#15minutemeals: The Viral TikTok Trend You'll Want to Get In On, Plus 8 Recipes To Try (2024)

It’ll probably surprise exactly no one that the hashtag #15minutemeals has been trending on TikTok. Heck, the concept of quick and easy meals has been trending since well before the advent of social media. Ever since busy people have needed to eat, we’ve been seeking out dinnertime solutions that don’t take tons of prep. Nobody can argue with the concept of fast meals that aren’t fast food.

In a slew of short videos on the popular platform, influencers have lately been demonstrating how to lean into shortcuts, choose easy ingredients, and leverage one-pot dishes to make meals that take only 15 minutes or less. That said, although most of the recipes genuinely take just a quarter of an hour, not all of them are nutritious. Here’s how to jump on the trend the healthy way.

What Are #15minutemeals?

As the name implies, #15minutemeals are meals that go from kitchen to table in (you guessed it!) around 15 minutes. Some don’t even take that long to prepare. Five- and 10-minute meals each have their own popular hashtags as well.

Most of these meals involve very little cooking—if any at all—starting with convenient ingredients like pre-cooked proteins, bagged salads, and even leftovers from other meals (think: fried rice made with leftover rice or barbecue chicken wraps with leftover chicken). Some use time-saving gadgets like food processors, immersion blenders, or microwave pasta cookers to consolidate prep.

Again, it’s easy to see the appeal of meals like these. In the midst of hectic lifestyles, many of us are looking for ways to answer the eternal question of “What’s for dinner?” without too much thought or prep work. And since grocery prices have done nothing but rise in the last few years, sticking to simple ingredient lists can save some cash. Then, too, there’s a hidden benefit when dinner is done: minimal cooking usually means minimal cleanup.

Digging Into Healthy Viral Recipes

On busy evenings, 15-minute meals can absolutely save your bacon. Just note that if you’re looking for lightning-fast meals that also support health, seek out content creators with health and wellness credentials (like registered dietitians and certified nutritionists). In the meantime, check out these 8 TikTok-famous healthy 15-minute meals:

Chicken Caesar Wraps

How To Recreate the Dish: In a large whole wheat tortilla, layer Romaine lettuce, diced, cooked chicken, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with Caesar dressing. Wrap and serve.

“Marry Me” Pasta

How To Recreate the Dish: Cook 1 lb. whole wheat fettuccine according to package directions. Drain and set aside. As pasta cooks, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add ½ c. diced red onion and cook until tender. Add 1 Tbsp. tomato paste, ½ tsp. chili flakes, 1 tsp. salt, 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, ½ c. nutritional yeast, and 4 cloves garlic, minced. Stir and cook until fragrant, then add 1 c. vegetable broth. Add 1 c. cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to burst. Stir in one 15-oz. can coconut milk. Add cooked pasta to the skillet and stir. Top with fresh basil.

Potsticker Veggie Bowl

How To Recreate the Dish: Cook 1 bag of frozen vegetable potstickers in a large skillet according to package directions. Set aside. Heat a drizzle of canola oil in the same skillet, then add mixed vegetables like snow peas, red peppers, and diced carrots. Cook until tender. Return potstickers to the skillet and combine. Flavor with low-sodium soy sauce.

Mediterranean Chickpea and Feta Salad

How To Recreate the Dish: Chop 1 bell pepper, 1 red onion, 2 small cucumbers, and ½ c. tomatoes. In a large bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Assemble the salad by stirring the dressing, veggie mixture, 1 15-oz. canned chickpeas (drained), and 1/3 c. feta cheese in the bowl.

Crispy Black Bean Tacos

How To Recreate the Dish: In a bowl, combine one 15-oz. canned black beans (drained) and ½ c. salsa. Mash together. Spread the mixture on one side of 4-5 whole wheat tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheddar. Fold over the other half of the tortillas. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the tacos until crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Caprese Pesto Flatbreads

How To Recreate the Dish: Place 4 flatbreads on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle each with olive oil. Top with sliced fresh mozzarella, dollop with purchased pesto, and top with halved cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with a purchased balsamic vinegar glaze. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 10 minutes or until mozzarella has melted.

Yogurt Breakfast Parfait Bowl

How To Recreate the Dish: Place ½ c. plain Greek yogurt in a bowl. Stir in a sprinkle of granola. Top with sliced strawberries and banana and drizzle with honey.

Avocado Egg Salad on Crispbreads

How To Recreate the Dish: In a large bowl, mash 6 hard-boiled eggs and 1 ripe avocado. Add 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. dried parsley, and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Combine and serve on crispbread crackers for a snack.

How to Create Your Own #15minutemeals

You don’t have to be a TikTok influencer to come up with 15-minute meals of your very own. (But if you feel like starting your own channel, go right ahead!) With the right building blocks, you can create meals in minutes, even without the help of social media.

Stock up on the right ingredients. Start by stocking your kitchen with easy-prep ingredients. This might look like canned beans, minute rice, frozen veggies, rotisserie chicken, canned tuna, or bagged salad. Other basics like herbs and spices, oils, and broth or stock add flavor without much effort.

Prioritize fitting in all the food groups. Consider, too, how you can assemble meals that feature multiple food groups in a single package. Meals that combine protein, grains, and fruits or vegetables typically make for quick, healthy one-dish eating. Grain bowls, wraps, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and tacos can check all your nutritional boxes.

Plan ahead. Of course, before you can get down to the business of whipping up speedy meals, a little bit of planning is necessary. Besides stocking a quick-cooking pantry and fridge, plan for the week ahead. Which nights of the week will you really need something fast for dinner? Map out your grocery shopping accordingly.

And as you dive into 15-minute meals, don’t be afraid to experiment! Take what you like from TikTok recipes and leave out what you don’t. You just might create the next viral meal.