After several months of festive cooking and holiday baking, the thought of making lunch can feel daunting. Still, it's important to eat your mid-day meals, especially as you go back to work or school. To help you out, we've gathered our favorite quick lunch recipes for when you're exhausted after the holidays. With these simple dishes in your rotation, you can (finally) take it easy while enjoying delicious food.
1. Sweet Potato Soul's Vegan Caesar Salad
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Ready in just 20 minutes, this vegan Caesar salad is simple yet satisfying. It calls for a homemade Caesar dressing and mixed greens, though you can certainly use whatever leafy greens you have on hand. For a more filling dish, add a plant-based protein like chickpeas, tempeh, or lentils.
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Get the full recipe here.
2. Rasa Malaysia's Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Don't be so quick to stow away your Instant Pot after the holiday season. The trusty appliance can be used to make easy lunch recipes, just like this creamy garlic Parmesan pasta. It takes just eight (yes, eight!) minutes to cook in the Instant Pot, so you can be sure that we'll be making this on repeat.
Get the full recipe here.
3. Muy Bueno Cookbook's Chicken Fajitas
This chicken fajitas recipe is perfect for meal prepping. Simply store the cooked chicken, onions, and peppers in a sealed container, then construct a few fajitas for lunch each day. You might even be able to use leftover holiday ingredients — like sour cream or shredded cheese — as toppings.
Get the full recipe here.
4. Butter Be Ready's Bacon Gouda Spinach Egg Bites
If you enjoy eating breakfast foods for lunch, you'll want to try these bacon gouda spinach egg bites. Once you've made a batch, you can reheat a bite or two for lunch each day. They're also ideal for using up leftover holiday ingredients like bacon, ham, cheese, and herbs.
Get the full recipe here.
5. Cook With Manali's Veg Cutlets
When you're feeling tired after the holidays, this easy lunch recipe might be just what you need. It calls for a hearty veggie mixture that's formed into patties and coated in breadcrumbs. Once fried to perfection, the patties will become wonderfully crispy.
Get the full recipe here.
6. Kimchimari's Korean Street Toast
Korean street toast, or gilgeori toast, is a flavorful sandwich consisting of butter toast and an egg omelet. It also takes just 20 minutes to make, which is a plus in our book.
Get the full recipe here.
7. My Dominican Kitchen's Tuna Pasta Salad
If you're looking for a quick lunch recipe that requires little to no effort, you'll love this tuna pasta salad. All you need to do is mix cooked pasta with canned tuna, mayonnaise, spices, and a few vegetables. In just 20 minutes, you'll have a deliciously filling lunch.
Get the full recipe here.