Skillet dinners: 20‑minute meals for busy nights
I always opt for a skillet dish when I have less than half an hour to cook dinner. There's no need to turn on the oven, and I usually have all the necessary ingredients. An added benefit is that you don't need to measure the ingredients precisely for this dish.
We all have those go-to dishes in our repertoire that save the day. They appear on the table in no time, and everyone is satisfied because the dinner is both nutritious and tasty. I used to make a simple casserole, but ever since I discovered the skillet dish, it’s even faster.
A simple dish straight from the skillet
The skillet dish is a type of simple casserole. There are fewer ingredients, so they cook well in the skillet. The only thing to bear in mind is to buy minced meat, preferably poultry. The other ingredients are things you probably already have at home: pasta, a tin of tomatoes, and some yellow cheese.
Fresh vegetables enhance the dish, and you can be creative here. Almost any vegetable will do, so it's worth using those you have in the fridge. The same goes for the meat component, where you can also use deli meats or bacon.
Economical and waste-free
This dish is quick to prepare because the selected ingredients only need to cook in a skillet, which takes no more than 20 minutes. Its charm lies in its relatively low cost and considerable flexibility in choosing ingredients. It definitely aligns with the zero-waste philosophy.
Anyone can manage to prepare this skillet dish regardless of cooking experience. If you have a bit of time left, you could prepare a simple salad to accompany it, such as pickled cucumber with onion and oil. Rocket, lamb's lettuce, or spinach leaves also pair nicely.
Quick skillet dish, or skillet casserole in 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 340 grams of minced poultry,
- 1 tin of diced tomatoes,
- 240 millilitres of water,
- 140 grams of pasta (penne, fusilli, elbows, or shells work well),
- 140 grams of grated yellow cheese,
- a piece of any bell pepper,
- the white part of a leek,
- half a courgette (optional),
- several cherry tomatoes,
- a few mushrooms,
- an onion,
- 1 clove of garlic,
- 2 tablespoons of oil or olive oil,
- paprika, oregano, basil to taste,
- salt, pepper to taste.
Instructions:
- In a large skillet, heat the oil or olive oil and sauté the finely chopped vegetables, starting with the onion.
- Next, add the finely chopped mushrooms.
- When the mushrooms are golden, add the meat. Sauté everything, stirring constantly.
- Season to taste and add the pressed garlic.
- Add the tinned diced tomatoes. Mix and simmer for a few minutes.
- Next, add the pasta and pour in the water. Simmer for as long as the pasta package directions suggest.
- After this time, remove the lid and allow the dish to thicken.
- Sprinkle with the grated yellow cheese and cover the skillet just until the cheese melts.
- Serve immediately, preferably with fresh vegetables.
