It’s time to start thinking about your meal plan for next week. From a classic Greek pasta with yogurt sauce to an OMG meatball soup, we’ve got five dinners that will get you through the busy week ahead. So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock up before the weekend’s over. And if it’s easier for you to do that from your inbox, be sure to sign up for our weekly meal plan emails.
Top: Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions | Photos by Ryan Dausch for Food52
Related: Make-ahead stir fry freezer packs: 3 easy steps to always have a lightening fast dinner on hand.
Like any good Greek food person, I’m a big fan of Diane Kochila. One of her simplest, most glorious recipes is this Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions, which she shared at Food52. It’s so simple and totally divine — plus, it gives you an excuse to use Caroline’s newfound trick for caramelizing onions in the Instant Pot.
If you don’t love caramelized onions (I’ll reserve judgement, but it’s hard…), I’ve seen Diane make a version without them and tons of fresh herbs instead, including your choice of rosemary, parsley, oregano, marjoram, basil, mint, fennel, and/or thyme.
One of my kids’ favorite things to eat at Japanese restaurants is chicken katsu or tonkatsu and, thanks to this fantastic recipe for Katsudon Japanese Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl at Woks of Life, I can recreate a favorite at home. Note that the recipe is written for two servings, so adjust as neccessary. Also, when you steam rice for this, I want you to cook double the amount so that you have enough ready to go for dinner two nights from now… because, you’ll see.
The Lemon Turmeric Salmon at Tori Avey takes a total of 30 minutes to prep and cook, and out comes a healthy, flavorful meal. Also, you’ll learn a fun technique that I bet you’ll end up using for other recipes too — it’s so smart! This is perfect with a big salad or side of roasted veggies, pita bread, and if you have a super hungry crew like mine, some creamy hummus too.
Related: 12 healthy dinner ideas for your picky eater. Yes, really!
I love a huge, satisfying dinner salad during this time of year, when the weather is changing and I’m ready to lighten things up. But it has to truly be satisfying. This Vietnamese Chicken Salad at White on Rice Couple fits the bill, especially if you serve the salad with a side of leftover rice from your Katsudon night. (I told you it would come in handy!) If you have the wherewithal, make extra chicken to have on hand for leftovers too. It’ll be great for school lunch and weekend sandwiches.
Okay, I admit that this recipe has quite a number of steps, but each one is pretty simple. And when you see the end result — OMG — isn’t it worth it?! This Meatball Sub Soup at Cooking with Cocktail Rings looks totally insane and like the perfect way to usher in the weekend. And if you really need to, shortcut the recipe by grabbing ready-made meatballs at your favorite local Italian spot or maybe even Trader Joe’s.
