Dinner

Lunch Recipes

Browse 37 lunch recipes with photos, prep and cook times, full ingredient lists, and step-by-step instructions.

Lunch

Cajun Shrimp with Pale Orange Sauce

Cajun shrimp fit into my dinner preparation when I measure the spice mix carefully before I start with leaving the skillet work until the end. Four portions are made from within one 12-inch pan. Then, I complete all of those portions with a pale orange sauce in addition to the toppings while the shrimp stay hot (I like the sauce cool).

20 minOct 22, 2026

Lunch

Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Patties with Cilantro and Smoked Paprika

Medium sweet potatoes give these sweet potato and red lentil patties a soft center and mild sweetness, while pan-frying creates the outside crisp and browned. I create those when I want to prepare a vegetable-based main dish that still feels quite substantial. Smoked paprika adds to the mixture a warm edge, while I particularly like it with the sweet potato.

40 minOct 20, 2026

Lunch

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Soup with Cremini Mushrooms

Cremini mushrooms, sometimes called baby bellas, are recommended for this soup recipe because they hold their shape and provide strong flavor in a creamy soup. Sauteing the mushrooms before adding them to the soup adds texture and flavor contrast to the shredded chicken and parsley topping (I particularly enjoy browned mushrooms).

55 minOct 19, 2026

Lunch

Vegan Chicken: Firm Seitan Fillets With Savory Miso Brine

Serve these vegan chicken strips at a family meal or cook multiple batches for other recipes. Steamed seitan strips with tofu, cannellini beans, miso, and vital wheat gluten can be torn or shredded after soaking in a wine and miso solution.

555 minOct 17, 2026

Lunch

Easy Shrimp Ceviche with Bright Citrus and Creamy Avocado

Make shrimp ceviche ahead of time to serve at parties, either in individual servings with tortilla chips or in salads or small cups. This ceviche recipe includes cooked shrimp and lemon and lime juice with other ingredients such as cilantro, red onion, tomato, and avocado to create a creamy taste.

Oct 17, 2026

Lunch

Fresh Tomato Gazpacho with Cucumber and Basil

This cold tomato gazpacho recipe can be incorporated into a summer meal plan with 20 minutes of preparation time and a blender. Olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, and basil make a tasty soup.

140 minOct 16, 2026

Lunch

Hot Honey Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli

These bowls of hot honey chicken are enough to serve four people as meal prep meals. All components except the sauce (the rice, chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli) can be cooked ahead of time and portioned into serving sizes. The sauce can be cooked ahead of time and added when serving the chicken.

40 minOct 15, 2026

Lunch

Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese Wraps with BBQ Pork

Pulled pork with barbecue sauce is the main ingredient in these mac and cheese wrap sandwiches. This recipe is a convenient option for a one-dish meal using two prepared ingredients. Select a prepared pulled pork product and wrap it with mac and cheese in a flour tortilla. The crunchy edges and pulled pork filling appeal to me.

25 minOct 14, 2026

Lunch

Smash Burger Recipe: Ultra-Crispy Double Cheeseburgers

Buy 80/20 chuck beef and keep it cold. As the chuck beef cooks on a hot surface, the fat will render and crisp the edges of these double cheeseburgers. Suggested toppings include toasted brioche buns, pickles, and an orange sauce. This is a messy sandwich.

25 minOct 13, 2026

Lunch

Greek Chicken Gyros with Homemade Tzatziki and Toasted Pita

Greek chicken gyros make four filled pitas. To save time on the day you serve them, I chop vegetables and warm the pita bread right before serving. Other ingredients are Greek chicken and garlic and dill tzatziki sauce.

35 minOct 13, 2026

Lunch

Cottage Cheese Tuna Cakes with Lemon White Sauce

This cottage cheese and tuna recipe makes four patties that can be eaten for lunch or dinner. I fry all four patties at once and make lemon sauce to serve on the side. Tuna bits can be seen in the patties, and the panko crust is crunchy. Hot patties are topped with pepper and lemon sauce.

Oct 10, 2026

Lunch

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Southwest Black Bean Filling

Stuffed sweet potatoes are a good option when meal prepping. The sweet potato and black bean mixture can be prepared ahead of time and kept separate from the sweet potatoes until serving to make it easier to pack. Sweet potatoes and black beans make a great lunch or dinner. Serving size for this recipe is four people.

60 minOct 9, 2026

Breakfast

Baked Feta Eggs with Burst Tomatoes and Spinach

Prepare four dishes as single servings of breakfast or one large dish with smaller servings. The vegetable and feta mixture can be prepared in advance for the large dish and added to the eggs at serving time. Baked feta eggs include tomatoes, spinach, and cooked eggs in a feta mixture with firm egg whites.

45 minOct 9, 2026

Lunch

Teriyaki Shrimp Rice Bowls With Garlic Teriyaki Shrimp

For two servings, cook shrimp and jasmine rice together at similar times and serve them in separate portions. Top shrimp and rice with avocado, cilantro, lime, and sauce at the table. Teriyaki Shrimp Rice Bowls feature large, fast-cooking shrimp topped with teriyaki and garlic sauce.

10 minOct 8, 2026

Lunch

Mariscos al Ajillo: Mixed Seafood in Creamy Garlic Wine Sauce

For a seafood dish that can be partially prepared ahead of time, shell and cut shrimp, squid, and scallops, and measure other sauces and ingredients the night before you intend to serve the seafood dish. Prepare the dish the night you serve it. Mariscos al ajillo is a mixed seafood dish cooked in a garlic and white-wine cream sauce and garnished with chopped fresh parsley. This is a good dish to prepare on a weeknight.

25 minOct 7, 2026

Lunch

Sriracha Shrimp and Rice Bowl with Grilled Shrimp and Spicy Mayo

High heat on the grill helps keep the Sriracha shrimp tender and tasty without overcooking. Check out this recipe for Sriracha Shrimp and Rice Bowl, featuring Sriracha shrimp and rice bowl with edamame, cucumber, and spicy mayo.

20 minOct 7, 2026

Lunch

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowl with Black Beans and Avocado

Plan and prepare four meals in advance using cooked shrimp, quinoa, and black beans. Purchase avocados and limes to serve with these planned meals. This cilantro lime shrimp and quinoa recipe features cooked shrimp marinated in lime juice and topped with sliced avocado when served, along with quinoa and black beans.

30 minOct 6, 2026

Lunch

Blackened Cajun Shrimp Avocado Quinoa Bowls with Crisp Romaine

Double batch in two separate bowls by precooking quinoa and shrimp while you chop vegetables, then refrigerate bowls until ready to eat with avocado. Shrimp Avocado Quinoa Bowls contain Cajun-seasoned charred shrimp and avocado, romaine lettuce, cooked quinoa, diced tomatoes, sliced onion, and other ingredients.

30 minOct 6, 2026

Lunch

Eggplant Parmesan with Crisp Fried Eggplant and Three Cheeses

This breaded Eggplant Parmesan is a good side dish or other dish to add to family meals during eggplant season in the summer. Breaded eggplant slices are baked with a light tomato sauce and Scamorza or fresh mozzarella and other cheeses. The cheese topping browns in the oven.

70 minOct 2, 2026

Lunch

Bang Bang Shrimp with Crispy Cornstarch Crust and Sweet Chili Mayo

Make the chili mayo and other coating mixtures ahead of time and cook the shrimp to order. The recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp, which serves four, includes crisp shrimp coated in a sweet and spicy sauce made with mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha.

25 minOct 2, 2026

Lunch

Homemade Gyro Meat With Crispy Edges and Greek Herbs

Make this 2-pound gyro loaf in advance. Cook and chill the seasoned meat loaf and slice portions to be reheated and served. Other foods, such as sandwiches, salads, and serving platters, can be made ahead of time. Ingredients for this beef and lamb gyro loaf include seasonings such as oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and cumin, as well as a browned crust.

185 minSep 30, 2026

Lunch

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Sweet-Tart Cranberries and Crunchy Celery

This eight-serving cranberry pecan chicken salad recipe takes 20 minutes to make. Use for lunch or save croissants and rolls to serve with the chicken salad. Cooked chicken is a good choice for this salad. Dried cranberries and other ingredients provide texture to the chicken salad.

20 minSep 29, 2026

Lunch

Prasorizo: Greek Leeks and Rice with Lemon and Dill

For a main dish or side dish at lunch, try prasorizo, a Greek one-dish meal made with leeks and medium-grain rice. Lemon peel and juice provide citrus flavor to the olive oil-enriched, starchy rice used in prasorizo. Fresh dill provides characteristic herb flavor in prasorizo dishes.

45 minSep 28, 2026

Breakfast

Crispy French Toast Fried Chicken Sandwich with Brioche and Maple Syrup

Choose thick, soft brioche slices to avoid soggy French toast soaked in a cinnamon and vanilla egg blend. The Crispy French Toast Fried Chicken Sandwich includes fried chicken between two slices of French toast with a warm maple syrup drizzle for sweet and savory flavors.

45 minSep 26, 2026

Load more recipes