385 ahead recipes

Easy marinated asparagus blanches fresh spears and soaks them overnight in Italian dressing for a tangy, make-ahead side dish. Cool, crisp-tender, and ready to plate on a lettuce leaf.

Curry garlic dip whisks mayonnaise with chili sauce, curry powder, garlic, grated onion, and Worcestershire for a make-ahead party dip. Doubles as a sauce for cold shrimp, steak, or lamb.

Marinated mushrooms simmer briefly in a tart bath of white wine, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil with shallots, garlic, and coriander. A chilled make-ahead appetizer ready in 40 minutes.

Sweet and sour pasta salad with kamut spirals, kidney and black beans, red pepper, scallions, and basil. A protein-packed vegan picnic salad that holds up beautifully for make-ahead lunches.

Soy marinated mushrooms, a make-ahead appetizer of fresh mushrooms steeped overnight in a hot brine of soy sauce, red wine vinegar, sherry, sugar, and minced onion. Tangy, savory, deeply umami.

Baked oatmeal studded with dried fruit and baked in individual cups until just set. A make-ahead, kid-friendly breakfast topped with a fun fruit smiley-face the little ones love.

Crock pot barbecued pork turns leftover pork roast into tender pulled-pork sandwiches, slow-cooked in a homemade sweet-and-tangy tomato BBQ sauce. A freezer-friendly make-ahead, ready to pile on buns.

These pancakes can be made ahead and frozen. If using in Sweet Red Bean Paste Pancakes, bring back to room temperature before cooking with the red bean paste. Otherwise, reheat before serving.

You can serve this delightful cholesterol-free, high-fiber bread on New Year's Eve instead of the traditional bowl of black-eyed peas believed to bring good fortune for the year ahead.

A lighter Cajun mayo made with light mayonnaise and low-fat yogurt, seasoned with cumin, oregano, cayenne, and garlic salt. Mix it up a day ahead and let the spices meld overnight.

Italian-style green bean salad tossed with thinly sliced onions, red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan. A low-calorie make-ahead side dish that gets better the longer it chills.

A no-cook Texas caviar dip with black-eyed peas, jalapenos, tomatoes, and bell peppers tossed in a cumin-oregano vinaigrette. The ultimate make-ahead Super Bowl snack that feeds a crowd.

Hearty low-fat vegetable soup with potatoes, zucchini, squash, carrots, pureed tomatoes, and kidney beans. Oil-free and loaded with garden veggies, this make-ahead soup tastes even better the next day.

This Eastern European compote simmers dried apples, pears, prunes, and raisins in apple cider with honey and warm spices. A make-ahead fruit dessert that improves over two weeks in the fridge.

Vegetarian wrap packed with sauteed sweet peppers, creamy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and peppery arugula finished with a splash of sherry vinegar. A fresh, no-cook-ahead lunch ready in minutes.

Creamy curried peanut soup with rice, carrots, and three tablespoons of curry powder, half-pureed with peanut butter for a thick, nutty broth. Make-ahead friendly and topped with scallions and cilantro.