80 quick and tasty dinner recipes
Speedy suppers
If you're looking for some new ideas, and let's face it, who isn't a little bored of their own cooking these days, here's a fabulous collection of easy midweek recipes which are on the table in under an hour. That's all the preparation and cooking nailed in less than 60 minutes. There's everything from soups and salads, to meaty mains, spicy stir-fries, quick curries and even a speedy pizza. Read on and be inspired.
Tomato, Gouda and pesto tart
This pretty tart will be on the table in 35 minutes, thanks to ready-rolled puff pastry. Spread the base with tomato purée, top with pre-sliced cheese, then add sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and slices of large tomatoes. It's baked in the oven, then smothered with fragrant pesto (from a jar is fine) and fresh basil.
Smoked salmon frittata
A frittata is an Italian dish, similar to an omelette. This one is made with eight eggs, so is enough to feed four with a salad on the side. It's very simple – just mix eggs, cream, Parmesan, fresh dill and smoked salmon strips together, start cooking in an ovenproof skillet on the hob, then transfer to the oven to finish cooking. A pack of smoked salmon trimmings would work well here, and they are economical to buy.
Almond chicken curry
Here's a real spice sensation of a curry, with curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Don't worry if you don't have all the spices – it will still taste great. Chicken thighs, cut into strips, are coated in the spices then cooked in a fresh tomato sauce, thickened with ground almonds. Add fresh spinach towards the end of cooking, then serve with flatbreads or rice.
Nasi goreng
This Indonesian fried rice recipe is loaded with fresh prawns and dried shrimp, which you can find in any Asian grocery store. You need cold, cooked rice for it, so it's a good leftovers dish or buy a pouch of pre-cooked rice for speed. Chilli and garlic are the main flavours, but the addition of sesame oil and fish sauce add more layers of interest. Top with a fried egg, and it's all done in half an hour.
Cacio e pepe
'Cacio e pepe' means cheese and pepper in Italian, and this classic dish couldn't be simpler. The sauce is made using the starchy cooking water from the pasta, which, when mixed with Parmesan and freshly-ground black pepper, makes a silky, rich sauce which sticks to the pasta. It's a crowd-pleasing 15-minute dinner.
Garlic butter prawns
Need dinner for two in a hurry? In this dish, fresh prawns are cooked in a buttery sauce spiced with turmeric, brown mustard seeds, chilli, garlic, black pepper and lime. They take just a few minutes to cook, so ensure you've prepared the rice to serve with them beforehand. Fresh coriander adds tartness and freshness to the finished dish.
Gnocchi, aubergine and tomato bake
Here's a simple, one-pan dish of roasted aubergine, onion, tinned tomatoes, garlic, shop-bought gnocchi and mozzarella. The beauty of the dish is that you can adapt it further to add spicy sausages, olives, spinach or green beans, depending on what you have to hand. There's only 10 minutes of prep, then it's baked in the oven.
Pulled tandoori-spiced chicken
Make two chicken breasts go further and feed four people by cooking and shredding the meat. The chicken is first coated in a yogurt and spice marinade then pan-fried, shredded and cooked again in a creamy yogurt masala. Pile into flatbreads with a crisp salad of cucumber, onion, carrot and fennel, dressed with lemon juice.
Herby bean stew
This vegan stew really is hearty: it's high in protein from beans and lentils, and contains potatoes, plus plenty of fresh vegetables and herbs for a real flavour boost. There's a little mustard and yeast extract to add a savoury note. Serve with chunks of wholemeal bread for a super-healthy meal.
Pappardelle with cod and cherry tomatoes
The essence of great Italian food is in its simplicity, using few ingredients, but of the highest quality. This dish showcases that premise to perfection. Cod is cooked with garlic, chilli, white wine, basil and diced ripe cherry tomatoes, then tossed with pappardelle pasta ribbons. Just don't add Parmesan – the Italians rarely add cheese to pasta dishes with fish!
Get the recipe for pappardelle with cod and cherry tomatoes here
Smoky black beans
An earthy one-pot dish where chipotle adds smokiness. Fry off chopped onion until soft, then add garlic, cinnamon, a bay leaf, cumin and chipotle. Stir in sliced carrots and tinned black beans, then just leave it all to cook for 20 minutes. These beans are great topped with sour cream and fresh coriander, served with rice or in wraps.
Pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa
Jazz up a simple fillet of salmon with a zingy salsa. Plump, soaked currants are mixed with cooked celery, pine nuts, capers, chopped green olives, saffron, parsley and lemon. Fry the salmon skin-side-down to begin with, so you have a lovely, crisp skin. Serve this dish with new potatoes on the side.
Get the recipe for pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa here
Herb and hazelnut-crusted chicken
Here's a new take on chicken schnitzel. Grind blanched hazelnuts finely in a food processor, and mix with fresh herbs, Parmesan and lemon zest. Use this with flour and beaten egg to coat flattened chicken breasts, before frying in oil until piping hot and wonderfully crisp. The recipe works just as well using pecans in place of the hazelnuts, and turkey breast or pork tenderloin instead of the chicken.
Crab and preserved lemon spaghetti
Using both fresh and preserved lemons in the sauce adds a more rounded citrus flavour to this simple pasta dish. It's very fresh and light, perfect for midweek. There's some fresh ginger in there, with a little chilli to bring out the taste of the crab. Add a little crème fraîche to serve. Preserved lemons are also great in salsas, salad dressings and cocktails.
Get the recipe for crab and preserved lemon spaghetti here
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Roasted cod with a coriander crust
Fragrant, fresh and spicy, this is a quick dish to prepare and it's cooked in a searingly hot oven in just eight minutes. For the flavourful crust, mix together turmeric, cardamom, cumin and paprika, to add to garlic, chilli and chopped coriander. Spread this over the cod before roasting. There's a quick tahini sauce to make, which is also brilliant drizzled over roast vegetables or chicken.
Satay noodle stir-fry
Straight-to-wok noodles are a fantastic time-saver in the kitchen, perfect in this tasty vegan stir-fry. The sauce is easy – peanut butter mixed with sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Broccoli, spring onions and sugar snap peas are stir-fried with garlic and ginger, then just add the sauce. For non-vegans, add leftover cooked chicken or prawns.
Harissa and lemon baked fish
It's big on flavour, colourful, healthy and all baked in one dish. You can use any firm, thick white fish here, such as hake or cod. The fish marinates in harissa, garlic and lemon while onions, carrots and radish are roasting in the oven. Add the fish to cook, remove it then add couscous and hot vegetable stock. Serve with toasted flaked almonds, lemon and extra harissa.
Lamb koftas
When the sun is shining, cook these Middle Eastern patties on the barbecue. Otherwise, grill them indoors. Minced lamb is mixed with spices, mint sauce, lemon, fresh herbs, garlic and sautéed onion, then threaded onto skewers. The lamb is quite fatty so the meat doesn't dry out but becomes wonderfully crisp on the outside. Serve with a salad or in flatbreads.
Roasted tomato pasta
Sweet, cherry tomatoes are roasted in olive oil with garlic and chilli, before being tossed with pappardelle. The sauce is made from a generous amount of olive oil, mixed with the juices from the tomatoes. Just add fresh basil and grated Parmesan to serve. You could use fresh tagliatelle or pasta shells too.
Peanut and paneer rice
Paneer is an Indian cheese which doesn't melt on cooking, and it's quite mild so it can take plenty of spice. This quick, one-pan fried rice is made with chickpeas, curry leaves, chilli, spices and toasted peanuts. It's especially great if you have leftover cooked rice to use up, but equally it's well worth cooking fresh rice for.
Jamaican pepper shrimp
Fat and juicy prawns are cooked in the shell in a fiery sauce of chilli, garlic, thyme, spring onions, lime juice and paprika. Although this is a great barbecue recipe, you can easily replicate the flavours by cooking it in a large skillet or frying pan. Serve with crusty bread to dunk into the sauce, or with some white rice.
Tarka dal
There are many versions of this spiced lentil dish, but this recipe is so tasty. It's made with mung (yellow) lentils, but you could use orange lentils if you prefer. Whichever lentils you use, wash them well in cold water until it runs clear, to get rid of any grit. The cooked lentils are added to an oil infused with garlic, ginger, chilli and spices, and chopped fresh tomatoes. Serve with roti, flatbreads or rice.
Gnocchi with truffle butter
If you're lucky enough to have got your hands on some fresh truffle, make this indulgent 15-minute meal. It uses shop-bought gnocchi too. A generous amount of butter is melted and the truffle added to infuse. It's then tossed with the gnocchi and served with grated Parmesan. Truffles have a unique, savoury flavour and heady aroma, almost like a damp forest floor with hints of garlic and fresh mushroom – a real treat.
Crispy, sticky chicken wings
You would think these wings were deep-fried, they're so crispy. But they're actually baked. The trick is adding bicarbonate of soda to the dry rub, then putting them into a cold oven to allow the fat to render while the oven heats up. There's an easy sticky sauce to make, half of which goes on the wings once cooked, the other half to use as a dipping sauce. It's just garlic, ginger, soy, honey, hot chilli sauce, sugar and orange zest. Serve with fries for a main meal.
Easy pizza
A pizza on the table in less than an hour? Yes! Using fast-acting dried yeast, the dough only needs a 10-minute rise. The tomato base is simply passata mixed with garlic, olive oil and dried oregano. Then add a few of your favourite toppings, such as mozzarella, pepperoni, artichokes from a jar and sliced olives.
Miso ramen
It's always worth having a few packs of instant miso ramen noodles in the cupboard, for when you want to rustle up a quick and healthy meal. Plain noodles would also work here, but add some miso paste to get that savoury kick. This is a great recipe for using up bits and bobs. Cook whatever vegetables you have in the fridge or freezer with the noodles. Add a little fresh chilli, some sesame oil, spring onions, and top with a boiled, poached or fried egg.
Sausages with braised red cabbage
This easy one-pot dinner serves four. Brown the sausages, set aside, then fry off sliced onions and apple wedges with a little red wine vinegar. Add shredded red cabbage, the sausages, more vinegar and maple syrup or sugar – red cabbage benefits from this sweet and sour combination – then leave it all to cook for 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and glossy. Serve with your favourite potatoes.
Parma Ham and cheese toastie
Take your cheese toastie to the next level with this 10-minute recipe. Slices of sourdough bread are stuffed with grated cheese, Parma Ham, slices of apple, chutney and spinach. You don't need a sandwich toaster, either. Just cook in a frying pan with another heavy pan on top, turning when one side is crispy and the cheese is melting and oozing.
Mango salad with candied peanuts
This fresh, punchy salad is a meal in itself. Crushed peanuts are fried in sugar, chilli and salt until caramelised, thick and sticky – you'll make them again and again! The salad is composed of fresh mango, avocado, pomegranate, red pepper, onion, lettuce, fresh coriander and mint, with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. The dressing is avocado oil-based, with lime, chilli and cumin, although you could use sunflower oil instead.
Traybake spaghetti
Fancy a dish where everything goes into a roasting tin – yes, even the spaghetti – then into the oven for 30 minutes? Here it is! Spaghetti, tomato passata, onion, garlic, chicken stock and chunks of sausagemeat make up the recipe, which is served with freshly-grated Parmesan. The trick is to coat the raw spaghetti in olive oil first, so it doesn't stick together.
Dan dan noodle soup
A 'dan dan' is the pole which noodle sellers use to balance their baskets of noodles and sauce on. Try some Chinese street food in your own kitchen with this easy recipe. The base is vegetable stock flavoured with miso paste, chilli paste, peanut butter, sesame oil and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry minced lamb and vegetables with garlic and ginger, then mix it all together with the noodles. It's a tasty bowl of goodness.
Bacon-wrapped cod
White fish covered with bacon or cured ham is a classic combination. The bacon adds saltiness and also prevents the fish from drying out. Wrap the fish with the bacon and a sprig of rosemary, brown it, then transfer to a hot oven for 10 minutes. It's delicious with sautéed potato, sliced leeks and peas, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. That's dinner in 35 minutes.
Char siu pork with pak choy
Char siu is a Cantonese dish of barbecued pork, which usually takes time to prepare and cook. Here's a shortcut version which gives you the same sweet, savoury and sour flavours. Slices of pork fillet are mixed with soy, hoisin, honey and seasoning, then coated in a little cornflour, which will thicken the sauce. Stir-fry the pork with garlic and ginger, add dry sherry, pak choy and a sauce of miso, soy and hoisin.
Suya-battered vegetable kebabs
These amazing vegetable kebabs take inspiration from suya, a spicy West African meat kebab that's traditionally cooked over firewood and rubbed in suya spice – a peanut-based spice mix also called yaji. The peanut batter here is made with chickpea flour and plant-based milk, packed with spices to make it full of flavour. Chunks of vegetables are dipped into the batter, then baked in the oven. They are served with a peanut butter dip.
Smoked salmon fish cakes
Fluffy in the centre, crisp and golden on the outside, everyone loves a fish cake. Roughly mashed potato is mixed with smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, herbs, spring onions and horseradish sauce, which brings out the taste of smoked fish perfectly. Then they are dipped in egg, flour and breadcrumbs before frying. There's a tartare sauce-like mayo to serve with them, and a simple green salad.
Thai beef curry with peanut sauce
This fragrant, creamy curry is made with a jar of red curry paste, which cuts the preparation time massively. Thin strips of beef rump are coated in a coconut sauce with lemongrass, chilli, fish sauce, sugar and chopped peanuts. Add in makrut lime leaves and Thai basil for a dish with so many layers of flavour. Serve with jasmine rice.
Black bean and chipotle soup
A hearty and nourishing main course soup, ready in 30 minutes. The chipotle paste adds a warm smokiness to the black beans, so use it if you can. Mix sautéed garlic and celery with cumin, smoked paprika and oregano, then add the paste, beans and stock, then just whizz with a stick blender. Serve with crunchy tortilla chips, mashed avocado, and sour cream or yogurt.
Prawn, pea and courgette risotto
Risotto takes just 25 minutes to cook, so it's the perfect choice for a speedy supper. Here, juicy prawns, courgette and peas are mixed into the dish, along with fragrant fresh herbs like parsley, mint, dill and chives. There's also a herby garlic butter to make and add when the risotto is cooked. But feel free to buy one ready-made. The trick to achieving a perfect creamy texture is to keep stirring the rice as it cooks, adding hot stock gradually.
Soy and honey-roasted salmon
You can never have enough salmon recipes and this healthy 30-minute dish will become a favourite. Salmon fillets are oven-roasted on four different greens. Just pop the fish around them and coat with a mixture of soy, sesame and honey. Once baked, there's a dressing of fresh ginger, sesame oil, lime juice and spring onions to pour over the dish, plus chopped peanuts and fresh chilli. Serve with rice or noodles.
Salade Niçoise
Although purists may argue about exactly which ingredients should go into this classic southern French salad, it cannot be beaten for flavour, texture and zing. The key is to use the very best ingredients – canned tuna in olive oil, the ripest and juiciest tomatoes you can find and top-quality extra-virgin olive oil. It's high in protein and quite filling, but you could add some cooked chunks of new potato to bulk it out.
Spaghetti carbonara
This classic Roman pasta dish is a worldwide favourite. It's the simplicity of the ingredients which make it so loved – good Italian pasta, bacon, egg yolks and pecorino cheese. You could use Parmesan if you prefer. Add a little of the pasta cooking water once everything is mixed together, for a creamy sauce which sticks to the spaghetti. Don't forget it needs plenty of freshly-ground black pepper.
Black pepper beef
Supper for four in 20 minutes? Right here! Sear strips of beef fillet in a wok, set aside, then add sliced onion and green pepper. Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and ground black peppercorns, and cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce has thickened. Return the beef to the wok to heat through, then serve. The beef absorbs the sauce quickly. Just serve with rice or noodles.
Open lasagne with mushrooms
The vegan 'cheese' in this recipe is made from cashew nuts, nutritional yeast flakes, cider vinegar and garlic powder. But if it doesn't need to be plant-based, use ricotta or soft cheese with garlic and herbs. It's layered between fresh lasagne sheets with sautéed button and field mushrooms, and kale. Top with toasted hazelnuts, fresh thyme and a drizzle of truffle oil, to bring out the mushroom flavours.
Lentil ratatouille
A veggie ratatouille is made into a filling and healthy main course with the addition of lentils. It also contains five different vegetables, and is made in one pan. Sauté onions, carrots, garlic, aubergines and courgettes. Add tinned tomatoes, lentils, water, ground coriander, dried oregano and thyme, and leave to simmer for 35 minutes. Stir through fresh basil once cooked. This would be great with some feta crumbled over too.
Shaking beef salad
Usually considered a special-occasion dish in Vietnam, this delicious steak salad is simple to make. The beef is marinated for 20 minutes in a peppery, garlicky, oyster sauce and soy mixture. Then it's cooked in a super-hot skillet, shaking the pan (hence the name) to sear on all sides. When the strips of steak hit the greens, they wilt slightly and the meat juices mix with the rice vinegar dressing to make a tangy sauce. It's great served with rice.
Pea, spinach and chia fritters
These little veggie fritters are perfect served warm with a salad and a yogurt dip. Frozen peas and spinach are mashed, mixed with eggs, ricotta, chia seeds, fresh mint and dill, then fried in olive oil. You'll need to cook them in batches, so pre-heat your oven before starting the prep. Any leftovers will keep well for lunchboxes the next day.
Coconut fish curry
A fragrant, coconut-based fish curry which is on the table in just 40 minutes. You can use any meaty white fish for it, such as halibut, cod or hake. It's made extra speedy by using garlic and ginger paste from a jar. Briefly marinate the fish in turmeric and salt, while frying sliced onions until caramelised. Fry the fish and set aside, then make the sauce. Combine everything and serve with rice.
Cheat's dan dan noodles
Dan dan noodles are typically made using Sichuan peppercorn-spiced pork, but our recipe cheats a little by frying sausagemeat with five-spice powder until crisp, to emulate the flavour. Make the sauce with tahini, soy sauce and chilli oil, then stir-fry with the noodles, meat and pak choy. All done in 20 minutes.
Spinach orecchiette
You'll come back to this fabulous-tasting and easy pasta dish again and again. It uses frozen spinach, which has a much more pronounced flavour than fresh. Simply thaw the spinach over a low heat while the pasta is cooking; add garlic and oil and fry for a few minutes; then add a little cream and plenty of seasoning. Toss it all together with the pasta, adding some cooking water, then serve with extra oil and grated Parmesan.
Chicken skewers with pea chutney
Tender marinated chicken pieces are cooked until crisp on the outside, and served with a pea and apple chutney, sautéed spinach and tomatoes. Marinate the chicken in spiced yogurt for 20 minutes before grilling. The fresh chutney ingredients – peas, apple slices, coriander, lime and chilli – are simply whizzed up in a blender.
Courgette, pea and bean tortilla
A tortilla is simply a Spanish omelette, which always contains potatoes, and different vegetables are added according to what's in season. It's a filling dish, made in one pan. Sauté sliced potatoes and onions, add cubed courgettes, blanched peas and broad beans, then pour eggs with fresh mint into the pan. Cook until the base is golden, then either flip it using a plate to finishing cooking, or pop it under the grill.
Prawn and cabbage fried rice
Cabbage and frozen peas add a crunch and sweetness to this simple and tasty stir-fry. The trick with stir-frying is to have all your ingredients prepared and weighed out, ready to go. The stir-fry sauce is straightforward. You just need rice wine (or dry sherry), garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.
One-pan sausage roast
A colourful one-pot dish with crisp new potatoes, chunks of sausagemeat, crunchy asparagus and sweet cherry tomatoes. To ensure the potatoes crisp up and cook quickly, make a series of incisions along them, without cutting through. Roast the potatoes in dried oregano first, then add the chunks of sausagemeat, garlic, tomatoes and asparagus. It needs just 40 minutes in the oven in total.
Shortcut chicken biryani
Biryani is an Indian dish of spiced rice, often made with chicken or lamb, and is typically eaten on special occasions. Traditional biryanis can take a long time to prepare but here are some clever shortcuts that won't compromise on flavour. The rice is pre-soaked to speed up the cooking time and using small pieces of chicken means it cooks quickly and absorbs all the spices. When cooked, it's topped with toasted flaked almonds, fresh coriander and a dollop of yogurt – just divine.
Prawn laksa
Our recipe for laksa, a warming Malaysian noodle soup, has a coconut milk base, a good kick of chilli and zing from fresh lime. This dish is really quick to make thanks to a shop-bought laksa paste (although Thai red curry paste will work well as a replacement if you can't find it). Fry the paste with extra chilli, then add stock, coconut milk and fish sauce. Add rice noodles, raw prawns and lime, cook through, then stir in fresh coriander. You could add some green vegetables too, such as pak choy, spinach or kale.
Bacon, lentil and pasta soup
Here's a hearty, healthy and filling soup which is perfect on a chilly day. Cook bacon lardons, onion, garlic, celery and carrot until the bacon crisps up. Then add chopped tomatoes, pour in chicken stock and green lentils. Finally, add orzo pasta and cook until the lentils and pasta are tender. If you don't have orzo, macaroni would do the job just as well.
Spicy prawn tacos
A spicy tomato sauce, inspired by a bloody Mary cocktail, perks up prawns to fill flour tortillas. Fry chopped shallot and celery until soft, add garlic and celery salt then pour in a little vodka and boil to burn off the alcohol. Add Tabasco, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and tomato juice, then throw in the prawns for a few minutes to cook. Serve with a crunchy celeriac slaw mixed with coriander and lime, and a dollop of mayonnaise.
Egg and lettuce salad
Perfect for a summer evening, this colourful, simple Burmese salad is drizzled with a punchy peanut butter and lime dressing. For a slightly fudgy boiled egg, cook gently from cold water for seven minutes. Run the eggs under cold water to stop them cooking further and to avoid a dark ring around the yolk. Use crunchy salad leaves and sprinkle over shop-bought fried onions. You could also add rice or new potatoes for extra carbs.
Lamb chop and asparagus traybake
With just five ingredients, 25 minutes of preparation and cooking, and all made in one roasting tin, this dinner for two is a winner. It's a mix of lamb chops, new potatoes, asparagus, frozen peas and rosemary sprigs. Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes, brown the lamb chops in a frying pan, then put everything in a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon to serve, if you like.
Mushroom chow mein
On the table in 10 minutes, this tasty stir-fry has bags of flavour. There's a spicy Sichuan sauce to make, with chilli bean paste, vinegar, soy sauce, cornflour (to thicken the dish) and sesame oil. Then stir-fry garlic, chilli and ginger for a couple of minutes, add oyster mushrooms, pak choy, rice wine (or dry sherry) and cooked noodles. Add the sauce, a little sesame oil and serve. Straight-to-wok noodles are perfect for this.
Smoky bean and mushroom quesadillas
Quesadillas are perfect fast food – flour tortillas with a filling and some cheese, fried on both sides then cut into wedges and served hot. They are very moreish! The filling here is garlicky fried mushrooms, mashed butterbeans (or use any beans you have), roasted red peppers from a jar and smoked paprika. Add grated Cheddar and mozzarella and fry until golden and the cheese has melted. The recipe makes four quesadillas.
Pad Thai carbonara
Here's a tasty hybrid recipe – Italian spaghetti carbonara meets pad Thai. For the Italian part, you have spaghetti, eggs and bacon; for the Thai, fish sauce, soybean paste, soy sauce and chilli. The flavours work perfectly together. It's a spaghetti stir-fry with crisp bacon, broccoli and spring onions, all brought together with the sauces and chilli, ready in 20 minutes.
Burmese prawn curry
This curry is gorgeously aromatic and not overly hot. Once you've made the paste of onions, garlic, ginger and coriander stalks, it's quick to cook. Add paprika, turmeric and chilli powder to the paste, then add a little coconut cream. Finally, juicy prawns and fish sauce complete the dish – just serve with rice. You can make the base without the prawns up to four days ahead.
One-pan vegetable lasagne
There's no white sauce to make and no lengthy meat ragù to cook, just lots of lovely vegetables and oozing, bubbling cheese. Simply fry off onions, garlic, courgettes and mushrooms. Then add tinned tomatoes, water, spinach and strips of pasta sheets to the pan, plus some basil and cheese. Finally, top it with more mozzarella and Parmesan, and pop it under the grill until the cheese has melted.
Thai aubergine tom yum
This hot and sour noodle soup is a meal in itself. Once you've nailed the basic broth, you could add prawns, cooked chicken or strips of steak to it. Here, it's a veggie version with tofu. If you can't find little Thai green aubergines, add oyster mushrooms instead. The coconut broth is aromatic, with lemongrass, lime leaves, chilli, ginger and Thai basil. A final squeeze of fresh lime adds balance.
Chicken with pesto and Taleggio
This easy chicken traybake is a doddle to make and cooks in just 30 minutes. Boneless chicken breasts are coated in a mixture of Taleggio (a semi-soft cheese), pesto, basil, cream cheese and breadcrumbs. They're cooked all in one roasting tin with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You could use Camembert instead of Taleggio too.
Ginger salmon with oyster sauce
Roasting fish in a baking parchment parcel, called "en papillote", is a really easy and healthy way to prepare it. The salmon is this recipe effectively steams in its parcel. It's cooked on a bed of broccoli in oyster sauce, rice wine and pepper, topped with slices of fresh ginger and spring onions. Serve with rice.
Roasted halloumi with basil dressing
Capture the flavours of the Mediterranean in this simple traybake, perfect for vegetarians. New potatoes and sliced red and yellow peppers are coated with a basil, olive oil and lemon dressing to roast. When they're almost ready, add cherry tomatoes and slices of halloumi, return to the oven and serve when the cheese has melted and browned.
Get the recipe for roasted halloumi with basil dressing here
Creamy egg and coconut curry
You don't often see egg curries on restaurant menus, but they're a popular dish in Indian homes. Here, boiled eggs are added to a creamy coconut sauce, fragrant with a ginger and garlic paste, chilli, garam masala and turmeric, and sweetened with a little tomato purée. The recipe serves four and is ready in 35 minutes.
Baked meatball sub
Make a great version of this fast food classic sandwich at home, in just 35 minutes. Mix together minced beef, garlic, fresh basil, breadcrumbs and egg with plenty of seasoning. Bake the meatballs in the oven while you prepare the sauce. It's just passata, garlic, chilli and olive oil. Split the hot rolls, spread with the sauce, add halved meatballs (it'll prevent them falling out!) and extra Parmesan.
Turmeric chicken kebabs
These healthy, zingy kebabs can be cooked on the barbecue, hob or in the oven. Serve in wraps with a crunchy salad or with rice. The chicken breast fillets are marinated in yogurt, lime, garlic, honey, olive oil and fresh turmeric. Substitute two teaspoons of dried turmeric for fresh, if you don't have any. Serve with chilli sauce on the side.
Greens and Parma Ham pasta
One of the best ways to reach your five-a-day, this pasta dish is filled with greens and is ready in 30 minutes. A carbonara-like mix of eggs, Parmesan and crème fraîche forms the base of the sauce, with spinach, peas and broccoli all added in (cook the peas and broccoli in the boiling pasta water a few minutes before the pasta is ready). Stir through lemon zest and pieces of Parma Ham before serving.
Three-cup chicken
Taiwan is famous for its three-cup chicken sauce, so-called because it uses a cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine, to make a speedy dish of dark, sticky chicken. The chicken is also tossed in cornflour to thicken the sauce. Fry ginger, garlic and chilli, add the pieces of chicken thigh, the rice wine (or dry sherry), soy sauce and sesame oil. Finish with fresh basil – Taiwanese if you can find it, or Thai or sweet basil if not. Serve with rice.
Steak with garlic butter
Cooking the perfect steak is something every cook should master. A few tips – the steak should be of the very best quality; get it to room temperature before cooking; and always leave it to rest, covered, before serving. There's a garlic butter to make here, and any excess can be frozen. Serve with chunky potato wedges and a green salad.
Grilled cheese and chutney sandwich
Nothing says comfort food more than a loaded cheese toastie. This one is jazzed up with a homemade mint and coriander chutney, diced peppers, mozzarella, Cheddar and a warming kick of chilli. There's just a bit of chopping involved for the chutney, which is fragrant with fresh coconut, and a little frying of the peppers and onions. Cook it in a sandwich toaster or in a pan, using another pan to weigh it down so it cooks evenly.
Chunky fish soup
Transport yourself to the Mediterranean with this flavoursome soup. It's made with a bag of frozen mixed seafood, such as prawns, mussels and squid, with some fresh cod (hake would be fine too). Fry onions, a bay leaf, saffron and garlic, then add fish stock, tinned tomatoes, the fish and seafood. It would be lovely served with chunky croutons and garlic mayonnaise stirred in.
Beef bulgogi
Bulgogi is a traditional Korean dish of marinated beef (or pork), shredded vegetables, topped with a fried egg and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Rib-eye steak is a good cut to use, which is marinated in oyster sauce, gochujang (Korean chilli paste), egg, sesame oil, black pepper and soy. Leave the meat to soak up the flavours for 30 minutes before stir-frying. It's great with a bowl of kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables) on the side.
Crab cakes with lemongrass
Fresh crab certainly has an affinity with the sweet, sour and fragrant ingredients of Thailand. Here it's mixed with lemongrass, green mango, fresh coriander, chilli, spices, lime, breadcrumbs and egg yolks to bind it all together, before being lightly fried in oil. The recipe would serve three as a main course, perhaps with a crunchy salad tossed with lime juice.
Cheese, ham and fig crêpes
Stuffed, savoury pancakes make for a great midweek meal. Traditionally in France, savoury crêpes are made with buckwheat flour, but you can use plain flour or ready-made, shop-bought ones too. They are spread with soft goats' cheese, fig jam, ham and grated cheese which melts while the pancakes are still warm. Although the recipe says to leave the batter overnight, you can just let it stand for 20 minutes.
One-pan chicken Parmesan
A speedy twist on an Italian classic, courgette spaghetti replaces the pasta here, but you could add extra cooked spaghetti if you want more carbs. Cook chicken breast fillets in an ovenproof frying pan, then add tomato passata, dried herbs and courgette strands. Mix together mozzarella, Parmesan and breadcrumbs, scatter on top and pop under the grill until browned and bubbling. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.
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