Caroline Chambers shares must-try recipes from new cookbook
For those days when you don't feel like cooking, Caroline Chambers has plenty of quick and easy recipes to get a delicious meal on the table.
The bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer joined "Good Morning America" to share dishes from her new cookbook, "What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast."
From easy shredded beef to a lasagna-inspired turkey and zucchini skillet, warm sesame noodles and a fresh corn and basil pasta salad, Chambers' recipes are designed to deliver big flavor without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Check out the full recipes below.
Easiest-ever shredded beef (5 ways)
"Chuck roast is too often associated with pot roast -- a stewy dish consisting of braised beef and tender veggies -- but there are so many other delicious things you can do with this cheap cut of meat!" Chambers writes. "Roast it, slice it, or shred it, then check out my five favorite ways to make it dinner."
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
1 small yellow onion
8 garlic cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup red wine or low-sodium beef stock (or BTB + water -- see page 21)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Pat the beef dry. Cut the onion in half. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife.
Rub the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and some pepper. Place it in a Dutch oven or high-sided baking dish that fits the meat pretty tightly, without a lot of free space around it. Add the onion and garlic then pour in the wine. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil and roast for about 4 hours, until the meat is deeply tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. If it’s not shredding easily after 4 hours, keep cooking it! It feels counterintuitive, but I promise you haven’t overcooked it, it needs more time. For a more browned, slightly crusty exterior, uncover the pot for the last 30 minutes of roasting.
Remove the pot from the oven, uncover (if necessary), and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to skim off any fat from the surface of the liquid.
If you plan to shred the beef, it’s easiest to do so while it's still warm, right in the pot: Use two forks to pull and shred the meat, then stir it together with the liquid in the pot. (I leave the onion right in the mix, but you can pull it out and discard it if you prefer.) If you’d prefer to slice the roast thinly, separate the meat from the liquid and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour (it's easier to slice when it's cold), then cut clean slices and return the meat to the liquid. If you want it both ways, cut the roast in half. Shred one half now and chill the other half to slice later. Store the shredded or sliced meat in the liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; store whole meat and the liquid in separate containers for up to 5 days.
Shortcut:
If you have zero time, just season the beef with salt and pepper and add a splash of water to the pot. Cover and cook. It’ll still be delicious without the onion and garlic!
Extra Extra:
For some added flavor and to make your kitchen smell even more incredible while the roast roasts, before adding the onion to the pot, stick 3 or 4 whole cloves into it like you're pushing tacks into a corkboard.
Crispy beef tacos with lime-pickled red onion
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
8 to 12 small corn tortillas
1 small red onion
1 lime
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 cups Easiest-Ever Shredded Beef
Toppings (optional): crumbled Cotija or brine packed feta cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, pico de gallo or salsa, sliced avocado
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and warm them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep them wrapped until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and place it in a small bowl. Halve the lime and squeeze in the juice. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir it and let it stand while you crisp the beef.
Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, spread the shredded beef in the skillet and cook, undisturbed, until it's crispy on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the meat and warm the other side, 3 to 5 minutes more.
Fill the warm tortillas with the crispy beef, pickled onions, and any other desired toppings.
Garlic-soy beef bowls
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
2 scallions
1 tablespoon sesame oil (toasted or not)
1 1/2 to 2 cups Easiest-Ever Shredded Beef
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 cups warm cooked white rice, brown rice, or quinoa
Toppings (optional): fried eggs, kimchi, sliced cucumber, chopped cilantro, toasted sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Directions:
Finely chop the garlic and chop the scallions. Warm the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shredded beef and cook, stirring frequently, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar and cook until the beef is slightly glazed, 1 to 2 minutes.
Scoop the rice into bowls, spoon the beef on top, and finish with any additional toppings.
Pasta with meat sauce
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
8 ounces short or long pasta noodles, such as rigatoni, penne, or pappardelle
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara
1 1/2 to 2 cups Easiest-Ever Shredded Beef
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente according to the package directions. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
In the same pot you just boiled the pasta in, combine the marinara, shredded beef, and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to bubble, 7 to 10 minutes.
Toss in the pasta and sprinkle in the Parm at the same time so it doesn’t clump. Stir to coat and combine well, then taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Divide among plates, top with more Parm, and serve.
Cheese Steaks
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper
1 small yellow onion
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cups Easiest-Ever Shredded Beef
4 hoagie rolls
8 slices provolone or American cheese
Directions:
Turn on the broiler.
Thinly slice the bell pepper and onion.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the pepper and onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the shredded beef and cook just until heated through.
Split the hoagie rolls lengthwise and stuff with the hot beef mixture, dividing it evenly, and arrange the stuffed rolls on a baking sheet. Top each with 2 slices of the cheese and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the rolls are lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve warm.
Loaded beefy pitas
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 pita breads
2 Persian cucumbers, or 1/2 English cucumber
1/4 bunch fresh parsley and/or mint
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Kosher salt
2 cups Easiest-Ever Shredded Beef
1/2 cup labneh or plain full-fat Greek yogurt
Pickled red onions (store-bought or see page 245)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Stack the pitas, wrap them in aluminum foil, and put them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until warm, soft, and pliable. If they feel stiff or dry before you warm them, sprinkle a tiny bit of water between a couple of them before you wrap them. Meanwhile, dice the cucumbers and finely chop the parsley leaves and tender stems to make 1/2 cup.
Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shredded beef and a splash of water and cook, stirring, until the meat is heated through and well coated in the spices, 3 to 4 minutes.
Spread the labneh inside the warm pitas, then divide the seasoned meat among them. Stuff with the cucumbers, pickled red onions, and parsley, and serve.
Lasagna-vibes turkey zucchini skillet
"For years, one of my go-to dinners in the summer was zucchini lasagna, where zucchini is used in place of noodles," Chambers writes. "It's delightful, but it’s also very labor-intensive, requiring you to slice the zucchini into long, thin planks, salt each individual plank, wipe each individual plank, and then layer the zucchini 'noodles' with ricotta, sauce, and mozzarella."
"Now I have far too many children to be salting individual planks of zucchini -- so I make this!" she adds. "It's a dump-and-go skillet meal that has all of those favorite flavors in a way, way quicker and easier format."
Yield: Serves 3
Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, store-bought or homemade (see page 20)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
4 ounces (1/2 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup)
Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice them crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick half circles. Thinly slice the basil.
Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the turkey and cook, breaking it up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Add the zucchini, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and some black pepper.
Turn up the heat to high and cook, stirring often, until the meat is totally cooked through (no longer pink) and the zucchini is tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Turn down the heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce, half the basil, the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed -- it should be very tasty by this point! Swirl in spoonfuls of the ricotta all over, then sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
Turn down the heat to low, cover, and cook until the mozzarella has melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
Finish with the remaining basil and some red pepper flakes, if you like, before serving straight from the pot.
Swap:
For a vegetarian lasagna, squeeze the moisture from a block of firm tofu, crumble the tofu into the skillet in place of turkey, and cook the rest of the recipe exactly as written.
Use ground Italian sausage instead of ground turkey for a richer dish.
Cottage cheese instead of ricotta will give the dish a more delicate flavor.
Riff:
Make it a chicken parmesan lasagna skillet by using ground chicken and adding 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan when you add the mozzarella. Stir in 1/2 cups or so of leftover cooked pasta -- any kind -- to give it baked pasta vibes.
Bulk it up:
Add a thinly sliced bell pepper or 8 ounces of thinly sliced mushrooms when you add the zucchini.
For some greens, stir in two big handfuls of spinach with the tomato sauce and cook until wilted.
Serve with garlic bread to stretch this to feed more people!
Warm sesame noodles with bok choy and bell peppers
"When George and I spent a summer in New York City during his time in business school, we lived in Tribeca, just below Canal Street, the heart of Chinatown. Our favorite thing was to meet up after work and walk east on Canal Street until we found the spicy, slurpy noodles we were craving," Chambers writes. "Our favorite spot was a place called Noodletown, where we'd happily gobble up ginormous servings of warm sesame noodles while we caught up on the day's events. Now that we live in the country, we have to fend for ourselves when saucy noodle cravings hit."
She continues, "Warning: When I make these, I have to resist eating half the sesame-tahini sauce with a spoon over the kitchen sink. It’s that good -- but it's always worth waiting for the hot noodles and veg (and leftover chicken, tofu, steak, or pork, if I have some in the fridge!) to join the party."
Yield: Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 small (not baby) head bok choy (about 1 pound)
1 red bell pepper
2 scallions
1/4 cup tahini, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons sesame oil (preferably toasted), plus more if needed
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar, plus more if needed
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, plus more if needed
8 ounces ramen noodles (flavor packets discarded, if using instant)
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Chopped roasted salted peanuts, for serving
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, trim the bok choy and cut the leaves from the stems. Thinly slice the stems and leaves. Slice the bell pepper into thin strips. Thinly slice the scallions.
In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic powder, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more of anything you'd like.
Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the bok choy. During the last 1 1/2 minutes of cooking, add the bell pepper. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the noodle cooking water and drain everything in a colander.
Add the hot noodles and vegetables to the bowl with the sauce. Toss well, adding noodle water one splash at a time, until the sauce is creamy and everything is coated evenly.
Divide among shallow bowls and top each serving with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped peanuts. Serve warm.
Shortcut:
Use frozen precut stir-fry vegetables. Add during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Swap:
Any long noodle will work here. I like spaghetti, udon, or whatever is in my pantry!
Any nut or seed butter works in place of tahini for a different delicious nutty profile.
Bulk it up:
Add roasted cubed firm or extra-firm tofu or shredded rotisserie chicken. Or the Spicy Saucy Tofu (page 87) would be great on top of these noodles.
Corn and basil pasta salad with perfect baked chicken
"My friends Jenna, Jess, Charlotte, and I have kids the same ages and husbands who love each other as much as we do," Chambers writes. "We all have too many kids to throw proper dinner parties, so instead we trade off 'hosting' -- which really just means being the person with the dirtiest house at the end of the night because we all pitch in on the cooking and dig in potluck-style."
"One summer we got really addicted to corn salads -- chipotle corn salad, corn and tomato salad, and others -- but when I showed up with this corn and basil pasta salad, I knew I’d hit the jackpot: instant empty bowl," she adds.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 pound small pasta, such as rotini, bowties, or cavatappi
3 scallions
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
1 chipotle pepper (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce), plus 1 teaspoon adobo from the can
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon taco seasoning, store-bought or homemade (see page 20)
2 limes, plus more if needed
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ears corn (preferably white), shucked
2 big handfuls of arugula
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces), plus more if needed
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the scallions and basil leaves.
Place the chipotle and adobo in a large bowl and use a fork or spoon to smash the chipotle against the sides of the bowl. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the taco seasoning, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and whisk to combine. Cut the limes in half and squeeze in the juice. Stir it all together, smashing up the chipotle even more. Taste and add more lime juice and/or salt if needed.
Place the chicken breasts and corn on the prepared baking sheet. Season the chicken lightly with salt. Brush or rub about one-quarter of the sauce all over the chicken and corn. Arrange them in an even layer on the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and the corn is crisp-tender. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice it crosswise. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs (see Learn, page 69). Thinly slice some more basil leaves for serving.
To the large bowl with the remaining sauce, add the drained pasta, corn, arugula, scallions, basil, and 1/4 cup of the Parm. Use tongs or a spoon to toss until everything is combined and well coated. Taste and add more Parm, lime juice, and/or salt as needed.
Arrange the sliced chicken on top of the salad and sprinkle the basil and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan over everything. Enjoy!
Tip:
This dish is extra delicious when the chicken and the corn are grilled. Throw them on medium-high and grill the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side and the corn for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred in spots.
Shortcut:
Skip the ears of corn and just dump a bag of frozen corn into the pasta pot for the last minute of cooking to thaw it.
Riff:
Skip the chicken entirely, serve it on the side, or chop it up and stir it in.
Extra Extra:
If you have some extra time, let the chicken and corn marinate in the sauce for up to 24 hours (stick them in the refrigerator if you’re marinating for longer than 30 minutes) before you bake them.
Skillet un-stuffed peppers
"Stuffed peppers? A delight. Actually stuffing peppers on a night when you need dinner ready in a hurry? Never gonna happen," Chambers writes. "This recipe has all the stuffed pepper flavors and textures that you love without the multi-step -- and multi-heat-source, ugh! -- method of carefully carving the bell peppers, sautéing the filling, stuffing the peppers, then baking them. Instead, you’ll cook it all in one skillet, plop it on the table, and dig in!"
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 small white onion
1/2 bunch parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound 85/15 ground beef
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup couscous
1 (15-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, with their juices
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese (2 cups)
Directions:
Position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler heat element and turn the broiler to high.
Finely chop the bell peppers, onion, and the parsley leaves and tender stems. Warm the olive oil in a deep 12-inch ovenproof skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the ground beef, peppers, onion, and salt and cook, breaking up the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables have softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the couscous, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and half the chopped parsley. Stir to combine and cook until the tomatoes are simmering, about 1 minute. Stir half the cheese into the mixture. Smooth the surface of the mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and transfer the skillet to the oven. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
Garnish with more parsley, scoop into four bowls, and enjoy immediately!
Learn:
When I say to use the "leaves and tender stems" of parsley or cilantro, I mean just ditch the fat stems at the bottom, then chop up the rest! The tender stems are just as flavorful as the leaves, if not more.
Shortcut:
The cook time here is super fast, but the recipe does require some chopping. To make that part faster, cut the seeds and stems out of the peppers, quarter the onion, and throw it all in a food processor, then pulse to chop. After you scrape those out, pulse the parsley leaves and tender stems a few times to chop them, too
Swap:
If the pepper jack is a little too spicy, any shredded cheese is great here -- cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, whatever.
To make this gluten-free, replace the couscous with 1 1/2 cups cooked rice or quinoa, or skip the grains entirely and stir in 2 cups cauliflower rice with the peppers and beef.
To ramp up the flavor, use 1 pound ground Italian sausage instead of ground beef -- so good.
Recipe reprinted with permission from "What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking: Make it Fast" by Caroline Chambers © 2026. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photography by Erin Scott.
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