42 Quick Lunch Recipes You Can Master in a Morning (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Quick

Updated: Feb. 25, 2022

Simplify your A.M. meal prep with these quick lunch recipes you can make in minutes.

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Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Blue cheese dressing and hot pepper sauce enhance these yummy tortilla wraps. Filled with chicken, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, these buffalo chicken wraps are colorful, fun to eat...and tote-able, too! —Athena Russell, Florence, South Carolina

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Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

This salad has been a family favorite for a while! I love to bring this to parties or simply eat as a wonderful lunch or side dish. —Nikki Barton, Providence, Utah

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Super Fast Mexican Soup

We take this spicy soup to rodeos on cool nights or sip it by a campfire. For toppings, try onions, avocado, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa. —Gloria Huse, Simpsonville, South Carolina

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Makeover Reuben Melt

This twist on a classic Reuben keeps the corned beef and uses a sauce made with Swiss (and plenty of thousand-island flavor). Fresh slaw on top replaces the sauerkraut. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Almond Chicken Salad

My mother used to prepare this chicken salad with grapes and almonds for an evening meal during the hot summer months. It's my favorite of my mother's chicken salad recipes. You can also serve it as a delicious but quick luncheon or potluck dish. —Kathy Kittell, Lenexa, Kansas

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Easy Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

One time when making sloppy joes, I wanted mine spicy, so I doused it in hot sauce. After that, my mind went wild and I made it Buffalo chicken-style with ground chicken, diced celery and blue cheese crumbles. I've been making it this way ever since. —Jennifer Nielson, Spanish Fork, Utah

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Almond Strawberry Salad

It's easy to love this pretty salad topped with strawberries and sliced almonds. With just a few ingredients, it's loaded with flavor. —Renae Rossow, Union, Kentucky

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Simple Taco Soup

We first sampled this chili-like taco soup recipe at a church dinner. What a warming dish for a cold day. And because it uses packaged seasonings with several cans of vegetables, it's a snap to prepare. —Glenda Taylor, Sand Springs, Oklahoma

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Blueberry Romaine Salad

I love to bring this delicious salad to school gatherings. The homemade dressing couldn't be simpler, so I whip it up in advance and just give it a quick toss with the other ingredients when I get to any event. —Kris Bristol, Charlotte, Michigan

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Sparkling Fruit Salad

Pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, strawberries and grapes are treated to a dressing of wine and sparkling club soda in this delightful salad. Serve in dessert dishes or set the whole bowl on the table for a fetching presentation. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Turkey-Jalapeno Sandwiches

When a turkey sandwich meets modern Thai, it’s a fun mix of classic and trendy food. I love it when my mixing and matching turns out so tasty. —Stacy Mullens, Gresham, Oregon

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Cream of Cauliflower Soup

This mildly cheesy cauliflower soup is a favorite of mine. I make it often in summer, although it's good anytime. —Karen Brown, West Lafayette, Ohio

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Garden Chickpea Salad

Looking for a summer dish with a difference? Combine colorful crunchy veggies with soft feta cheese and good-for-you garbanzos. If you like, add sliced, cooked chicken or lamb. —Sally Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, Michigan

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Parmesan Chicken Sandwiches

Coat tender chicken breasts with seasoned bread crumbs and smother in marinara sauce. Served on a hoagie, it’s a real treat! —Sue Bosek, Whittier, California

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Guacamole Tossed Salad

The fresh blend of avocados, tomatoes, red onion and greens in my salad gets additional pizazz from crumbled bacon and a slightly spicy vinaigrette. —Lori Fischer, Chino Hills, California

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Fajitas in Pitas

For a weekend lunch with company, we grill chicken and peppers to stuff inside pita pockets. The dressing doubles as a grilling sauce and a sandwich spread. —Clara Coulson Minney, Washington Court House, Ohio

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Powerhouse Protein Parfaits

Parfaits have marvelous taste and texture, but many are loaded with sugar and leave you peckish for more. Here’s my protein-inspired option with yogurt, fruit and nuts. —Jen Hubin, Minnetonka, Minnestoa

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Grilled Pesto, Ham and Provolone Sandwiches

These Italian-style sandwiches are loaded with zesty flavors. To lighten them a little, use fat-free mayo. We serve them with minestrone or a crisp salad. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California

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Curried Egg Salad

A curry kick gives this egg salad big appeal. We love it when the weather gets warm. —Joyce McDowell, West Union, Ohio

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English Muffin Egg Sandwiches

You can't beat the delicious combination of mushrooms, onions, peppers and cream cheese! Leave out the red pepper flakes for a less spicy taste.—Amy Lloyd, Madison, Wisconsin.

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Apple Chicken Quesadillas

My sister came up with an easy recipe that can be served as a main course or an appetizer. People are surprised by the combination of chicken, apples, tomatoes and corn inside the crispy tortillas, but they love it. —Stacia Slagle of Maysville, Missouri

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Broiled Pizza Burgers

My mother made Broiled Pizza Burgers when I was growing up. We like them for Sunday supper, and they're even faster to fix if you use pre-browned hamburger from the freezer. We sometimes substitute slices of cheddar for the process cheese. —Mrs. Ann Bailes, Anderson, South Carolina

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Spinach Quesadillas

My family gave these cheesy quesadillas oohs and aahs. Remove the spinach from the heat as soon as it wilts so it keeps a little bit of crunch. —Pam Kaiser, Mansfield, Missouri

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Buffalo Turkey Burgers

Celery and blue cheese dressing help tame the hot sauce on this turkey burger recipe. For an even lighter version, pass on the buns and serve the burgers with lettuce leaves, sliced onion and chopped tomato. —Mary Pax-Shipley, Bend, Oregon

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Crunchy Tuna Wraps

Packed with protein-rich tuna and fresh, crunchy veggies, these colorful wraps have sensational flavor—and they're good for you, too. —Edie Farm, Farmington, New Mexico

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Quick Nicoise Salad

Like the French, I pack my classic Nicoise salad with veggies, potatoes, tuna and eggs. Cooking the potatoes and beans together helps the dish come together fast. —Valerie Belley, St. Louis, Missouri

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Berry Turkey Sandwich

Sliced fresh strawberries, Swiss cheese and a nutty cream cheese spread make this turkey sandwich different. Try it on whole wheat, oatmeal or sunflower seed bread. It's tasty and easy to put together. —Edward Meyer of Arnold, Missouri

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Quick Beef Vegetable Soup

At the end of a long day, you want to put something quick, warm and substantial on the table for your family. This hefty vegetable soup delivers. It will have you out of the kitchen in no time flat! —D.M. Hillock, Hartford, Michigan

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Tuna and White Bean Lettuce Wraps

Here's a fabulous way to dress up ordinary tuna salad. This easy recipe makes a quick dinner or lunch at the office, and it's good for you. —Heather Senger, Madison, Wisconsin

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Classic Avocado Toast

This is such an easy way to add avocados to your diet. Use healthy multigrain bread and top with sliced radishes and cracked pepper or lime zest, or chipotle peppers and cilantro. You'll want to make this avocado toast recipe every morning! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Lunch Box Pizzas

When you have these fun-to-make mini pizzas, it's no challenge finding lunch fare that the kids enjoy. Plus they pack nicely in sandwich bags and travel well, so there's no mess. —Rhonda Cliett, Belton, Texas

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Blueberry Fruit Smoothie

This fruit smoothie recipe is one of my favorites. The yummy blend just might take you back to soda-fountain days…but it's a nutritious low-fat alternative to traditional malts, shakes and sodas. —Mary LaJoie, Glenoma, Washington

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Quick Taco Wraps

I was running late one night, so I shopped in my own fridge and came up with ingredients that became taco wraps. Everybody at the table was a happy camper. —Katie Mitschelen, La Porte, Indiana

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Fiesta Pinwheels

Whenever I serve this make-ahead, easy pinwheel recipe, they disappear fast. When a friend at the office shared them with me, I knew in one bite I'd be taking her Mexican pinwheels home for the holidays. —Diane Martin, Brown Deer, Wisconsin

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PBJ on a Stick

Take the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the go with these skewers. They also make easy snacks. —Sara Martin, Brookfield, Wisconsin

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Tortilla Chicken Bean Soup

Tasty toppings jazz up this no-fuss soup that has Mexican flair. The recipe for this sure-to-please soup was given to me by a friend. I make it often for company, and everyone asks for the recipe. You can substitute pinto beans in red chili sauce for the regular pinto beans and cumin called for in the recipe. —Michelle Larson, Greentown, Indiana

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Caprese Salad Kabobs

Trade in the usual veggie platter for these fun kabobs. In addition to preparing these for get-togethers, I often make these as snacks for my family. And because assembly is so easy, the kids often ask to help. —Christine Mitchell, Glendora, California

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Caramel Apple and Brie Skewers

I'm a caterer, and this is one of my best-selling appetizers. The shortcut of using prepared caramel makes these little apple skewers a snap to assemble. —Camille Ellis, Tampa, Florida

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Zucchini Ham Frittata

This frittata is so quick to make--it cooks in the microwave in just minutes! Add a red pepper garnish for a colorful look. —Mildred Fox, Fostoria, Ohio

Originally Published: November 29, 2017