One of the most common setbacks people have to cooking more at home is that they don't have the time. Well, you can throw your excuses in the bin as these 30 minute meal prep friendly recipes are for weeks when you need easy lunches and dinners prepared quickly (but don't want to skimp on flavour).
If you've been following me for a while, you'll know I'm a pretty lazy cook. Anything that involves hours of standing around the kitchen or heaps of complicated steps probably isn't happening in my house. That's why most of my recipes are either minimally hands-on, like my slow cooker meal preps, or done and dusted in around 30 minutes - sometimes much less.
Unlike other quick recipe round ups out there, each of these recipes has been designed specifically with meal prepping and leftovers in mind including how they store and reheating (and freeze!)
So put down your delivery app and your "I don't have time to meal prep excuse" and pick one of these 30-minute recipes to make instead!
55+ 30-minute meals for dinner (and lunch!)
1. Black pepper chicken stir fry
Black pepper chicken is one of my go-to easy 30 minute dinners when I want something with plenty of flavour but very little fuss. Chicken breast, capsicum and onion are tossed through a simple black pepper sauce made mostly from pantry staples. It makes four portions quickly, so dinner tonight can also sort out a few lunches for the week.
2. Beef teriyaki noodles
These quick teriyaki beef and vegetable noodles combine tender strips of beef, vegetables and long-life noodles with a homemade teriyaki sauce. They take around 20 minutes, and I specifically use noodles that hold up better once refrigerated rather than turning into a sad clump the next day.
3. Cashew chicken and vegetables stir fry
For a quick fakeaway, this cashew chicken stir fry with vegetables gives you chicken, plenty of vegetables and roasted cashews coated in a savoury, lightly spicy sauce. It's ready in under 30 minutes and you can swap the vegetables around depending on what's already in the fridge. Serve it with rice and you've got an easy dinner plus leftovers sorted.
4. Beef pad see ew
Beef and vegetable pad see ew combines tender beef, wide rice noodles and crisp vegetables with a sweet and savoury soy-based sauce. This quick beef noodle stir fry is a handy option when you're craving Thai takeaway but want something you can make at home in about the same amount of time. It also works well for meal prep when you want a break from rice bowls.
5. Chicken Caesar pasta salad
This chicken Caesar pasta salad is one of those quick cold lunch meal prep ideas that doesn't require reheating. Shredded chicken, crispy bacon, pasta and boiled eggs are tossed through my Greek yogurt Caesar dressing, which keeps it lighter than the really heavy deli-style versions.
6. One-pot chicken cajun pasta
This quick creamy Cajun pasta has chicken, vegetables and pasta simmered in a creamy tomato and Cajun-spiced sauce, all in one pot. It's an easy high protein chicken dinner when you want something comforting without creating an entire sink full of washing up. The leftovers also make an easy heat-and-eat lunch.
7. Curried savoury mince
Curried beef mince with rice is a simple combination of beef mince, curry powder and plenty of vegetables that works particularly well when you need low effort meal prep. Swap the rice for some potatoes or even on top of toast that can double as a savoury breakfast prep. Zak's main complaint when I made this one was that there wasn't enough left for lunch, which is probably a decent argument for making extra.
8. Beef stroganoff without sour cream
My 30 minute beef stroganoff uses quickly seared beef and mushrooms with a Dijon, Worcestershire and Greek yogurt sauce instead of sour cream or heavy cream. Each serve has approximately 43g of protein and the lighter sauce holds up particularly well when reheated.
9. Chicken satay noodle stir fry
These quick chicken satay noodles combine chicken and noodles with a creamy peanut sauce that doesn't need coconut milk. The whole stir fry comes together in under 30 minutes, and I use dried noodles because they hold their texture better for leftovers.
10. Dill pickle pasta salad
If you don't want to join the microwave queue at work, this quick dill pickle pasta salad is worth adding to the rotation. Pasta, crunchy dill pickles, cucumber, lettuce and bacon are mixed with a Greek yogurt and pickle juice dressing, with no mayo, sour cream or cheese needed. Pair with some leftover roast chicken or salmon for a more balanced prep.
11. Beef mince taco rice bowl
A takeaway taco bowl can get expensive surprisingly quickly, which is why I make these easy beef taco rice bowls at home. Beef mince, rice and your favourite Mexican-style toppings give you a filling dinner that can be portioned straight into meal prep containers. They're easy to customise too, including adding as much guac as you actually want.
12. Nan's curried sausages
My easy curried sausages with rice are based on years of eating different versions made by my parents, grandparents and eventually me. Sausages, vegetables and a simple curry sauce make this a budget-friendly dinner that doesn't need complicated ingredients or techniques.
13. Ginger honey chicken rice bowl
This quick honey ginger chicken combines chicken, broccoli and rice with a punchy homemade honey and ginger sauce. It's ready in under 30 minutes, and the sauce continues soaking into everything while it sits in the fridge, making the leftovers particularly good. You can also adjust the sweetness and savouriness rather than being stuck with whatever comes in a takeaway container.
14. Creamy gochujang chicken pasta
For something a little different from your standard creamy pasta, this 30 minute gochujang chicken pasta combines chicken breast, gochujang and soy sauce in a creamy sauce without heavy cream. It has plenty of flavour and a little heat while still being suitable for weeknight cooking. The sauce also reheats better than many traditional creamy pasta dishes, which makes it better for meal prepping.
15. Fried rice with ground beef
Beef fried rice is about as practical as quick throw-together meals get: lean beef mince, eggs, frozen vegetables, rice (preferably cold, day old) and a simple savoury sauce. It's also very forgiving if you need to use up vegetables hanging around in the fridge or freezer.
16. Greek chicken rice bowl
These Greek chicken meal prep bowls start with Greek yogurt-marinated chicken and rice, then add fresh vegetables, olives and plenty of homemade tzatziki (optional, ofc). It's still chicken, vegetables and rice at heart, just considerably less boring than eating the same plain combination all week.
17. Honey soy garlic chicken noodles
Honey garlic chicken noodles are a sweet-savoury stir fry made with chicken breast, vegetables and long-life noodles in a glossy honey soy garlic sauce. This quick chicken noodle meal prep is easy enough for a busy weeknight, but the noodles also hold their texture well after refrigeration. The leftovers can also be eaten cold if you're stuck somewhere without a microwave.
18. 30-minute honey ginger salmon rice bowl
This quick honey ginger salmon bowl pairs baked salmon and rice with a sweet and savoury honey-soy glaze, ginger and fresh mango salsa. The salsa gives the bowl plenty of freshness against the richer salmon.
19. Big Mac pasta salad
This Big Mac-style pasta salad turns the familiar burger flavours into a cold meal prep with lean beef mince, lettuce, pickles, cheese and a lighter burger sauce. It's practical for office lunches because you can eat it straight from the fridge, while the beef makes it considerably more filling than your standard pasta salad.
20. Cabbage chicken salad
For a genuinely super-fast meal prep lunch, this cabbage chicken salad doesn't even require cooking if you're using pre-cooked chicken. Shredded chicken, red cabbage and crisp vegetables are tossed with a creamy avocado dressing. The cabbage also holds its crunch for days, which is exactly why I prefer it to softer leafy salads for meal prep.
21. Beef black pepper with rice
This 30 minute black pepper beef stir fry combines peppered steak and seasonal vegetables with a Chinese-inspired sauce made using freshly cracked black peppercorns. Serve it over rice and you've got a complete meal without chef-level techniques or an unnecessarily long ingredient list.
22. Honey soy beef rice bowl
This quick sticky beef rice bowl combines beef mince and rice with a sweet-salty honey soy sauce and some hidden vegetables cooked straight into the mixture. Mince keeps the cooking time short, while the sauce tastes even better after sitting overnight. It's also a freezer-friendly meal making it extra useful for those nights when you just need a Plan B option.
23. Chicken pad see ew
Homemade chicken pad see ew is a Thai-inspired noodle dish made with chicken breast, wide rice noodles, bok choy and mushrooms coated in a sweet and savoury sauce. This gives you the Asian-fakeaway feel without the heavier, oilier sauce you can sometimes get from takeaway.
24. Baked pesto chicken gnocchi
This easy pesto chicken gnocchi bake uses chicken, gnocchi, homemade basil pesto, tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant without adding heavy cream. Most of the work happens together in the oven, so there's very little hands-on cooking once everything is assembled. It's useful when your definition of low effort is putting dinner on a tray and walking away (me for Thursday dinners).
25. Honey lemon chicken
My quick Chinese-style lemon chicken came from wanting the tangy, glossy sauce of my usual takeaway order without the heavy battered chicken underneath it. Chicken pieces are coated in a fresh honey lemon sauce for a lighter Asian fakeaway recipe that can be paired with rice and vegetables.
26. Chicken pad thai
This easy chicken pad Thai is a quick homemade alternative for the nights when you're hovering dangerously close to opening the delivery apps. Chicken, noodles and classic sweet-savoury pad Thai flavours come together in a meal that's perfect for an easy dinner plus for your lunch meal preps!
27. Honey soy chicken
My honey soy chicken rice bowls use affordable chicken breast bites coated in a sticky honey soy glaze and served with rice. The sauce gives me the Woolies honey soy chicken flavour I love without requiring sticky fingers from eating wings. It's a simple lean-protein meal prep that reheats easily for lunch.
28. Korean beef rice bowl
This 30 minute Korean beef bowl combines beef mince and rice with a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Using mince rather than sliced steak keeps the recipe affordable, quick to cook and practical for batch preparation. The flavours also deepen overnight, so tomorrow's lunch might actually be better than dinner.
29. 30 minute Kung pao chicken
My easy Kung Pao chicken uses chicken breast, crisp vegetables and peanuts in a sticky homemade sauce. Instead of requiring Sichuan peppercorns, I use more accessible black pepper and ground coriander, so you shouldn't need a separate trip to a speciality shop before dinner.
30. Mediterranean chicken couscous bowl
If turning on the oven sounds like too much effort, this quick Mediterranean chicken couscous bowl uses rotisserie chicken, pearl couscous and crisp vegetables with a dill, garlic and cucumber tzatziki dressing. It comes together in minutes and can be eaten cold, plus it's a high-protein recipe perfect for meal prepping (when layering).
31. Mexican chorizo orzo
This quick Mexican chorizo orzo packs chorizo, salsa, tomatoes, sweetcorn and black beans into one pan. The orzo becomes creamy as it cooks without needing actual cream, while the chorizo does most of the heavy lifting flavour-wise.
32. Orange chicken and rice
My easy orange chicken and rice is the sort of fakeaway meal I make when the $25 takeaway alternative is looking a little ridiculous. Chicken and rice are paired with that sticky, citrusy orange sauce you're actually craving. Make several portions and future-you doesn't need to make another dinner decision tomorrow.
33. Peanut satay chicken salad
This quick peanut satay chicken salad combines shredded chicken with crisp vegetables and a salty-sweet peanut sauce. There's very little cooking involved, and everything can be prepped ahead and layered so the vegetables stay fresh. It's a particularly good warm-weather meal prep when you're over reheated lunches.
34. Mediterranean chicken orzo
Mediterranean lemon chicken orzo combines tender chicken, spinach and tangy lemon with Greek seasoning, creamy orzo and feta. This orzo dish is made in one pot, which means fewer dishes as well as a quick dinner. The combination also holds up well as leftovers for lunch.
35. Mexican tuna salad without mayonnaise
This no-cook Mexican tuna salad is what I make when even a 30-minute recipe sounds like too much effort. Tinned tuna, corn and black beans are mixed with a taco-spiced yogurt dressing for a fresh, filling meal you can throw together quickly. It's equally useful for last-minute lunches and those nights when crackers were starting to look suspiciously like dinner.
36. Mushroom spinach pasta
This quick creamy mushroom and spinach pasta is for anyone who loves restaurant-style creamy pasta but doesn't necessarily want the heavy cream that usually comes with it. Mushrooms and spinach are mixed through a creamy sauce for an easy meat-free dinner. It's comforting without requiring an elaborate cooking session.
37. Pesto orzo pasta salad with sundried tomatoes
Ready in about 10 minutes, this quick pesto orzo pasta salad combines sundried tomatoes, spinach, feta and cherry tomatoes with a creamy basil pesto made using silken tofu instead of cream. And before you write off the tofu: you genuinely wouldn't know it's doing the work in the sauce. Toasted pine nuts finish it off for a simple cold lunch that can be served with some leftover chicken or salmon.
38. Sweet and sour pork
My quick sweet and sour pork stir fry keeps the pineapple but skips the batter, then adds plenty of vegetables to make it more useful as an everyday meal. The sweet and tangy sauce gives you the takeaway flavours without adding a lengthy frying process.
39. Mediterranean pasta salad
This Mediterranean pasta salad meal prep is loaded with olives, sundried tomatoes and plenty of Greek-inspired flavour from extra-virgin olive oil and lemon. It's straightforward to prepare ahead and works equally well as a cold lunch or a make-ahead salad for a BBQ. The flavours also have time to mingle while it sits in the fridge.
40. Pineapple and chicken fried rice
This quick pineapple chicken fried rice combines chicken, day-old rice, eggs and vegetables with grilled pineapple for a sweet-savoury finish. Using leftover rice makes the whole thing handy for clearing out the fridge while putting dinner together quickly.
41. Creamy mushroom sausage and spinach pasta
This easy sausage, mushroom and spinach pasta has the creamy comfort-food feel of something you'd order at an Italian restaurant without relying on heavy cream. Sausage provides plenty of flavour while mushrooms and spinach bulk out the pasta meal prep with very little extra effort. It also makes excellent leftovers for an easy lunch the following day.
42. Mediterranean chicken wrap
These quick Mediterranean chicken wraps combine shredded chicken breast, spinach, cucumber, a homemade tzatziki, feta and olives in a lunch that takes only minutes to assemble. They're great for meal prep when you don't have access to a microwave. Keep the components ready in the fridge and put the wraps together when you need them.
43. 20-minute pork and green bean stir fry
This quick pork and green bean stir fry combines pork mince with crisp green beans and a simple Asian-style sauce. Mince cooks quickly and absorbs loads of flavour, making this a very practical option for a busy weeknight.
44. Peanut satay chicken and rice
These quick satay chicken rice bowls combine chicken breast, creamy peanut satay sauce, rice and vegetables in one very meal-prep-friendly combination. The sauce helps keep the chicken moist after a few days in the fridge, which matters considerably more to me than whether a meal looks good only on day one.
45. Nan's savoury mince
Savoury mince is one of those easy last-minute dinner recipes built from ingredients you probably already recognise: beef mince, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and vegetables. I usually serve it with rice, although it's easy to change the carbohydrate depending on what's available.
46. Sausage tomato pasta
This easy sausage tomato pasta with spinach combines sausage, garlic and onion in a tomato and basil sauce with spinach stirred through at the end. Sausage brings plenty of flavour on its own, which means you don't need to spend forever building a complicated sauce. It's a hearty weeknight dinner that comes together with very little fuss.
47. Tray baked chicken fajitas
These easy sheet pan chicken fajitas put chicken breast and colourful capsicum onto one tray with Mexican-inspired seasonings, leaving the oven to handle most of the work. There's very little hands-on cooking and, more importantly, minimal washing up afterwards. Use the chicken for fajitas at dinner and portion the leftovers for meal prep.
48. Prawn and vegetable stir fry
This quick shrimp vegetable stir fry combines prawns with crisp Asian vegetables and a simple garlic and ginger sauce. Frozen prawns, pantry staples and whatever vegetables are in season help keep it budget friendly without slowing dinner down. Toss everything with noodles for a fast weeknight meal that's ready in minutes.
49. One pot sundried tomato chicken pasta
This quick creamy sundried tomato chicken pasta puts chicken, pasta, sundried tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms into one pot with a higher-protein sauce made without cream. You get a properly creamy pasta without needing a separate pan for every component. It makes an easy dinner and reheats well enough to earn a place in the meal prep rotation.
50. Sweet and sour chicken without batter
My easy sweet and sour chicken swaps the traditional pork for chicken breast bites and combines them with pineapple, vegetables and a tangy-sweet homemade sauce. Serve everything over rice so it can soak up the extra sauce. It's an easy, Asian-themed recipe that can be cooked once and portioned straight into lunches.
51. Sweet chilli chicken stir fry
This 30 minute sweet chilli chicken combines chicken breast, capsicum and zucchini with a sticky sweet chilli soy sauce and rice. The sauce also helps the chicken stay moist once stored, which makes it a particularly good option for prepped lunches.
52. Teriyaki chicken noodles
These teriyaki chicken and vegetables noodles combine chicken breast, bok choy, carrots and noodles in a glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. Four portions are ready in around 25 minutes, and I use the recipe for both easy dinners and cold lunches because the noodles still taste great without reheating. Making the sauce yourself also means you can adjust the sweetness and saltiness.
53. Baked teriyaki salmon with rice
This easy teriyaki salmon rice bowl combines baked salmon, fluffy rice and quick-pickled vegetables for a simple Asian-inspired meal. The components can be stored separately, which helps everything keep its texture during the week. Assemble a bowl when you're ready to eat rather than cooking lunch from scratch.
54. Tuna pasta salad
This quick tuna pasta salad mixes pasta, tuna, crisp vegetables and sweetcorn with a light Greek yogurt dressing. It's a straightforward cold lunch that can be prepared ahead and eaten without reheating. I like it for warmer weeks when the thought of another steaming meal prep container isn't appealing.
55. Turkey san choy bow
These quick turkey san choy bow lettuce cups combine turkey mince, vegetables and noodles in a savoury Asian-style sauce, then spoon everything into crisp lettuce leaves. The mince mixture is quick to cook and can be prepped ahead, while the lettuce keeps the finished meal fresh and crunchy. It's an easy option when you want something lighter than another bowl of rice.
Other round up posts you can browse
Meal prep doesn't have to consume your entire weekend. Sometimes it's simply making four portions of dinner instead of one and putting the extras in the fridge before anyone gets the chance to eat them. Save this list for the next time you're short on time and wondering what to get for dinner tonight - there's a good chance you can have tomorrow's lunch sorted before a delivery driver would have arrived.
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