Dinner inspiration is hard to come by when life get busy. We want to keep midweek meals simple, speedy and frugal, but the main meal of the day should still be something to look forward to after a hectic day.
Here are 10 delicious, inexpensive dinners that are fast to make but don’t compromise on taste or satisfaction. There are lots of healthy options too.
One pan sausage and tomato gnocchi
This roasting pan dinner is made with shop bought gnocchi and it is super tasty. If you don’t have fresh basil, sprinkle on some dried oregano, rosemary or thyme before you pop it in the oven, and if you don’t have the baby mozzarella, tear up a normal ball.
Recipe: One pan sausage and tomato gnocchi
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Quick and easy vegetable curry
One for the non-meat eaters, that the carnivores will also enjoy for its filling, soothing properties. Ideal as the autumn chill sets in and it cooks in 20 minutes.
Recipe: Quick and easy vegetable curry
Cowboy beans with roast chicken
A family favourite in Lily Higgins’s house, and you can see why, with crispy roast chicken thighs (buy small ones so they cook quickly), chorizo and smoky beans.
Recipe: Cowboy beans with roast chicken
Stephen McAllister’s pasta al’arrabiata
A 15-minute store cupboard pasta dinner (well, he’s a chef so it might take us a few minutes longer). Good tip here is to gently caramelise the garlic to sweeten it up.
Recipe: Stephen McAllister’s pasta al’arrabiata
Crispy fried sweet chilli chicken
Like a takeaway only better, and much more healthy. A great way of using up those bland chicken breasts in the fridge and bringing some zingy flavour to them.
Recipe: Crispy fried sweet chilli chicken
Salmon with wilted sesame greens
To make it in 30 minutes, you’ll have to remember to marinate the salmon over night before cooking this nutritious dinner, but it is worth it.
Recipe: Salmon with wilted sesame greens
Spiced lamb flatbreads
You’ll need an airfryer to cook these pitta parcels stuffed with aromatic lamb in under 10 minutes, but you can cook them in the oven in 15. The filling comes together quickly, and the crowning glory is a tub of hummus on the side.
Recipe: Spiced lamb flatbreads
Theo Kirwan’s super green noodles
A taste of Sprout at home, from the co-founder of the healthy fast food chain. You’ll need to pull out a blender or liquidiser for this, but the vibrant green sauce for the buttery noodles is a chuck it in and blitz affair.
Recipe: Theo Kirwan’s super green noodles
Pasta with gochujang
Once you have a tub of the Korean chilli paste gochujang (widely available in Asian food stores and some supermarkets) in the larder, you can have this on the table in 10 minutes. Vary the heat level by adjusting the amount of gochujang.
Recipe: Pasta with gochujang
15-minute Goan fish curry
Lilly Higgins’s competitive streak comes out in this mild, family friendly fish curry, which she says can go from pot to plate in 15 minutes.
Recipe: Goan Fish Curry
