12 Make-Ahead Meals That Save Your Sanity on Busy Weeknights
Weeknights can feel like a whirlwind—between work, errands, and everything in between, cooking is often the last thing you want to deal with. That’s where these 12 make-ahead meals come to the rescue. They’re quick to prep, easy to store, and taste just as good (if not better) the next day. With these recipes in your rotation, dinner stress becomes a thing of the past.
Meatloaf Casserole
This Meatloaf Casserole is a family favorite all throughout the year. With just 15 minutes of prep time, you can have dinner for a crowd on the table in an hour. Perfect to entertain or make ahead on a busy week, it’s a comforting dinner that is guaranteed to be a success.
Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers
Looking for a hearty and family pleasing make ahead dinner recipe? Looks no further! Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers with rice and vegetables will be your new go-to.
Vegan Turkey Roast
This Vegan Turkey Roast is the perfect centerpiece for your plant-based Thanksgiving dinner. Complete with herb-rubbed “skin,” seitan tofu turkey (aka “tofurky”) is tender, meaty, and loaded with savory herbs and seasonings! It’s the perfect make-ahead option for your holiday meal, and leftovers taste fantastic. Bonus: You can bake it in the oven OR use an Instant Pot!
Easy Chicken Crepes with Mushrooms
Make-ahead, savory Chicken Crepes with Mushrooms are perfect for a romantic date night dinner, an elegant brunch, or a dinner party main dish. These chicken and mushroom crepes with mornay sauce are easy to prepare and will impress even the most discerning guests.
One Pot Chicken and Rice
With simple pantry ingredients and plenty of vegetables, this One Pot Chicken and Rice will easily become a family favorite!
Bolognese Pasta Bake
Bolognese pasta bake is the perfect comfort food that can be mastered by anyone. In sum, it is an easy pasta recipe which is perfect for feeding large families. It is also an excellent recipe for cooking large batches of food at a time, which you can defrost and enjoy at a later stage. This Bolognese pasta bake stores and freezes well, so make sure you take advantage of this recipe. In addition, it is perfect for students, because a Bolognese pasta bake is inexpensive to make and it can last for several dinners.
Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole
Comforting ground beef hamburger hashbrown casserole is a delicious recipe that will quickly become a family favorite! Layers of ground beef and veggies topped with hash browns and cheese create a crispy, cheesy topping for a casserole dish that makes a cozy and filling weekday dinner.
Beef and Guinness Stew
Nothing hits the spot like a delicious, hearty stew when the weather gets cold and there’s snow on the ground. I’m ready to curl up next to the fire and enjoy a bowl along with some crusty Irish soda bread just thinking about it!
Lamb Shanks Braised in Red Wine
This slow cooked lamb shanks braised in red wine recipe is comfort food at its finest!
Caribbean Peanut Chicken
Midweek dinners don’t get much tastier than Caribbean peanut chicken and rice. Fresh, fabulous and fantastically easy to make, this is the one pot wonder that you need to get in your life!
Crock Pot Sausage and Potatoes
Crock Pot Sausage and Potatoes make a delicious dinner that brings together smokey turkey sausage and golden potatoes all mixed in a sauce that is creamy and full of flavor. This is comfort food at its finest.
Greek Lamb Stew
It doesn’t get much more comforting, more heavenly, more downright delicious than Greek lamb stew pasta!
