Super simple recipes anyone can cook
Back to basics
Lasagne
A firm family favourite, a good lasagne is all about leaving the meat sauce to cook for a long period of time to let the flavours develop. So although it takes a while to make, it's mostly hands-off. We suggest whipping up a double batch of the ragù because once cooked, it's perfect for freezing so you’ll have some on standby for another night.
Chicken wings
These are incredibly delicious, cooked with the aromatic spices of Chinese five spice then coated in a sweet and tangy sauce. The trick to this recipe is using bicarbonate of soda in the dry rub which makes the wings crisp up, and putting the wings in a cold oven so the fat renders as it heats and also helps crisp the skin.
Biryani
Traditionally a celebratory dish which takes a long time to make, this biryani recipe is a quicker version but equally as tasty. It's packed with spices and aromatics, marrying the flavours of cinnamon and turmeric, with the heat of chilli powder and the zesty notes of ginger. Using boneless chicken thighs and not pre-cooking the rice also cuts down the cooking time.
Pumpkin and chicken traybake
A traybake is one of the easiest suppers and means less washing up when everything is cooked in one pan. The balance of flavours and textures is key: here sweet pumpkin is paired with tangy cherry tomatoes, fragrant rosemary and meaty chicken breasts. Balsamic vinegar brings everything together so use the best-quality you can find – and for good measure, drizzle a little over the top when you serve.
Smoky black beans
It doesn’t take much to turn this tasty side dish into a full meal – just serve with rice or in a burrito with avocado, salsa and other favourite ingredients. To get that smoky flavour, cook the tinned black beans with chipotle flakes or powder, which are jalapeños that have been smoked and dried.
Get the recipe for smoky black beans here
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Tarka dal
Enjoying a bowl of warming dal is just the ticket when you need something comforting and nourishing. There are just as many ways to make the north Indian dish as there are cooks but ours calls for a base of ginger and garlic with turmeric, cumin seeds, garam masala and green chillies to add heat. This recipe suggests mung lentils, but red lentils will also work well.
Smoked salmon frittata
Frittata may be easy to make, but it's sure to impress if you serve it for a weekend brunch. With the classic combination of dill and salmon, this traditional Italian-style egg dish is given an umami hit with a generous portion of Parmesan grated in.
Cacio e pepe
The translation from Italian – 'cheese and pepper' – gives away the two main ingredients in this simple classic. The key to making this dish delicious is to use the pasta's cooking water for the sauce because the starch will give you that silky smooth texture.
Chocolate mousse
Four store cupboard ingredients – chocolate, eggs, salt and sugar – are all that's needed to make an easy yet special dessert. For a more grown-up take, throw a splash of booze into the mix. Rum or brandy are great options to give it an even more decadent feel. Here's a top tip: the mousse tastes even better the day after it's prepared.
Cupcakes
Nothing beats a lovely cupcake and you can make them as plain or as extravagant as you like. This recipe uses fresh fruit purée in the buttercream to give it a delicious flavour and rich colouring. Experiment with different fruits like cherries, blueberries or blackberries.
Meatloaf
Tender, juicy meatloaf is a classic American dish. This recipe uses a mixture of minced beef, minced pork and sausagemeat. It’s seasoned with garlic, chilli and Worcestershire sauce, and served with a rich gravy. The best part? The dish only requires 20 minutes of hands-on time and the oven does the rest of the work.
Mac ‘n’ cheese
The ultimate comfort food, mac 'n' cheese is also one of the easiest dishes to make. Go simple by serving it with grilled tomatoes or push the boat out with a fancy lobster tail-topped version. You could even sneak extra veg into your diet by making a mac ‘n’ cauliflower cheese hybrid.
Pizza
If you love pizza, you won’t regret learning to make your own. A simple olive oil dough requires just over an hour to knead and rise, and is hard to get wrong. Or if you're just starting out, give our recipe a go. It uses instant dried yeast so only needs 10 minutes to prove. As for the toppings, choose whatever you want!
Cheeseburgers
Homemade burgers are brilliant and once you know a basic recipe, the options for patty ingredients and toppings are plenty. Try a classic cheeseburger with a beef patty, slices of your favourite cheese, pickles, red onions, tomatoes and lettuce. You can cook over an outside grill or in a griddle pan on the hob.
Baked potatoes
Baked potatoes are a versatile dish to have in your cooking repertoire. Once you’ve nailed the trick to making fluffy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside spuds, you can top them with anything from blue cheese to bolognese. The trick is to make sure the potato is clean and dry before rubbing with softened butter and baking for 120-150 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
Chocolate cookies
Big, soft and chewy, chocolate cookies are quick and easy to make. The secret to getting the perfect crunch is to mix granulated sugar with soft brown sugar. Maximise richness by always baking with butter and using the best dark chocolate chips you can find.
Caesar salad
A Caesar salad with crisp lettuce, crunchy croutons, salty anchovies and Parmesan is filling enough to be eaten as a main meal. Save time and throw together shop-bought croutons and creamy dressing, or challenge yourself to make everything from scratch. You could also add grilled chicken to make it more hearty.
Roast chicken
Once you've perfected cooking roast chicken, play around with rubs, marinades and stuffings. Start off with this simple lemon, butter and herb roast chicken with stuffing and gravy. It goes perfectly with crispy roast potatoes.
Pesto
There’s nothing wrong with pesto from a jar but it’s nice to be able to make your own – the flavour is unbeatable. It’s super straightforward: all you need is basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and Parmesan. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a good old fashioned pestle and mortar. Store any leftover pesto in an ice cube tray in the freezer.
Soda bread
The easiest bread you can make, soda bread doesn’t require yeast or kneading. Simply mix flour with baking soda, buttermilk and treacle, then bake for 30 minutes. It’s amazing fresh out the oven with butter or as an accompaniment to soup. If this inspires you to get busy in the kitchen, check out our complete guide to making bread.
Miso ramen
Making ramen broth can take hours but this simplified version is ready in just 15 minutes. Use packet ramen noodles or plain noodles and a tablespoon of miso paste. The world is your oyster when it comes to toppings – add anything you have to hand, from fresh chilli, kimchi and sesame seeds to frozen veg and a soft-boiled egg.
Gnocchi
Flour and potatoes are the only two ingredients needed to make gnocchi – and the little dumpling-like bites are easy to whip up too. Cook and mash potatoes, add flour and mix to make a dough. Knead, roll into a sausage shape, cut into small pieces and boil. We love gnocchi with a simple tomato sauce.
Carrot soup
You can’t go wrong with homemade soup – it’s cheap, full of fresh flavours and healthy. In this recipe, carrots and potatoes are cooked in stock, seasoned with paprika, then blended until smooth. A spoon of butter, a squeeze of lemon, a handful of basil and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan take it to the next level.
No-bake cheesecake
A no-bake cheesecake skips having to turn on the oven and makes no compromises on decadence. This one has a crumbly biscuit base and contains Irish cream liqueur for a grown-up twist. Decorate however you like – blueberries and raspberries add a pop of colour, and toasted hazelnuts or chocolate curls work well too.
Rib-eye steak with peppercorn sauce
Cooking steak couldn't be easier. Try rib-eye with peppercorn sauce – the cut is one of the most flavourful and the creamy sauce is a great recipe to have under your belt. Mix and match sides such as chips, broccoli or pickled shallots.
Chicken pad Thai
Once you’ve stocked your pantry with the staples (fish sauce, oyster sauce, chilli powder and rice noodles), chicken pad Thai is a quick dinner to rustle up. Plus, the sweet, sour and salty Thai flavours of tamarind, shrimp, lime, coriander and peanut are so satisfying.
Fish finger tacos
These moreish fish finger tacos are fun to build and loaded with impressive but easy-to-make fillings. The garlicky avocado cream is as simple as blasting avocado, sour cream, lime and garlic in a blender. The watermelon salsa is made with chopped red onion, watermelon, chilli, lime and coriander. If you’re short on time, swap homemade fish fingers for shop-bought.
Peanut butter caramel brownies
A great, dependable brownie recipe will quickly become your go-to when you need a sweet treat. These rich and chocolatey squares are made better with sweet caramel and peanut butter. They freeze well too so you can always have brownies on standby.
Mushroom chow mein
Stir-fries are your best friend in the kitchen – they’re easy, speedy and good to fall back on. Mushroom chow mein is great for beginners with meaty oyster mushrooms, noodles and spicy Sichuan sauce. Two things to note about stir-fries: feel free to substitute ingredients like noodles with rice, or bok choy with broccoli. Plus, a good wok goes a long way.
Malted chocolate cake
Master a basic cake recipe and you can pull it out for any special occasion. This malted chocolate cake is as easy as it gets and is a real crowd-pleaser, with buttercream layered between the sponge as well as smothered on top. Trust us, it’s better than anything shop-bought.
Egg fried rice
A quick and satisfying dish when you’re short on time and craving a takeaway. Egg fried rice is as simple as cracking an egg in a wok, adding cooked rice, peas, soy sauce and spring onions. Make it extra special with prawns and crunchy shredded cabbage.
Chicken burritos
Chicken burritos are fun to make and utterly satisfying. Grill chicken breasts and put together a simple salsa with chopped tomatoes, parsley, spring onion and a squeeze of lime, plus a chunky guacamole made with diced avocado and garlic. If you’re cooking for a crowd, keep wraps warm, covered in foil in the oven, while you prepare the others.
Pulled pork
Get your head around slow-cooker dishes and you’re gold. The low and slow method means you can make the most of cheap cuts of meat, and can throw ingredients into a pot and forget about them. This sweet, spicy and succulent pulled pork recipe requires just 15 minutes of hands-on time and is incredible topped with coleslaw in a burger bun.
Smoked salmon omelette
A hearty omelette works just as well for a super-quick dinner as it does at brunch. Use two eggs per person and when the omelette is nearly set, add your fillings and fold it in half. In this recipe, creamy cheese and smoked salmon add a touch of luxury, but griddled courgettes and feta would make a delicious vegetarian option.
Roast potatoes
Golden, crispy roast potatoes with fluffy insides are every cook’s aspiration. The trick to getting them perfect is allowing them to dry after you’ve boiled them, before putting them on a tray of hot goose fat to roast. Trust us, the extra step is worth it for the crunch on the final result.
Beef ragù
Ragù, a slow-cooked meat sauce, is something anyone can cook. Serve with pasta for a crowd-pleasing dinner – large tubes like rigatoni or thick ribboned pasta like pappardelle work best. The sauce also freezes well so make a batch for future meals.
Salmon croquettes
Salmon croquettes look fancy but don’t be fooled, they’re surprisingly cheap and easy to make. Tinned salmon is combined with mashed potato, rolled into little cylinders and breaded. They're fried until crisp and golden brown. Dip in sweet chilli jam for pure potato heaven.
Buttermilk pancakes
There are few better breakfasts than a towering stack of buttermilk pancakes. All you need to make them at home are store cupboard staples like plain flour, an egg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk (use normal milk and a generous squeeze of lemon juice if you can't find buttermilk). Serve with a handful of blueberries or go savoury with crispy bacon rashers.
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a cracking recipe, with eggs cooked in richly-spiced tomato sauce. Our recipe also incorporates aubergine. Serve with crusty bread and dollops of yogurt for a quick and filling brunch or dinner. You’ve probably already got all the ingredients in your cupboard.
Leek, chorizo and goats’ cheese tortilla
A Spanish tortilla is a seriously easy recipe to master and once you’ve got it down, you can create different variations. The basic ingredients are cooked potatoes and eggs, but adding chorizo, goats’ cheese and leeks will take it to the next level.
Get the recipe for leek, chorizo and goats' cheese tortilla here
Seafood chowder
This New England dish, with mussels and fish in garlicky white wine sauce, is elegant and comforting. What’s more, it's not expensive and can be made in under 35 minutes. A great go-to recipe for cosy evenings indoors.
Sausage cassoulet
Sausage cassoulet is a hearty, warming supper and great if you need to feed a crowd. It’s very filling so a simple peppery salad is all it needs on the side. Save time by swapping dried beans with two tins of drained, pre-cooked cannellini or haricot.
Prawn, pea and courgette risotto
Basic risotto calls for arborio rice, Parmesan and stock. It requires just a little attention, to stir the rice and prevent it burning. Then you can play around with ingredients to add. Try porcini mushrooms and truffle oil for a decadent dish; a rich and earthy butternut squash, sage and Comté combination; or go green with peas, courgette, mint and prawns.
Cauliflower curry
A crowd-pleasing curry recipe is great to have up your sleeve for a hearty, healthy dinner. This one-pot dhansak is fragrant and filling, packed with lentils, cauliflower, spices and coconut yogurt. And you'd never know it's vegan.
Herb-crusted chicken
Jazz up chicken breasts with a herby hazelnut and breadcrumb crust. It’s quick to make and hazelnuts can be substituted with any nut. Serve it with salad and sautéed potatoes for an effortless midweek dinner.
Chicken pot pie
There's no need to make pastry from scratch for a classic chicken pot pie, plus you can throw in whatever vegetables you have to hand. It's a great way to make chicken go further and there are only around 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Roast leg of lamb
This roast leg of lamb recipe is an approachable dish for beginners as it doesn’t have too many steps and really brings out the flavours of the meat. In terms of side dishes, try it with roast carrots or potato dauphinoise.
Baked salmon with a dill glaze
It’s essential to have at least one reliable salmon recipe in your dinner menu rotation. Try this baked salmon with a dill glaze: smother the cooked fish in the dill, parsley, chive and mustard sauce and serve with boiled potatoes. It's a guaranteed winner.
Roasted tomato pasta
A traditional Tuscan pasta dish ready in just 15 minutes. Roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, chilli, basil and olive oil provide an abundance of flavour. Serve with fresh tagliatelle or dried shell-shaped pasta, topped with plenty of Parmesan.
Chilli con carne
Chilli con carne is an essential batch-cook recipe. Serve with nachos or with rice for a substantial supper. Once you've got the basic dish nailed, play around with it. Dial up or down the heat according to personal preference; add a square of chocolate for richness; add pumpkin for an extra portion of veg; or go completely meat-free with plant-based soya mince.
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