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  6. 16 Make-Ahead Dinner Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

16 Make-Ahead Dinner Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

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Danielle DeAngelis August 26, 2022
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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

These make-ahead dinners can be prepped in advance or eaten immediately—and they taste just as delicious either way. From start to finish, these meals take just 30 minutes or less, making them go-to choices for busy nights. Recipes like our Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice and Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad are quick, easy options that are sure to satisfy.

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Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice

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Cut down on carbs and amp up your veggie servings with this healthy cauliflower fried rice with shrimp, broccoli, bell peppers and garlic. Everything is cooked in one wok or skillet, but in stages, so each element keeps its integrity in the finished dish instead of being all mushed together--it may seem fussy, but it's worth it and actually quite easy. Resist the urge to stir the cauliflower rice right away; letting it cook undisturbed for a few minutes allows it to brown and develop sweet, nutty flavors. This healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's perfect for busy weeknights. 

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Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad

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This cold pesto pasta salad will cool you off on a summer day. Fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers add a pop of bright color and juiciness here, but any of your favorite pasta-salad veggies, like blanched broccoli and fresh bell peppers, would be delicious too.

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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

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Vegan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl with Creamy Green Sauce

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In a vegan riff on green goddess dressing, cashews provide a creamy base with tons of flavor from herbs and apple-cider vinegar. Drizzle it all over this bowl of quinoa and roasted vegetables to make a satisfying vegan dinner or easy packable lunch that is ready in just 30 minutes.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
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This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Baked Beans with Ground Beef

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Upgrade baked beans from classic side dish to a meaty main meal by adding lean ground beef. The final result, a superfast hearty casserole, is an easy and fast dinner option. Ground turkey or even sausage would work nicely in this dish. Just watch the sodium.

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Quinoa Avocado Salad

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Protein-packed quinoa pairs with creamy avocado in this refreshing grain salad. It's the perfect make-ahead side dish to bring on a picnic or take to a potluck. Or pack it for lunch or enjoy it as a light dinner.

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Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

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These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time.

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Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

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Olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers and spices come together magically in this healthy chicken quinoa bowl recipe. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a glass of cold Italian white wine.

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Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

Vegan Superfood Buddha Bowls
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This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.

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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

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This scrumptious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes (and most of the prep can be done ahead). Use your blender to whip together the tangy buttermilk-based dressing, which would also be great on a salmon or chickpea salad.

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Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl

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A healthy and satisfying vegan lunch for one, featuring roasted butternut squash, broccoli, peppers and onions with simple brown rice, lime-marinated tofu and creamy cashew tahini sauce.

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Quinoa-Black Bean Salad

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Enjoy this quinoa and black bean salad as a delicious and quick vegetarian main dish or as a side for grilled chicken or steak. And don't forget the leftovers! They make an easy lunch on the go.

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Vegan Grain Bowl

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This easy grain bowl has so much to love--sweet potatoes, protein-packed chickpeas, creamy avocado and homemade tahini dressing. Make the full recipe on the weekend and pack into individual serving containers for ready-to-go lunches for work all week.

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Chickpea Pasta with Lemony-Parsley Pesto

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We love using chickpea pasta in this quick and easy dinner recipe, but other bean pastas or whole-wheat noodles are just as good with this fresh and zesty pesto sauce.

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    1 of 16 Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice
    2 of 16 Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad
    3 of 16 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
    4 of 16 Vegan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl with Creamy Green Sauce
    5 of 16 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
    6 of 16 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
    7 of 16 Baked Beans with Ground Beef
    8 of 16 Quinoa Avocado Salad
    9 of 16 Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice
    10 of 16 Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber
    11 of 16 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls
    12 of 16 Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
    13 of 16 Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl
    14 of 16 Quinoa-Black Bean Salad
    15 of 16 Vegan Grain Bowl
    16 of 16 Chickpea Pasta with Lemony-Parsley Pesto

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    16 Make-Ahead Dinner Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less
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