Vegetarian Make Ahead Menu Ideas for the Week
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Planning and preparing more make ahead vegetarian meals for the week (or even non-vegetarian) can be a key to eating healthier and saving money! It is also a great chance to have a little family time too. There is so much interest right now in planning menus and shopping lists and prepping ingredients ahead of time so supper can be thrown together quickly after a long day at work or school.
So many of the methods people share seem complicated to me, so I want to share some of my tried-and-true menu ideas for a weeknight supper that I hope they might help make your weekday suppers easy and something that your whole family will enjoy!
I have also included a cooking video on how I made the soup. I hope that you have fun with it and enjoy!
How to Begin Making Vegetarian Make Ahead Meals
Vegetarian Meal Plan Check List
- Make a list of menu ideas and make-ahead recipes for the week that your family enjoys, getting you started.
- Find inspiration online or from your favorite cookbooks.
- You can make a great menu template of ideas that you love for a week or two, and you can even recycle menu ideas.
- Make a grocery list based on the make-ahead vegetarian dinners.
- Feel inspired to make two weeks of menus for each season based on the availability of fruits and vegetables grown where you live if inspired.
- Keep a pantry full of staples to make your meal planning easy.
- When you go to the grocery store, stick with your list.
Kitchen Essentials for Make Ahead Vegetarian Dinners
You don’t need a lot of fancy tools to make your meals. I don’t have an Instant Pot, so would love to hear your thoughts on using one and what you have made. Here are some of the tools that I use to cook up a quick, healthy meal:
- Crock Pot: It might be a “slow cooker” but it can cook all day and be ready when I get home! Try my French Country Soup below or some chili and stews also.
- Oven: Think casserole! Some of my favorites to make ahead to bake as soon as I get home include Shepherd’s Pie, Tamale Pie, Mexican casserole, spaghetti pie and macaroni & cheese. And of course, there are many more! Check out my Enchilada Casserole below which we are loving right now!
- Stove Top: I love to stir-fry, saute, or simmer my meals and can do it quickly. Take a look at my easy way to make a tasty stir fry!
Sample Vegetarian Make Ahead Meal Ideas for Supper
These make ahead recipes for the week may help you with your initial family. They are family favorites!
I have also included some quick and make ahead desserts but feel free to cut up a piece of sliced fruit and dress it up with nuts, seeds, coconuts or another fruit to make it beautiful!
Menu One
French Country Soup (see recipe and video below)
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 slice of crusty bread
Old fashioned apple crisp
Menu Two
Enchilada Casserole
Salad Fixings to Top Enchilada (Lettuce, Tomato, Cilantro & Avocados)
Wonderful Pistachio Ice Cream (Make ahead over the weekend for a cool treat after the Mexican meal! You can have the orange zest done ahead of time, so all you have to do is scoop it and top it!)
Menu Three
Plant-Based Stir Fry (See recipe below. Try finding seasonal veggies to vary your options. Cut up over the weekend so it is all ready to go.)
Brown Rice (Make ahead of time and reheat to save even more time.)
Slow Cooker Blackberry Crisp (See recipe below.)
Try these recipes for the week!
Vegetarian Make Ahead Meals
Make Ahead Meals for Vegetarians Menu One
French Country Soup
You can prep ahead by measuring out your spices the weekend before along with chopping your celery, carrots and onions. Soak the beans the night before and chop the potato the morning that you will put together everything in the crock pot. You can put everything in your crock pot except the potatoes and the cabbage the night before and put in the refrigerator. It has been one of our make ahead vegetarian dinners for a long time.
16-ounce dried navy beans, soaked overnight
4 cups vegetable broth
16 ounces canned, diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small chopped onion
1 cup chopped or diced potatoes
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2-3 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 bay leaf
Water
1 cup sliced cabbage
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Crusty bread
In your crock pot, add soaked, rinsed, and drained beans. Next, add diced tomatoes, chopped celery, carrots, potatoes, and onion. For seasonings, add thyme, sage, and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover the vegetables and add the cabbage at the very end so it can steam and not overcook in the water. Turn the crock pot on low and simmer for 6-8 hours. When you get home from work, add the soup to bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Here is a video that shows you how I made the soup! Hope you enjoy seeing my little dog, Hilda!
Make Ahead Meals for Vegetarians Menu Two
Enchilada Casserole
This vegetarian make ahead meal has been my favorite dish this year so far! I love the fact that I can make it ahead of time and be flexible to change up the veggies! I can also change up the sauce and the fresh veggie toppings based on the season and what I have in my pantry. You can even change up the beans and types of cheese that you use. And best of all, my family loves to eat it! I topped my enchilada with fresh spinach, cilantro, and feta. And to save time, I layer my tortillas and do not roll them!
Makes 6-8 servings
Package of corn tortillas (about 20-24)
Canned green or red enchilada sauce, depending on what you are craving (I have also made it)
Veggie broth (to thin the sauce to make it go further if needed)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Chili powder (I used 2 or 3 tablespoons, but you might want to use more or less depending on how you like it)
1 1/2 cup grated cheese (my favorite is white cheddar, but you can use Monterey Jack, and, in this picture, I topped it with a little feta, or you can also use queso fresca at the end, or use cheddar)
1/2 cup onion (if you want to make low FODMAP, skip onion or use green onion, just the green parts)
1 teaspoon, crushed garlic (if you are trying to make it low FODMAP, use garlic oil)
1 sweet potato, diced (peeled or not)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
16 ounces of black beans, rinsed and drained
Fresh spinach, sliced (you can use it in the enchilada filling and top your casserole slices at the end)
Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings:
Chopped cilantro
Crumbled feta
Sliced avocado
Salsa
Yogurt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet: sauté onion, bell pepper and sweet potato until get they soften. Add corn, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. In a 9 by 13 lasagna pan. Add a small amount of oil so casserole does not stick. Add a very small amount of enchilada sauce. You will have three layers of tortillas and two layers of vegetables, cheese and sauce.
After the last layer of tortillas, you will put a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the top. Bake for 20 minutes. Add about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese to the top and bake about 5 minutes longer. After taking it out of the oven, allow to cool about 5 minutes.
Wonderful Pistachio Vegan Ice Cream
Make Ahead Meals for Vegetarians Menu Three
Here are some additional prepare ahead vegetarian meals that I love to make in my crock pot:
https://www.vineripenutrition.com/heart-healthy-soups-warm-your-soul
Vegetarian Dishes to Freeze
Are you looking for some good vegetarian meals to freeze? These can be some of the best make ahead plant based meals. Fix ahead and have ready for you when you need them.
What vegetarian meals freeze well?
Good vegetable dishes to freeze including those containing firmer foods will freeze better than mushier foods.
Ingredients for vegetarian dishes to freeze include:
- beans
- baked firm tofu or tempeh
- vegetables like cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, green beans, winter squash
- whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and millet
Vegetarian Dishes to freeze include:
- Casseroles like the Mexican casserole that I have shared in this article. But lasagnas, Heartwarming Winter Low Fodmap Vegetarian Pot Pie and Shepherd’s pie also freeze well.
- You can cut up and freeze ingredients for a stir fry and make a meal kit to make for a quick supper.
- The French Country Soup freezes well and some of my other soups at Vine Ripe Nutrition. Some vegetarian stews and curries also freeze well.
For additional make ahead veggie recipes that freeze well, Alexandria has some great ideas:
https://www.delishknowledge.com/vegetarian-freezer-recipes-for-new-moms
How to Implement Ways for Make Ahead Vegetarian Meals
I hope that these ideas for make-ahead vegetarian meals will help you make dinner time easier, so you have more time after work to spend with family and friends! As an Asheville registered dietitian nutritionist, I love helping family, friends, and clients find ways to eat healthier, make life easier, and enjoy more! Having some make ahead veggie meals can be a healthy idea and also make your life easier!
If you have been wondering about ways to decrease the risk of chronic inflammation, you may find my free 5-day course helpful! Sign up at my home page or any of the blog posts.