When it comes to making dinner at home, I’m the first to admit that it’s not my forte–in fact, my husband does 95% of the cooking in our house. This year though, I’ve vowed to be more culinary-minded (my monthly muffins just aren’t cutting it). With two toddlers and too many life commitments, I do what I can to make the most out of my time in the kitchen. For me, that means repurposing leftovers, utilizing meal prep, and cooking ahead. The easiest way to make that happen? Arming myself with go-to batch cooking recipes for easy freezing. And, of course, eating.
If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, batch cooking is essentially making one extra large portion of your recipe and freezing it for meals throughout the following weeks. Don’t worry, you’re not going to be eating the same meal every day for a week! Find a few recipes you love (keep reading to see mine), and then alternate them so you don’t get bored. Yes, I know this sounds like a freezer space nightmare, but I have a trick for you. The dishes that I use to bake in come with lids and can stack easily in the freezer once cooled! It also saves you from cleaning that heavy Dutch oven hiding in the back of your cupboard. My favorites are these OXO sets.
Let’s cut to the cooking! Keep scrolling for 12 batch cooking recipes designed for freezing that the CS team and I love. They’ll save you precious time during the week—and bonus, keep your taste buds happy!
Feature image from Delish.
Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos from Cookie and Kate
Why We Love It: Yes, these burritos say breakfast, but you can truly have them at any meal of the day! They’re super easy to freeze and reheat when you’re on the go. I’d suggest separating them with parchment in your baking dish so they don’t freeze together.
Hero Ingredient: Not only are these burritos delicious, they’re also nutritious. Apart from adding texture and flavor, the beans add an extra dose of protein alongside the eggs (or tofu if you’re substituting). A little salsa in these wraps and you won’t believe something so simple could taste so good.
Eggplant Lasagna from Well Plated
Why We Love It: If you’re a pasta lover, I know that substituting eggplant seems sacreligious, but hear me out. The eggplant still gives you the lasagna-like texture while being a lighter option than pasta. Dive in to your stomach’s content.
Hero Ingredient: The eggplant, of course. This dish is the perfect way to sneak in some extra veggies to your diet. You could also swap in zucchini if that’s your preference, since both are a great pasta alternative. Because the eggplant doesn’t reheat well from frozen, I’d suggest filing this recipe into the “leftovers” category and having it for lunch or dinner the following days.
Turkey Curry from Delish
Why We Love It: This one is an absolute family hit and the best part, it’s so simple. Make a pot of plain or coconut basmati rice and you won’t believe you made this yourself. Swap the turkey for chicken or lamb if you’d prefer, or make one of each!
Hero Ingredient: This recipe is all about the garnish. Adding slivered almonds, Greek yogurt, and cilantro elevates your dish and brings out all the other delicious flavors.
Falafel from Downshiftology
Why We Love It: These falafels are easy to make and so, so tasty. They’re the perfect addition to any wrap, salad, or bowl, plus they’re great on their own as a snack. With three different ways to cook them, you have no excuse not to try this recipe out. Ideal for batch cooking and freezing for later.
Hero Ingredient: The key to mouth-watering falafel are the fresh herbs. The punch of flavor is what makes these such a great addition to any meal. Mix up a quick tahini and lemon sauce to enhance the taste even more.
Whole Roasted Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Why We Love It: One of Camille’s favorites! I love it because you really can mix and match ingredients to suit your preferences. Ideal for any meal of the day, these sweet potatoes store easily in the freezer and are a great substitute for toast in the morning if you need a break from bread. Look for smaller sweet potatoes to make the roasting process quicker.
Hero Ingredient: The toppings change the game here. I love avocado with lemon and sea salt for breakfast. You could adapt them to be a pizza base, load them with veg, serve them Mexi-style, or opt for traditional bacon bits and sour cream.
Marinated Lentils with Lemony Broccolini and Feta from Bon Appétit
Why We Love It: Healthy, filling, flavorful, and packed with nutrition! This recipe isn’t hard to make, but you’ll feel like a chef when you have that first bite.
Hero Ingredient: Lemon and mint. Mint brings serious freshness while a squeeze of lemon will transport you straight to a sunny beach by the first bite.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas from Minimalist Baker
Why We Love It: This is the perfect comfort food recipe. While it does take a bit of TLC to wrap up each enchilada in your baking dish, the flavors and hidden veggies are so worth it. These are great to batch cook and freeze in a baking dish.
Hero Ingredient: I love that this recipe sneaks in some kale to the filling for that extra dash of nutrients.
Veggie Sheet Pan Curry
Why We Love It: The absolute best part of this recipe, aside from being so flavorful, is the simplicity. It truly is a one-pan recipe even with the rice. Swap out different veggies of your choice and make sure to use a skillet or baking dish that can hold liquid.
Hero Ingredient: The coconut milk, hands down. It adds a creamy and sweet flavor without the heaviness of dairy.
Vegetarian Chili Verde from Naturally Ella
Why We Love It: Hearty and flavorful, this chili is perfect for a rainy evening, or just whenever you want chili (so… always?). If you’re hiding veggies from your kids like me, chop them small so they’re harder to detect.
Hero Ingredient: I’m personally a fan of adding the garbanzo beans in this recipe. It’s an ideal replacement for meat and gives the dish a little extra substance.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
Why We Love It: Another chili recipe? More sweet potatoes? I’m not mad. This recipe is easy to make and a breeze to freeze. Spend a Sunday afternoon batch cooking this recipe so you can reheat it on a hectic weeknight.
Hero Ingredient: The spices in this dish are the key to success. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but soups, chilis, and curries are almost always better the next day. This allows the flavors to meld together, making it the perfect leftovers dish.
Sweet Spinach Muffins from Super Healthy Kids
Why We Love It: In our house we call these the “Green Hulk muffins” to trick the kids into eating them. They’re sweet, tasty, and packed with spinach. These are a great way to sneak a healthy snack into your kids (or your own) diet without noticing.
Hero Ingredient: Aside from, of course, spinach, the banana is a secret powerhouse in this recipe. It’s the base of the recipe, but it also adds the sweetness without any sugar. If the honey is a bit too sweet for you, sometimes I swap it for an extra banana or some unsweetened applesauce.
Green Mac and Cheese from Weelicious
Why We Love It: Who doesn’t love a good green sauce? This recipe packs a whole head of broccoli and a cup of spinach for a vibrant, verdant color. It’s the ultimate cheat when you’re not feeling inspired, plus it can be frozen and reheated. Win-win.
Hero Ingredient: I can’t emphasize it enough—the fact that you can pack a whole crown of broccoli into a deliciously cheesy dish blows my mind.
Do you rely on batch cooking for easy weeknight meals, too? Share your favorites below!
