🍋 Free guide: juice yields, substitutions & more. Get the Citrus Cheat Sheet →
Zest & Squeeze
Get the Newsletter
Zest & Squeeze
Get the Newsletter

Start typing to search recipes and guides by name, cuisine, or tag.

Weeknight Recipes

Dinners and sides that fit around a normal workday: minimal chopping, few pans, and flavor that does not depend on hours of simmering. Lemon is the shortcut here. A little zest and juice at the end makes simple food taste finished.

Zest and juice a few lemons on the weekend and keep them in the fridge or freezer, and most of these come together even faster.

Baked cod fillets topped with lemon slices in a glossy butter sauce, garnished with fresh parsley in a white baking dish25 min
Savory Mainsgluten-free

Lemon Butter Baked Cod

A plate of thinly pounded chicken breast cutlets in a glossy pale yellow lemon-caper sauce, fresh parsley sprinkled on top, a lemon wedge on the side25 min
Savory Mains30-minute

Lemon Chicken Piccata

A skillet of seared chicken thighs with artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes in a glossy lemon sauce, garnished with fresh basil35 min
Savory Mains30-minute

Lemon Chicken Skillet with Artichokes

An opened parchment paper packet revealing a cooked salmon fillet topped with lemon slices and fresh dill, steam rising30 min
Savory Mainsgluten-free

Lemon Dill Salmon en Papillote

Golden pan-seared chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet with glossy lemon garlic butter sauce, fresh thyme sprigs, and lemon slices35 min
Savory Mainsweeknight

Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

A roasted salmon fillet with crispy edges and glazed with glossy lemon garlic butter, topped with fresh lemon slices and green parsley18 min
Savory Mainsgluten-free

Lemon Garlic Roasted Salmon

Overhead view of a bowl of jasmine rice topped with flaked lemon garlic salmon, edamame, sliced cucumber, avocado, and sesame seeds, with a lemon half beside it35 min
Savory Mainshigh-protein

Lemon Garlic Salmon Rice Bowl

A sheet pan of golden-brown baked tofu cubes with crispy edges, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges40 min
Savory Mainsvegan

Lemon Herb Baked Tofu

Overhead view of a bowl of sliced lemon herb chicken over quinoa with roasted broccoli, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and a drizzle of lemon yogurt sauce, with a lemon wedge on the side45 min
Savory Mainshigh-protein

Lemon Herb Chicken Quinoa Bowl

A skillet of glossy lemon garlic shrimp pasta with visible pink shrimp, fresh parsley, and grated parmesan on top30 min
Savory Mains30-minute

One-Pan Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

A sheet pan of roasted chicken thighs, baby potatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers, with roasted lemon slices scattered throughout45 min
Savory Mainsgluten-free

Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Vegetables

Guides to go with these recipes

Close-up of a microplane grater zesting a bright yellow lemon over a small bowl of fine lemon zest

How to Zest a Lemon: 5 Easy Ways

A resealable bag of whole lemons and a small jar of lemon wedges sitting in a refrigerator crisper drawer

How to Store Lemons So They Last for Weeks

Questions about weeknight recipes

How can I speed up lemon prep on busy nights?

Zest and juice several lemons at once. Zest keeps well frozen, and juice can be frozen in ice cube trays for quick portions.

Are these recipes really quick?

Total time is listed on every recipe, and the 30-minute and under-30-minute collections are filtered by that time.

Can I double these for leftovers?

Most can be scaled up. Use a larger pan so food browns rather than steams, and check the meal-prep collection for dishes that reheat well.