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.

Sheet pan garlic butter steak bites with roasted vegetables

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Steak bites and vegetables, roasted together on one sheet pan.

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Easy salmon sushi bake served from the dish

Easy Salmon Sushi Bake

All the sushi flavor, scooped warm straight from the pan.

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Easy butter chicken in a creamy spiced tomato sauce

Easy Butter Chicken

Creamy, spiced tomato sauce: better than takeout, at home.

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One-pan Greek lamb with orzo

One-Pan Greek Lamb with Orzo

Lamb and orzo cooked together in one pan, Greek-style.

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Stuffed eggplant parmesan boats baked with cheese

Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan Boats

Eggplant halves stuffed and baked, no meat required.

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A bowl of Dad’s hearty chili

Dad’s Chili

Hearty and savory, simmered low and slow in one pot.

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Watch Dinner Come Together

Quick, cozy, and hard to mess up, see how these come together, then grab the recipe.

Watch on Instagram
Follow @thecookingmawma (so I can DM you!) and Comment RECIPE for the full recipe (with tips and FAQ’s!) directly to your inbox!

Full recipe can also be found at this link!: https://thecookingmawma.com/chicken-pot-pie-pastina/

Two cozy classic come together for the ultimate weeknight dinner! My One Pan Chicken Pot Pie Pastina is packed with tender chicken, veggies, and my favoriteeee tiny pasta, with flaky puff pastry bites for scooping up every last bite! It’s so good and delicious!

Save this recipe for your next busy weeknight!

#ChickenPotPie #Pastina #OnePanMeals #EasyDinnerRecipes #thecookingmawma
✨ Follow @thecookingmawma (so I can DM you!) and Comment RECIPE and I’ll send you everything you need to make it! And don’t forget to SAVE this one for the holidays!
 
Recipe is on my website for free! Link in bio and here: 
https://thecookingmawma.com/no-bake-biscoff-lasagne/

The holiday dessert that looks like you spent HOURS making it… but requires ZERO baking! 🤫🎄This One Pan, No-Bake Biscoff Lasagna is about to become your new favorite holiday dessert! Layers of creamy, fluffy filling, Biscoff cookies, and that irresistible cookie butter flavor come together for the easiest make-ahead dessert that tastes just as good as it looks.

No oven, no complicated steps, and minimal cleanup. Just layer, chill, and serve! Perfect for Christmas parties, holiday gatherings, or anytime you need an easy dessert that feeds a crowd. Trust me, if you love Biscoff cookies, this one’s going to be your new obsession! 🤌🏼

#NoBakeDessert #HolidayDesserts #EasyDessertRecipes #cookiebutter #thecookingmawma
Follow @thecookingmawma and Comment RECIPE for the full recipe to be sent directly to your inbox!

Full recipe can also be found on my website (link in bio also!): https://thecookingmawma.com/one-pan-30-minute-spaghetti-with-meat-sauce/

ONE PAN, 30 MINUTE SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE 🍝🙌 Because spaghetti night should NOT require three pots and half your dishwasher. 😂 My easy one pan spaghetti with meat sauce has the pasta cooking right in the sauce with seasoned ground beef, marinara, broth and a splash of heavy cream for the creamiest, sauciest finish. This is one of those easy weeknight dinners the whole family will eat and exactly the kind of recipe you need to save for busy school and sports nights!

✨ SAVE this for your next “what the heck am I making for dinner?” moment.

#OnePanDinner #SpaghettiWithMeatSauce #30MinuteMeals #EasyDinnerRecipes
 #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.

Chicken shawarma bowls with turmeric rice and fresh vegetables
Mom’s easy chicken pot pie with a golden flaky crust
Homemade sloppy joes piled on a toasted bun
Caterina Cosentino, The Cooking Mawma, laughing in her 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.

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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

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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.

Come Hang Out in My Kitchen

Follow along for new recipes, behind-the-scenes, and all the cozy. Tag me @thecookingmawma when you make one.

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All Weeknight Dinners