No-oven meal prep: 5 stovetop dishes

The week's 5 dishes

every recipe has its own page

Monday eveningfridge
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Chicken and bell pepper skillet with basmati rice
25 min≈ $2.97703 kcal
Tuesday eveningfridge
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Green lentil stew with Toulouse sausages
50 min≈ $1.61818 kcal
Wednesday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
25 min≈ $2.13627 kcal
Thursday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Split pea soup with bacon and potatoes
40 min≈ $2.24712 kcal
Friday eveningfreezer
AI-generated imageSee the recipe
Kidney bean and bell pepper chili sin carne
25 min≈ $2.47524 kcal

The session, step by step

from 2:00 PM to 3:42 PM

One pair of hands, 4 burners and no oven: while something simmers, your hands move on to the next thing.

2:00 PM · Counter
10 min
Slice: 6 onions (chicken skillet, green lentil stew, homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, split pea soup, chili sin carne).
ChickenGreen lentil stewHomemade whole wheat pasta bologneseSplit pea soupKidney bean
2:10 PM · Counter
3 min
Wash, peel and chop: 300 g potatoes (split pea soup).
Split pea soup
2:13 PM · Counter
7 min
Slice: 4 cloves garlic (green lentil stew, homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, chili sin carne).
Green lentil stewHomemade whole wheat pasta bologneseKidney bean
2:20 PM · Counter
3 min
Wash, peel and chop: 2 carrots (green lentil stew, homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese).
Green lentil stewHomemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
2:23 PM · Stove
2 min
In the large sauté pan, heat 0.5 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Green lentil stew
2:23 PM · Stove
5 min
In the stockpot, cook the 120 g smoked lardons over medium heat with no added fat until lightly golden.
Split pea soup
2:25 PM · Stove
3 min
Add 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced garlic clove, and cook 3 min without browning.
Green lentil stew
2:28 PM · Stove
1 min
Stir in 1 diced carrot and the green lentils (120 g), and mix for 1 min.
Green lentil stew
2:28 PM · Stove
3 min
Add 1 sliced onion and 2 tbsp olive oil to the stockpot. Cook 3 min over low heat.
Split pea soup
2:29 PM · Stove
5 min
Pour in 160 g crushed tomatoes and 300 ml hot water with the bouillon cube, and bring to a boil.
Green lentil stew
2:31 PM · Stove
1 min
Stir in the 160 g dried split peas and mix for 1 min to coat them in oil.
Split pea soup
2:32 PM · Stove
Add 1 L hot water, the vegetable bouillon cube and the 300 g chopped potatoes. Bring to a boil.
Split pea soup
2:34 PM · Stove
Lower the heat, cover and let simmer 25 min over low heat.
Green lentil stew
2:34 PM · Stove
2 min
In the large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and garlic, and cook 2 min without browning.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
2:36 PM · Stove
5 min
Add the chopped carrot and the ground beef to the large skillet. Brown 5 min, breaking up the meat with the spoon.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
2:41 PM · Stove
Stir in the tomato paste, salt and pepper. Mix well and let simmer covered for 10 min over low heat.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
2:42 PM · Stove
Lower the heat, cover the stockpot and let simmer 30 min over low heat.
Split pea soup
2:42 PM · Counter
3 min
Wash, peel and chop: 2 yellow bell peppers (chili sin carne).
Kidney bean
2:45 PM · Stove
2 min
In the large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Kidney bean
2:47 PM · Stove
3 min
Add 2 sliced onions and 2 sliced garlic cloves, and cook 3 min, stirring.
Kidney bean
2:50 PM · Stove
1 min
Stir in 2 chopped yellow bell peppers, 2 tsp chili powder and 2 tsp sweet paprika. Mix for 1 min.
Kidney bean
2:51 PM · Counter
2 min
Pour in 400 g crushed tomatoes and 2 cans of drained kidney beans. Mix well.
Kidney bean
2:53 PM · Stove
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer covered for 15 min.
Kidney bean
2:53 PM · Counter
3 min
Wash, peel and chop: 2 red bell peppers (chicken skillet).
Chicken
2:56 PM · Stove
2 min
In the Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Chicken
2:58 PM · Stove
3 min
Add 1 sliced onion and cook 3 min, stirring.
Chicken
2:59 PM · Stove
Add the 3 Toulouse sausages to the large sauté pan, cover and cook 15 min over low heat.
Green lentil stew
3:01 PM · Stove
5 min
Add 400 g diced chicken breast and brown for 5 min.
Chicken
3:06 PM · Counter
2 min
Stir in 2 chopped red bell peppers, 1 tsp curry powder, 2 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of pepper. Mix.
Chicken
3:08 PM · Stove
Cover the Dutch oven and let simmer over low heat for 10 min.
Chicken
3:08 PM · Counter
2 min
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Kidney bean
3:12 PM · Counter
5 min
Blend the soup right in the stockpot until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Split pea soup
3:17 PM · Counter
3 min
Take out the sausages, cut them into chunks and put them back in the sauté pan, and stir.
Green lentil stew
3:20 PM · Counter
2 min
Taste and adjust with 1 pinch of salt and pepper if needed, and mix well.
Green lentil stew
3:22 PM · Rest
Let cool 20 min at most, then split into shallow containers and put them away: chicken skillet and green lentil stew in the fridge, and homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, chili sin carne and split pea soup in the freezer.
Homemade whole wheat pasta bologneseKidney beanSplit pea soupChickenGreen lentil stew

And there you go, it's readyCheck off every step to celebrate.

The big day

what's left to do that evening

Monday evening · Chicken and bell pepper skillet with basmati rice
Cook 200 g basmati rice for 12 min in boiling salted water. Reheat the chicken skillet over medium heat for 5 min, stirring.
Tuesday evening · Green lentil stew with Toulouse sausages
Reheat the stew over low heat in a saucepan for 10 min, stirring. Serve hot.
Wednesday evening · Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese
Move the bolognese from the freezer to the fridge the night before. On the day, cook 200 g whole wheat pasta for 10 min in boiling salted water. Reheat the bolognese for 5 min over low heat in a saucepan with a little water if needed.
Thursday evening · Split pea soup with bacon and potatoes
Take the soup out of the freezer the night before and put it in the fridge. On the day, reheat it over low heat in a saucepan with a little water if needed, for 10 min, stirring.
Friday evening · Kidney bean and bell pepper chili sin carne
Take the chili sin carne out of the freezer the night before and put it in the fridge. On the day, reheat it over low heat in a saucepan for 10 min, stirring now and then.

Where each container goes

2 in the fridge, 3 in the freezer

Dinner	Main course	Storage
Monday evening	Chicken and bell pepper skillet with basmati rice	In the fridge
Tuesday evening	Green lentil stew with Toulouse sausages	In the fridge
Wednesday evening	Homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese	In the freezer, take it out Tuesday evening
Thursday evening	Split pea soup with bacon and potatoes	In the freezer, take it out Wednesday evening
Friday evening	Kidney bean and bell pepper chili sin carne	In the freezer, take it out Thursday evening

Storage times applied by Popotam, based on ANSES (the French food safety agency): two days in the fridge max, the rest in the freezer, thawed in the fridge. The details: how long the dishes keep.

The questions you're asking

How long does this meal prep keep?

The dishes for the first two evenings keep in the fridge, two days max after the session (ANSES, the French food safety agency, recommends eating a cooked dish within three days). The others go in the freezer right after the session (homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese, split pea soup, kidney bean), and come out the night before to thaw in the fridge.

How much does this meal prep cost?

About $22.84 for the 5 dinners for 2, so around $2.28 a serving. Salt, oil and pantry spices aren't counted.

Why aren't the rice, pasta or couscous cooked during the session?

Rice, pasta and couscous cooked ahead are at risk for Bacillus cereus, whose toxin survives reheating (ANSES). The topping is ready on Sunday; the starch (chicken, homemade whole wheat pasta bolognese) gets cooked that evening, in about ten minutes.

How do I make my own meal prep with Popotam?

Build your week in Popotam, then tap “Meal prep” at the top of your meal plan. You pick the dishes and your session day, say how many burners and ovens you have, and Popotam writes your timed plan in about twenty seconds. Free, no account needed.

what about your own dishes?

Popotam writes your meal prep

Build your week, pick the dishes to make ahead and your session day: Popotam writes your timed plan for your kitchen, with what goes in the fridge or the freezer. Free, no account needed.

Build my week