34 batch-cook recipes to make your week so much easier
Sometimes, trying to fit in time to cook a tasty, nutritious dinner is a challenge. A week of work, social plans and yoga classes can easily result in a panicked scramble for lunch and dinner, resulting in far too much hard-earned money spent in Pret A Manger, or an uninspiring meal made with limp fridge leftovers.
Banish these all-too-common mealtime situations with our selection of easy, delicious, batch-cook-appropriate recipes. If you're in need of lunch inspiration, give our doenjang tofu and crispy quinoa salad or classic tuna crunch pasta salad a try.
For freezer-fillers, you can't beat our lamb rogan josh, beef shin ragu and classic Thai red curry. Or, if you just want something quick to cook tonight and stack in the fridge for the week ahead, our 15-minute salmon and asparagus orzotto is an absolute dream.
Our best-ever batch-cooking recipes
Salmon and asparagus orzotto
This creamy, easy risotto only takes 15 minutes to make, sending it straight into our good books for weeknight cooking. Double the recipe and keep in airtight containers in the fridge for week-long easy lunches.
Crispy tofu salad
If you're a fan of miso, you need to pick up a jar of the paste's Korean cousin, doenjang, on your next weekly shop. Double or even quadruple this recipe and box up this savoury, healthy salad for a week's worth of desk-side lunches.
Fresh tomato sauce
Make a big batch of this super easy fresh tomato pasta sauce for the week, and use it in anything from pasta with roasted vegetables and parmesan, to breadcrumbed fish and charred broccoli with lemon.
Chicken roti
This flavour-bomb Trinidadian curry is ready in under an hour, and it makes a great freezer filler for days when you just don't have time to cook. Switch out chicken for your favourite meat-free protein to make this meal vegan-friendly.
Celeriac coconut dal gratin
Upgrade your usual dal recipe with a nutty, crispy celeriac topping with our celeriac coconut dal gratin. Paired with a punchy cucumber and red onion salad, it's a brilliant fridge dinner that'll feel like you've whipped it up from scratch every time you pop it in the oven.
Smoked haddock orzotto
Dinner ready in under 15 minutes? Yes please. This fresh and flavoursome orzotto is the busy woman's best friend. Plus, if you double the recipe and store the leftovers, it makes the ideal meal-prepped lunch.
Lamb rogan josh
This deeply flavoursome lamb rogan josh is just the thing to cook up on the weekend and enjoy with rice, naans and cucumber salad over the week ahead. To achieve the ultimate moreish-ness, we recommend making your own curry paste for the base.
Honey-roasted parsnip soup
Make the most of sweet, fudge-y roasted parsnips with our gorgeously spiced parsnip soup. Topped with a nutty kale pesto and caramelised onions, it's far from a boring lunch option. Store the soup and toppings separately in the fridge for a week's worth of lunches that never miss.
Roasted swede risotto
Swede is the unsung hero of the vegetable aisle in our eyes, and this sumptuous (and surprisingly easy to make) risotto makes it the star of the show. Sticky roasted swede is combined with a simple risotto and bright green watercress oil to make a simple meat-free dinner that's perfect for storing away in the freezer for busy days.
Aubergine fatteh
If you're after a flavoursome veggie lunch or dinner this week, our recipe for aubergine fatteh is a brilliant choice. It takes just 30 minutes and comes with the crispiest pitta chips for dipping. Decant into your favourite Tupperware for the ultimate flavoursome lunch.
Chicken and banana korma
In this recipe, we've blitzed banana into our creamy korma sauce to create a super moreish version of this curry classic. The sauce also behaves well in the freezer and while being reheated, making it a perfect batch cook meal option.
Hasselback shepherd's pie
Amp up classic shepherd's pie with a cheesy hasselback topping that crisps up beautifully in the oven. Serve with steamed greens or box up and keep in the freezer for a rainy day.
One-pot sausage pasta
This recipe is the ultimate easy dinner – not only is it ready in double-quick time, but you also cook the pasta in the sauce, meaning less washing up (and more time to eat). It stores and reheats well, making it just the thing you need for batch cook dinners.
Lamb keema
If you've got a pack of lamb mince in the freezer, this lamb keema recipe should be on your radar. It's quick to put together and tastes great with rice, naan and pickles. Plus, it's great for lunchboxes.
Tuna pasta salad
Tuna pasta salad is a classic for a reason - it's the perfect bacth-cook lunch that never loses its crunch, and has tons of fresh veg and protein for nutrition points. Plus, it's absolutely delicious.
Artichoke and pea risotto
This simple meat-free risotto uses one of our favourite time-saving flavour-bomb ingredients: jarred artichokes. We use both the oil and the artichokes themselves in this recipe to jazz up a simple pea risotto, and we think it makes a great batch cooking option.
Lamb passanda
If you love cooking up a storm on the weekend to enjoy throughout the week, this creamy, aromatic lamb passanda will be your new favourite dish. The flaked almond and coriander garnish is an absolute must, and it's at its best served with fluffy rice.
Pork stroganoff
This warming one-pot takes around half an hour to make, and is the perfect thing to have stacked in the fridge for the end of a busy day. Serve with fluffy rice, buttered new potatoes or even hunks of crusty bread for an easy, hearty meal.
Thai red curry
After a long day at the office, you simply can't beat coming home to a bowl of fragrant Thai curry with sticky rice. The secret to this one is a super easy homemade curry paste made with lemongrass, lime leaves and plenty of red chillies.
Sweet potato falafels
A falafel salad is the easiest lunch to throw together, and we love adding in extra colour and flavour by making ours with sweet potato and bulgar wheat. Whip up a batch and combine with fresh veggies, slaw and hummus for a lunch you'll actually love.
Tarka dal
Our tarka dal is a store cupboard classic - using red split lentils and a variety of fragrant spices, it's a dish you can whip up with barely anything in the fridge. It's great both stored in the fridge and in the freezer, and can bulk out other curries or even make a gorgeous side alongside grilled meat or vegetables.
Cod and chorizo traybake
Our recipe for smoky, breadcrumb-topped fish is one of our favourite batch-cooking recipes. The fish is soaked in chorizo oil for extra flavour, and it makes the perfect lunch for the next day both hot and cold.
Beef massaman curry
While this recipe is a labour of love, it's well worth it if you're doing a batch-cooking weekend. To cut down on the faff, we've used a shop-bought paste, but it's still completely divine and exactly the thing you need ready and waiting for you after a long day.
Chicken tagine
Give weeknights a Moroccan spin with our fragrant chicken tagine recipe. Double the recipe and box up with fluffy cous cous drenched in lemon juice for a warming office lunch or a quick dinner.
Moussaka
This traditional Greek bake might not seem like everyday fare, but if you're after a weekend project that'll feed you throughout the week then this is a fabulous option. Made with both beef and lamb mince for maximum flavour, it's a total winner.
Sweet potato and chickpea curry
The secret to making this simple vegetarian curry absolutely delicious is a spoonful of tamarind paste. It brings a tang and sweetness that's brilliant alongside the coconut milk, and makes for the most flavoursome sauce for the roasted sweet potato and chickpeas.
Macaroni cheese
Macaroni cheese is the ultimate batch cooking recipe for a reason - it's crowd-pleasing, comforting, delicious and goes with pretty much any veggies you've got in the fridge. We've topped ours with tortilla chips for extra crunch, but you could use garlicky breadcrumbs or even ready salted crinkle-cut chips.
Lamb kahari
This slow-cooked curry is brilliant to batch-cook if you're feeding a group. It's a total crowd-pleaser with fall-apart meat and a gorgeous combination of spices. Top with plenty of fresh coriander and serve with basmati rice for the ideal weekend feast.
Cauliflower cheese gnocchi bake
Cauliflower cheese is a roast-side classic we all know and love, so why not upgrade it to centrepiece status with gnocchi and a zesty green salsa verde. Store the bake and the sauce separately in the fridge and you've got yourself a gorgeously comforting dinner for the week.
Pork and mushroom meatballs
Our pork and mushroom meatballs are a brilliant batch-cook option, as they're super versatile and packed with hidden veg. Serve them with pasta, mashed potatoes or mashed butterbeans for a simple midweek meal that feels far fancier than the five minutes you spent re-heating it.
Mushroom and spinach gnocchi bake
Thought mushroom pasta was a dull dinner option? Think again. Our delightfully savoury mushroom and spinach gnocchi bake is something you'll come back to time and time again - quite literally if you're batch cooking it for the week.
Ham and pearl barley risotto
Switch out rice for nutty pearl barley in this easy spring-time recipe. Risotto is a brilliant batch-cook option as it keeps well in the fridge, but we recommend adding a splash of water if you're reheating it in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Beef shin ragu
Our beef shin ragu is the ultimate warming dish, and can be made and frozen in individual portions for luxurious-feeling dinners, ready in a flash. Serve with silky pappardelle, creamy mash or even buttered garlic bread for maximum comfort food vibes.
Sweet and spicy Chinese pork belly
Batch cooking doesn't have to be boring. Our lip-smackingly sweet and spicy Chinese-style pork belly with brown rice and pak choi is something you'll look forward to eating again and again.
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