Three-minute dinner ideas for when you can’t be bothered to spend time cooking

Pop the gnocchi into boiling water for three minutes. While it’s in, half some cherry tomatoes. Drain the gnocchi and mix with pesto, the tomatoes and some fresh basil. Done. [Photo: Instagram/Jamie Mat Horgan]

Use pre-prepared polenta to speed this up. Slice and griddle and serve with salad and smoked mackerel, adding a tomato pesto dressing. [Photo: Pinterest/Tom Cheesewright]

Courgetti’s so popular you can buy it pre-made these days. So how about whipping up a healthy treat of tiger prawns and tomatoes with garlic and chilli on a bed of the quicker-cooking spaghetti alternative. [Picture: Instagram/charlottesfitnessdiaryx]

An easy, healthy dinner, you can chuck pretty much anything you like into a frittata, from spinach and tomatoes to spring veg, cheese and ham. An easy one to throw together in three minutes. [Picture: Getty]

This guy sums it up – Tuna Melts are SIMPLE. [Picture: Instagram/Alvaro AKA Pintastik]

If you get your water boiling first, you can just about get your hotdog simmered in three minutes (okay, you might need a tiny weeny extra minute). Chuck in a roll, add mustard, salad, chillies – whatever you want – and Bob’s your uncle. [Picture: Getty]

Make asparagus a bit more substantial by wrapping in parma ham, and serve up with boiled or poached eggs to make a delicate, but filling dinner made in minutes. [Picture: Instagram/Irena Macri]

Pancakes for dinner? Why not. Try this healthy version made from one egg, one banana, chia and flaxseed with peanut butter drizzle and Greek yoghurt. Mash the banana and mix with the egg, then add a chia and flaxseed mix or something like whey protein powder. ‘Splodge’ tablespoons of mixture into the pan and cook on each side for 30 seconds or so. Top with Greek yoghurt and berries or a homemade glaze. [Picture: Lauren Turner]

Ken Hom showed us years ago how easy stir frying is, and nothing’s changed. Stick with something like beansprouts to keep the cooking time down, and you could always chuck in some cooked chicken. You won’t need long and you’ll have a tasty oriental dinner. [Picture: Instagram/Ash AKA ashtransformation]

Scrambled eggs are often eaten for brekkie, but how about pimping them up for dinner. You can add all sorts of things to make them a cut above your average breakfast fish, like grating parmesan and truffle on top. [Picture: Getty]

Another student food, but it’s amazing what you can do with instant noodles to give yourself a decent dinner. Take this gorgeous bowl of goodness – the addition of cooked chicken, coriander and sriracha makes it look as good as any meal that took much longer. [Picture: Instagram/theramenrater]

Come on, it’s a classic. And so easy. Whether you do the beans on a hob or in the microwave, you’re guaranteed to have it ready in three minutes – probably with a few seconds spare to chuck on some herbs or grated cheese. [Picture: Getty]

Your leftovers will already be ready. It’s just a case of mashing them together into cakes and frying them. You can poach an egg at the same time if you like and you’ll still have dinner in just a few minutes. [Picture: Instagram/chefgary007]

You can just about get your couscous done in a few minutes. And then it’s just a case of adding some colourful additions to your warm salad, whether it’s pre-soaked chickpeas, tomato, green leaves, beetroot, or much more. Serve it quickly and you’ll have it nice and warm. [Picture: Instagram/Helen Lee AKA sydneymum_helen]

It’s been feeding students for years and can be created in minutes by even the most amateur of chefs. The cheese toastie can be served simple or pimped up however you see fit – add beans, tuna, chilli or anything you fancy and you’ll have an easy, filling, comforting dinner. [Picture: Instagram/Jordan AKA jpi_85]