The stretch before Thanksgiving gets busy, and dinner can slip down the list. These 23 meal prep recipes include make-ahead casseroles, batch-friendly soups, reheatable rice and pasta, and a bean salad, offering different ways to plan food for workdays. Pick a slow cooker dish for a hands-off evening or a quicker skillet, sheet pan, or breakfast option when the schedule is packed.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Packed casseroles make weekday lunches easier to plan, and Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole combines short pasta, cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, Greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, cheddar, mozzarella, and bacon. The bake takes 40 minutes and serves eight. Crushed potato chips add a crisp topping, so portions work as a filling dinner or a ready-to-reheat lunch when the schedule is full.
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Sheet Pan Fajitas
For a colorful dinner with a short prep list, Sheet Pan Fajitas brings chicken thigh tenders together with red, green, and yellow peppers, red onion, olive oil, and Mexican seasoning. The recipe takes 35 minutes and serves four. Warm tortillas and toppings can be set out at mealtime, while extra cooked filling can be portioned with rice or tucked into a lunch wrap.
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Goulash
Long simmering makes Goulash a good choice for a day when dinner can cook while other plans get handled. Beef chuck cooks with onion, paprika, oregano, garlic, tomato paste, beef broth, diced tomatoes, bell pepper, and potatoes. It takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes and serves six. Cook a pot over the weekend, then portion the stew for later dinners or lunches.
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Breakfast Burritos
Before the morning rush starts, Breakfast Burritos offer a portable meal with breakfast sausage, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, Monterey cheese, and tortillas. The recipe takes 40 minutes and makes four burritos. Salsa and sour cream can go on the side, so each serving can be finished at the table. Set out the filling and wrappers for a planned breakfast or brunch.
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Instant Pot Chilli
Busy days are easier to manage with Instant Pot Chilli, a pressure-cooker meal made with ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, beef broth, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and paprika. The total time is 32 minutes and the recipe serves six. Portion the chili into containers for work lunches or keep it as an easy dinner with bread, rice, or toppings on the side.
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Lamb Meatballs
For a protein that can anchor a few different plates, Lamb Meatballs combines ground lamb with garlic, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, mint, dill, cumin, oregano, and feta. The recipe takes 45 minutes and serves six. Pair the meatballs with salad, pita, or rice, and keep tzatziki nearby for serving. Their versatile format makes it simple to plan a dinner and set aside portions for lunch.
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Egg Roll
Crisp wrappers make Egg Roll a practical batch-cooking option for snack plates or lunch boxes. The filling uses ground pork, ginger, garlic powder, soy sauce, green onions, and coleslaw mix, then gets wrapped and fried. The recipe takes 30 minutes and yields 12 rolls. Serve them with a dipping sauce, or prepare a batch when there is time to organize a few grab-and-go portions.
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French Toast Casserole
Weekend breakfast prep gets easier with French Toast Casserole, which soaks French bread in eggs, heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, then adds a pecan topping. It takes 55 minutes and serves eight. Cut it into portions for a family breakfast or brunch, and keep the remaining slices covered for another morning when there is less time to cook.
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Pork Fried Rice
Leftovers get a quick second life in Pork Fried Rice, which uses day-old jasmine rice with diced pork tenderloin, eggs, carrots, green onions, ginger, garlic, peas, and bean sprouts. Hoisin and soy sauce season the skillet meal. It takes 35 minutes and serves four, making it a practical way to plan dinner and portion any extra for a quick lunch.
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Mexican Spaghetti
Familiar pasta with taco-seasoned flavor comes together in Mexican Spaghetti, combining spaghetti, ground beef, onion, garlic, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and Monterey Jack cheese. The recipe takes 30 minutes and serves eight. Its large yield works well for a weekend dinner with leftovers, so weekday meals can be handled with portions ready to warm and serve again at lunch.
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Japanese Chicken Curry
For a saucy meal that pairs well with rice, Japanese Chicken Curry combines chicken thighs, onion, carrots, Yukon potatoes, ginger, garlic, grated apple, broth, and Japanese curry roux. The total time is 40 minutes and the recipe serves six. Make it for a planned family dinner, then divide any remaining curry into containers for lunch or another evening on a busy weeknight.
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Beef Enchilada Casserole
For a layered dinner that portions neatly, Beef Enchilada Casserole alternates corn tortillas and shredded cheese with ground beef, onion, garlic, taco seasoning, beef stock, red beans, and enchilada sauce. It takes one hour and serves six. Add cilantro, jalapeños, red onion, or sour cream at the table, then save extra squares for another weeknight meal before the holiday rush.
Get the Recipe: Beef Enchilada Casserole
Dense Bean Salad
No-cook lunch prep gets simple with Dense Bean Salad, a 15-minute mix of chickpeas, pinto beans, red onion, bell peppers, cucumber, Kalamata olives, feta, and parsley. Lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and garlic make the dressing. The recipe serves eight, so it can cover several lunches or sit alongside dinner. Keep the salad chilled and portion it when it is time to eat.
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Ham and Bean Soup
When dinner can simmer while you handle other plans, Ham and Bean Soup combines navy beans, diced ham, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and chicken broth. It has 20 minutes of prep followed by about an hour of cooking, and serves six. Garnish with parsley and serve with bread. Extra soup can be divided into lunch portions for the next few workdays.
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Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Portioning is simple with Stuffed Pepper Casserole, which combines ground beef, yellow onion, red and green bell peppers, garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, long-grain rice, and mozzarella. It takes 42 minutes and serves eight. The casserole format works for a shared dinner at home, with extra squares saved for reheating on a busy weekday or packing for lunch later, too.
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Vegetable Pasta
When dinner needs both pasta and vegetables, Vegetable Pasta brings penne together with zucchini, red onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, Italian herbs, and Parmesan. The recipe takes 35 minutes and serves four. Divide it into lunch containers after dinner, or serve it warm with extra Parmesan when a quick meatless meal is needed after a packed day.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
Hands-off cooking suits the busiest days, and Slow Cooker Chicken Breast combines chicken, mushrooms, Marsala wine, chicken broth, garlic, heavy cream, and cornstarch in a rich sauce. The total time is 2 hours and 40 minutes, and it serves four. Spoon the chicken over rice or potatoes, then portion the sauce and meat together for an easy later meal on another night.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast can be prepared ahead with Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole, layering breakfast sausage, eggs, milk, Monterey Jack, cheddar, and frozen Tater Tots. It takes one hour and serves six. Cut the finished casserole into squares for a family breakfast, brunch, or reheated weekday meal. The potato topping and egg base make each portion substantial without needing extra sides on rushed mornings.
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Rasta Pasta
On nights with a packed schedule, Rasta Pasta makes a filling dinner with penne, chicken breast, red, green, and yellow peppers, heavy cream, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and Parmesan. It takes 30 minutes and serves four. Portion it while warm for a ready-to-reheat lunch, or set aside extra peppers and sauce to serve over the pasta at mealtime during a busy week before the holiday.
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Cheeseburger Soup
On a chilly evening, Cheeseburger Soup puts ground beef, potato, onion, garlic, beef broth, milk, frozen vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, and bacon into a hearty bowl. It takes 50 minutes. Make it for dinner with bread or crackers, then chill any extra portions for a ready-made lunch. The recipe’s familiar flavors and one-pot format help keep weekday cooking manageable through the workweek.
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King Ranch Casserole
Built in layers, King Ranch Casserole is easy to portion after cooking, with chicken, bell pepper, sweet onion, jalapeño, cream of chicken soup, Rotel tomatoes, Mexican seasoning, corn tortillas, and Monterey Jack. It takes 45 minutes and serves eight. Add parsley on top and serve with a simple salad. Leftover squares can be reheated for dinner or packed for lunch.
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Salisbury Steak
For a planned dinner with gravy, Salisbury Steak shapes ground beef with breadcrumbs, egg, and grated onion, then serves it with mushrooms and a beef broth sauce. The recipe takes 45 minutes and serves four. Add mashed potatoes or rice to round out the plate, and save any extra patties with gravy for another meal that needs only a quick warm-up.
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Wild Rice Casserole
Batch cooking works well with Wild Rice Casserole, which combines wild rice with garlic, sweet onion, porcini or button mushrooms, mozzarella, parsley, and fried shallots. It takes about 70 minutes and serves six. Bring it to the table as a main or side, then divide the leftovers into portions that can be reheated on a busy day before Thanksgiving arrives.
Get the Recipe: Wild Rice Casserole