Tired and Hangry? Try These 3 Lazy Dinners From the Garden

The clock is ticking past 5 PM, and a familiar feeling creeps over you: You’re famished, worn out from the day, and have already made about a hundred decisions — and now it’s time to think about dinner?! No thank you, says the voice inside your head.

Takeout can seem like the default survival mechanism, but hear us out. This is where lazy dinners come in. With a few veggies from the garden and a little low-effort prep, you’ve got a dinner that’s almost as easy, just as satisfying, and usually a whole lot healthier. Here, three options you probably haven’t tried before but will want to make on repeat as long as your vegetable patch keeps giving.

Roasting cabbage transforms it from humble to irresistible — the edges turn golden and sweet while the center stays tender. Toss the warm slices with a lemony-tahini dressing, and shower them with toasted walnuts and parm, which add texture and flavor. Adding rotisserie chicken keeps this firmly in lazy-dinner territory.

For the cabbage

• 1 head green cabbage, sliced into thick pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the dressing

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For finishing

• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Roast the cabbage: Heat oven to 450°F. Arrange cabbage on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil and salt, coating all the pieces well. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the cabbage halfway through, until tender with browned edges.
2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil until smooth.
3. Finish: Transfer roasted cabbage to a serving bowl or platter. Drizzle with dressing and top with walnuts, rotisserie chicken, and Parmesan.

This hearty salad is the kind of meal you can throw together without much planning. It’s quick to assemble and works well warm or chilled. Tip: Pack any leftovers for lunch the next day.

For the salad

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (from frozen or microwave pouch to save time), slightly cooled
• 1 12-ounce bag shelled edamame, warmed in the microwave
• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For the sesame vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the dressing: Whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger, if using.
2. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine rice, edamame, cucumber, and scallions.
3. Finish: Toss with dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

This is the kind of dinner that looks and tastes like you put in a lot more effort than you did. The zucchini and tomatoes roast first, so they soften and release their juices; then salmon goes in the oven with a swipe of pesto for instant flavor. Everything finishes together in one pan, which means dinner and cleanup stay simple.

• 3 medium zucchini, slliced
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 salmon fillets (about 5 to 6 ounces each)
• 2 Tbsp store-bought or homemade pesto (about 1 Tbsp per fillet)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Start the vegetables: Heat oven to 425°F. Spread zucchini and tomatoes on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.
2. Add the salmon: Pat salmon dry. Spread 1 Tbsp pesto on each piece. Move the vegetables slightly to the sides of the pan and place salmon in the center. Return the pan to the oven and cook 10-15 minutes, until salmon flakes easily and reaches 145°F internally.
3. Finish: Spoon roasted vegetables onto plates and top with salmon. Drizzle with extra pesto if you like.