Quick and easy meal ideas from Canadian TikTok cooks

The dinnertime crunch on weeknights can be stressful! Long workdays coupled with home life demands don't leave most of us with a ton of time to make satisfying meals. And not knowing what to cook can make things even more difficult. If you often find yourself staring into the fridge, hoping the answer will come to you — an answer that is quick and easy, yet rewarding — this roundup might help. 

Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike when you're short on time, turn to the TikTok recipes of these Canadian cooks. Check out a small sample of their must-make ideas below, the tips they gave us for cooking on busy weeknights, plus their favourite recipe for when there's more time to spare!

Pasta Carbonara with Asparagus by @nonna.elda.cooks

You might fall in love with this pasta as quickly as you fall in love with Nonna. A cook who's been at it since she was six years old (she made her first from-scratch pasta at seven!), Toronto-based Elda Sirizzotti has a lot to share, and she does it with the help of her granddaughter Alessandra, who films her tutorials for social media and even created a cookbook with her. (It's worth following along just to see Nonna's culinary tricks!).

Sirizzotti said she invented this recipe because she wanted to add something different to her carbonara. She said she tried it with zucchini too, but it's better with asparagus. "You can always invent a different way to make it better for you," she said. "You no gotta worry about what the instructions say, it's your food."

Sirizzotti's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: "Make lasagne with vegetables because in a single plate you can feed so many people!" Sirizzotti said. She noted that you can freeze it, too. "Remember to cook it before you freeze — it is better that way. Then when you need it, you just warm it up and it's perfect."

Another must-try recipe: Sirizzotti's Frittata with Pancetta and Asparagus. Frittatas are a dish she remembers eating often as a child. "[Growing up during] the war, it's all we have to eat," she said. "We make cheese, we have a gallina [hen] — we have eggs. So we eat frittata."

Vegan-friendly Efo Riro by @eatwithafia

When Toronto resident Afia Amoako isn't working on her PhD in epidemiology, she's teaching her TikTok followers and blog readers about West African foods. Many of her recipes are inspired by her Ghanaian roots and all of them are plant-based. 

Amoako said she was inspired to make a vegan-friendly version of efo riro, a popular Nigerian dish packed with greens, after purchasing some seeds for indigenous West African greens from Nigerian-Canadian recipe developer Ronke Edoho's seed shop. Amoako's take on efo riro can be made in just 30 minutes after a quick 10-minute prep. 

Amoako's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: Dry soup mixes are a go-to for Amoako. "I usually get them at Bulk Barn, and they were a lifesaver during uni because they have complex carbs, protein and veg all in one."

Another must-try recipe: Amoako loves to make plantain and beans, her "go-to comfort food." Check out Amoako's detailed plantain guide, then cook some up with her Ghanaian Vegan Red Red Stew.

10-minute Spicy Garlic Noodles by @tiffycooks

Vancouver food blogger Tiffy Chen was inspired to come up with an easy, affordable and tasty recipe when she, like many of us, started working from home at the start of the pandemic. The result was this speedy noodle recipe with an aromatic and spicy sauce — and a video that, to date, has more than 4.5 million views on TikTok. 

You can make this dish in Chen's style — finishing it with green onion, cucumber, fresh cilantro and a fried egg — or top it with whatever garnishes you prefer. Not in the mood for noodles? Try her quick Vegetarian Mapo Tofu.

Chen's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: "I always make sure to have a jar of my Homemade Chili Oil and Garlic Oil in the fridge!" said Chen, adding that these condiments instantly elevate any recipe. "I drizzle [them] on almost any dish, such as dumplings, wontons, steamed vegetables and noodles." 

Another must-try recipe: One dish she recommends is her one-pot Chicken and Rice, which still takes less than 30 minutes to make — "and you can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day!"

Caldo Verde by @fedbysab

This creamy soup with kale and chorizo, a classic dish in Portugal, is perfect for those cooler evenings — or whenever you're just craving something warm and nourishing. Hamilton-based food blogger Sabrina Cacilhas's recipe was handed down to her from her mother and grandmother. "It brings back so many childhood memories of family gathered around the table enjoying a big pot," she said. Cacilhas also makes a lot of unconventional and food-fair-inspired recipes too, like egg rolls inspired by a certain popular burger.

Cacilhas's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: "A great way to cut down on prep time is to keep a few bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer. Especially chopped onions and garlic," she said. If you want to skip the washing and slicing when you're busy, she said, "They make a weeknight stir fry, pasta or soup come together quickly"

Another must-try recipe: One more family favourite for when there's more time is her mom's meatloaf.

Gochujang Mushroom Udon by @iankewks

Ian Rivero's food blog features Filipino cuisine as well as recipes inspired by a range of East Asian cuisines, many of which are quick and simple dishes. "I'm a third-year nursing student, and that requires me to be studying almost all the time, along with [doing] eight-hour shifts in the hospital," the Calgary resident said. "So naturally, quick and simple dishes became a necessity!" This creamy dish seems to fit the bill.

For a yummy snack or complement to these noodles, check out Rivero's take on Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, inspired by a dish he enjoyed at a night market in Taiwan. Outside of a 30-minute marinade, they're done in a jiffy.

Rivero's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: "Always stock up on noodles or pasta. They only take around five to 10 minutes to boil, and can easily be tossed in a quick sauce that you can prepare while the noodles are softening up."

Another must-try recipe: Rivero's Soy Marinated Filipino Short Ribs, which he recommends marinating overnight for the best results.

Lemon Rice by @feeedmi

This recipe brings together leftover rice and a myriad of spices to create a fragrant and satisfying meal in just 10 minutes. "Many of my dishes are inspired by recipes my mom used to make when I was growing up, and this lemon rice is one of them," said Disha Nayak. 

In addition to making her family favourites, Nayak is inspired by requests or comments from her followers, and her easy-to-make fare is popular, like this 15-minute Creamy Tomato Rigatoni, which has over 12 million views.

Nayak's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: Nayak says advance food prep is a key way to save time when it comes to cooking — it's how her parents managed to vary their meals and "make food an adventure," despite their busy schedules. She recommends having your spices ready, and vegetables and protein chopped ahead of time. 

Her must-try recipe for when there's more time: Her homemade Butter Chicken, which Nayak says is her most-requested TikTok recipe to date.

Tom Yum Fried Rice by @thevietvegan 

There are many reasons to follow Hamilton-based food blogger Lisa Le. Her food looks delicious (check out her Viet Bento Box), her ASMR TikTok videos are at once soothing and enticing (watch her make spicy hummus), and you can't help but come away craving what she eats in day (don't say we didn't warn you). Her Tom Yum Fried Rice isn't just a great looking dish, it's also a low-effort meal that makes use of fridge scraps — win-win-win. 

Le's best cooking tip for busy weeknights: Keep quick-meal staples around. "I keep frozen corn, broccoli and udon on hand almost always so I can throw it in a pan with sauce and tofu and call it a day!" 

Another must-try recipe: Her recipe for Vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls - Chả Giò Chay. "A bit of time to prep, but good for keeping in the freezer for a rainy day."