12 Cozy Fall Meal Prep Recipes for the Office

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Toss the squash cubes with olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast the squash until fork-tender and slightly caramelized on the edges.

Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in a large Dutch oven until fragrant.

Combine the roasted squash, broth, and thyme into the pot.

Simmer the mixture for ten minutes to blend the flavors.

Blend everything until completely silky, then stir in the heavy cream.

Cook the macaroni noodles in boiling salted water until al dente.

Drain the pasta and set it aside in a bowl.

Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat.

Mix the chili powder and cumin directly into the browned meat.

Pour the diced tomatoes and kidney beans into the skillet.

Simmer the mixture for ten minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Fold the cooked pasta into the chili and top with shredded cheese.

Cook the quinoa according to the package directions until fluffy.

Toss the Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes with olive oil.

Spread the vegetables onto a baking sheet in an even layer.

Roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until the edges turn golden brown and crispy.

Whisk the maple syrup and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl.

Divide the cooked quinoa and roasted vegetables into four glass containers.

Drizzle the maple dressing over the top and sprinkle with pecans.

Steam the diced sweet potatoes until entirely fork-tender.

Mash the sweet potatoes slightly in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the black beans, frozen corn, and taco seasoning.

Spoon the filling down the center of each flour tortilla.

Roll the tortillas tightly and place them seam-side down in a baking dish.

Pour the red enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake at 375 degrees for twenty minutes.

I have noticed that lining the glass meal prep containers with a tiny bit of extra sauce prevents the tortillas from sticking during reheating.

Boil the penne pasta in salted water until perfectly al dente.

Brown the Italian sausage in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Transfer the cooked sausage to a clean plate using a slotted spoon.

Melt the butter in the same skillet and toss in the onions and apples.

Sauté until the apples turn tender and the onions caramelize beautifully.

Stir the fresh chopped sage and cooked sausage back into the skillet.

Fold the hot pasta into the mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Boil the jumbo pasta shells until just pliable.

Rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process entirely.

Mix the ricotta, pumpkin puree, egg, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce across the bottom of a baking dish.

Spoon the creamy pumpkin mixture generously into each cooled pasta shell.

Arrange the stuffed shells tightly in the prepared baking dish.

Cover with the remaining marinara sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Boil the cubed potatoes in salted water until completely fork-tender.

Mash the hot potatoes with butter until silky and smooth.

Simmer the brown lentils in vegetable broth until they turn tender.

Stir the tomato paste and dried rosemary into the simmering lentils.

Toss the frozen peas and carrots into the lentil mixture.

Cook for five more minutes until the gravy thickens nicely.

Spoon the lentil base into containers and spread the mashed potatoes on top.

I've made this dozens of times, and scoring the top of the potatoes with a fork creates beautifully crispy ridges when microwaved later.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the chopped carrots, parsnip, and red onion on a rimmed baking sheet.

Nestle the chicken breasts directly among the chopped root vegetables.

Drizzle olive oil generously over the meat and the vegetables.

Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, and pepper evenly across the pan.

Lay the fresh rosemary sprigs right on top of the chicken breasts.

Roast everything for 25 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and Dijon mustard in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the dressing until it looks completely smooth and creamy.

Fold the shredded cooked chicken gently into the dressing mixture.

Toss the dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and diced celery into the bowl.

Stir everything together until the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly.

Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least one hour before eating.

Serve this chicken salad alone, on whole-wheat bread, or over fresh greens.

Mix the cinnamon, smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl.

Rub the spice mixture firmly all over the pork tenderloin.

Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.

Sear the pork on all sides until a dark crust forms on the exterior.

Transfer the entire skillet directly into a 375-degree oven.

Roast for fifteen minutes until the center slightly blushes pink.

Rest the meat for ten minutes before slicing it thinly for meal prep containers.

I've tried slicing this straight out of the oven before, and waiting that full ten minutes traps the juices inside, preventing dry office lunches.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Toss the sliced mushrooms into the pan and cook until they brown deeply.

Stir the minced shallot and fresh thyme sprigs into the mushrooms.

Pour the rinsed pearl barley directly into the skillet and toast for two minutes.

Pour the broth into the pan all at once.

Simmer gently on low heat for thirty minutes until the barley turns tender and chewy.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the Parmesan cheese into the warm grains.

Sear the beef chuck cubes in a hot pot until browned on all sides.

Toss the chopped onion into the pot and cook until slightly translucent.

Stir the tomato paste deeply into the browned meat and onions.

Pour the beef broth into the pot, scraping up any dark bits from the bottom.

Drop the carrots, potatoes, and bay leaf into the simmering liquid.

Cover the pot tightly with a heavy lid.

Simmer on low heat for exactly two hours until the beef falls apart easily.