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Mexican-Inspired Meal Prep

This Mexican-inspired meal prep is all about flavour, variety, and convenience. By cooking a few core components at once, you can mix and match them into three tasty dinners for the week: burrito bowls, tacos, and stuffed sweet potatoes, plus a batch of chilli chocolate energy balls to keep you fueled on the go. It’s vibrant, nutritious, and a brilliant way to stay ahead with wholesome meals ready in the fridge.

Takes 1 hour

Serves 3

Ingredients
 

Protein Base: Smoky Black Beans

  • 2 × 400g tins black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Pinch of salt & pepper

Carb Base: Mexican-Style Rice

  • 300 g pre cooked brown rice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tbsp water

Roast Veg Tray: Sweet Potato & Peppers

  • 1 medium sweet potato diced (with skin)
  • 2 red peppers chopped
  • 1 red onion cut into wedges
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Pinch salt & pepper

Stuffed Sweet Potato Base: Roasted Halves

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes sliced lengthwise
  • Drizzle olive oil pinch salt

Fresh/Pickle: Quick-Pickled Red Onion & Jalapeño

  • 1 red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh jalapeño thinly sliced (optional, for heat)
  • 100 ml apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 100 m water
  • Pinch of salt

Sauce: Cashew-Lime Crema

  • 150 g cashews soaked 15 mins in boiling water, drained
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or water for lighter version
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 150 ml water or oat milk (adjust for texture)

Snack: Chilli Chocolate Energy Balls

  • 200 g pitted dates
  • 100 g rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch cayenne optional
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

Smoky Black Beans

  • Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  • Add onion and cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in garlic and cumin seeds, cook for 1 min.
  • Add ground cumin and smoked paprika, stir for 30 secs until fragrant.
  • Add beans with 100ml water, simmer for 5–7 mins until flavours combine.
  • Stir in lime juice, season with salt & pepper, then set aside.

Mexican-Style Rice

  • Heat olive oil in a pan, add onion and garlic, cook 3–4 mins until soft.
  • Add cumin and smoked paprika, stir for 1 min.
  • Stir in tomato purée and water, simmer for 2 mins.
  • Add pre-cooked rice, mix well, and heat through. Set aside.

Roast Veg Tray: Sweet Potato & Peppers

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • Toss sweet potato, peppers, and red onion with olive oil, cumin, paprika, lime zest, salt & pepper.
  • Spread on a lined tray, roast 25–30 mins until golden and tender (or air-fry).

Stuffed Sweet Potato Base: Roasted Halves

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • Place sweet potato halves cut-side down on a lined tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.
  • Roast 35–40 mins until soft and caramelised.

Quick-Pickled Red Onion & Jalapeño

  • In a small pan, heat vinegar, water, maple syrup, and salt until just steaming (don’t boil).
  • Pour over sliced onion and jalapeño in a heatproof jar.
  • Leave to cool, then store in the fridge (ready in 30 mins, best after a few hours).

Cashew-Lime Crema

  • Add soaked cashews, lime juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and water/oat milk to a blender.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust thickness with extra water if needed.

Chilli Chocolate Energy Balls

  • Blitz all ingredients in a food processor until mixture is sticky and holds together.
  • Roll into 14–16 small balls.
  • Optional: coat in cocoa powder or desiccated coconut.
  • Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Assemble into 3 Dinners

    Dinner 1: Burrito Bowls

    • Base: Mexican rice + smoky black beans + roasted sweet potato & peppers.
    • Top with cashew-lime crema + pickled onion/jalapeño.

    Dinner 2: Tacos (or Wraps)

    • Warm corn tortillas or wraps.
    • Fill with black beans + roasted veg + crema + pickled onion.
    • Add fresh avocado & coriander if available.

    Dinner 3: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

    • Use roasted halves as base.
    • Fill with smoky black beans + rice.
    • Top with crema + pickled onion/jalapeño.
    • Tips & Storage
    • Store components separately in airtight containers for 4 days.
    • Add avocado fresh when serving (not in crema).
    • Reheat beans & rice together for flavour boost.
    • Cashew crema thickens in the fridge, loosen with a splash of water/lime juice.
    Print Recipe