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Next Week's Meal Plan
Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
updated Mar 9, 2022
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If you’re curious about trying out the Mediterranean diet or you’ve been following it for a while, you’re likely on the lookout for satisfying dinner recipes that fit the bill. Not only do the recipes in this meal plan meet all the guidelines, but they’re also pretty low-effort and easy to pull off during the week.
TheMediterranean dietisn’t so much a diet in the traditional sense: Rather than focusing on restrictions, it’s rooted in general healthy-eating guidelines that focus onfilling your plate with vegetables, whole grains, seafood, healthy fats, and lean protein.It doesn’t totally restrict things like wine or dessert — instead it suggests keeping them to a minimum.
To guarantee a week of easy cooking, these feel-good dinners come together in a single pot or pan, require minimal hands-on attention, or lean on pantry staples. Here’s what I’m cooking this week.
Monday: Mediterranean White Bean Soup
There are few ways more comforting to start the week than with a rich and hearty bowl of soup for dinner. Even though this protein-rich soup comes together in 30 minutes, I like to make it over the weekend, so all that needs to be done when dinnertime rolls around is reheating the soup and slicing a few pieces of bread for dunking.
Get the recipe: Mediterranean White Bean Soup
Tuesday: Lemon Pepper Chicken
I keep this five-ingredient chicken dinner in my back pocket for the nights I don’t have a lot of energy to cook. It requires the bare minimum when it comes to prep, and easily partners with whatever vegetables need to be used up in the crisper (for me, it’s Broccolini this week).
Get the recipe: Lemon Pepper Chicken
Wednesday: Salmon in Crazy Water
Since it’s poached in a tomato-kissed broth, this salmon turns out incredibly tender, juicy, and fragrant every single time. I plan to serve the salmon in bowls over a bed of brown rice, in an effort to soak up every last drop of broth.
Get the recipe: Salmon in Crazy Water
Thursday: 10-Minute Black Bean Tacos
Tonight’s dinner is inspired by a can of pinto beans (which I’ll use in place of the black beans in the recipe) that’s been lurking in the back of the pantry and a bag of broccoli slaw on its last leg in the crisper. While the spiced beans heat up, there’s just enough time to warm the tortillas, dice an avocado, and slice a lime.
Get the recipe: 10-Minute Black Bean Tacos
Friday: Slow Cooker Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese
There might not be any beef, but this plant-based sauce is still completely hearty and satisfying. I’ll drop all the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, then right before dinner I’ll cook up a pot of pappardelle pasta and warm the leftover bread from the beginning of the week.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese
New to meal planning? Start here.
- The Beginner’s Guide to Meal Planning: What to Know, How to Succeed, and What to Skip
- The Best Way to Use a Weekend for Meal Planning Success
- Ask Yourself These 5 Questions Before You Start Meal Planning
- 5 Strategies for Picking Recipes for a Week of Meal Planning
Click below to get more tips, insights, and ideas from our Meal Plan Club crew and readers like you.
Meal planning isn’t always easy — especially if you’re just getting started. But we’re firm believers that it’s the secret to stress-free weeknight dinners. We want to help you find inspiration and ease some of the pain points that come with getting dinner on the table night after night, whether you’re cooking one or a family of four or five. Every week we share a new meal plan solution specifically customized for you from reader requests or from a guest contributor,forNext Week’s Meal Plan!
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