The Clever Way to Turn a Big Batch of Chili into Two Vegetarian Family Dinners
Welcome to Rollover Dinners, a new monthly series to help you make smart use of leftovers. Step 1: Make a family-friendly big-batch recipe for the first night. Step 2: Cook a meal later in the week that transforms the leftovers into a new dinner with minimal extra work.
It’s no secret that while chili is phenomenal the first night you make it, it’s almost always even better the next day. When the beans, tomatoey broth, and spices have time to commingle, magic happens, and you’re left with even more flavor. Rather than simmering a pot to enjoy just for tonight, make extras. Then, use the leftovers tomorrow for a completely new dish. With just a little bit of extra work, you’ll get two bold, family-friendly vegetarian dinners.
Up First: Big-Batch Vegetarian Chili
Rollover Recipe Number 1: Big-Batch Vegetarian Chili
While this chili is classic at its core, there’s one key ingredient that really makes it stand out: Prego®+ Plant Protein Traditional Italian Sauce. The vibrant sauce, bursting with vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic, and spices, pours on thick and provides a flavor-packed base for the chili. It also has protein from vegetables tucked inside, so it’s a pantry staple you can feel extra good about.
Pair this Prego® Pasta Sauce with a few other canned shortcuts and in next to no time, you’ll have a hearty pot of chili that’s begging to be ladled into bowls and showered with toppings. Sliced avocado, lime wedges, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro leaves, and diced onion are all excellent ideas. Choose your family’s favorites!
Roll It Over: Chili Mac–Inspired Baked Ziti
Rollover Recipe Number 2: Chili Mac–Inspired Baked Ziti
After your night of build-your-own chili bowls, reserve 3 cups of chili. You’ll turn it into the sauce for a gooey, cheese-packed casserole that’s a clever mashup of two well-loved comfort foods: chili mac and baked ziti. Since the chili is already super flavorful, you’ll hardly have any prep to do before it hits the oven. You won’t even have to pre-boil the pasta. Yet you’ll manage to pull off another cozy, fun, dinner the whole family will love.