#cook90

61 COOK90 Lunches You Can Make Ahead

Easy to prep and batch-cooking-friendly, these satisfying lunches will save you when you need a COOK90 meal to take to the office.
One of our best ground chicken recipes is this one for herby chicken Kofta meatballs.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
  • Image may contain Plant Food Produce Vegetable Lentil Bean Dish and Meal
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    1/61

    Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

    Spiced grains, roasted peak-season vegetables, and a lemony garlic dressing make this a stand-out side dish that doubles as a satisfying lunch.

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  • Spanish frittata in a woodhandled white skillet with a slice on a plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    2/61

    Spanish Frittata With Herby Yogurt and Greens

    Make a big frittata at the beginning of the week and assemble it into sandwiches, serve it on top of salads, or make different sauces to go on top of it for lunches throughout the week.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Burger Cutlery and Spoon
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    3/61

    Hummus Dinner Bowls With Spiced Ground Beef and Tomatoes

    Make big batches of hummus and ground beef, and eat these hummus bowls for lunch one day. Then, use leftover hummus and beef to assemble salads, sandwiches, and grain bowls for more lunches throughout the week.

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  • A single serving of buckwheat noodles swirled into a bowl with slices of avocado and baby greens and edible flowers.
    Photo by Candice Kumai
    4/61

    Spicy Tahini and Avocado Soba

    Soba + tahini + avocado? Enough said. This full- meal noodle salad is a great way to fill up on good carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of nutrient-rich greens. And it's easily transportable.

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  • One of our best ground chicken recipes is this one for herby chicken Kofta meatballs.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    5/61

    Herby Chicken Kofta Meatballs

    Make a big batch of these spicy herbed meatballs and stash them in your freezer and you’ll always have the building blocks for an easy lunch on hand.

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  • Image may contain Food Meal Dish Plant and Bowl
    Photo by Alex Lau
    6/61

    Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup

    Packed with flavor from curry powder and fresh ginger, this fragrant soup is wonderfully filling, but won’t weigh you down.

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  • A bowl of shredded chicken beside a pile of tortillas a bowl of chopped tomatoes a bowl of black beans and a small dish...
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    11/61

    Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken

    Freeze small portions of this versatile, flavorful chicken to make easy work of tacos, salads, and sandwiches.

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  • White bean salad with lemon and cumin in a bowl and in lettuce cups on a white platter.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    12/61

    White Bean Salad With Lemon and Cumin

    Toss cooked beans with red onion and a lemony cumin dressing; then pack them up separately from lettuce leaves to make quick lettuce wraps for lunch or dinner.

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  • One of the best vegan dinner recipes squash soup and brown rice in a ceramic bowl.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    15/61

    Miso-Tahini Squash Soup With Brown Rice

    Rich with nutty tahini, savory miso, and plenty ginger and garlic, this comforting vegetarian soup is just what the doctor ordered for a chilly winter afternoon.

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  • A bowl of autumn kale salad with wooden tongs.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Jennifer Ophir
    16/61

    Squash and Kale Salad

    This salad is made of hearty kale, which will hold up if you dress it ahead, making it easy to pack as a work lunch.

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  • Crosssection of a sandwich with hearty bread smashed avocado cucumbers sprouts lettuce finely sliced carrots and creamy...
    Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    21/61

    California Veggie Sandwich

    Avocado, goat cheese, and a tangy buttermilk dressing add richness to a sandwich that’s packed with crunch.

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  • Photo of coconut and apple flavored lentil dal in a ceramic bowl topped with toasted flaked coconut and cilantro.
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    22/61

    Coconut-Apple-Ginger Dal

    This velvety lentil stew, brightened with shredded apple and fresh ginger, is the antidote to holiday excess.

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  • Crunchy quinoa salad in a shallow white bowl.
    Photo by Jennifer Davick
    23/61

    Crunchy Quinoa Salad

    Feel free to vary the vegetables in this salad according to what you have in your fridge or can find at the grocery store!

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  • A grey bowl filled with slowcooker green chicken chili.
    Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    24/61

    Slow-Cooker Green Chicken Chili

    This easy chili is a cross between chile verde and white chicken chili, an effortless and hearty dinner that’s perfect for weeknights.

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  • A nocook meal crunchy salad with shredded chicken miso dressing sesame seeds on a marble surface
    Photo by Alex Lau
    31/61

    Shredded Chicken Salad With Creamy Miso Dressing

    Toss rotisserie chicken with a flavorful Caesar-inspired dressing packed with tahini, ginger, and soy, then gild the lily with smoky crumbled bacon. You'll want to wait to dress the salad until you're ready to eat it, so bring your dressing to work in a separate container.

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  • One of our favorite sandwich recipes is for this butternut squash sandwich with cheddar cheese and pickled red onion
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    32/61

    Butternut Squash Sandwich With Cheddar Cheese and Pickled Red Onion

    Stuff roasted butternut squash, rich white cheddar, tangy pickled red onions, and zesty Dijonnaise into bread rolls for a stellar vegetarian sandwich. You can batch cook roasted squash and 'nextover' it into these sandwiches—among other things.

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  • Image may contain Food Salad Cutlery Fork Plant Lunch Meal and Dish
    Photo by Alex Lau
    33/61

    Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Charred Scallion Dressing

    Charred scallions add smoky depth to the creamy, double-acid (lemon and rice vinegar) dressing that pulls this salad of store-bought chicken, Bibb lettuce, avocados, and radishes together.

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  • Salmon burger on a plate with a side of chips.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    34/61

    Salmon Burgers with Red Pepper Mayo

    Made from canned salmon—plus a few pantry staples you likely keep in stock—and slicked with tangy red-pepper mayo, this burger is easy to toss together on the fly.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Seasoning Salad Produce and Vegetable
    Photo by Ed Anderson
    35/61

    Sam's Spring Fattoush Salad

    Part of what makes this salad so great is the dynamic textures; the cracker-like baked lavash croutons and the crunchy cucumbers and radishes contrast with the creamy feta and soft herbs.

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  • Halved baked sweet potatoes roasted fleshside down on a sheet pan some turned up to reveal a caramelized surface.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    36/61

    Baked Sweet Potatoes

    This simple preparation of sweet potatoes can become the base for many lunches and weeknight meals.

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  • A white bowl filled with a massaged kale salad tossed with Parmesan.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    37/61

    Simplest Kale Salad

    Memorize the recipe for this classic, cheesy kale salad and make it your go-to for lunch. Eat it with a sandwich or add some proteins like beans or roasted chicken to make it more filling.

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  • A bowl of white chicken chili topped with tortilla strips cilantro avocado and sour cream.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
    38/61

    White Chicken Chili

    Whether you call this dish a chili or hearty chicken and bean stew, it's definitely a winner.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Dish Meal Pottery Jar Vase Produce and Vegetable
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
    39/61

    Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Curried Chickpeas and Mushrooms

    You can make all of the components for these stuffed sweet potatoes in batches ahead of time, and then assemble them for lunch. Assemble the rest of the chickpeas, vegetables, and sweet potatoes into pastas, sandwiches, and salads the rest of the week.

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  • Brightly colored salad in white bowl on multipatterned tile surface.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    40/61

    Chopped Salad

    Toss roasted squash and charred Brussels sprouts through a salad of chickpeas, salami, olives, and cheese; add a lemony oregano vinaigrette and enjoy.

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  • Bright yellow stew in dark green ceramic bowl on handprinted polkadot textile topped with toasted coconut chips mustard...
    Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    41/61

    Curried Chickpea and Lentil Dal

    This super-easy recipe is a perfect canvas for punchy, crunchy toppers like toasted coconut and mustard seeds with turmeric oil and a zingy chutney. The dal is vegan but full of hearty protein thanks to the chickpeas, lentils, and coconut milk.

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  • Close up of yellow serving bowl with shaved broccoli salad and a set of serving spoons.
    Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    42/61

    Broccoli Caesar

    Broccoli stems are tender and delicious, but it’s important to cut away the dried-out base and peel the tough skin of thicker ones.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Sushi Sesame and Seasoning
    Photo by Aubrie Pick
    47/61

    Rice Balls With Salmon Filling (Onigiri)

    Onigiri is a quintessential Japanese food: made by moms for breakfast, lunch boxes, and picnics. It is the ideal handheld food (the nori wrapper keeps the sticky rice from getting all over your hand).

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  • Roasted kale on a sheet tray.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    48/61

    Big-Batch Roasted Kale

    This big batch of tender roasted kale can be kept in the fridge and added to meals throughout the week. Toss it into salads and stir-fries, stir it into soups, or use it in a grain bowl.

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  • Image may contain Food and Bread
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    49/61

    Quick Sweet Potato, Mushroom, and Black Bean Burrito

    This hearty burrito comes together in just 22 minutes, but it's still full of flavor.

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  • Image may contain Food Egg Dish Meal Platter and Plant
    Photo by David Malosh
    50/61

    Roasted Beet Tzatziki Salad

    This psychedelic Mediterranean-inspired salad marries bright, fresh ingredients with sweet, earthy roasted beets and perfectly cooked eggs. It tastes as good as it looks on the plate, and all the ingredients make for good snacks.

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  • Two bowls of whitebean chili topped with sour cream and chopped cilantro a bowl of cornbread off to the side.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    51/61

    Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

    For easy, hands-off meal prep, throw chicken thighs, green chiles, white beans, and a flurry of spices into your slow cooker and come home to a hearty, flavorful meal.

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  • Marinated Bean in a white bowl
    Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop styling by Tim Ferro, Food styling by Taneka Morris
    52/61

    Marinated Mixed Beans

    Coating the herbs in oil and soaking the shallot in vinegar prevents oxidation, so you can keep these beans for days.

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  • Image may contain Food Noodle Pasta Spaghetti Vermicelli Seasoning and Sesame
    Photo by Dennis Prescott
    57/61

    Honey-Garlic Noodles

    These honey-garlic noodles are perfect as is, or as a side dish served with chicken, steak, or a fried egg or tossed with your favorite stir-fried veggies. The recipe comes together very quickly, so get everything diced, sliced, minced, and prepped first.

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  • Cannellini beans with spinach in a white shallow bowl with a spoon.
    Photo by Eva Kolenko, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    58/61

    Cannellini Beans With Spinach

    If there is a lot of liquid in the pan when the spinach is done, drain it before adding the beans.

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  • A bowl of miso kale caesar salad next to smaller bowls of corn and avocado.
    Photo by Candice Kumai
    61/61

    Miso Kale Caesar Salad

    With tahini, miso, a touch of sweetness, and rice vinegar, this umami-lover’s dream salad is the perfect way to put a fresh spin on a Western classic.

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