Warm, comforting, and nourishing — hot lunches are good for the soul. Cold lunches like soups and salads may be healthy and delicious, but they just don't hit the spot like hot lunches do. So if you are looking for some hot lunch recipe inspiration, you are in the right place.
We are sharing over 40 hot lunch ideas including hot sandwiches, rice bowls, soups, pastas, stir-fries and more (including lots of vegetarian options too!) that will warm you right up.
Best Hot Lunch Ideas
Vegetarian Quesadillas
Vegetarian quesadillas are quick and easy, completely customizable, loaded with veggies and beans. Serve this kid-friendly Mexican meal for lunch or dinner.
Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl
Easy to make, light and fresh teriyaki grilled salmon rice bowl is topped with vegetables, seaweed and salmon roe, with homemade teriyaki sauce on top.
Turkey and Cheese Sliders
Turkey and Cheese Sliders are quick and easy, made with deli meat and Swiss cheese filled inside soft Hawaiian dinner rolls topped with a buttery sauce.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Homemade Chicken noodle soup is classic, comforting, simple, quick, and easy to make at home. Plus, you can use leftover rotisserie chicken to save time.
Salmon Burgers
These Salmon Burgers made with real fresh salmon, are crispy on the outside and flaky inside, juicy and thick, and healthy and packed with protein.
Tiktok Ramen - recipe coming soon
Tiktok ramen is savory, sweet and loaded with umami flavor. It's a quick and easy viral ramen hack with instant noodles, eggs, butter, garlic and soy sauce.
Stuffed Eggplant
This Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant is Delicious, filling, and healthy. This vegetarian dinner is loaded with veggies and topped with bubbly cheese.
Sesame Chicken Meatballs
Sesame chicken meatballs are quick, easy, delicious, and loaded with Asian flavor, cooked in a homemade stir fry sauce and customizable with easy veggies!
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Forget delivery and make sweet, tangy, and smoky BBQ chicken pizza from the comfort of your own home in under 30 minutes. The easiest weeknight dinner.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Homemade hamburger helper is a family favorite but you can make a cheaper, healthier, and way tastier version at home, ready in just 30 minutes.
Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese
Take your grilled cheese game to the next level with Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with broccoli, red peppers, cheddar, and mozzarella.
Pineapple Fried Rice
Pineapple fried rice is a quick and easy meal that is ready in just 20 minutes. It's a savory, sweet, delicious, and flavorful weeknight family dinner.
Creamy Vegan Ramen
Creamy vegan ramen is delicious, flavorful, and healthy comfort food, packed with nutrients that will give you an immunity boost. Ready in just 30 minutes!
Easy Meat Lasagna
Classic easy meat lasagna is the ultimate Italian comfort food with layers of tender lasagna, meaty tomato sauce, cheese filling and melted cheese on top.
Easy Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki
This refreshing and light, easy Greek chicken gyros is packed with tender souvlaki chicken, Greek salad, and homemade tzatziki sauce, all wrapped in a pita. One of our most popular healthy lunch ideas.
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini fritters are crispy outside, tender inside, and loaded with zucchini. These healthy bites are one of my favorite ways to use up summer zucchini.
Indian Rice Bowls
These Indian Rice Bowls are flavorful, delicious, and easy to assemble. These wholesome, filling rice bowls have it all — grains, protein, and veggies.
Beef and Bean Burritos
Hearty and filling beef and bean burritos are easy to make ahead, freezer-friendly, and take just 30 minutes for restaurant-quality Mexican food at home.
Tomato Basil Soup
Homemade tomato basil soup is comforting, rich, and smooth. This cozy soup is easy, flavourful, and nourishing, making it so much better than canned.
Cashew Chicken
Cashew chicken is a quick and easy chicken stir fry ready in under 30 minutes. It's flavorful, delicious, and so much better and faster than takeout.
Tuna Melt Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Get your hands on pantry staple canned tuna and make a delicious, crunchy tuna melt grilled cheese sandwich in less than 10 minutes! It's so tasty and easy! For another grilled cheese option, try a roasted broccoli grilled cheese sandwich.
Chili Stuffed Peppers
Leftover chili stuffed peppers are delicious, flavorful, and the easiest way to make stuffed peppers, with only three ingredients and five minutes of prep.
Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rose Sauce
Farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce is creamy yet light, delicious and flavorful, and quick and easy to make in 20 minutes. Best comfort food dinner!
Chicken Paella
Authentic Chicken Paella (Paella Valenciana) is delicious and filling. It’s loaded with protein, veggies, and rice, cooked in a flavorful saffron broth.
Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs
Sticky honey garlic meatballs are a delicious and flavourful 30-minute meal to add to your weekly dinner rotation. A total crowd pleaser.
Hamburger Soup with Macaroni - recipe coming soon!
Creamy Pesto Chicken
Creamy Pesto Chicken is a quick and easy 30 minute meal that needs to be on your family weeknight dinner rotation. It's rich, creamy, and delicious.
Chicken Shawarma
Homemade chicken shawarma (donair) with juicy tender chicken marinated in Middle Eastern spices and wrapped in pita bread is easy to make at home. Serve it with a Persian Shirazi Salad on the side.
Vegetarian Bolognese - recipe coming soon!
This Vegetarian Bolognese is a quick and easy vegetable-packed pasta with the flavor, texture, and goodness of a traditional Bolognese without the meat.
Chicken Tacos
Chicken tacos are juicy and tender, loaded with flavor, delicious, and so easy to make. They are perfect for Taco Tuesday or a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta.
Korean Beef Steak Rice Bowl
Korean beef steak rice bowl is loaded with tender and juicy strips of beef, marinated vegetable sides (banchan), and kimchi. Make it in under 30 minutes!
Chicken Pad Thai
No more takeout when you can make flavourful, restaurant-style, authentic chicken Pad Thai at home in just 10 minutes. It's sweet, savoury, sour and nutty.
