I’m suspicious of “quick weeknight dinner” recipes. Most of them claim 20 minutes but take 40 once you account for actual chopping, actual cooking, and the reality of a kitchen that isn’t prepped by a team of assistants.

These seven recipes actually take under 30 minutes. I’ve timed them. The clock starts when you open the fridge.

1. Garlic butter pasta with lemon and parmesan

Time: 18 minutes

Put a pot of salted water on to boil. While it heats, finely slice 4 cloves of garlic. Cook 400g spaghetti according to packet directions.

In a large pan, melt 50g butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown (1 minute). Add a pinch of chilli flakes.

When the pasta is done, reserve a cup of cooking water. Drain the pasta and toss it into the butter pan. Add the zest and juice of one lemon, a generous handful of grated parmesan, and enough cooking water to create a silky sauce. Toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper.

This is the meal I make when I don’t want to think. It never disappoints.

2. Thai basil chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

Time: 15 minutes

Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add 3 sliced garlic cloves and 3-4 sliced chillies. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add 500g chicken mince. Break it up and cook until no longer pink (4-5 minutes). Add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to combine.

Throw in two big handfuls of Thai basil leaves. Stir until wilted. Serve over rice with a fried egg on top.

The whole thing takes about 15 minutes including prep, and it’s better than most Thai restaurants.

3. Smashed cucumber and sesame noodle salad

Time: 12 minutes

Cook 250g egg noodles according to packet directions. While they cook, smash 2 Lebanese cucumbers with the flat side of a knife, then roughly chop them.

Make the dressing: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chilli oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 grated garlic clove.

Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. Toss with the cucumber, dressing, sesame seeds, and sliced spring onions.

This is a cold noodle dish, perfect for hot evenings. Add shredded poached chicken or crispy tofu if you want more protein.

4. Halloumi, chickpea, and tomato pan

Time: 22 minutes

Slice 200g halloumi into 1cm pieces. Fry in olive oil until golden on both sides (4 minutes total). Set aside.

In the same pan, add a sliced onion. Cook 3 minutes. Add 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Cook 1 minute. Add a tin of diced tomatoes and a drained tin of chickpeas. Simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Return the halloumi to the pan. Squeeze over half a lemon and scatter with fresh parsley or coriander. Eat with crusty bread.

Vegetarian, substantial, and deeply satisfying.

5. Miso salmon and greens

Time: 20 minutes

Mix 2 tablespoons white miso paste with 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Spread half this mixture over 2 salmon fillets.

Grill the salmon under a hot grill for 8-10 minutes until the miso glaze is caramelised and the fish is cooked through.

While the salmon cooks, steam or stir-fry whatever greens you have — broccolini, bok choy, snap peas, beans. Toss the cooked greens with the remaining miso mixture. Serve with rice.

6. One-pan sausage, apple, and fennel roast

Time: 28 minutes

Preheat oven to 220C. On a sheet pan, toss 6 good pork sausages, 2 apples (quartered, cored), 1 fennel bulb (sliced), and a few sprigs of thyme with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through. The sausages should be golden and cooked through, the apples caramelised, and the fennel tender.

Serve straight from the pan with a dollop of wholegrain mustard and some bread. This is autumn comfort food that practically cooks itself.

7. Prawn and corn tacos

Time: 20 minutes

Season 400g raw prawns with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and a squeeze of lime. Set aside.

Make a quick slaw: shred quarter of a cabbage, add a grated carrot, a handful of coriander, juice of one lime, and a pinch of salt.

Cook 2 corn cobs in a dry hot pan until charred on all sides (5 minutes), then cut off the kernels.

Fry the prawns in a hot pan with a little oil for 2-3 minutes until pink and curled.

Warm corn or flour tortillas. Load them up with slaw, prawns, corn, a squeeze of lime, and hot sauce. Serve with extra limes.

The philosophy

Good weeknight cooking isn’t about being a chef. It’s about having a handful of reliable recipes that use ingredients you can keep on hand and techniques you can do without thinking.

None of these recipes are fancy. All of them are good. Make them enough times and they become automatic — which is exactly what you want at 7pm on a Tuesday when your brain is fried and dinner needs to happen.