Whip up something tasty, even if you have almost no time.
IMHO, lunch is the best meal of the day. It breaks up the workday and gives you something to look forward to. These days, treat yourself to a satisfying and easy lunch while you're working from home, even if you have just 10 minutes to work with. Here are some ideas.
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1. Microwave 4-Minute Chicken Quesadilla
Tasty / Via tasty.co
This one is perfect if you're a person who keeps a package of pre-shredded chicken in stock. And if you're not, you should become one because it's extremely useful.
2. Microwave 5-Minute Mac 'N' Cheese
Tasty / Via tasty.co
Some days are just impossible to get through without a little comfort food. Enter this absurdly simple mac 'n' cheese that'll have you saying, "That hits the spot."
3. Microwave 3-Minute Omelet in a Mug
Tasty / Via tasty.co
Just combine eggs and whatever veggies and/or cheese you have on hand into a microwave-safe mug and you're three minutes from lunch.
4. Microwave Loaded Baked Potato
Tasty / Via tasty.co
Baking potatoes in the oven takes a while, but you can use your microwave as a shortcut. You can even heat up bacon simultaneously for the easiest loaded potatoes ever.
Recipe: Microwave Loaded Baked Potato
5. Three-Ingredient Chocolate Avocado Smoothie
Tasty / Via tasty.co
If you're looking for a lunch that's super quick, low-maintenance, and refreshing, this smoothie is a winner. Thanks to avocado and banana, it sticks to your ribs and fills you up, and chocolate milk gives it the perfect amount of sweetness.
Damn Delicious / Via damndelicious.net
Grab a bag of riced cauliflower and your favorite fresh or frozen veggies and toss them into a skillet. Season with soy sauce and add a scrambled egg for a speedy take on fried rice. Get the recipe for veggie-packed cauliflower rice here.
Clean Food Crush / Via cleanfoodcrush.com
Canned tuna fish is the easiest way to turn a simple salad into something filling and delicious. Combine arugula, chopped tomatoes, avocado, red onion, olives, and tuna and dress with lemon juice and olive oil. Get the recipe for arugula, tuna, and avocado salad here.
8. Sesame Garlic Noodles
Yup It's Vegan / Via yupitsvegan.com
This recipe calls for chickpea spaghetti, but you can really use whatever long pasta you have on hand like linguine, angel hair, or rice noodles. Get the recipe for sesame garlic noodles here.
Aberdeen's Kitchen / Via aberdeenskitchen.com
Start with hearty bread (like sourdough), your favorite cheese, and pretty much any sliced deli meat. Slather on some Dijon mustard and cream cheese, then pop 'em into the oven until warm and melty.
Recipe: 10-Minute Sheet Pan Turkey Melts
Boulder Locavore / Via boulderlocavore.com
Use any ground meat you have on hand as the filling for these Mexican-inspired lettuce wraps. Then jazz them up with your favorite toppings like corn, salsa, jalapeño, and diced avocado. Get the recipe for taco lettuce wraps here.
Aberdeen's Kitchen / Via aberdeenskitchen.com
While this recipe calls for turkey, Swiss cheese, and white cheddar, you can use whatever deli meats you like best. Layer a few slices between thick-sliced bread and broil it in the oven for five minutes. Then garnish with your favorite veggies and condiments. Get the recipe for sheet pan turkey melts here.
A Pinch of Healthy / Via apinchofhealthy.com
Packaged ramen noodles, cabbage, scallions, and sliced almonds form the base of this satisfying, crunchy salad. Bulk it up with chicken, shrimp, sliced deli meat, or whatever protein is in your fridge. Get the recipe for Asian-inspired ramen salad here.
13. Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
Salt and Baker / Via saltandbaker.com
Worthy of a summer picnic, this decadent tortellini pasta salad surprisingly only takes 10 minutes. Boil store-bought tortellini, toss it with sun-dried tomato and store-bought pesto, then garnish with toasted pine nuts. Get the recipe for pesto tortellini pasta salad here.
14. Creamy Spaghetti
The Clever Meal / Via theclevermeal.com
The secret ingredient that makes this spaghetti so indulgent: cream cheese. Just trust us here. Get the recipe for creamy spaghetti here.
15. Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sushi Bowl
Rachael Hartley Nutrition / Via rachaelhartleynutrition.com
Start with the miracle product that is microwaveable rice, and you can whip up this "sushi" bowl in minutes using only no-cook ingredients.
My Everyday Table / Via myeverydaytable.com
If you have leftover corn on the cob on hand, turn it into a jazzed-up avocado toast. Otherwise, canned corn works just fine. Get the recipe for street corn avocado toast here.
Cookie and Kate / Via cookieandkate.com
You can fill quesadillas with whatever ingredients you have on hand, but we love this version that features mostly all non-perishables like canned black beans, corn, and bell pepper. Get the recipe for black bean and corn quesadillas here.
Oh Sweet Basil / Via ohsweetbasil.com
Keep a bag of store-bought potato, sweet potato, or cauliflower gnocchi in the fridge and quickly cook it with your favorite pasta sauce or a simple mix of butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Get the recipe for brown butter sage gnocchi here.
19. Mediterranean Tostadas
Simply Quinoa / Via simplyquinoa.com
Start with corn or flour tortillas and top them with a chopped salad made with cucumber, tomatoes, green olives, shallots, and parsley tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. Get the recipe for Mediterranean tostadas here.
Ambitious Kitchen / Via ambitiouskitchen.com
For a meal made with so few ingredients — tortillas, smoked salmon, cream cheese, spinach and some optional herbs — these roll-ups taste super fancy. Get the recipe for smoked salmon pinwheels here.
A Simple Plate / Via asimplepalate.com
If you cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small pieces, it cooks in no time. If you don't want to make the teriyaki sauce from scratch feel free to use a store-bought version. Get the recipe for chicken teriyaki with broccoli here.
Cafe Delites / Via cafedelites.com
Made with mostly pantry ingredients such as vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, dried herbs, and canned white beans, this soup is a perfect no-fuss lunch you can throw together when you're low on fresh groceries. Get the recipe for white bean soup with Parmesan here.
23. Wonton Soup
The Food Charlatan / Via thefoodcharlatan.com
Grab a bag of frozen wontons or gyoza filled with shrimp, veggies, chicken, or pork, and turn it into a comforting soup that rivals your favorite take-out version. Get the recipe for wonton soup here.
The Chunky Chef / Via thechunkychef.com
Defrost some frozen shrimp and cook them with butter, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and chicken broth. Serve over cooked pasta, orzo, rice, or even over a salad. Get the recipe for one-pot shrimp scampi here.
Salt and Lavender / Via saltandlavender.com
Craving pizza in a pinch? Heat some store bought naan covered with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese in the broiler. Or get creative and use any of your favorite flatbread toppings. Get the recipe for margarita naan pizza here.
26. Italian Chicken Wraps
Chelsea's Messy Apron / Via chelseasmessyapron.com
You'll want to use prepared chicken — rotisserie, leftover grilled, or whatever you can get your hands on — to make this easy lunch wrap, which is garnished with avocado, lettuce, tomato, crunchy croutons, and creamy mayo. Get the recipe for Italian chicken wraps here.
27. Reuben In A Bowl
Mary's Whole Life / Via maryswholelife.com
Enjoy all the flavors of this beloved deli sandwich, but in keto form. This bowl starts with cauliflower rice at the base and calls for coleslaw mix, chopped corned beef, and red onion, all tossed in creamy Thousand Island dressing (and yes, store bought does the trick).
Recipe:Reuben In A Bowl
28. Avocado Caprese Salad
Cafe De Home / Via chefdehome.com
Even if you hate lettuce you'll love this fresh summer salad made with avocado, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and tangy balsamic vinegar. Get the recipe for avocado Caprese salad here.
29. Asian Chickpea Stir-Fry
Gina B Nutrition / Via ginabnutrition.com
Stir fry chickpeas for about five minutes in soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger, then serve them over rice or pasta with your favorite vegetable.
Recipe:Asian Chickpea Stir-Fry
Gimme Delicious / Via gimmedelicious.com
You don't need many ingredients (and certainly nothing fancy) to make these chicken and avocado wraps. Eat it whole or slice it up into smaller roll-ups.
The Twin Cooking Project / Via thetwincookingproject.net
Not only are rice noodles delicious, but they cook in about three minutes. Lather on the peanut butter, Sriracha, garlic, honey, and sesame oil and voilà: an irresistible Asian-inspired lunch.
Recipe:10-Minute Peanut Noodles
Feel Good Foodie / Via feelgoodfoodie.net
If you want to make this pasta creamier, swap the water for either milk or half and half. You can always add whatever ingredients are in your kitchen like capers, peppers, sun dried tomato, or onion. Get the recipe for garlic tuna lemon pasta here.
