Need something easy to cook tonight? These ten tasty gluten-free dinners can be prepared in under 30 minutes!
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About This Gluten-Free Dinners Blog Post
Sometimes you just are mentally tapped. With celiac disease, it's really common to experience burnout.
You spend so much time thinking about, preparing, worrying, and dealing with food all day and every day that it's no wonder you might be exhausted at the thought of cooking dinner each night.
So if you want a gluten-free dinner that is easy, won't take long, will be quick to prepare, and not have you spending a lot of energy, and still tastes delicious... that's what you'll find in this list.
While I enjoy making more time-intensive recipes like butter chicken and empanadas, I save those for when I have the capacity for those more in-depth recipes. I love to cook, but sometimes I really just want to eat!
And now, as a mom of two kids (a 2 month old and a 2 year old...I don't have TIME anymore!)
Let's dive into these ten easy 30-minute dinners so you can get to eating food that's gluten-free, tastes good, and won't be a hassle.
10 Gluten-Free Dinners In Less Than 30 Minutes
- About This Gluten-Free Dinners Blog Post
- 10 Gluten-Free Dinners In Less Than 30 Minutes
Gluten-Free Tacos
How can you ever go wrong with TACOS? My gluten-free tacos recipe uses homemade seasoning with ingredients right in your pantry. It's super easy to make because all you have to do is prepare the filling! I use ground beef or turkey, but also include how I make buffalo cauliflower tacos too.
The possibilities for tacos are endless. Try filling tacos with fish, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, jackfruit, or even chickpeas! The only cooking required for tacos is the protein. After that, it's just grabbing your toppings. Try shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onion, sour cream, cheese, fresh lime juice, cilantro, beans, corn, or whatever floats your taco-filled boat.
Taco Recipes To Try
We love using this homemade taco seasoning over ground turkey or ground beef. And if you don't feel like having tacos, you can always make some loaded nachos instead!
Gluten-Free Salads
Salads are often thought of as a side dish, but they don't have to be.
Pick a leafy green base, add a protein, then add any toppings you'd like. If you are bored with your current salads, try changing it up. Use different lettuce. Always using romaine? Try some leafy kale, healthy spinach, or peppery arugula.
Salad Recipes To Try
Check out my salad recipes here on the blog for chicken salad (perfect on toast in a sandwich or over a bed of greens, cobb salad (great if you have cold cuts or proteins prepared), pear goat cheese salad, or strawberry avocado salad. Don't forget my homemade vinaigrette to go on top with fresh garlic and Italian herbs!
Gluten-Free Pasta
Pasta is the meal of most college kids for good reason - it's cheap, and the only cooking skills required are boiling water! It's easy to make, and you can customize it with whatever sauce you like. Pesto, tomato sauce, butter, vegetables, cream sauces - pasta is so versatile and one of my all-time favorite foods.
Pasta Recipes To Try
Easy Ziti: Get a jar of your favorite tomato sauce and mix in some ricotta cheese to gluten-free penne. It's like ziti without having to bake it. I love Rao's marinara sauce (gluten-free).
The 3 P's: Pick your favorite gluten-free pasta and add fresh parmesan cheese with a little pasta water, and some peas. 3 P Perfection.
Pesto: Grab a container of pesto like the Vegan one from Trader Joe's (no gluten-containing ingredients), or make your own with this easy spinach pesto recipe.
Butter & Ground Beef: This is a lazy meal Dylan and I love. Brown 1 lb of lean ground beef and add your favorite seasonings. Add to your favorite gluten-free pasta with butter and dig in.
Gluten-Free Rice Bowls
Rice bowls are versatile and super easy to throw together with whatever you have in the fridge! And with a rice cooker, this meal is one of those "set it and forget it" dinners. (Does anyone else remember those infomercials from the '90s?) Or, you could also use an Instant Pot to make things even quicker, or use instant rice you can microwave or heat up on the stove.
While your rice is cooking, choose a protein and cook it on the stovetop, and prepare your vegetables. An easy choice is bell peppers and onions, which you can also saute in about 10-15 minutes. You could also just pick your favorite frozen veggie and heat it up in the microwave! Add lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocado, or whatever other toppings you like!
Rice Bowl Recipes To Try
These are the rice bowls we make on a regular basis, which have also come in handy for gluten-free traveling. I also like making variations of this gluten-free dirty rice recipe.
Gluten-Free Pizza
Pizza at home cooks in 15 minutes! What's better than having a homemade pizza for dinner?
Whether you prefer a classic Margherita pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil, or you feel like switching it up with some funky toppings, pizza is the perfect way to get creative. You can customize your gluten-free pizza to include veggies, protein, cheeses, sauces, and plenty of fun flavors.
Pizza Recipes To Try
Honestly, pizza is such an easy choice because all you need is your favorite crust. Then add your sauce, cheese, and toppings. Schar makes a pre-made crust, but my favorite is the frozen crust from Ugly's, which is a gluten-free sourdough crust. If you want to get more creative, try this leeky chicken pizza recipe, inspired by a recipe from a pizzeria in Vermont.
Can't be bothered to make a pizza? I hear you - and that's why there's always a box or two of the Freschetta Gluten-Free Frozen Pepperoni Pizzas in our freezer. These are certified GF and the best frozen pizzas I've ever had. We find them at Shaw's and Stop & Shop.
Gluten-Free Breakfast For Dinner
When all else fails, and you literally have no idea what to make for an easy dinner - go back to basics with breakfast! Whether it's eggs, egg cup omelets, waffles, pancakes, frittatas, or even some sausage, bacon, or an egg sandwich, keeping it easy and quick with brinner (breakfast for dinner) is always a great idea for a fast dinner.
Breakfast Recipes To Try
There are lots of great gluten-free pancake mixes on the market that you can try. Bisquick, Krusteaz, and King Arthur all make gluten-free pancake mixes. This is my easy avocado toast recipe, and all you need is your favorite gluten-free bread, avocado, fried eggs, and everything but the bagel seasoning. There's also just the choice of an egg sandwich: fried egg, a slice of cheese, or protein, on your favorite gluten-free bread, bagel, or English muffin (I like Canyon).
Gluten-Free Sheet Pan Dinner
Something about throwing everything into one pan makes the dish seem so much easier. And with a sheet pan meal, that's definitely the case. I prefer to do two versions of this: sausages & veggies, and chicken & veggies.
With gluten-free sausages of your choice, cut up some vegetables like potatoes, peppers, squash, carrots, or broccoli. Toss everything onto a sheet pan and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs, and bake, just like this roasted veggie recipe.
For chicken & veggies, I do roughly the same thing. I use boneless skinless chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Toss everything with olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning, plus some fresh lemon zest at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is done! Clean up is a breeze because it's all in one pan. Win!
Sheet Pan Meals To Try
I found this recipe for a sausage and vegetable bake called "Lazy Sunday Casserole" years ago, and it's been a staple in our dinner menu ever since! Or you could throw in some cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe's and make my sausage gnocchi veggie bake, which is a fan favorite in our house, too!
Gluten-Free Burgers
Even if you don't have a barbecue at home (We just moved into our home last fall, so it's still a new concept for us!), a George Foreman works great, or even a frying pan on the stove! Burgers are easy to prepare and cook in about 10 minutes. Add a side salad, veggies, rice, avocado, or whatever sides you'd like, and you've got a delicious meal.
Burger Recipes To Try
I made chicken burgers last spring with Canyon burger buns, which turned out amazing. You can find the full recipe in the caption of this reel for a tasty grilled chicken burger/sandwich.
I use this homemade aioli with frozen fries from Ore-Ida on the side! You can also buy pre-made beef, turkey, or black bean patties in the frozen section, so they are ready to cook whenever you want. Frozen fries cook in about 20-25 minutes, and then you've got a burger and fries ready to eat.
Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup
If you only have half an hour to make dinner, but you've got a rotisserie chicken (meaning, one that is already cooked), you can whip up a delicious, hearty soup in 30 minutes!
A rotisserie chicken, like the gluten-free Purdue ones from BJ's Wholesale, or even ones from my local supermarket (Market Basket) - some veggies, and chicken broth are how I whip up a cozy dinner really fast.
I make variations of this soup - sometimes I'll add gluten-free elbow macaroni from Barilla (cooked separately, which takes about 15 minutes total) or even some gluten-free orzo from DeLallo (also cooked separately) along with shredded chicken from the rotisserie. Or, I'll put some rice in my rice cooker (20 minutes) while I'm making the soup and throw in cooked rice and a squeeze of lemon at the end.
Either way - having a rotisserie chicken on hand is clutch, and my favorite way to use them for a fast meal! Check out my easy chicken noodle soup recipe here.
Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese
Because macaroni and cheese from a box is like a nostalgic taste of childhood, right? Mac and cheese is the perfect easy meal when you don't have the time or energy to cook anything. You can jazz it up with some protein, extra veggies, or whatever else you want to put in.
Mac and Cheese recipes to try
I compared some of the biggest mac and cheese brands in this blog post here, so you know which ones are worth buying! My favorite is Annie's or Aldi. You could also just make your favorite gluten-free elbow or shells pasta, then add in butter, shredded cheese, and milk!
I also like making a hamburger mac - and adding 1-2 pounds of ground beef, which takes minimal time to brown on the stove with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Yum!
Final Thoughts: Easy Gluten-Free Dinners In Under 30 Minutes
What do you think of this list?
Did you find something to cook for an easy dinner this evening?
If you have any other gluten-free dinners that can be made in under 30 minutes, leave them here in the comments!
Looking for more gluten-free resources?
Find out which gluten-free sandwich bread is worth buying for quick egg sandwiches to have breakfast for dinner!
Discover the most popular gluten-free macaroni and cheese brands so you can stock up on having a ready-to-go meal in your pantry.
Want to find some great lunch ideas that are gluten-free? Check out this post for easy school lunches when you have celiac disease.
Discover more gluten-free & celiac resources on the blog here.
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