3 Meal Prep Pasta Ideas That Will Fill Your Up for Lunch

3 Meal Prep Pasta Ideas that Will Fill Your Up for Lunch

Meal preparation allows for you to eat your favorite meals while pre-determined portion sizes ensure you don't overindulge. Having a collection of well-balanced meals on hand will help you regulate what you eat and help you stay on track with your personal diet goals.

In today’s blog, we’re sharing with you three pasta recipes you can make ahead on a Sunday so you can have a filling and healthy lunch throughout the week. Let’s get started!

Ingredients

Pasta Base

•      2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced

•      150g wholemeal penne

•      1 lemon, zested and juiced

•      1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus a little extra for drizzling

•      2 large garlic cloves, finely grated

•      30g pack basil, chopped, stems and all

Salmon Pasta

•      ½ red pepper, sliced

•      1 salmon fillet

•      1 tsp capers

•      big handful rocket

Chicken Pasta

•      1 large courgette, sliced

•      1 skinless chicken breast fillet, thickly sliced (150g)

•      2 tsp pesto

•      5 large cherry tomatoes, halved (80g)

Aubergine Pasta

•      1 small aubergine, sliced then diced (about 275g)

•      5 large cherry tomatoes, quartered (80g)

•      5 kalamata olives, halvedMethod

STEP 1

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Arrange the red onions, red pepper, courgette and aubergine in lines on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with a little oil and roast for 15 mins.

STEP 2

Cook the pasta for 10-12 mins until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, loosely wrap the salmon fillet in foil and do the same with the chicken and pesto in another foil parcel, then put them on another baking tray.

STEP 3

When the veg have had their 15 mins, put the salmon and chicken in the oven and cook for a further 12 mins (or until the chicken is cooked through). Drain the pasta, put in a bowl and toss really well with the lemon zest and juice, rapeseed oil, garlic and two-thirds of the basil. When everything is cooked, add the red onions to the pasta. Toss together and divide between three lunch boxes.

STEP 4

Top the first box with the salmon fillet (remove the skin first), then add the red pepper from the tray. Scatter over the capers and add the rocket. To the second box, add the chicken and pesto with any juices, the roasted courgette and the halved cherry tomatoes. In the third box, toss the aubergine into the pasta with the quartered cherry tomatoes, olives and the remaining basil. Seal up each container and chill. Eat within three days, preferably in the order of the salmon, then the chicken and then the aubergine.