We constantly talk about the benefits of breakfast and light healthy dinners, but for some reason we undeservedly neglect lunch. But this is the perfect time for your favorite dishes and delicacies! The body is at its peak of activity, and you don't need to think about time and calories yet. To restore justice, we've found 20 quick and delicious recipes for lunch!
1. Pumpkin cream soup
The soup turns out to be not only tender, but also very bright!
You will need: 1 liter of broth, 1 kg of pumpkin, 200 ml of cream, 100 g of butter, 1 red onion, 5 cloves of garlic, pumpkin seeds, herbs, salt and spices.
Preparation: Chop red onion with garlic and fry in butter, add pumpkin to them in small cubes and cook until soft. For flavor, you can add and evaporate 50 ml of brandy or rum. Add broth and spices, boil for 7 minutes and beat with a blender. Garnish the soup with herbs and pumpkin seeds.
2. Vichisoise
Of course, eating onion soup is better when you definitely don't need anywhere else - but it's worth it!
You will need: 1 liter of broth, 200 ml of cream, 100 g of butter, 500 g of potatoes, 500 g of leeks, 1 onion, 50 g of green onions, salt, pepper.
Preparation: Fry leeks and onions in melted butter, and boil potatoes in broth. Whisk all the ingredients with cold cream and spices and serve the vichyçoise sprinkled with chopped green onions.
3. Tomato Maghreb soup
This delicious soup comes straight from sultry Morocco.
You will need: 1 liter of broth, 1 kg of tomatoes, 1 red onion, 1 lemon, 20 g of ginger, 2 tsp. honey, cilantro and parsley, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Chop the onion, fry it with ginger, cinnamon and caraway seeds, then add the tomatoes. After 5 minutes, add broth, honey, herbs and spices, boil and stew, then another couple of minutes, stirring. Chill the soup on ice and serve with a spoonful of lemon juice and herbs.
4. Lentil soup with mint
A classic Turkish dish that can be prepared for lunch, it is very hearty, fresh and fragrant.
You will need: 150 g lentils, 1 carrot, 1 onion, half a lemon, 1 tbsp. butter, flour, 50 ml heavy cream, mint, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Put the washed lentils in cold water and cook. Grate carrots and onions, fry them in a mixture of vegetable and butter until golden brown. Add a spoonful of flour, fry for another 2 minutes, add to the lentils, season and stir. Pour in the cream, whisk the soup with a blender and serve with fresh mint.
5. Eggplant cream soup
The basic recipe can be garnished with herbs, smoked meats, oriental spices, or grilled eggplant.
You will need: 500 ml of broth, 600 g of eggplant, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, thyme, spices.
Preparation: Peel the eggplant, cut into half rings, chop the onion and garlic. Fry eggplants with thyme and balsamic vinegar over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic separately, add the eggplants to them, pour in the broth and boil for 20 minutes after boiling, and then beat with a blender.
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6. Cheese soup
A favorite of family dinners and the same soup that was cooked in the university cafeteria!
You will need: 600 g potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 processed cheese, salt, pepper, herbs.
Preparation: Boil potatoes in 1.5 liters of water, and during this time fry the chopped carrots and onions for 5-7 minutes. Add vegetables and grated or diced curds to the potatoes. Boil until the curds melt, add salt, pepper and add herbs.
7. Tom-yam-kung
If you are a lover of Thai food, then you surely have stocks for its most famous soup!
You will need: 1 l of broth, 250 g of shrimp, 100 ml of coconut milk, 100 g of mushrooms, 2 tbsp. tom yum pasta, 1 lemon, half a chili pepper, 0.5 tbsp. fish sauce, 1 tbsp. sugar, a pinch of ginger, lemongrass, cilantro.
Preparation: Boil the broth with chopped ginger and lemongrass for 5 minutes, add the tom yum paste, and boil for another 2 minutes. Add sugar and fish sauce, and after a minute, add the rest of the ingredients. Boil the soup, pour in the lemon juice, add the herbs, bring to a boil and remove from heat.
8. Canned fish soup
A quick and unexpected decision - and now a hearty full meal is ready in just half an hour!
You will need: 400 g of potatoes, a can of canned pink salmon, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 70 g of millet (or other cereals), salt, pepper, herbs.
Preparation: Fry chopped carrots and onions until soft, add 2 liters of water and diced potatoes. Boil, add washed millet and boil for another 10 minutes. Remove the bones from the fish, divide it into small pieces, add to the soup, season and boil for another 15 minutes.
9. Porcini mushroom soup
Dried porcini mushrooms are an invaluable find for a simple and tasty lunch!
You will need: 150 g mushrooms, 100 g noodles, 3 potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 50 g butter, salt, pepper.
Preparation: Boil a liter of water, add mushrooms, and during this time fry chopped onions and carrots in butter. Put mushrooms with vegetables and stew for 10 minutes, and for now boil potatoes in mushroom water. If there is little liquid, add more water or broth. Transfer the vegetables to the soup, add the noodles, season and boil for another 5-7 minutes.
10. Potato salad with tuna
Who said that lunch must be soup?
You will need: 500 g potatoes, 150 g canned tuna, 2 eggs, 1.5 tbsp. wine vinegar, 3 tbsp. vegetable oil, salt, pepper, green onions, parsley.
Preparation: Boil potatoes and eggs, cut into slices or cubes of about the same size. Break the tuna into smaller pieces, chop the herbs and mix the ingredients. Make a dressing with oil, vinegar, and spices.
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11. Chinese Chicken Salad
A light dish turns out to be very bright and beautiful, so it will delight even a child!
You will need: 200 g chicken fillet, 500 g Chinese cabbage, half each red and green pepper, half a carrot, red and green onions, cilantro, garlic, ginger, 2 tbsp. flour, soy sauce.
Preparation: Toast the chopped chicken in flour, soy sauce and a spoonful of butter, then fry and remove excess fat with a napkin. Cut all the vegetables into approximately the same strips, put the chicken on top, and, if desired, sprinkle with herbs, nuts or sesame seeds. Make a soy sauce, vegetable oil and spice dressing.
12. Salad with fried tomatoes
You can cook it for lunch and eat it on its own, or serve it as an addition to meat!
You will need: 400 g cherry tomatoes, 100 g lettuce, 200 ml yogurt, 55 ml olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper.
Preparation: Cut the tomatoes into rather thick slices about an inch and fry in olive oil. Combine yogurt with butter, crushed garlic and spices. Season the salad leaves with the mixture and put the tomatoes on top.
13. Classic Greek salad
And for a non-classical interpretation - you can replace feta with another favorite curd cheese with a pronounced taste!
You will need: 2 tomatoes, 1 green pepper, 2 cucumbers, 1 red onion, 300 g feta, 10 olives, salt, oregano, olive oil.
Preparation: Wash vegetables, peel, cut into large slices and mix well. Add olives and top with large rectangular feta slices. Sprinkle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and oregano.
14. Red bean salad
A very satisfying protein lunch for those who follow the diet!
You will need: 400 g canned red beans, 200 g cottage cheese, 100 g arugula, half a red onion, 1 lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, pepper and salt, olive oil.
Preparation: Drain the beans, rinse with cold water and stir in chopped onions, arugula, garlic and olive oil. Top with curd cheese, drizzle with lemon juice, season and let the salad stand for 5 minutes.
15. Bruschetta with tomatoes
If you want a light and quick lunch, bruschetta is your option!
You will need: 4 slices baguette, 3 tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper.
Preparation: Fry the baguette in a dry skillet or dry it a little in the oven. Quickly fry chopped garlic and tomato cubes in hot olive oil. Sprinkle the bread with the same oil, put the tomatoes on top, season and sprinkle with herbs.
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16. Spring rolls
A light summer snack is very convenient to take with you to work or a picnic!
You will need: 4 sheets of rice paper, 100 g of shrimp, half a carrot and cucumber, 50 g of rice noodles, a couple of green lettuce leaves, cilantro, mint, soy sprouts, a clove of garlic, 10 tbsp. sugar, 5 tbsp. water, 1.5 tbsp. fish sauce and rice vinegar.
Preparation: Put chopped garlic in heated vegetable oil, add vinegar, sugar, water and fish sauce. Gray until the sugar dissolves, then chill the dressing. Boil rice noodles and shrimps, cut vegetables into strips, chop greens. Moisten a sheet of rice paper with cold water, lay out the ingredients and wrap the rolls.
17. Ratatouille
A traditional French dish - the perfect and quick recipe for what to cook for lunch!
You will need: 2 eggplants, 2 sweet peppers of different colors, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, olive oil, 0.5 tsp. tomato paste, a pinch of sugar, spices, olive oil.
Preparation: Cut all the vegetables into small cubes, let the eggplants lie down. Fry the onions, eggplants and peppers separately, then fry the garlic, add tomato paste with sugar and tomatoes. After a minute, add the rest of the vegetables, spices and herbs, and after another minute, remove from heat.
18. Chicken liver in sour cream
A simple and familiar dish can be served for lunch with any side dish!
You will need: 600 g chicken liver, 500 g sour cream, 1 onion, 20 g butter, salt and pepper.
Preparation: Rinse, cut and cut into pieces the liver, if desired - soak for 20 minutes in milk. Fry the chopped onion, add the liver and fry for another 7 minutes. Season, add sour cream and stew for 10 minutes.
19. Cod with tomatoes
Surprisingly, delicious and juicy fish for lunch can be cooked in just 15 minutes!
You will need: 600 g cod fillet, 1 lemon, 10 cherry tomatoes, 3 tbsp. olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper.
Preparation: Rinse the cod, salt and season on both sides, fold into a roasting sleeve. Add tomato halves, chopped parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees.
20. Chicken leg with rosemary
This recipe is a simple and "lazy" variation of tobacco chicken: not too fast, but very easy and delicious!
You will need: 2 chicken legs, 2 tablespoons flour, 1.5 tbsp. olive oil, 5 tablespoons white wine, 2 stalks of rosemary, bay leaf, lemon juice, pepper, coarse salt.
Preparation: Grate the legs with the skin with salt and pepper, roll in flour and fry for 10 minutes over medium heat on both sides. Pour wine there, add rosemary, bay leaf and boil the liquid in half. Add 1.5 cups of water, boil, cover and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes at 220 degrees.