15 Recipes for When You Have a Case of the Mondays

(aka the cure for your post-Super Bowl slump)… Monday hits hard, especially after a weekend of beer, snacks, and screaming at the TV. Whether you’re dragging from the game (or the drinks), these recipes will bring you back to life with big flavors, minimal effort, and the kind of food that makes Mondays suck a little less.

1. Instant Pot Pulled Chicken

A tortilla with shredded chicken, sliced jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro on top, placed on a light surface. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

When you need food fast, the Instant Pot delivers with juicy, shredded chicken that works for sandwiches, tacos, or meal prep. Pairs well with: ignoring your responsibilities for another hour.
Get the Recipe → Instant Pot Pulled Chicken

2. Smoked Jalapeño Popper Meatballs

Meatballs in a pan with sliced jalapeños and garnished with herbs on a blue surface. Some meatballs are broken open. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Spicy. Cheesy. Bacon-wrapped. When your brain is still in Super Bowl mode but your body is running on empty, these bite-sized flavor bombs are the cure. Jalapeño heat, creamy cheese, and crispy bacon? That’s the kind of Monday therapy we all need.
Get the Recipe → Smoked Jalapeño Popper Meatballs

3. Easy Chorizo Street Tacos

A plate of tacos filled with ground meat, sliced red onions, bell peppers, lime slices, and garnished with herbs and cheese, placed on a wooden table. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Got extra chorizo from your Super Bowl spread? Turn it into tacos. A quick sear in the pan brings out that deep, smoky spice, and all you need are warm tortilla. Pro tip: Got extra toppings from nachos or dips? Pile them on for extra flavor.
Get the Recipe → Easy Chorizo Street Tacos

4. Perfect Griddle Burger

Cheeseburgers cooking under a metal dome on a griddle next to a pile of fries. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Some people go to therapy. Others make a crispy-edged, juicy smash burger piled high with cheese, grilled onions, and a toasted bun. Fixes: A case of the Mondays AND your craving for something ridiculously good.
Get the Recipe → Perfect Griddle Burger

5. Bacon-Wrapped Beer Brats

Bacon-wrapped brats on toasted rolls with sauerkraut, pickles, and mustard, served on a tray lined with foil, with potato chips on the side. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Brats simmered in beer, wrapped in bacon, and grilled to crispy perfection. This is the kind of meal that makes Mondays feel like a tailgate. Pairs well with: A cold beer and pretending it’s still the weekend.
Get the Recipe → Bacon-Wrapped Beer Brats

6. Beer Braised 48-Hour Sous Vide Short Ribs

Plate of sous vide short ribs with gravy, garnished with herbs, served on mashed potatoes and vegetables, including carrots and celery. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Mondays deserve melt-in-your-mouth, beer-braised short ribs—and these are cooked low and slow for 48 hours to perfection. Rich, tender, and ridiculously indulgent. Perfect for: When you want to flex your cooking skills but let the sous vide do all the work.
Get the Recipe → Beer Braised 48-Hour Sous Vide Short Ribs

7. Sheet Pan Beer Braised Brats and Cabbage (Because No One Likes Dishes)

A tray of sausages in buns topped with grilled peppers and onions. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

One pan. Crispy brats, beer-infused cabbage, and zero cleanup. It’s the easiest way to feed yourself without putting in much effort—because it’s Monday, and you don’t have time for that. Pro tip: Extra mustard. Always.
Get the Recipe → Sheet Pan Beer Braised Brats and Cabbage

8. Leftover Carne Asada Nachos

A foil tray with nachos topped with cheese, meat, and vegetables beside a cutting board with sliced steak and fresh peppers, lime, and avocado. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Turn your leftover carne asada into the best nachos of your life. Toss those extra grilled steak slices onto a pile of crispy tortilla chips, smother it all in melty cheese, and wrap it in foil for an easy, smoky, next-level meal. Pro tip: Throw in leftover onions, peppers, or jalapeños for extra punch.
Get the Recipe → Foil-Wrapped Carne Asada Nachos

9. Traeger Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Whole chicken seasoned and placed upright in a red speckled roasting pan on a grill. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Mondays call for a whole smoked chicken, perched on a beer can for maximum juiciness. Crispy skin, smoky flavor, and enough meat to meal prep (or just eat straight off the bone). Pairs well with: A side of no regrets.
Get the Recipe → Smoked Beer Can Chicken on the Traeger

10. Easy Beef Chili (let’s be honest, that’s all we can handle right now)

A bowl of chili topped with cheese, red onions, avocado, and sour cream, served with toasted bread. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Bold, hearty, and packed with just the right amount of heat. This chili is thick, rich, and exactly what you need when Monday’s got you down. Perfect for: Keeping in the fridge for an easy, no-effort lunch.
Get the Recipe → Easiest Ground Beef Chili

11. Smoked Beef Shank Over-the-Top Chili

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions, surrounded by autumn leaves. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Take regular chili, throw in a massive smoked beef shank, and suddenly, you’ve got the most epic, meaty, smoky chili ever. Best for: When you need a big spoonful of comfort (and a reason to keep using your smoker).
Get the Recipe → Smoked Beef Shank Over-the-Top Chili

12. Braised Short Ribs with Stout

A plate of gnocchi topped with roasted beef and vegetables, garnished with herbs. A fork is placed on the plate, and a small plate of cheese is nearby. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Beer-braised short ribs, slow-cooked in a rich, deep stout. The kind of meal that feels like a reward for surviving Monday. Bonus: Tastes even better the next day.
Get the Recipe → Braised Short Ribs with Stout

13. IPA Pulled Pork Cheese Dogs

Three hot dogs topped with coleslaw, diced tomatoes, and cheese on a tray. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

A hot dog, but on steroids. Pulled pork, slow-braised in hoppy IPA, piled onto a cheese-smothered bun. It’s messy, indulgent, and exactly what Monday needs. Perfect for: When you want all the flavors in one bite.
Get the Recipe → IPA Pulled Pork Cheese Dogs

14. Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

Pulled pork sandwich topped with cheese and red onions on a bun, served with pickles and potato chips. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Didn’t plan ahead? No problem. This slow-roasted pork is juicy, deeply flavorful, and completely foolproof. Cook it low and slow until it falls apart at the touch of a fork, making it perfect for tacos, sandwiches, nachos, or just eating straight out of the pan. Perfect for: When you need a big-batch meal that keeps getting better throughout the week.
Get the Recipe → Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

15. Leftover Smoked Chicken Nachos with Mango Salsa

Close-up of loaded nachos topped with chopped onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, beans, and a creamy sauce in a black bowl. — Image Credit: Girl Carnivore.

Got extra smoked chicken? Turn it into the ultimate nacho upgrade. Pile that smoky, shredded meat onto crispy tortilla chips, drench it in melted cheese, and top it off with fresh, bright mango salsa for the perfect balance of smoky, crunchy, cheesy, and sweet.
Get the Recipe → Leftover Smoked Chicken Nachos with Mango Salsa