Your kitchen
15-minute meals
Dinner in the time it takes to order one. What makes a meal fast, the shortcuts worth buying, and every recipe here that takes 15 minutes or less.
What makes a meal fast
Speed comes from three things: small or thin pieces, high heat and ingredients that arrive part-prepared. A chicken breast sliced into strips cooks in a fraction of the time a whole one takes. Prawns, eggs, mince and thin fish fillets are quick by nature.
Start the slowest element first: put the pan or the water on before you chop anything, and prepare the rest while it heats. Read the recipe through once so nothing has to wait. In the recipe search, set Total time to 15 minutes and sort by “Most protein” or “Protein per calorie”.
Shortcuts worth buying
Microwave rice pouches, tinned beans and lentils, frozen vegetables, pre-washed salad, jarred pastes and cooked chicken cost a little more and remove most of the preparation. Frozen and tinned vegetables count towards your five a day just as fresh ones do. Macros differ between brands, so check the pack against the recipe.
Fast and still safe
Quick cooking leaves less margin, so check instead of assuming. Poultry needs to reach 74°C (165°F), minced meat 71°C (160°F) and fish 63°C (145°F). Reheated leftovers and ready-cooked ingredients should be steaming hot all the way through, not just warm at the edges.
Leftover rice is a classic shortcut and needs a little care. The UK Food Standards Agency advises chilling it quickly, ideally within an hour, keeping it in the fridge for no more than a day, and reheating it once only, until it is steaming hot throughout.
Worth knowing
- Recipe times assume the ingredients are out and the pan is hot. Allow a few extra minutes the first time you make something.
- Pouches, cooked chicken and other ready-prepared ingredients have their own storage instructions and use-by dates. Follow the pack once opened.
Common questions
What is the quickest high-protein meal?
Eggs, tinned fish and Greek yogurt need little or no cooking. An omelette, tuna with a rice pouch and salad, or a yogurt bowl with oats and fruit can each be ready in minutes.
Is it safe to reheat rice from the fridge?
Yes, if it was chilled quickly after cooking, has been in the fridge for no more than a day and is reheated once until steaming hot throughout.
Sources
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
