Description
Cook once and eat for multiple times with this great batch cooking recipe that you can make extra and freeze for a meal down the road.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups lean ground beef or turkey meat
- 1 cup cooked red lentils or canned lentils
- 2 medium chopped onions
- 2 cans (28oz) low sodium canned tomatoes
- 4 cups uncooked pasta shells
- 2 cups frozen vegetables (mixed variety)
- 2 cups grated low fat cheddar cheese
- 2 tsp basil
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180c).
- Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes.
- In a frying pan, cook the ground beef until fully cooked through and no pink colour remains. Drain off any fat (depending on what meat you used). Add the onions and cook until tender and transparent. Stir into the pan lentils, canned tomatoes, and spices.
- Drain pasta and divide half into the two casserole dishes. Add 1 cup of vegetables to each casserole dish. If you like more vegetables, you can add an additional cup.
- Then add the meat mixture to the casserole dish. Stir well until all combined. Then sprinkle with 1 cup cheese on each casserole. If you are planning to have this dish for a meal immediately, then place the casserole in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and brown on top.
- If you are just prepping up the freezer meal, then let cool for 10 mins, wrap in tin foil, then plastic wrap, label and put into the freezer.
Notes
- This recipe makes 2 large 8×8 casserole pans. If you are planning to make one of these casseroles for a meal, then preheat your oven to 350f (180c). If you are making 2 freezer meals, then you do not have to heat the oven. The finished casseroles can go directly into the oven.
- When you are ready to consume the freezer meal, heat oven to 350f (180c) and bake for approx. 45 mins. to 1 hr. Less time is needed if you thaw the meal first.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8