THE COOKING MAWMA
Easy Weeknight Dinners
Real dinners for busy nights — most on the table in about 30 minutes, the Mom & Nonna way.
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Browse by style: One Pan · Sheet Pan · 30-Minute · Dump & Bake
One Pan, Easy Cleanup
Most of these come together in a single pan or pot.
Ready in ~30 Min
Weeknight-fast comfort, no fussy techniques required.
Mom & Nonna Approved
Real family recipes made with love, not shortcuts.
Most-Loved Weeknight Dinners
Start here — a little of everything, so there is something for whatever kind of night it is.
Watch Dinner Come Together
Quick, cozy, and hard to mess up — see how these come together, then grab the recipe.
Watch on InstagramI had the honor to cook alongside an amazing chef, @pasquale_didiana at @tettorooftopbar @tettochicago (one of the most beautiful rooftops in Chicago!) and we chatted all things Italian cuisine, traditions, and more. Here’s a little clip of our time together 🇮🇹 with some helpful hints that I’m passing along 🤍 #cookingtips #italianchef #italiancooking #cookingtricks #thecookingmawma
#ad Follow @thecookingmawma (so I can DM you!) & Comment RECIPE for the full recipe to be sent directly to your inbox!
Full recipe can also be found on my website and at this link!: https://thecookingmawma.com/cheeseburger-sliders-with-moms-secret-burger-sauce/
Busy weeknights call for dinners that are quick, easy, and something everyone will actually eat 🙌🏼 My Cheeseburger Sliders are loaded with seasoned ground beef, my mom’s secret burger sauce, and layers of both @landolakesktchn Yellow and White Sliced Deli American to make every bite the creamiest and meltiest. 🍔🧀
They’re easy to assemble, bake all at once, and make the perfect quick weeknight dinner when you need to get something GOOD on the table without spending all night in the kitchen.
#CheeseburgerSliders #EasyWeeknightDinner #QuickDinnerIdeas #thecookingmawma
Follow @thecookingmawma (so I can DM you!) & Comment RECIPE for the full recipe to be sent directly to your inbox!
Full recipe can also be found on my website: https://thecookingmawma.com/gnocchi-alla-vodka-soup/
EPISODE 14 of SOUPS WORTH SAVING 🍲 Gnocchi alla Vodka Soup ❤️ I took my viral vodka sauce and turned it into a SOUP and honestly, this might be one of my favorite versions yet.
My One-Pan Gnocchi alla Vodka Soup has Italian sausage, pillowy potato gnocchi, Parmesan, and a rich, creamy tomato vodka broth. And the best part? The gnocchi cooks RIGHT in the soup, so there’s no separate pot and barely any cleanup.
If you’re looking for an easy 30-minute soup recipe, creamy gnocchi soup, Italian sausage soup, or a quick one-pan dinner for busy weeknights, SAVE THIS ONE.
#GnocchiSoup #VodkaSauce #ItalianSausageSoup #SoupRecipes
#thecookingmawma
Dinner, Sorted
Some nights you need dinner on the table fast and everyone happy. These are the ones I reach for again and again.
Reader Favorite: Chicken Shawarma Bowls →From the Kitchen
A little visual taste — straight from my kitchen.
Hi, I’m Caterina
I grew up in an Italian-American kitchen where there was always something on the stove and a Nonna telling you to eat. Weeknights in our house were never fancy — just warm, fast, and made for whoever showed up hungry. These are the dinners I cook for my own family now. Pull up a chair.
Never Run Out of Dinner Ideas
One new family-favorite dinner in your inbox each week, made with love.
My 5 Most-Loved Pastas, yours when you join
Weeknight Dinner Questions, Answered
What can I actually get on the table in 30 minutes?
Anything built around a quick-cooking protein — steak bites, shrimp, chicken cutlets, ground beef — plus one starch that cooks in the same pan. Start the pan heating before you finish prepping and you save yourself ten minutes.
How do I plan a week of dinners without overthinking it?
Pick three you already know, one new one, and leave the rest open. Shop for the four, and let the other nights be leftovers or something easy. A plan you actually follow beats a perfect one you abandon by Tuesday.
Can I make these ahead?
Most of them, yes. Sauces, chilis, and braises are better the next day. For anything with a crisp top or a fresh herb finish, make the base ahead and do the last step just before serving.
What if my family are picky eaters?
Serve the components separately and let everyone build their own plate. Bowls, tacos, and sheet-pan dinners all work this way — same cooking for you, and everybody gets what they will actually eat.
