Weeknight cooking should be quick, not stressful. On busy days, I keep things simple, meals that come together fast and still taste great.

Why Weeknight Cooking Feels Hard (And How to Fix It)

After a long day at work, the last thing you want is to spend hours in the kitchen. But ordering takeout every night gets expensive and isn’t always the healthiest choice.

The good news? With a few simple strategies, you can enjoy home-cooked Nigerian meals without the weeknight stress.

7 Time-Saving Cooking Strategies That Actually Work

1. Cook Once, Eat Twice (Or More)

Cook extra rice, yam, or proteins when you have time, then transform them into new meals throughout the week.

Weekend prep idea: Make a big pot of white rice on Sunday. Use some for Sunday dinner with stew, then use the leftovers for quick fried rice on Monday or Tuesday.

2. Bulk Cook Your Proteins

Grill or bake proteins in bulk and mix with different sauces later for variety.

Try this: Season 1kg of chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes. Divide into portions and refrigerate. Throughout the week, just warm portions and add different sauces – pepper sauce one night, curry sauce another.

3. Embrace One-Pot Meals

One-pot meals don’t just save cooking time; they save cleanup time too!

Kitchen hack: Choose deep pots with heavy bottoms for even cooking. They’re perfect for Nigerian one-pot dishes like jollof rice and yam pottage.

4. Stock Your Pantry With Time-Savers

Keep these weeknight heroes on hand:

• Frozen chopped onions and peppers
• Powdered garlic and ginger
• Canned tomato paste
• Frozen portions of blended pepper mix
• Pre-cooked frozen beans

5. Use Your Freezer Strategically

Portion and freeze these foods for quick meals:

• Homemade stew base in ice cube trays (pop out 4-5 cubes to start a quick sauce)
• Cooked egusi soup (freezes beautifully for up to 3 months)
• Blended pepper mix for quick stews and sauces

6. Choose Quick-Cooking Ingredients

Some foods naturally cook faster than others:

• Fish fillets instead of tough meat cuts
• Ground beef instead of beef chunks
• Cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes (they break down faster in sauces)

7. Master the Art of Multitasking

While the rice is cooking, prep your protein. While the yam boils, make the quick sauce. Small moments of overlap add up to big time savings!

3 Quick Weeknight Nigerian Recipes (Under 30 Minutes)

Cauliflower Rice with Diced Pork Chops and Spinach

A low-carb option that’s ready in just 20 minutes!

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and add 500g of diced pork chops (cut into small cubes for faster cooking). Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until browned and almost cooked through.

Add 1 diced onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds.

Add 4 cups of cauliflower rice (either pre-packaged or make your own by pulsing cauliflower florets in a food processor until rice-sized). Stir to mix with the pork and onions.

Season with 1 stock cube (crushed), 1 teaspoon of curry powder, and extra salt if needed. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally, add 2 cups of fresh spinach leaves and stir until just wilted (about 1 minute). Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if available.

Time-saving tip: Buy pre-riced cauliflower from the freezer section if available. No food processor cleaning required!

Jollof Rice with Peppered Turkey Gizzard

This shortcut version is ready in 30 minutes flat!

For the gizzards: Clean and rinse 500g of turkey gizzards. Cut into smaller pieces if they’re large. Place in a pot with 2 cups of water, 1 stock cube, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Boil for 15 minutes until tender.

While the gizzards cook, start your quick jollof rice: In a pot, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sauté 1 chopped onion until translucent. Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and fry for 1 minute.

Pour in 1 cup of tomato sauce (store-bought or blended canned tomatoes with peppers). Add 1 teaspoon of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of thyme, 2 stock cubes, and salt to taste. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add 2 cups of parboiled rice (either leftover rice or instant parboiled rice) and 1 cup of water or chicken stock. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Serve the jollof rice topped with the peppered gizzards and vegetables.

Weeknight hack: Use store-bought jollof rice seasoning mix to cut down on measuring individual spices.

Yam Pottage – ASARO ELEPO

This comforting one-pot meal comes together in just 25 minutes!

Peel and cut 1 medium yam (about 500g) into 1-inch cubes. Rinse well under cold water to remove excess starch.

In a pot, heat 3 tablespoons of palm oil until hot. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté until soft.

Add 2 diced tomatoes, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1 deseeded scotch bonnet pepper (adjust to your heat preference). Cook for 3 minutes.

Add the yam cubes, 2 stock cubes, 1 tablespoon of ground crayfish, and salt to taste. Pour in enough water to just cover the yam (about 2-3 cups).

Add 1/2 cup of soaked dried fish pieces (quick-soaked in hot water for 10 minutes while you prep other ingredients) and 1/2 cup of soaked stockfish pieces. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes until the yam is soft but not mushy.

Use a wooden spoon to mash some of the yam pieces against the side of the pot to thicken the pottage. You may add 1 cup of chopped spinach or ugu leaves (fluted pumpkin leaves) (optional) and stir gently. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Time-saving tip: Skip the stockfish (which normally needs long soaking) and use more dried fish if you’re really short on time.

Simple Habits That Make Weeknight Cooking Easier

• Plan just 3-4 meals per week (build in leftover nights)
• Clean as you go instead of facing a mountain of dishes at the end
• Set a 30-minute timer and challenge yourself to finish before it goes off
• Turn on music or a podcast to make cooking more enjoyable
• Involve family members with simple tasks like washing vegetables or setting the table

With a little planning and these simple recipes, you can enjoy homemade Nigerian meals even on your busiest weeknights. Remember, good food doesn’t have to be complicated – sometimes the simplest meals taste the best!

What’s your favorite quick weeknight meal? Share your ideas in the comments!