make ahead dinners

This popular Japanese chicken katsu curry is easy to make for a low-cost midweek meal. You can prepare the curry sauce in advance, and the strips of chicken are quick to coat and fry up into hot crispy morsels.

Chicken katsu

brown onion, chopped

carrot, chopped

sunflower oil

garlic cloves, crushed

ginger

tbsp medium curry powder

plain flour

500 milliliters/18fl oz chicken stock

1–2 tbsp soy sauce

salt and black pepper

chicken mini fillets

egg,

grams/3½oz breadcrumbs

jasmine rice, to serve

Make this easy shepherd's pie recipe of a wintry evening – it's comfort food at its best. This one has a secret ingredient for extra savouriness. Don't worry about making it look fancy; the peaks and ridges on the mash just add to the appeal!

Each serving provides 743 kcal, 34g protein, 45g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 46g fat (of which 23g saturates), 5.5g fibre and 1.2g salt.

Shepherd'S Pie

onion,

olive oil

500 grams/1lb 2 ounces lamb mince

bay leaves

thyme

anchovy, finely chopped (optional)

tin chopped tomatoes

450 milliliters/16fl oz chicken, beef or lamb stock

Worcestershire sauce

55 milliliters/2fl oz milk

butter

Shepherd's pie

This easy Mediterranean chicken recipe is a great meal to have bubbling away on the stove for a simple supper with friends or a family-friendly mid-week meal. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.

This recipe is perfect for batch cooking, cook the chicken sauce and divide it into portions and pop in the freezer, it will keep in the freezer for 2 months. You can cook the potatoes while you reheat the sauce. 

Mediterranean chicken with potatoes

chicken

onion, diced

carrot, finely diced

garlic cloves, sliced

tin tomatoes

250 milliliters/9fl oz chicken stock

herbs

potatoes,

salt and pepper

Make your own easy pizza dough with this authentic Italian recipe – it uses '00' flour to give the base a lighter, crisper texture. But if you have bread flour, it will still produce a great homemade pizza.

Pizza dough

flour

dried easy-blend yeast

tsp salt

milliliters/1fl oz olive oil

milliliters/2fl oz warm milk

325 milliliters/11fl oz warm water

passata and other toppings,

Everyone needs a basic spaghetti bolognese recipe that still tastes great, no matter how simple. Get that depth of flavour by cooking the sauce very gently until it’s super rich. This spag bol is designed to be a low cost recipe.

Each serving provides 787 kcal, 35g protein, 103g carbohydrates (of which 19g sugars), 24g fat (of which 8g saturates), 8.5g fibre and 1.5g salt.

Easy spaghetti bolognese

beef mince

garlic cloves, chopped

grams/3½oz carrot, grated

tomatoes

400 milliliters/14fl oz stock (made

spaghetti

A vegetable-packed vegan lasagne made with dairy-free white sauce. It freezes brilliantly and makes the perfect vegan comfort food.

Each serving provides 470 kcal, 16g protein, 61g carbohydrate (of which 15g sugars), 16g fat (of which 2g saturates), 8g fibre and 0.4g salt.

Vegan lasagne 

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

aubergine,

courgette,

red pepper, seeds removed,

250 grams/9 ounces small chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced

100 grams/3½oz dried red split lentils

oregano

tsp sugar, any kind

vegetable stock cube

spinach leaves

9–10 dried lasagne sheets (ensure they are egg-free)

grams/3½oz plain flour

800 milliliters/1¼ pint unsweetened almond milk

yeast flakes

bay leaf (optional)

nutmeg

This delicious, savoury vegan shepherd's pie freezes very well, so make in individual portions if you prefer, or freeze the leftovers. The secret ingredient is nutritional yeast, a great vegan ingredient that lends a cheesy flavour to the mash topping. Serve with lots of freshly cooked green vegetables.

Each serving provides 441 kcal, 18g protein, 54g carbohydrate (of which 10g sugars), 13g fat (of which 2g saturates), 12g fibre and 1g salt.


Vegan shepherd’s pie 

celery sticks, thinly sliced

leek,

250 grams/9 ounces chestnut mushrooms,

carrots, chopped

milliliters/3½fl oz red wine (vegan-friendly)

tomato purée

tbsp yeast extract,

sea salt and ground black pepper

milliliters/3½fl oz plant-based milk,

The word ‘bhuna’ means to fry and, in this recipe, it is key to fry the onions and tomatoes really well until the oil begins to leave the sides of the pan. The secret to a really good chicken bhuna is to not add any water as all the flavour comes from the spices and onions. 

Each serving provides 357 kcal, 39.5g protein, 9g carbohydrates (of which 6.5g sugars), 17.5g fat (of which 3g saturates), 3.5g fibre and 1.2g salt.

Chicken bhuna

garlic cloves, finely grated

root

½ tsp ground turmeric

tsp cumin

tbsp coriander

tbsp Greek-style yoghurt

grams/1lb 10 ounces chicken thighs, boneless and skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces

100 grams/3½oz tomatoes, roughly chopped

vegetable oil

300 grams/10½oz brown onions, finely chopped (about 2 medium onions)

tsp fennel seeds,

tsp black pepper

tsp garam masala

salt

coriander,

Make this glazed meatloaf ahead, then slice and serve with pickled vegetables in a baguette to make banh mi or with mashed sweet potato. If reheating, fry in a little oil to heat through, says Valli.

Pork and beef meatloaf with hoisin glaze banh mi

(110 grams) white bread, crusts removed, torn

(125 milliliters) Massel Chicken Style Liquid Stock

bacon, finely chopped

celery stalks, finely grated

tbs ginger

pork mince

coriander leaves

eggs, lightly beaten

five-spice powder

hoisin sauce

(125 milliliters) rice wine vinegar

tbs fish sauce

maple syrup

tomato sauce

carrot, shredded

Lebanese cucumber, shredded

daikon (white Japanese radish), shredded

tbs rice wine vinegar

tsp caster sugar

baguettes

Vietnamese mint, mint & coriander

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Sweet potato soup is a big bowl of comfort. It's vegan, has cheap ingredients, is quick and easy to make. It can also be frozen for future lunches and dinners. Perfection!

Each serving provides 234 kcal, 3g protein, 43g carbohydrates (of which 16g sugars), 4g fat (of which 0.5g saturates), 9g fibre and 0.5g salt.

Sweet potato soup

onion, roughly chopped

carrots,

4cm/1½ inches fresh root ginger, finely chopped

garlic clove, crushed

½ tsp dried red chilli flakes

700 grams/1lb 10 ounces sweet potatoes,

vegetable stock

A wonderfully comforting chicken pasta bake, this can be made ahead and will go down really well with the family. 

Each serving provides 532 kcal, 35g protein, 46g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 22g fat (of which 11.5g saturates), 4.5g fibre and 0.9g salt.

Chicken pasta bake

butter,

penne

paprika

grams/1¾oz plain flour

milliliters/1 pint 6 fl oz hot milk (see tip)

Dijon mustard

100 grams/3½oz Parmesan cheese,

tomatoes,

Adding flavoursome, peppery chorizo to a vegetable-packed stew makes a little meat go a long way. 

If you're cooking for yourself this dish is great for batch cooking. Just portion up the leftovers, leave to cool and then freeze. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

This meal, if served as three portions, provides 305kcal, 15g protein, 23g carbohydrate (of which 10g sugars), 15g fat (of which 4g saturates), 8.5g fibre and 0.9g salt per portion.


With a GI of 45 this meal is <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/high_protein_low_GI_diet">high protein, low GI</a>.

Chickpea and chorizo stew

sunflower olive oil

garlic cloves,

grams/2½oz chorizo

tsp hot smoked paprika

200 milliliters/7fl oz just-boiled water

chickpeas

curly

This tasty vegetarian chilli is packed with lentils, veggies and beans. Serve with rice and guacamole, and top with soured cream,  cheese, coriander, fresh chillies...  the list goes on!

Each serving provides 265kcal, 15g protein, 33g carbohydrate (of which 12g sugars), 5g fat (of which 1g saturates), 12g fibre and 0.4g salt.

Vegetarian chilli

green lentils

garlic, crushed

chilli powder

cumin seeds

100 grams/4 ounces frozen peas

courgette, chopped

kidney beans, drained

A basic mince recipe made in bulk for batch cooking and then used to make easy tacos. It’s also great in burritos, cottage pies and chilli.

Midweek tacos using batch-cooked mince

celery,

green pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

150 grams/5½oz mushrooms, finely chopped

garlic clove, finely chopped

cumin

1½ tbsp smoked paprika

tsp chilli powder

taco shells

iceberg lettuce, chopped (any lettuce

tomatoes, roughly chopped

avocado, peeled, stone removed, flesh smashed

red chilli, finely chopped

Neck of lamb is a great cut of meat to use in this easy lamb curry as it has a rich taste and cooks quickly for a shortcut slow-braised curry that's worth every calorie. 

Each serving provides 752 kcal, 56g protein, 52g carbohydrate, 34g fat, 6g fibre.

Healthier lamb bhuna

onions, finely chopped

green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

cinnamon

cloves

garlic cloves, grated

fresh root ginger, finely grated

coriander

200 milliliters/7fl oz lamb stock

lamb

sea salt and black pepper

tbsp fat-free, Greek-style yoghurt, to serve

A tasty and filling lentil and bacon soup that takes just 20 minutes from start to finish. Make and freeze in portions to take to work. 

Top 20 make ahead dinners recipes from across the web

The most viewed make ahead dinners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Chicken katsu

Shepherd'S Pie

Mediterranean chicken with potatoes

Pizza dough

Easy spaghetti bolognese

Vegan lasagne

Vegan shepherd’s pie

Chicken bhuna

Pork and beef meatloaf with hoisin ...

Sweet potato soup

Chicken pasta bake

Chickpea and chorizo stew

Vegetarian chilli

Midweek tacos using batch-cooked mi...

Healthier lamb bhuna

Lentil and bacon soup

Butternut squash and chickpea curry

Saucy Pork and Noodle Bake

Thai fish cakes

Aubergine parmigiana

Top 20 make ahead dinners recipes from across the web

The most viewed make ahead dinners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Chicken katsu

Shepherd'S Pie

Mediterranean chicken with potatoes

Pizza dough

Easy spaghetti bolognese

Vegan lasagne

Vegan shepherd’s pie

Chicken bhuna

Pork and beef meatloaf with hoisin ...

Sweet potato soup

Chicken pasta bake

Chickpea and chorizo stew

Vegetarian chilli

Midweek tacos using batch-cooked mi...

Healthier lamb bhuna

Lentil and bacon soup

Butternut squash and chickpea curry

Saucy Pork and Noodle Bake

Thai fish cakes

Aubergine parmigiana

The most viewed make ahead dinners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine