Easy dinner recipes: Risotto, chicken and more in an hour or less

On a chilly fall evening, you can’t go wrong with a simple one-dish meal or comforting classic. Check out these ideas, all of which come together in an hour or less. They’re just some of the quick and easy dinner options you can find in our recipe database.

Winter squash risotto: Creamy risotto is cooked with tender cubes of butternut squash, the colorful dish garnished with toasted walnuts and fried sage leaves. A perfect choice, whether you’re fixing a quick meal for the family or are planning dinner for company.

Chicken Gorgonzola: Tender chicken breasts topped with a creamy spinach Gorgonzola sauce along with grated Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese (that’s three kinds of cheese, folks!). Rich, yes? Perfect served alongside a simple salad, it’s dinner in about an hour.

Lentils with sausage: “Among a few staples that I keep in the cupboard, just in case a friend stays for supper, is a bag of lentils, one of the ingredients I always turn to when I need a last-minute dinner,” writes cooking legend Marion Cunningham in the introduction to her recipe. This comforting one-dish meal comes together in 45 minutes using only a handful of ingredients. You can find the recipe below.

Lentils with sausages

Active work time: 5 minutes | Total preparation time: 45 minutes | Serves 4 to 6

2 onions
2 cloves garlic
2 baking potatoes
3 cups water
1 1/4 cup dried lentils
1/2 pound sausage, such as kielbasa, chorizo, Italian or linguica, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt, pepper
1 bay leaf

1. Cut the onions in half from the stem top to the root bottom. Lay each half cut-side down on a chopping board. Slice each half horizontally into 1/4-inch slices. Then cut down vertically into thin slices, and finish by cutting down crosswise so you have many small pieces of onion. Set aside.

2. Cut the garlic into thin slices lengthwise. Turn the slices on their side and cut into lengthwise thin slices. Holding the slices together, cut into small pieces vertically. Set aside with the onion.

3. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Add them to the onions and garlic.

4. Place the water and lentils into a pot. Add the onions, garlic, potatoes, sausage and salt and pepper to taste. Tear the bay leaf into several pieces and add to the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Remove the lid and poke a piece of potato; if tender, fish out a little of the lentils and taste for tenderness. If both the potatoes and lentils are tender, they are ready to serve. If either is still firm, simmer another 10 minutes. Most of the liquid will have been absorbed. Serve in bowls.

Each of 6 servings: 204 calories; 359 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 4.84 grams fiber.

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