As the days get cooler and a little shorter, it's time to start thinking about comfort food – nourishing meals which make the most of the new season but don't take hours to prepare and cook. We're thinking grilled cheese sandwiches, spicy noodles and stir-fries, succulent steak and hearty pasta. There's a dish for everyone.

A speedy 20-minute pasta recipe, perfect for when you need a quick midweek meal. This dish uses frozen spinach which is very different from fresh spinach – it gives much greater depth of flavour.

Get the recipe for spinach orecchiette here

Once the curry base – with onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, paprika and chilli powder – has been made, this dish is quick to prepare. You could even prepare in advance to save even more time on the day. Burmese curries don’t traditionally contain coconut but here it adds extra depth and an almost nutty flavour.

Get the recipe for Burmese prawn curry here

Quesadillas – stuffed, cheesy and fried tortilla wraps – are the ultimate homemade fast food. You can chop and change the filling depending on what you have to hand but we love this combination of garlicky mushrooms, smoked paprika, mashed butter beans and grated Cheddar.

Get the recipe for smoked bean and mushroom quesadillas here

Skirt, or hanger, steak is cheap but incredibly flavourful. It needs to be cooked quickly and over a very high heat. In this recipe, it's served with a take on traditional Argentinian herby sauce chimichurri – fresh mint, parsley, coriander and dill are combined with red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and seasoning.

Get the recipe for skirt steak with chimichurri here

Pizza with a ten-minute rise for the dough sounds dubious, but this honestly works. The trick is using fast-acting easy-blend (or instant) dried yeast. Customise the toppings and use whatever you like or have to hand.

Get the recipe for ten-minute pizza here

Toad in the hole is a classic British dish of sausages baked in savoury batter. But here it's made vegetarian, packed with roasted root vegetables, peppers, onions and tomato. The recipe serves eight, but you can easily freeze any leftovers and reheat for another meal. 

Get the recipe for vegetable bake here

Nothing says comfort more than hot, gooey melted cheese. But upgrade your regular grilled cheese sandwich with a spicy chilli twist and serve with homemade coriander chutney. It's our new favourite toasted cheese moment.

Get the recipe for grilled cheese and chutney sandwich here

In need of a hot and healthy bowl of comfort, just for yourself? Our miso ramen can be made with any pack of noodles you have to hand and is perfect for a fridge raid of vegetables that need using up, all ready in 20 minutes.

Get the recipe for miso ramen here

A fish cake with a difference – think chunks of smoked mackerel, slices of smoked salmon with mashed potato, salad onions and hot horseradish fried off in a crunchy crumb. Add a zingy mayo with capers, garlic, lemon and gherkins for a perfect midweek meal. 

Get the recipe for smoked salmon fish cakes here

Take some fresh fish, a few vegetables and store cupboard ingredients to rustle up this hearty fish stew in no time. If monkfish is unavailable or too expensive, hake works brilliantly. The smokiness comes from the paprika and combined with garlic, tomato and a rich fish stock, the Mediterranean flavours will warm you up instantly.

Get the recipe for smoky bean and fish stew here

When there's a chill in the air, nothing beats tom yum. The richness of the coconut milk broth with healthy vegetables, feel-good spices and herbs, and a divine kick of lime and chilli will see you through colder evenings. Simple and speedy, this Thai soup is ready in 30 minutes.

Get the recipe for aubergine tom yum here

Citrus, chilli and honey make the perfect baste for chicken. This throw-in-the-oven, one-tray dish combines a crowd-pleasing mix of orange, lime, jalapeños, honey and garlic. Regularly basting the chicken is key to that sticky, crunchy skin.

Get the recipe for chicken with lime, orange and chilli here

A flavour-packed stir-fry which just happens to be vegan ticks all the boxes for a healthy, quick dinner. Shiitake mushrooms give the dish a deeply savoury, umami taste with a pleasing crunch from the cashews. Our recipe helps you make your own black bean sauce which beats shop-bought any day of the week, and it's still on the table in 40 minutes.

Get the recipe for mushroom and cashew black bean stir-fry here

If you need to get dinner on the table quickly, make fish finger tacos. Speedy, simple and warming, you could even cheat by buying the fish fingers instead of making your own. What makes this special is the watermelon salsa with lime and chilli.

Get the recipe for fish finger tacos here

Summer may be coming to a close but it means that apples and chestnuts will be at their seasonal best. Showcase the ingredients in this chicken recipe which is comforting and healthy at the same time. The magic ingredient is Marmite (yeast extract spread) which gives a tanginess to the dish, balancing the sweet tomatoes and fruit.

Get the recipe for chicken with red onion, apple and chestnuts here

We're always looking for a new way to jazz up a piece of fish and this fried salmon with a punchy Mediterranean salsa is one of our favourites. The salsa is fruity and nutty with olives, capers, herbs and lemon. Combine with a pan-fried and crisp-skinned salmon fillet, and you have a speedy meal on the table in no time.

Get the recipe for salmon with pine nut salsa here

As long as you have a food processor, falafels are easy and quick to prepare. You can always make up a big batch as they freeze so well. Our decadent falafel sandwich is packed with aromatic Middle Eastern flavours and a drizzle of sesame-laden tahini sauce adds a final flourish. You can save time by using a can of chickpeas rather than soaking them overnight.

Get the recipe for falafel sandwich here

Mustard seeds add punchy flavour to this speedy prawn curry and you'll probably have everything else in your store cupboard – onions, garlic, ginger, spices and tinned tomatoes. Prep takes all of 15 minutes then you can leave the sauce to do its magic and cook until its thick and rich.

Get the recipe for prawn and mustard curry here

The meat for gyros is usually cooked slowly on a vertical spit but for our quick, at-home version, you just need a griddle or frying pan. The spice is gentle – just a hint of chilli with that perfect Greek combination of garlic, dried oregano and lemon. With homemade tzatziki and a tomato salsa, these stuffed pittas will be a hit.

Get the recipe for spicy chicken gyros here

A spicy vegan curry, this cauliflower dhansak is completely nourishing. The tomatoes add richness and lentils help the sauce to thicken. If you're not fussed about making it totally vegan, replace the coconut yogurt with thick Greek-style yogurt. It's ready in under an hour and leftovers are great the next day.

Get the recipe for cauliflower dhansak here

You can rustle up this easy pasta dish, which serves four, in just 15 minutes. The recipe calls for leftover gammon but you could substitute for cooked ham. We love the clever way of making the speedy sauce with honey and mustard to give a sweet and tangy note.

Get the recipe for ham and egg linguine here

The irresistible Vietnamese culinary combination of salt, sweet, hot and sour makes this dish so addictive. Make sure to use well-marbled meat for this warm steak salad which takes just 25 minutes to make. When the beef hits the greens, they wilt slightly and the beef juices and dressing blend together into a tangy sauce.

Get the recipe for Vietnamese steak salad here

This smoked mackerel salad is healthy and tasty, high in protein, omega-3 fats and vitamins. Cut down on the cooking time by using pre-cooked beetroot and if you like, tinned potatoes. The acidity of the orange cuts through the richness of the mackerel. Hot smoked salmon would be a great substitute too.

Get the recipe for smoked mackerel, beetroot and orange salad here

Make cooking this lentil ratatouille more speedy by using a pouch of pre-cooked lentils. It's a healthy, veggie midweek meal with five different vegetables and a lovely hint of garlic. The fresh basil added at the end gives the whole thing a heady aroma.

Get the recipe for lentil ratatouille here

We love a one-pot dish like this sticky soy and honey salmon which, once prepped, is just chucked in the oven for 20 minutes. Fillets of salmon are roasted on a bed of healthy greens then dressed with a zingy ginger, lime and chilli dressing. Enjoy with noodles or rice on the side.

Get the recipe for soy and honey roasted salmon here

Whether you're following a plant-based diet or simply trying to cut down on your meat intake, give jackfruit curry a try. The tomato sauce base is fragrant with garlic, onion, ginger and chillies, and a little coconut cream adds to the richness of the dish.

Get the recipe for jackfruit curry here

Imagine all those flavours we love in a classic Niçoise salad – new potatoes, anchovies, olives, eggs and green beans. Mix them together, add a punchy dressing, top with cheese and bake until bubbling. This hearty and warming riff on a classic salad is ready in less than an hour. 

Get the recipe for Niçoise bake here

A rich tomato pasta sauce with a hint of chilli, crispy pancetta (though you could substitute smoked, streaky bacon) and served with freshly grated Parmesan will hit the spot on a chilly evening. Perhaps a glass of full-bodied red wine will complete the dish...

Get the recipe for rigatoni amatriciana here

A carbonara with a Thai twist may sound a little strange, but hey, don't knock it until you've tried it. Eggs, bacon and spaghetti make the recipe a whole lot like the Italian dish but fish sauce and chilli turn it into a tasty fusion of flavours.

Get the recipe for pad Thai carbonara here

This Swedish-inspired comfort food classic is usually served with rice but this recipe uses pasta and a few capers in the sauce for a bit of a kick. The smoked sausage gives it an extra layer of rich flavour.

Get the recipe for smoked sausage tagliatelle here