Here’s a list of good meal prep recipes if you’re looking for freezer meals or batch cooking recipes. These are sure to help you have flavorful, healthy meals during the week.
You can always count on Ina Garten recipes to be delicious and satisfying. She might be known for using ‘good’ expensive ingredients and a lot of butter, but so many of her recipes are approachable and nourishing too. I wanted to share some of her recipes that are good as is, and ways you could make them extra nutritious or a bit lighter. These Ina Garten healthy recipes are great to make ahead for the week or to freeze and reheat for future weeks. (The title links to the recipes!)
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Winter Minestrone
This hearty soup recipe is great if you’re looking for easy healthy dinners. The recipe calls for pancetta, but I’ve made a very similar soup with good quality (organic or preservative free) spicy Italian sausage. I love that this is made with a lot of vegetables and nourishing bone broth, homemade or store bought (is fine).
Weeknight Bolognese
Pasta sauces like bolognese are perfect batch cooking meal prep, and are so simple and customizable. This is a comforting dinner recipe that you can make more nourishing by adding in some vegetables, like spinach to wilt into the sauce, sautéed mushrooms and even chopped cauliflower. You can also use a whole wheat or semolina pasta, or grain alternative option like lentil pasta. If you don’t want to use heavy cream, you can easily substitute for whole milk or oat milk, or omit altogether, maybe just add extra grated cheese on top for creaminess.
Slow Roasted Filet of Beef
This isn’t necessarily a budget friendly recipe, but if you’re looking for an easy and healthy beef recipe, this is a great option. I’m sharing this for the beef recipe, not the mayonnaise, unless you want to make that too! I like filet mignon/beef tenderloin because it’s tender and flavorful without the fat you’d typically get with beef. With simple seasoning, the beef is roasted at a lower temperature, so you can do a quick prep and leave it in the oven while you make other things. For simplicity, I’d leave out the tarragon.
This is also a versatile recipe. You can serve it as the main protein with simple side dishes, sliced thinner on a gourmet sandwich, on a salad with crumbled blue cheese or blue cheese dressing or even a grain bowl.
Greek Salad
This kind of salad, made without lettuce, tastes better when it sits, which makes it perfect for meal prep. You can enjoy it all week as a side to grilled meats, seafood like wild salmon or shrimp and sandwiches, or a simple snack.
Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
Pasta sauces are easy to make ahead and freeze, so you just have to reheat and cook the pasta to serve. For this recipe, you could use pork or chicken Italian sausage (or even plant based protein). The broccoli rabe is nutrient dense cruciferous vegetable, and pairs so well with the Italian sausage flavors. If you don’t want to use broccoli rabe, you could easily use chopped kale instead.
Rosemary White Bean Soup
This soup recipe is simple with ingredients and cooking methods. It’s blended smooth, so it’s comforting in cold weather. It’s also a great meatless meal recipe because the beans and bone broth offer protein. This is perfect for nights you don’t feel like cooking and want a light and easy dinner. I’d serve it with toast rubbed with a little garlic clove and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Ranch is always a good idea to have on hand, and this recipe utilizes Greek yogurt for extra tang. I find that having a good salad dressing makes me excited for salads, and that salad dressing is usually ranch. This would be great for an easy lunch or dinner salad, or to dip things in like roasted potato wedges.
Hummus
Hummus is a versatile meal prep recipe. I love it for a lunch snack plate, to have with toasted pumpkin seeds and salted vegetables like cucumbers, red bell peppers, carrots and radish, and maybe a hard boiled egg or sliced deli turkey for extra protein. It’s also a great snack with some whole grain crackers and veggies. I’ve had hummus as an easy side with a Greek salad, bowl or plate.
Curried Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is a great easy lunch, that’s great to bring to the office, on the go or eat at home. You can put it over greens, in a sandwich or wrap or eat with some good whole grain crackers. This recipe brings interest and variety to a boring lunch rotation, and offers a satisfying texture with the added cashews.
Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Roasting vegetables ahead is a great short cut during the week. Roasted broccoli is so delicious and pairs well with various foods, which makes it an easy choice for meal prep. You can add it to rice bowls, pasta or have as a side dish.
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There you have it, how easy was that? I hope these recipes help you turn up the volume on your meal plan, to have more interesting meals that you look forward to through your week.
