonight

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• ½ medium yellow onion

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp butter

• 450g fresh tomatoes

• 340g ground beef chuck

• salt

• 280g tagliatelle or pappardelle

• 30g Parmesan, freshly grated

Method

1. Peel the onion and finely chop it. Put the olive oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet, add the chopped onion, and place over medium-high heat. Sauté until the onion turns a rich golden colour (about five minutes).

2. While the onion is sautéing, peel the tomatoes and coarsely chop them. When the onion is ready, add the ground beef, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until it has lost its raw colour and just begins to brown (two to three minutes).

3. Add the tomatoes, season them with salt, and cook over medium heat until the liquid the tomatoes release has almost completely evaporated (10-12 minutes).

4. Add about two tablespoons of salt to the boiling pasta water, add the tagliatelle, and stir until all the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve at once.
   This recipe is from Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta: 100 Quick and Easy Recipes.

Macaroni cheese

recipe by:Darina Allen

A classic childhood favourite, this supper can be enjoyed with cooked bacon or ham - creamy, delicious and simple

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 225g macaroni

• 3.4l water

• 2 tsp salt

• 55g butter

• 55g flour

• 850ml boiling milk

• 3 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley (optional)

• salt

• pepper

• 145g mature cheddar, grated

• 1.1l capacity pie dish

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the salt. Sprinkle in the macaroni and stir to make sure it doesn’t stick together. Cook until just soft, 10-15 minutes approx. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile melt the butter, add in the flour and cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk gradually, bring back to the boil, stirring all the time. Add the mustard, parsley if using and cheese, season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

4. Add the cooked macaroni, bring back to the boil, taste, correct seasoning and serve immediately.

5. Macaroni cheese reheats very successfully provided the pasta is not overcooked in the first place, it is very good served with cold meat particularly ham.

6. Top Tip: Macaroni soaks up an enormous amount of sauce. Add more sauce if making ahead to reheat later.

Sesame soy salmon and vegetables with coconut rice

This is a lovely, filling dish with a wonderful Asian fusion vibe. It’s guaranteed to be a dinner-party favourite, too

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp low-salt soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp honey

• 2 large salmon fillets

• 150g brown rice

• 1 400ml tin coconut milk

• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut

• olive oil, for cooking

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 large red onion, finely sliced

• 1 small carrot, cut into thin strips

• ½ courgette, cut into thin strips

• handful baby spinach

• sea salt

Method

1. Mix together 1 tablespoon soy sauce with the sesame oil and honey, and stir well to create a marinade. Pour over the salmon and leave to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.

2. Put the rice in a saucepan and cover with salted boiling water. Simmer over a medium heat until half cooked, about 10 minutes (check the instructions on the packet). Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer until soft and tender. You may need to add a little extra water.

3. Add the desiccated coconut and stir well. Transfer to a warmed dish and set aside.

4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the salmon and its marinade and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning regularly.

5. Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a large pan or wok and add the garlic, onion, carrot and courgette. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until soft.

6. Add the spinach and remaining soy sauce, and cook for 1 minute. Once the salmon and vegetables are cooked, serve immediately with the coconut rice.
   
   The Medicinal Chef by Dale Pinnock (Quadrille, €20) Photography ©Martin Poole

Butternut squash soup with cheese toasties

recipe by:Neven Maguire

From Neven’s Real Food for Families, this comforting soup is hearty with a velvety finish and subtle nutty hint - perfect with cheese toasties on a rainy day

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Traditional

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 kg butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

• 1.2l stock

• 4 fresh thyme sprigs

• 200g crème fraîche

• 50g butter

• 8 slices white bread

• 200g Gruyère cheese, grated

• 1 tbsp snipped fresh chives

• salt

• pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the onions, garlic and butternut squash over a gentle heat for 10 minutes until the onions have softened but not coloured, stirring occasionally.

2. Pour in the stock and add the thyme. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the butternut squash is tender.

3. To make the cheese toasties, butter the bread and arrange the cheese over half of the slices, buttered side down. Sprinkle over the chives and cover with the remaining slices, buttered side up.

4. Preheat a griddle or large non-stick frying pan and cook the sandwiches two at a time for two minutes on each side, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

5. Cut into fingers and keep hot.

6. Remove the thyme stalks from the soup, then purèe the soup with a hand blender until smooth.

7. Stir in the crème fraîche and reheat gently.

8. Season to taste. Serve in a warm bowl with the cheese toasties stacked on the side.

Saucepan sausage stew with fennel and lentils

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Lentils are a fabulous addition to this quick stew

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• dash of rapeseed oil

• 400g good quality banger style sausages, chopped into bite size pieces 

• 2 onions, finely chopped 

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

• 1 medium sized fennel bulb, sliced 

• 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted 

• 1 tsp chilli flakes 

• 200g puy lentils 

• 300ml stock 

• 100ml white wine 

Method

1. Heat your oil in a heavy saucepan, and sauté the onion until completely soft.

2. Add the sausages and garlic and fry until the sausage pieces have browned all over. Stir in the fennel.

3. Now add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, wine, stock and lentils.

4. Bring to a gentle boil and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until the sausages are cooked through.

5. Taste and season.

For more quick and easy meals, check out our Midweek Meals section on ieFood.