Easy Weeknight Dinner Inspiration

My website is brimming with fuss-free, super delicious easy weeknight recipes to help you get dinner on the table in no time and yet, still super-impressive for those unexpected guests.
13 Pins
·
6y
By
Dani Valent
a bowl filled with rice, meat and veggies next to chopsticks
Thermomix Beef Stir-Fry
Can you stir-fry in the Thermomix? Yes, you can and there are so many things to love about this recipe. - It’s a complete, layered meal that can feed a crowd. - It proves you can stir-fry in the Thermomix. - It shows that steamed meat is not gross! - It’s delicious and adaptable and easy
a white bowl filled with spaghetti and meat on top of a wooden table next to a fork
Spaghetti Bolognese
This recipe solves a bunch of problems! One, dinner in 30 minutes. If ever I tell the family that it’s spaghetti bolognese tonight, they are so happy. I get no grumbles, only love, and that’s so nice and relaxing. Two, crumbly mince. One of the main gripes I hear about Thermomix is about the way it cooks mince. I hate clumpy, sandy, dry mince too – you’ll never get that with this recipe...and there's more.
a plate with chicken and spinach salad next to a pink napkin on a table
BBQ Prawn Kofte Salad
A fresh and funky seafood summer salad from Shane Delia. These grilled prawn kofte are partnered with funky basturma (air-dried beef) and purslane but you can just as easily use prosciutto and baby spinach – I love the flexibility of this salad!
two bowls filled with soup next to each other
Mushroom & Millet Minestrone
How good is soup! A great soup is comforting and nourishing, tasty and satisfying and, for the cook, a never-ending opportunity to be creative. I love simple one-vegetable soups (hello, pumpkin!) but I also love boosting bowl value with greens and grains as we do here, with this hearty, healthy minestrone. Published October 3, 2017 Written by Dani Valent
a black plate topped with meat and veggies next to a bowl of ranch dressing
Tandoori Chicken
When I write a recipe, my hopeful vision is that people will take it into their own lives and it will turn up on dining tables all over the world. I want the cook to enjoy the process and the flavours and, just as important, to surprise and delight those they are sharing their meal with. Given all that, it was a treat to film this video with Tim Dalton, winner of the ThermoStars contest. To enter, Tim had to make a home video using his Thermomix – he was voted one of two winners.
a white bowl filled with rice and asparagus on top of a wooden table
Low & Slow Asparagus Risotto
Risotto is a Thermomix classic! It’s one of the first dishes many people see when they encounter Thermomix and it’s a reliable stand-by for easy dinners. When I first got my Thermomix (back in the misty days of 2008) I made a lot of risottos, so many that I got a little jaded. But it’s time to reignite the risotto spark. With a few tweaks to the method and a little makeover of the accompaniments, risotto turns from stand-by to star.
two white plates filled with food on top of a wooden table next to a pot
Gnocchi
What do you think when you hear the word ‘gnocchi’? I’ve done a little survey among people I know. One said, “Ahhh, my nonna makes the best gnocchi, I’d love to eat them every day!” Another looked anguished: “Disaster! I made gnocchi and they turned out gluggy and stodgy.” Another person said, “I love to eat them in restaurants but I’m too scared to try them at home.” And one person said, “Gnocchi? What even is that?”
a bowl of curry next to a plate of vegetables and rice on a table with utensils
Gang Prik with Steamed Chicken
I’m a massive fan of Melbourne Thai chef Pla Liamthong. It’s not just that I love her two casual restaurants, Middle Fish in Carlton and Jing Jing in Dandenong, but because she has a passion for demystifying and simplifying Thai food. She’s a recent convert to Thermomix and I love her enthusiasm when she realises that she can quickly and easily make things that took her mother and grandmother all day.
meatballs and vegetables are in a bowl on a table next to a jar of sauce
Double Trouble Dumplings with Tomato Pasta
This is a one-pot family meal with flair. Two types of dumplings and a healthy pile of greens cook over their own sauce to create a delicious family dinner that ticks the boxes. It’s flexible, easy and quick and we don’t wash the bowl at all, even though we step through a few different elements. Love that!
two bowls filled with food on top of a table next to other plates and spoons
My Hungarian Grandmother's Goulash
We called my dad’s mum Sapta, our version of the Hebrew ‘safta’, or grandmother. She was warm and loving, a great cook and a keen card player. My brother, sister and I would spend every second Friday night at her place – we thought it was a treat for us (she let us watch TV on Saturday mornings!) but now I see it was also a treat for my parents, who got some adult time. Wins all around! Published July 3, 2018 Written by Dani Valent
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a plate with some food on it next to a bowl of salad and a fork
Chicken Tart
While making this freeform chicken tart, I share a few fun tricks: flavoured pastry (mustard, mmm), shredded chicken (Thermo-genius), and a simple technique for creating a pastry lattice. I also let you into my love affair with buttered leeks – could they be the key to happiness? Published October 5, 2016 Written by Dani Valent
some wine bottles are sitting on a picnic table with food and drinks in front of them
Tortilla
As you will see when you watch the video, Frank Camorra from Movida makes his tortilla (Spanish omelette) in the great outdoors over open flame. You can do it his way, or go Thermo-style with our fabulous Varoma tortilla. It’s really so delicious – I’m thrilled with how this Thermomix method turns out. I’ve got a separate video below that demonstrates the ‘Varoma flip’ method that I use.
a plate with some food on it next to a glass of wine and two cups
Inside-Out Chicken Parmigiana
I love this chicken dish because it’s impressive but easy, with classic pub flavours and a little extra pizzazz. Importantly, it’s the perfect dish to prepare ahead of time: make your rolls, steam your spuds, then finish it all off when your guests arrive or the family is clamouring. Published March 14, 2019 Written by Dani Valent