Food and Recipes Dinner 15 Quick and Delicious Dinners That Will Save Your Monday Night By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Associate Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories.She grew up in Mobile, Alabama, which she insists is home to the country's first Mardi Gras (not New Orleans) and now lives in Birmingham with her husband and rescue pup Rocky, whose name is unrelated to The University of Tennessee (Roll Tide). Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 20, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Monday has a bad reputation–and for good reason. You're tired after the weekend, moody from sitting at a desk all day, and busy getting set up for the rest of the week. It's understandable that the last thing you want to do is whip up a 5-star feast that takes hours to prepare for dinner. But between Friday night's movie popcorn and a lazy to-go dinner on Sunday, you resolved that you'd cook at home, save money, and eat healthier this week. Don't succumb to takeout just yet—there's a way to get a healthy dinner on the table, and fast. Let these 45-minute (and under!) Monday night dinners make your day a little less manic. After a weekend of cheat meals, you want to eat light, but after a long Monday, you want to eat comfort food. Luckily, these Monday night dinner ideas can satisfy both needs. These Monday night dinners won't just be a treat for you, because with wholesome recipes like quesadillas, easy homemade Bolognese, and pork stir-fry, the kids will be happy, too. Don't let Monday bully you. Take control of the week with these quick and easy Monday night meals. 01 of 15 Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables This healthful meal should become part of your weekly rotation, if not for the heart-healthy salmon then for the savory, tangy glaze on top. 02 of 15 Quesadillas al Pastor Skyler Burt Recipe: Quesadillas al Pastor Stuffed with good-for-you ingredients and so easy to make, these quesadillas would make a great tote-able lunch the next day, too. 03 of 15 Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables This beautiful dish packs a wholesome, healthful meal in just one skillet. Another win for cast iron. 04 of 15 Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage This dinner proves that pasta doesn't have to be drowning in unhealthy sauce to be delicious. This filling and colorful dish will satisfy pasta cravings without going overboard. 05 of 15 Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw Crab cakes might seem fancy, but you'll be amazed at how simple they are to make. Paired with a tangy slaw, crab cakes make a perfect summer dinner. 06 of 15 Chicken Bog Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken Bog A Lowcountry favorite, Chicken Bog is a one-dish meal that your kids will love. 07 of 15 Vidalia Onion Soup Recipe: Vidalia Onion Soup Cozy up with this easy soup that's topped with Gruyère cheese and broiled at the last second for the best cheese pull. 08 of 15 Creamy Rice with Scallops Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Rice with Scallops This soft rice will remind you of risotto, and the flavors of scallops, corn, and bacon were meant to be. 09 of 15 Oven-Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Crisping the chicken in the oven rather than the deep-fryer cuts down on grease and calories without sacrificing taste. This salad is full of textures and flavors that make it anything but boring. 10 of 15 Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese Greg DuPree Recipe: Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese With just 25 minutes, you can have this kid-friendly dish on the table, and no one will realize that you doctored up a quality jarred pasta sauce and didn't make it from scratch. 11 of 15 Pork and Bok Choy Stir-Fry Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Pork and Bok Choy Stir-Fry Bok Choy is packed with vitamins, and this easy stir-fry will satisfy all those takeout cravings. 12 of 15 Fig Flatbread Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Fig Flatbread This sweet and savory flatbread recipe is the ideal dinner after a weekend trip to the farmers' market. 13 of 15 Grilled Shrimp Po'Boys with Quick Remoulade Sauce Max Kelly Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Po'Boys with Quick Rémoulade Sauce A classic po'boy might feel indulgent, but grilled shrimp is super light. You'll want to make an extra batch of our homemade Rémoulade sauce to keep in the fridge. 14 of 15 Sheet Pan Nachos Greg DuPree Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos Make tonight's dinner a fast and fun meal that's completely customizable. 15 of 15 Soba Noodle-and-Shrimp Bowls Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Soba Noodle-and-Shrimp Bowls You might be tempted to get takeout on a Monday night, but you can get Asian flavor in a healthier way with this quick recipe. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit