18 Make-Ahead Main Courses

Make the meal ahead to ease entertaining.

By

Updated on April 12, 2024

Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad — Photo:
Dylan + Jeni / Food Styling by Brett Long / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva

Whether you're planning to entertain guests or simply anticipating a tight meal schedule, it's smart to have some recipes in your back pocket that can be prepared largely in advance. From gyoza to lasagna to chili and, of course, casseroles, here are delicious make-ahead dishes to please any crowd.

01 of 18

Short Rib Chili

Short Rib Chili with Pickled Red Onion — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Tyna Hoang / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Fresh jalapeños, smoky chipotles in adobo, and fruity ancho chile powder give this thick, meaty short rib chili layers of heat, while red wine and tomato add acidity to balance out the richness of the tender short ribs. The chili and pickled red onion in this recipe can each be made up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

02 of 18

Kale-Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Kale and Artichoke Stuffed Shells — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Cannellini beans add hearty creaminess to these stuffed shells, while mild heat from Calabrian chiles and earthy sweetness from fennel seeds amp up jarred marinara sauce. The pasta shells can be stuffed up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

03 of 18

Garlic-Butter Rib Roast

Garlic butter prime rib — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

This impressive, flavor-packed rib roast from chef John Somerall can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge until ready to bake — just bring it to room temperature before roasting. Thinly sliced leftovers make satisfying roast beef sandwiches or sliders.

04 of 18

Spinach Lasagna

Spinach Lasagna — Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

There are many iterations of spinach lasagna, but this one is our favorite because of its simplicity and its generous use of cheese. This can be frozen for up to two months, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator before baking to reheat.

05 of 18

Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad

Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad — Dylan + Jeni / Food Styling by Brett Long / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva

These lamb shanks, crispy on the outside yet fall-off-the-bone tender, make an impressive dinner-party dish. 2018 F&W Best New Chef Katianna Hong recommends braising the shanks one day before your party, then brushing with hot mustard sauce and crisping them up right before serving.

06 of 18

Seafood Gumbo

Seafood Gumbo — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Tiffany Derry’s recipe for Seafood Gumbo includes chicken breasts and thighs, andouille sausage, blue crabs, shrimp, and a generous amount of roasted okra. While it takes over two hours to make, the recipe serves 12 and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

07 of 18

Miso-Red Bean Patties

Miso-Red Bean Patties — Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

These bean patties are umami to the max with shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, miso, and red beans. You can cover and refrigerate the uncooked veggie patties for up to five days, cook from chilled, and serve as sliders or atop a salad or grain bowl.

08 of 18

Hanetsuki Gyoza (Dumplings with “Wings”)

Hanetsuki Gyoza — Aya Brackett

You can freeze uncooked gyoza on a rimmed baking sheet, without them touching, until firm, for about one hour. Transfer the gyoza to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. The gyoza can be cooked directly from frozen.

09 of 18

Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

FW Feb 2019 Vietnamese - Beef Stew — Greg DuPree

This stew develops even more fabulous flavor when made one or two days ahead. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator then serve with a baguette or over pasta, boiled egg noodles, or rice noodles.

10 of 18

Herb Garden Matzo Ball Soup

Herb Garden Matzo Ball Soup — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Herb Garden kneidlach soup can definitely be prepared and served on the same day — it's table-ready in about two and a half hours. If you'd like to get a head start, though, you can cook the matzo balls and make the soup a day in advance.

11 of 18

Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce

Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce — Courtesy of Tom Hopkins and The Family of Jacques Pépin

This is the quintessential recipe for beef stew with red wine. Chef Jacques Pépin's mother served it at her restaurant, Le Pélican, where she made it with tougher cuts of meat. Jacques likes the flatiron — a long, narrow cut that's extremely lean but becomes tender and stays moist. He doesn't use stock, demi-glace, or even water in his stew, relying instead on robust red wine for the deep-flavored sauce.

12 of 18

Woven Lasagna with Prosciutto and Fresh Spinach Sauce

Woven Lasagna with Prosciutto and Spinach Sauce Recipe — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

This lasagna needs to set up in the refrigerator for at least six hours; the assembled lasagna may be frozen and thawed in the fridge before slicing and roasting. The spinach sauce may be made up to a day ahead. Once the lasagna has chilled, it takes mere minutes to heat and serve this stunning, cover-worthy recipe, making it ideal for a dinner party.

13 of 18

Turkey Leg Roulade

Turkey Leg Roulade — Victor Protasio

Lovers of dark meat know that the leg is often the most flavorful part of the bird. This preparation isolates the much-loved cut for perfectly cooked stuffed turkey legs with crackling bronze skin. The roasted turkey can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to two days.

14 of 18

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

In her version of the classic Italian dish Chicken Cacciatore, chef Karen Akunowicz of 2019 F&W Best New restaurant Fox & the Knife in Boston builds sautéed vegetables, mushrooms, red wine, chicken, and tomatoes into a hearty braise. It can be chilled in an airtight container for up to three days.

15 of 18

Stuffed Pork Tenderloins with Bacon and Apple-Riesling Sauce

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Bacon and Apple-Riesling Sauce — Kirsten Strecker

Debra Whiting, the late chef and co-owner of Red Newt Winery Bistro in New York's Finger Lakes, mixed fresh, local goat cheese with apple, sausage, and greens, then stuffed it inside a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. The tenderloins and finished apple-Riesling sauce can be refrigerated separately overnight. Bring the tenderloins to room temperature before grilling.

16 of 18

Vegetable and Ravioli Lasagna

Vegetable-and-Ravioli Lasagna — Rick Poon

Fresh spinach ravioli are a clever shortcut for making lasagna: Each ravioli is already a mini layer of pasta, cheese, and vegetable. This recipe is especially fast to make using pre-roasted or grilled vegetables from the deli counter. It can be refrigerated overnight before baking and refrigerated for up to three days after.

17 of 18

Sardinian Stuffed Eggplant

Sardinian Stuffed Eggplant — Quentin Bacon

Chef Efisio Farris' baked stuffed eggplants can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature then reheat in a 325°F oven.

18 of 18

Chicken, Cheese, and Mushroom Enchiladas with Sour Cream Slaw

Chicken, Cheese and Mushroom Enchiladas with Sour Cream Slaw — © Corey Hendrickson

Crunchy coleslaw made with a sour cream dressing is a cooling accompaniment to these spicy-sauced enchiladas. The assembled enchiladas can be refrigerated overnight; bring to room temperature before baking.

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