What to cook this week?
A new week means seven new dinner ideas! Our seventh Jernej Kitchen Weekly Meal Plan is all about comforting autumn flavors, seasonal ingredients, and a little festive inspiration. This week, we're making creamy broccoli cheddar soup, aromatic chicken tikka masala, a fresh quinoa salad, butternut squash risotto, and delicious grilled sardines.
With St. Martin's Day coming up on November 11, we've also included two special weekend recipes – roast goose with cranberry jam and perfectly cooked duck breast. Both are wonderful options for a festive Sunday lunch or a gathering with family and friends.
And because no week is complete without something sweet, we're treating ourselves to a rich chocolate mousse and a homemade Viennese apple strudel.
We hope this week's menu helps answer that familiar question: What's for lunch today?
Monday: Broccoli Cheddar Soup
We're starting the week with a deliciously creamy broccoli cheddar soup that's perfect for chilly autumn days. Broccoli and sweet potato create a beautifully smooth texture, while cheddar cheese adds a rich, comforting flavor. The best part? It's ready in just 25 minutes.
Serve it with toasted pine nuts, a dollop of sour cream, or a slice of fresh bread. It's a wonderful choice for Meatless Monday when you're craving something warm, nourishing, and easy to make without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Get the Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe
Tuesday: Chicken Tikka Masala
On Tuesday, we're bringing some bold, aromatic flavors to the table with Chicken Tikka Masala. Tender, juicy pieces of chicken are coated in a rich, creamy tomato sauce filled with fragrant spices. It's the kind of comforting meal that everyone looks forward to.
Serve it with fluffy basmati rice or homemade naan bread to soak up every last bit of that delicious sauce. It's a fantastic family lunch when you're in the mood for something a little different but still hearty, satisfying, and full of flavor.
Get the Chicken Tikka Masala recipe
Wednesday: Kale Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato
Halfway through the week, we're keeping things a little lighter with a fresh and nutritious Kale Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato. This colorful dish combines roasted sweet potatoes, hearty quinoa, kale, and grapefruit for a wonderful balance of flavors and textures.
The roasted sweet potatoes add natural sweetness, grapefruit brings a refreshing citrusy note, and quinoa makes the salad filling enough to enjoy as a main course.
A simple dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup ties everything together beautifully. This salad also makes a fantastic meal-prep option, so you can prepare it ahead of time and pack it for lunch at work.
Get the Kale Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato recipe
Thursday: Butternut Squash Risotto with Prosciutto
Thursday calls for one of our favorite autumn comfort foods – Butternut Squash Risotto with Prosciutto. Roasted butternut squash gives this risotto its beautiful golden-orange color, natural sweetness, and wonderfully creamy texture. Crispy prosciutto adds just the right amount of saltiness and richness.
Finish the risotto with Parmesan cheese and serve it immediately while it's perfectly creamy.
Ready in about 35 minutes, this recipe is a fantastic choice for a weekday lunch that feels a little special without requiring hours in the kitchen. It's also an excellent way to make the most of seasonal butternut squash.
Get the Butternut Squash Risotto with Prosciutto recipe
Friday: Grilled Sardines
For our traditional Fish Friday, we're making simple yet incredibly delicious Grilled Sardines. These little fish are beautifully crispy on the outside while remaining tender and juicy inside.
One of the best things about this recipe is how quickly it comes together – the sardines cook in approximately 10 minutes.
We love serving them with fresh lemon wedges, homemade garlic and parsley sauce, crusty bread, and a seasonal salad. It's a light, affordable, and flavorful lunch that instantly reminds us of summer days by the Mediterranean Sea.
Get the Grilled Sardines recipe
Saturday: Roast Goose with Cranberry Jam
With St. Martin's Day just around the corner, Saturday's lunch deserves a little extra attention. We're preparing a beautiful Roast Goose with Cranberry Jam – a wonderful centerpiece for special occasions, festive family lunches, and autumn celebrations. The rich flavor of roast goose pairs beautifully with the sweet and tangy cranberry jam, creating a delicious contrast that makes this dish truly special. Serve it with traditional braised red cabbage, homemade mlinci (Slovenian flatbread), or roasted potatoes for a proper St. Martin's Day feast.
It's the kind of meal that encourages everyone to slow down, gather around the table, and enjoy some quality time together.
Get the Roast Goose with Cranberry Jam recipe
Sunday: How to Cook Duck Breast
For Sunday lunch, we're continuing the festive theme with beautifully cooked Duck Breast. Duck is a wonderful choice for a special family meal, thanks to its rich, distinctive flavor and elegant presentation. When prepared correctly, duck breast is juicy and tender, with beautifully golden, crispy skin that makes every bite irresistible. It pairs wonderfully with braised red cabbage, creamy mashed potatoes, mlinci, or roasted seasonal vegetables.
This recipe is perfect for a St. Martin's Day celebration or a cozy Sunday lunch when you want to prepare something a little more special and impress your family or guests.
Get the How to Cook Duck Breast recipe
Two Delicious Desserts to end the Week
Of course, no weekly meal plan would be complete without a little something sweet. This week, we've chosen two lovely desserts that are perfect for autumn.
The first is an elegant chocolate dessert that's ideal for festive gatherings, while the second is a comforting homemade classic that fills the kitchen with the irresistible aroma of apples and warm spices.
Two-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
Our first dessert is a wonderfully rich and creamy Two-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, made with just chocolate and whipping cream. It's incredibly smooth, light, and full of chocolate flavor. We love pairing it with cherries in wine, which add a refreshing fruity contrast and make this simple dessert feel even more special. The best part? You can prepare the mousse a day ahead and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to serve.
That makes it an excellent choice for St. Martin's Day or any family celebration when you want to impress your guests without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Get the Two-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse recipe
Viennese Apple Strudel
Our second dessert is a true autumn classic that never disappoints – homemade Viennese Apple Strudel. Delicate, flaky pastry wraps around a delicious filling of juicy apples, raisins, nuts, and fragrant spices. As it bakes, the kitchen fills with that wonderful homemade aroma that instantly makes everything feel warmer and cozier. We love serving apple strudel slightly warm, dusted with powdered sugar. For an extra treat, add a dollop of whipped cream or a generous spoonful of homemade vanilla sauce.
It's a fantastic dessert for a relaxed Sunday afternoon, especially with a cup of coffee or tea.
Get the Viennese Apple Strudel recipe
What to cook this week?
We hope our seventh Weekly Meal Plan makes planning your family dinners a little easier and brings some fresh inspiration to your everyday cooking.
As always, feel free to switch recipes between days, adjust ingredients to your family's preferences, or prepare certain dishes ahead of time to make busy weekdays more manageable. This week, we've put together a lovely combination of lighter meatless meals, comforting family favorites, and a few festive dishes for the weekend.
We start with creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, followed by aromatic Chicken Tikka Masala, a fresh Kale Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato, and deliciously creamy Butternut Squash Risotto with crispy prosciutto. On Friday, we're enjoying quick and flavorful Grilled Sardines.
The weekend is all about celebrating the flavors of autumn and the upcoming St. Martin's Day. On Saturday, we're making Roast Goose with Cranberry Jam, and on Sunday, we're preparing perfectly cooked Duck Breast.
For dessert, we've chosen two wonderful treats – rich and silky Two-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse and homemade Viennese Apple Strudel, filled with juicy apples and warming spices.
St. Martin's Day is a wonderful reminder to slow down, gather around the table, and celebrate good food with the people we love. Whether you're preparing a traditional festive feast or choosing one of our simpler weekday recipes, what matters most is enjoying delicious homemade food together.
You'll find plenty of other lunch ideas, easy weeknight dinners, meatless recipes, festive roasts, and homemade desserts here on Jernej Kitchen. And if you're looking for even more inspiration, don't forget to explore our previous Weekly Meal Plans. We'll be back next week with seven more delicious lunch ideas to make answering the daily question, "What should we cook today?" a little easier.
Happy cooking, and enjoy your week!
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