Back-to-school can be a hectic time for both parents and children. With summer winding down and a new school year fast approaching, parents are looking for quick, healthy recipes to feed the whole family – especially if they make for convenient leftovers the next day.
Featuring a range of easy, healthy breakfasts, make-ahead snacks and classic dishes that can easily be stored away in a lunchbox, our back-to-school recipes will easily become favourites throughout the school year.
From a delicious fruit and pistachio oatmeal, all the way to our all-beef tacos, our back-to-school recipes have been carefully curated to offer parents meals that are both easy to put together and sure to get your children rushing to the dinner table. Le Creuset’s vast cookware catalogue is perfectly suited for all these recipes and cooking techniques and is built to last for years to come with premium materials.
Here are nine of our favourite back-to-school recipes.
Back-to-School Recipes
These recipes offer parents a hearty, yet delicious option for their children and make for convenient leftovers for a school lunch. Let’s take a look at Le Creuset’s favourite back-to-school recipes.
Fruit and Pistachio Oatmeal
Our Fruit and Pistachio Oatmeal recipe is a great way to fuel your children’s first days back-to-school. Featuring golden raisins, fresh blueberries, and raspberries, as well as pistachios, this recipe has everything you want in a breakfast. It is also the perfect recipe to adapt with your family's favourite ingredients.
Begin by stirring the oats and raisins in a medium saucepan on low heat and let it simmer for approximately five to eight minutes. Once the oats are cooked, stir in the vanilla and nutmeg along with the brown sugar. Finish by pouring a ¼ cup (60 ml) of milk and topping it with nuts, cinnamon, berries, and figs.
This hearty one-pot breakfast recipe takes just under 30 minutes to prepare, offering a healthy treat all-while giving you a head start on your day.
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Everything Bagels
Our Everything Bagels recipe makes for yet another delicious breakfast, and can even be packed away for lunch. The combination of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, garlic, and rosemary, served with cream cheese or even smoked salmon is a delicious pairing.
The tricky part with this recipe is ensuring you get the dough just right. Luckily, the versatile Dutch Oven creates the perfect environment for the dough to rise, locking in heat and moisture with its tight-fitting lid and thick, enamelled cast iron walls.
While this recipe requires some level of preparation and time, taking just over two hours from start to finish, our Everything Bagels serve up to fourteen portions with ease, accommodating both a morning snack and a convenient lunch for the next day. Get everyone involved and make it a fun Sunday project for the whole family!
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One-Pot Spaghetti
Our One-Pot Spaghetti will quickly become a weeknight staple in your household, serving your entire family in less than one hour. Whether you decide to use your Stockpot, Braiser, or Dutch Oven, clean-up is a breeze with this recipe and as the name suggests, it only requires one pot.
This recipe features a number of fresh ingredients, including cherry tomatoes, radishes, pitted olives, arugula pesto and is, of course, finished with freshly grated parmesan, basil leaves and freshly cracked pepper. Our One-Pot Spaghetti recipe is everything you are looking for in a back-to-school recipe.
Easy to put together and a hearty meal for the whole family, no repertoire of recipes is complete without a classic, one-pot spaghetti. Simply pack away any leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch and voilà – your child is all set to tackle another day in class.
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Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese
Our Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese recipe is surefire hit in any household, combining four delicious cheeses, including aged cheddar, asiago, gruyère and fontina cheese into one decadent recipe.
Begin by cooking your pasta al’dente and setting it aside. Once that is complete, melt butter on medium heat in a saucepan and whisk in onion powder and flour. Next, pour in milk and continuously whisk until it becomes smooth and thick.
The final step is to introduce all your cheeses along with mustard powder, nutmeg, salt, and cayenne pepper, and stir in the pasta. Finish by baking for approximately 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the topping is golden.
Our Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese takes just under an hour to prepare, serving up to six portions with ease, making it a great recipe for the whole family.
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Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Our Pulled Pork recipe elevates the traditional lunchtime sandwich snack and will undoubtedly be the envy of the entire classroom. This recipe’s secret may just lie in its sauce, combining barbecue sauce, vinegar, chicken stock and brown sugar. In another bowl, mix paprika, chili powder, cumin, mustard, and salt, ensuring your pulled pork is packed with flavour.
The Dutch Oven or Braiser is ideal for this recipe, tenderising the pork shoulder after searing it. Both pieces of cookware are designed to lock in heat and moisture, allowing all the flavours to meld together as the pork slow cooks to perfection.
Finish by serving your pulled pork sandwiches on warm buns alongside pickles and coleslaw, guaranteeing lunch is served in style.
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All Beef Tacos
Looking to host your very own taco night? Our All Beef Tacos have you covered. Our versatile Iron Handle Skillet is all you will need for this recipe.
Begin by cooking the chopped onion in the skillet until it softens, before introducing the ground meat and garlic for approximately eight to ten minutes or until browned. Next, add all the spices, including smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and chili powder, along with the beef broth and corn. Bring your Iron Handle Skillet to a simmer and cook for approximately two to three minutes.
Finish by assembling the tortillas with your preferred combination of sour cream, beef mixture, radishes, green onion, jalapeños, salsa, and cheese. You can always make extra beef mixture and pack a few tacos away for tomorrow’s lunch!
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Lemon and Sage Chicken
Our Lemon and Sage Chicken recipe is extremely easy to put together, allowing you to sit back and relax as all the rich flavours come together in our Heritage Rectangular Casserole. This recipe takes just under one hour to prepare, serving your entire family with ease.
First, season your chicken with salt, pepper and the spice mix and sprinkle it with lemon zest. Once your chicken is appropriately seasoned, arrange it in the Rectangular Casserole with the lemon slices, shallots, sage, and garlic.
The casserole will take care of much of the rest, roasting your lemon and sage chicken to perfection for approximately 40 to 50 minutes until it is browned and completely cooked through. Any leftovers can be transformed into a delicious chicken sandwich for the next day!
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Kale and Carrot Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Our Kale and Carrot Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette can be prepared with two simple steps, offering a light, yet healthy snack in between meals. Begin by puréeing shallots, orange juice, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender until it is smooth and creamy.
Once you have achieved the desired consistency, toss kale, spinach, carrots, and radishes in a large bowl. Finish by drizzling the salad with the dressing before serving it. This salad takes under 30 minutes to prepare and is good for up to eight servings at a time.
Our Kale and Carrot Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette is the perfect recipe to serve alongside a main course or can be served on its own for lunch. Serve directly out of our salad plates for an added touch of elegance.
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Potato Salad
This Potato Salad recipe is a great complement for a back-to-school lunch and can be prepared in no time. The recipe elevates the traditional potato salad dish, thanks to a delicious vinaigrette, combining vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Featuring dried garlic granules, onion flakes, white sesame seeds, and poppy seeds, this spice mix is sure to pack a punch, contrasting the vinaigrette perfectly. The final step is putting it all together in one of our Mini Oval Au Gratin Dishes. Begin by pouring a small amount of dressing in the dish and generously coat each potato.
Sprinkle the spice mixture generously and add the herbs as garnish. This Potato Salad recipe takes under an hour to prepare, serving up to four portions.
Recipe courtesy of Olive & Gourmando.
Get the recipeBack-to-School with Le Creuset
With the new school year right around the corner, parents slowly begin to prepare for their children’s return to the classroom. From making sure they have all their back-to-school essentials to preparing a full lunch, it can become a busy time in the household.
Whether you are looking for an easy recipe to put together after a long day at the office or want to get your children’s day off to the right start with a complete breakfast, we have you covered with our recipe repertoire. Our back-to-school recipes feature a number of fresh ingredients, as well as a few classics, including One-Pot Spaghetti and an Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese.
These were just nine of our favourite back-to-school recipes, but for more inspiration, visit our blog for cooking tips, or our complete catalogue of recipes you can prepare for the whole family.
