When It's Too Cold For Grocery Shopping, These 15 Meals Give You Leftovers All Week
So nice you'll enjoy it twice!
In life there are certain routine tasks that feel, each time, nearly insurmountable. For me, the most despicable of these is going grocery shopping. While the actual process of walking the aisles and choosing ingredients for future meals can be genuinely enjoyable, the prospect of leaving my apartment to spend not an insignificant amount of money and lug a week’s worth of ingredients home in the cold is enough to glue me to my couch. That’s why I especially love these big-batch dinner recipes. Each of these 15 recipes are sure to leave you with leftovers, which will save you an extra trip to the store. Plus, they’re so good, you’ll want to enjoy them several times a week anyway! Each of these recipes will leave you with leftovers that will last for several days in the fridge, so by just making a few recipes you'll keep your fridge stocked the whole week through.
Large serving sizes are one way to beat the grocery store blues, but another way is to utilize the ingredients that you already have in your pantry. Recipes like our baked feta chickpeas, chicken Alfredo, and beef stew come together in a snap, with basic ingredients you likely already own.
Similarly, easy soups and stews, like our copycat Chick-Fil-A chicken tortilla soup, creamy chicken marsala gnocchi soup, and classic chili are perfect for making big batches and freezing for quick and easy consumption whenever the craving strikes.
Whatever you’re craving, odds are we’ve got a weeknight dinner recipe for you that is easy to scale up for leftovers and keep you out of the self-checkout lines. Plus, don’t forget to treat yourself to dessert and drinks on your evenings-in as well, you deserve it!
French Onion Pot Roast
Cold-weather comfort food is all I want on a lazy, long weekend, and this French onion pot roast is the perfect cross between slow-roasted chuck and classic cheesy French onion soup.
Get the French Onion Pot Roast recipe.
Creamy Chicken Marsala Gnocchi Soup
Creamy chicken Marsala and French onion gnocchi soup are already at the top of my easy weeknight dinner list, so it's only right to combine them. The result is a hearty, Marsala-spiked soup packed with pan-fried chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and pillowy gnocchi.
Baked Feta Chickpeas
Let me introduce you to your next obsession: baked feta chickpeas. Tossed in a fresh garlic-burst cherry tomato sauce and served with slabs of bubbling browned feta, these chickpeas are your weeknight ticket to protein-packed dinnertime bliss.
Get the Baked Feta Chickpeas recipe.
Marry Me Chicken
Whenever I’m looking for a chicken dinner that will make jaws drop, I always turn to this go-to recipe. Chicken breasts are seared until golden brown before being baked in a simple cream sauce that results in a chicken that's packed with flavor in every bite.
Get the Marry Me Chicken recipe.
Beef Stew
A winter dinner staple, beef stew is the hearty comfort food to make when you need a bowl of stick-to-your-bones, warming goodness. Our version of this classic—replete with baby potatoes, veggies, and tender beef—gets an extra zhuzh of flavor from tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
Get the Beef Stew recipe.
White Bean & Smoked Sausage Skillet
This white bean and sausage skillet is guaranteed to have you scraping your bowl clean and coming back for seconds. Seared smoked sausage gets smothered in a creamy sauce made from shallot, garlic, chopped kale, and cannellini beans, then topped with homemade croutons to make this hearty skillet dinner.
Chicken Alfredo
With a creamy, cheesy sauce and tender chicken breasts, chicken Alfredo is the pasta dish I turn to time and time again when I need the ultimate comfort meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Get the Chicken Alfredo recipe.
Classic Chili
Hearty, filling, and versatile, chili is a staple comfort food for very good reason. If you’re looking for the most classic version to come home to after a long day, then this is the recipe for you.
Get the Classic Chili recipe.
Lasagnchiladas
This dinner mash-up is everything you’d usually find between the noodle layers in lasagna—saucy beef Bolognese and herby ricotta—rolled into flour tortillas and topped with more Bolognese, mozzarella, and Parmesan, then baked until bubbly and perfect.
Get the Lasagnchiladas recipe.
Lunch Lady Sheet-Pan Pizza
Our sheet-pan pizza includes an instant yeast dough, herby pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and spicy pepperoni baked on a sheet tray until you can see melty cheese and that signature thick and fluffy crust that will take you back to pizza day in the cafeteria.
Get the Lunch Lady Sheet-Pan Pizza recipe.
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
Our take on Chick-fil-A’s chicken tortilla soup is packed with rotisserie chicken, beans, corn, and a blend of cozy spices, making it the perfect comfort food to warm up with.
Chicken Shawarma Sheet-Pan Dinner
These easy sheet-pan dinner sees chicken thighs marinated in Greek yogurt, cumin, coriander, and paprika, roasted on a sheet pan with red onion, then topped with a bright cucumber-tomato salad and plenty of herby tahini yogurt dressing.
Cheesy Barbacoa Biscuit Bake
This recipe combines the rich smoky flavors of traditional barbacoa with a cheesy topping and buttery biscuits for an irresistible meal. At the heart of this dish is succulent beef chuck roast, slow cooked in a blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and a medley of spices.
Get the Cheesy Barbacoa Biscuit Bake recipe.
Mexican Beef ‘N Rice Skillet
During busy weeknights, one-skillet meals become our dinner saviors. Featuring spiced ground beef, flavorful rice, hearty beans, and lots of cheese, this Mexican beef ‘n rice skillet all comes together in just 40 minutes with minimal prep.
Get the Mexican Beef ‘N Rice Skillet recipe.
Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo
This hearty take on a classic chicken Alfredo will easily become a go-to comforting weeknight dish. Cajun Alfredo expands on what we love about fettuccine Alfredo and is amped up with punchy spices and andouille sausage.
Get the Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo recipe.
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