There's no greater satisfaction than arriving home hungry and enjoying a warm meal of delicious leftovers.
Which is why we put together this list of recipes that taste great the day you cook 'em, and just as great (if not better) the day after. They're freezer-friendly, will keep throughout the week, and take just a few minutes in the oven or microwave to restore to their delicious original flavors. From pulled chicken and potato fritters to homemade pizzas, here are 14 recipes we hope you'll love to eat over and over again.
1. Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
The casserole is the original leftover dinner recipe, and for good reason. It's easy to load with whatever ingredients you have in the fridge and tastes delicious even when reheated. Recipe here.
3. Veggie Burgers with Cucumber Feta Sauce
Chickpeas, onion, and olives combine to create a savory, filling patty that goes great with a five-minute feta, yogurt, and cucumber sauce, or simply on its own with greens. Recipe here.
4. Slow Cooker Chipotle Pulled Chicken
After it's done cooking, shred the chicken with a fork and serve. Once you're done eating (and the rest of the batch has cooled), shred or chop the rest of the chicken and freeze in airtight containers. Recipe here.
5. Spicy Zucchini and Turkey Lasagna
I love nothing more than a good old-fashioned pasta lasagna, but you might as well take advantage of the fact that zucchini is in season and serve up this slightly sweeter variation. Recipe here.
7. Baked Ziti
One of the most underrated things about baked pasta is that you can just store them in the exact receptacle they were cooked in. Recipe here.
8. Vegan Red Lentil Potato Fritters
Refrigerate a large batch, and just pop them in the oven when you want to reheat them. Microwaving is also an option, as long as you're okay with a slightly less crispy texture. Recipe here.
9. Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
When reheating a recipe that includes a delicate protein like shrimp, transfer each serving to a separate pan instead of reheating the entire batch, since repeated reheats might compromise the shrimp's texture. Recipe here.
10. Seafood Scallion Pancake
To make them extra crispy, make your pancakes thin and cook them over high heat. Serve with a green salad or a small bowl of rice. Recipe here.
11. Balsamic Mushroom Parmesan Quinoa Skillet
You can make this entire meal in a single skillet, so cleanup is easy. And store the leftovers in multiple Tupperware so you're set for lunch the rest of the week. Recipe here.
12. Basil Pesto Pasta With Roasted Vegetables
Whole wheat pasta is firmer to the bite than traditional pasta, pairs great with sweet vegetables like carrots and red onion, and most importantly, keeps really well. And FYI, you can sub the homemade pesto for the store-bought stuff if you want to save time. Recipe here.
13. Vegetarian Enchiladas
A small change — like swapping meat for vegetables — can make a meal taste delicious and not overly rich, even if you're having it every night of the week. And feel free to use a glass pan instead of an aluminum one if you prefer; it won't change the result. Recipe here.
14. Pepperoni Pizza
If everyone in your family has different topping preferences, you can customize each one according to taste. It'll be cheaper, faster, and probably healthier than delivery would be. Recipe here.
Need more dinner inspiration? Check out the recipes below.
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