Everyone Loves These 7 Easy Vacation Meals, Even the Picky Eaters!
Going on vacation is the best, especially when you’re surrounded by your loved ones. Since you’re reading this post, you’re likely the lucky person who’s on cooking duty, and let’s face it, cooking for large groups can easily ruin the holiday vibes. We got you with this recipe roundup of our easiest group recipes.
So, here’s a selection of easy Vacation-friendly meals to make that are great for large groups, are all budget-friendly, and don’t require any crazy equipment you won’t find in a holiday let.
1. Spinach and Chickpeas (Vegan)
I’m starting with an absolute favorite that should be suitable for most people’s diets and tastes. It’s a one-pot wonder that uses pantry staples like canned chickpeas and frozen spinach, and delicious herbs and spices. There is some cayenne pepper in the recipe but not much so it’s not spicy, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t want any hint of heat…or add more if your group loves it.
We usually serve this hot with some bread, but this summer has been extra hot here and we missed the flavors of this dish. So, we tried it cold and that also works a treat, either on its own or with bread (kind of like a chunky dip). Use a large pot or two smaller ones if you’re going to double or triple the quantities as it’s quite a bit serving to start with.
🕙 Ready in 40 mins
💚 Healthy, one-pot recipe
👩👩👧👦 Perfect for batch cooking
👉 Go to the recipe: Vegan Spinach and Chickpeas
2. Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
Still our most popular recipe ever, everything is mixed together in a baking tray or ceramic dish (takes around 5 minutes of prep), then baked in the oven. Serve it with your choice of favorite side dishes.
This recipe is particularly great for busy weeknight dinners and offers maximum Mediterranean flavors with minimal effort. Win-Win!
🕙 Ready in 45 mins
🌟 Heart healthy and low in fat
✅ Versatile, goes with many sides
👉 Go to the recipe: Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
3. Creamy Chicken Thighs
Ready in 30 minutes, you just brown the chicken thighs, build the sauce, simmer, and serve. Delicious and easy, there aren’t many people who can say no to creamy chicken. You can serve it with rice, steamed greens, bread, or potatoes.
Creamy chicken thighs are a winner every time for vacation dinners as it can be cooked and served in the one-skillet or large pan. Less dishes and more vacation time!
🕙 Ready in 30 minutes
🚀 2 minutes prep
🍨 Creamy deliciousness
👉 Go to the recipe: 30-Minute Creamy Chicken Thighs
4. Crispy Chicken Tenders with a Dipping Sauce
These Crispy Chicken Tenders are surprisingly quick to make and come together in under 30 minutes (add more time if you’re bulking it up and only have one skillet to fry them in). Great as a tapas, appetizer, or enjoyed alongside some veg and grains to make a main meal.
There’s an optional homemade yogurt dipping sauce I usually serve them with but you could have a little sauce buffet if everyone has different tastes, including store-bought favorites like ketchup or BBQ sauce. You’re on holiday after all!
🕙 Ready in 30 mins
🧀 Secret ingredient: parmesan cheese
❣️ Dip them in your favorite sauce
👉 Go to the recipe: Mediterranean Crispy Chicken Tenders
5. Bocadillo de Tortilla (Potato Omelet Baguette)
Bocadillos are Spain’s answer to sandwiches (big ones at that). Found all over the country, this omelet version is one of the most common. A baguette or barra (a bit wider) are usually cut in half and served as two portions but some bars or cafes will even serve you a whole one!
This is our fast Spanish tortilla recipe (20 minutes) or you can buy a store-bought version and just assemble your sandwiches. Our recipe makes 8 omelet slices for bocadillos, as do most store-bought options. This will give you 4 large sandwiches or 8 regular.
🕙 Ready in 30 mins
❄️ Good warm or cold
🌿 Vegetarian
👉 Go to the recipe: Spanish Omelet (Tortilla) Sandwich
6. Spanish Chicken Marinade
One of the best things about this recipe is you can use different cuts of chicken and leave the marinade off for anyone who prefers plain chicken. The marinade itself takes no time to whip up, just add all the ingredients to a jar and give it a shake. You can choose to grill, bake, pan-fry your chicken, or mix and match.
Easy breezy holiday vibes in 30-seconds or less.
🕙 Ready in 30 seconds
🍗 Choose your favorite cut of chicken
✅ Uses the 3:1 oil-to-acid ratio
👉 Go to the recipe: 30-Second Spanish Chicken Marinade
7. Mediterranean Spiced Mince
Ready in 15 minutes, mince is a natural choice for feeding a group. Affordable, versatile, and not overpowering (we’ve only lightly spiced this), you can use this in tacos, served with rice or salad, or enjoy it in wraps.
This recipe is a fantastic recipe to make in a large batch and refrigerated for when you want a tasty filling after getting back from the beach or some sightseeing.
🕙 Ready in 15 minutes
💕 Use pork mince, beef, or both
🏖️ Delicate use of Mediterranean spices
👉 Go to the recipe: 15-Minute Mediterranean Spiced Mince
I hope you enjoy your time with friends and family whatever you have planned, whether it’s a staycation or a trip to a rented house in the countryside or an apartment at the beach. These recipes are some of the easiest to scale up and are budget-friendly too. But we have plenty of other dedicated summer recipes, including salads, you might want to check out too. ¡Buen viaje!
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