Lunch in 15: Quick & Easy Lunch Ideas

Latest Lunch in 15

Tuna Stuffed Sweet Potatoes & Salad

Tuna sandwiches are great but tuna stuffed sweet potatoes taste even better! Using the microwave and seasoned canned tuna makes this a quick and easy lunch. Add a side of veggies or a fresh salad and you’ve got yourself a gourmet lunch. And honestly, it’s also a great dinner!

I used little tins of seasoned tuna which makes this lunch extra quick and easy with instant flavour variations. But you can absolutely use bigger cans of tuna or salmon and season them the way you like. You can make your favourite tuna salad or even make a tuna sweet potato melt – just add some grated cheese and pop it under the broiler.

Here’s the general how to.

1 sweet potato
1/2 cup flaked seasoned tuna (1 (85 g) can)
handful arugula or sprouts

Wash and scrub sweet potato well. Microwave in 2 minute intervals until fork goes through easily. About 5-7 minutes depending on size of sweet potato and microwave. Cut in half, rough up the insides with a fork and stir in flaked tuna. Top with greens if desired.

Don’t love tuna? No problem.
For vegetarian options try a chickpea salad, zesty quinoa salad, or vegetarian chili.
Or try chili or pulled pork.

Serve with a fresh green salad like maroulosalata, coleslaw or sliced fresh veggies.

Leftover Hard Cooked Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce

Got ham and egg leftovers? Make this slightly fancy hard cooked Eggs Benedict complete with Hollandaise sauce.

Yes! You can make this lunch in 15 minutes. The Hollandaise sauce is easier than you think and the hard cooked eggs means no fussing with poached eggs – although you could do that too!

If you’ve never tried making Hollandaise sauce, a simple meal like this is the perfect time to try it. Once you nail it (which I know you will!) you’ll have the confidence you need the next time you’re serving a fancy brunch.

Check these links for the how tos:

• 3 Ham & Egg Muffin Variations – 2 without hollandaise
  • Ham and Egg Muffins – 3 Ways
• Cooked ham ready to go:
  • How to Cook a Small Ham
• Perfect eggs every time:
  • How to Make Hard Cooked Eggs
  • 7 Tips for Poached Eggs
• Quick hollandaise:
  • How to Make Hollandaise Sauce

BBQ Chickpea Crunch Wrap

Wraps make a frequent appearance for lunch at our house. They’re a convenient way to package up whatever’s in the fridge. This time, our wrap was inspired by half a can of chickpeas and an assortment of veggies.

The chickpeas get a quick mash and mixed with our favourite creamy BBQ sauce. It makes a delicious spread similar to tuna salad. Schmear that spread on a wrap, load up with veggies and roll it up. For more wrap ideas and tips on how to roll wraps, types of filling and how to freeze/thaw wraps read WRAP IT UP!

BBQ Chickpea Crunch Wrap

Makes: 1 large wrap
Time: about 10 minutes

You’ll need:

• ¾ to 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2–3 Tbsp Creamy BBQ Sauce (recipe below or use leftovers)
• 1 whole wheat wrap
• shredded red cabbage
• grated carrot
• diced cucumber
• lettuce

Make it:
In a small bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork until chunky
Stir in the BBQ sauce until the chickpeas are creamy and spreadable.
Spread the mixture down the centre of the wrap.
Top with cabbage, carrot, cucumber and lettuce.
Roll tightly, slice if you like, and enjoy.

The chickpea filling will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Creamy BBQ Sauce

This is the sauce that pulls everything together. It’s also great brushed on chicken or tossed with vegetables before roasting.

• ½ cup mayonnaise (also try 1/4 cup may & 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
• ¼ cup BBQ sauce
• ½ tsp hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tsp lime juice
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

Stir together and refrigerate extras for a week or more until needed. It goes great with roasted veggies, sheet pan dinners or oven fries.

Maple Eggs and Cabbage with Toast

Sautéed cabbage has got to be one of the easiest veggie side dishes. Chop, heat pan, sauté for 3-5 minutes and season. Boom. Done. Adding fried eggs and toast turns it into a quick and easy lunch – or dinner – your choice! Watch Here!

Now, here’s a little unexpected twist. Once the eggs have set but not quite done, drizzle a little bit of maple syrup on them. A little hint of sweet to compliment the cabbage and the savoury toast and eggs is something else! I learned this little tip from Chef Sohla El-Waylly.

Maple Eggs with Cabbage and Toast

• 1/8 head green cabbage, chopped
• 1-2 eggs
• Bread for toasting
• Oil for the pan
• Salt, pepper, thyme or oregano
• Maple syrup (optional but HIGHLY recommended)
• green onions for garnish

1. Chop cabbage
2. Heat pan with a touch of oil
3. Cook cabbage 2-4 min (keep that crunch!)
4. Move to plate.
5. Fry egg(s) in same pan (making sure pan is hot)
6. Add a little drizzle of maple syrup on top of egg. Finish frying eggs to desired doneness.
7. Toast and butter your bread.
8. Plate it up, season and enjoy!

Beet & Lentil Salad

This Beet and Lentil Salad (click for YouTube video with recipe in caption) is an example of how 15-minute lunches are often about assembly, not cooking. I used protein-packed lentils and vibrant earthy beets for this gourmet-style salad that’s incredibly filling.

Pro tip: Keep a can of lentils in the pantry and one cooked vegetable in the fridge or freezer so you always have a version of this lunch ready to go.

Lentil Beet Salad Recipe

• 1 cup canned lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup cooked beets, cubed
• 1/2 cup apple, diced
• 2 tbsp dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

🫙 Dressing (Enough for 1-2 salads):

• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

The secret to assembly lunches like this is having your components ready to go. Whether it’s a well stocked pantry with staples like canned lentils, beans, tuna, etc. or planning for leftovers or frozen veggies you can use within minutes.

Oh, and making your own dressing is always a win! Guide to Homemade Vinaigrettes.

Mushroom Toast with Hummus

If you love mushrooms, this lunch is for you! Sautéed mushrooms are piled on toast smothered in hummus. It’s a delicious way to use up mushrooms, leftover hummus, and whatever bread you have on hand.

Earthy, savoury mushrooms and creamy hummus are a natural match. Mushrooms are always widely available, affordable, bring savoury flavour plus B vitamins, selenium, and fibre. Hummus adds fibre and plant-based protein that keeps you satisfied through the afternoon. Cozy, nourishing, and unfussy. Exactly what a weekday lunch should be.

You’ll Need Something Like:

Mushrooms (about 5–8) and a quarter onion, oil to coat the pan, about 1/2 tsp salt, 1–2 Tbsp soy sauce, a pinch of dried thyme, a pinch of red pepper flakes, about 1/2 cup hummus, bread for toasting, and a handful of greens to make it look gorgeous (arugula, green onions, parsley, cilantro). A squeeze of lemon at the end is optional but lovely.

We’re not going for precision, the idea is to use what you have and taste and adjust along the way to make something you love, quickly and easily.

How it comes together:

Soften a little sliced onion in a skillet with oil. Add sliced mushrooms and salt right away so they release their moisture and start to brown. Once the mushrooms have taken on some colour, sprinkle in thyme and red pepper flakes and sauté briefly. Finish with a splash of soy sauce and take the pan off the heat.

Toast your bread, spread generously with hummus, top with the hot mushrooms, add a handful of greens, and finish with a squeeze of lemon if you like.

Want more precision? Want to make your own hummus? Check out these full recipes.