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5 Weeknight Dinners to Try Next Week + Weekend Brunch

Collage with 6 images for a meal plan featuring: curry ramen with pork, chicken stir-fry, tomato ravioli, chicken meatballs, and slow-cooker short ribs. Plus a bonus avocado on toast brunch.

Nicky’s Notes

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Planning meals for the week makes life so much easier. I’ve chosen five satisfying dinners to carry you from Monday to Friday: quick midweek favourites, a comforting midweek pasta, a simple but flavourful meatball dish, and a slow-cooked recipe for an indulgent Friday evening. Each recipe is straightforward, family-friendly and flexible so you can adapt it to what’s in your cupboard.

There’s also a weekend bonus — a lifted avocado on toast that’s perfect for a relaxed brunch. Below you’ll find the week at a glance, short descriptions of each recipe, and direct links to the full instructions and ingredient lists.

Your week at a glance

  • Monday: Curry Ramen with Spicy Pork
  • Tuesday: Quick Chicken Stir Fry
  • Wednesday: Creamy Tomato Ravioli
  • Thursday: Tuscan Chicken Meatballs
  • Friday: Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs
  • Weekend bonus: Ultimate Avocado on Toast
A bowl of spicy pork coconut curry ramen with sliced boiled eggs, pak choi, pickled onions and spring onions.

Curry Ramen with Spicy Pork

A warming coconut curry ramen topped with Vietnamese-style spiced ground pork, soft-boiled egg and crisp greens. This bowl delivers rich, layered flavours and comforting spice — ideal for a Monday night when you need something that feels a little special but is still uncomplicated to prepare.

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chicken stir fry in a bowl with rice

Quick Chicken Stir Fry

A speedy chicken and vegetable stir fry with a homemade sauce. Ready in under 20 minutes, this is perfect for busy evenings. Use whatever veg you have on hand — bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas or carrots all work well — and serve with rice or noodles.

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Overhead shot of ravioli in creamy tomato sauce in a black pan on a blue surface.

Creamy Tomato Ravioli

A quick, one-pan sauce that turns store-bought ravioli into something restaurant-worthy. In about 15 minutes you’ll have a silky, tangy tomato cream sauce that clings to each parcel of ravioli — great for a midweek win when you want comfort without fuss.

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A frying pan filled with Tuscan Chicken Meatballs in creamy tomato sauce with spinach and herbs.

Tuscan Chicken Meatballs

Light, tender chicken meatballs simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with spinach and Parmesan. This dish is comforting and flexible — serve with pasta, crusty bread or a simple salad for a satisfying weeknight supper.

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Slow cooker short ribs with gravy served on mashed potatoes with green veg

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Fall-apart beef short ribs cooked low and slow until meltingly tender, finished with a rich red wine gravy. This recipe is ideal for Friday night — set it in the morning and come home to a delicious aroma and an easy, impressive dinner.

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PLUS – Bonus Weekend Brunch 🥑🥑

Two pieces of loaded avocado toast with feta, shallot, sliced red chilli, seeds and coriander.

Avocado Toast

An upgraded avocado toast loaded with feta, sliced chilli, pickled shallot and seeds — all the toppings that lift a simple brunch into something memorable. Quick to assemble and easy to customise, it’s a great weekend treat.

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I hope this menu gives you inspiration for next week’s cooking. Each recipe includes step-by-step instructions and ingredient lists to make shopping and prep straightforward. If you try any of the dishes, I’d love to hear how they turned out — pop back to the recipe and leave a comment with any tweaks or tips you discovered. Happy cooking!