There’s a time and a place for complicated recipes, but sometimes you just want to whip up something delicious with minimal fuss. That’s where our 'no-recipe' recipes come in. These simple suggestions are designed to inspire you – without demanding that you follow instructions to the letter. If you do have a little more time and energy, you can also use these tips as a base: improvise with the ingredients, switch up the presentation and add your own spin, safe in the knowledge that the end result will be very tasty indeed.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the dishes that you can whip up without a recipe, from traybakes to soothing soups and delicious desserts.
Show shop-bought fish fingers some love and you’ll be rewarded with a tasty meal. First, make a quick tartare sauce by mixing mayonnaise with capers, chopped cornichons and a squeeze of lemon juice. Slice a crusty roll in half lengthways and layer crunchy lettuce leaves over the base. Add fish fingers (cooked according to packet instructions), spoon over the tartare sauce and add the bread roll lid. Serve with lemon wedges and tomato ketchup on the side, if you like.
Make simple, seriously speedy poke bowls at home by cooking microwavable rice according to pack instructions and drizzling with seasoned rice vinegar. Top with the seafood of your choice – smoked salmon, seared tuna, flaked smoked mackerel or cooked prawns all work well – then add an array of vegetables (think shredded carrot and cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, sliced avocado and edamame beans). Drizzle with a dressing made from equal quantities of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and lemon juice, and scatter with sesame seeds and coriander leaves just before serving.
A crowd-pleaser if there ever was one, this pizza is bursting with flavour. First, preheat your oven to 240°C/220°C fan/475°F/gas mark 9, then roll out ready-made pizza dough and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread cream cheese over the base and arrange thinly sliced onions and butternut squash pieces on top. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter with rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the butternut squash tender. Top with crumbled feta cheese and serve immediately.
Despite being simple to prepare, this soup tastes wonderfully luxurious. To make enough to feed 4, bring 24fl oz (700ml) whole milk to a simmer in a large saucepan. Season generously with salt and pepper and add the finely chopped florets from a large head of cauliflower. Increase the heat and cook, without allowing the milk to boil, for 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Add a small knob of butter (a drizzle of truffle oil wouldn’t go amiss either), transfer to a blender and blitz to a thick puree. Divide among bowls and top with chunky croutons to serve.
This pasta dish tastes properly indulgent but demands little of the cook, both in terms of time and effort. To serve 1, coarsely grate 4oz (113g) chestnut mushrooms. Set a wide frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat, add the mushrooms, a finely grated garlic clove, 2 tbsp double cream and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add linguine or spaghetti, cooked according to packet instructions, to the pan and fold in a handful of spinach leaves. Mix well and serve.
When you want to put together a memorable meal in minutes, a mezze platter is the answer. This sharing plate is really all about the assembly: decant dips (think hummus and baba ganoush) into bowls and place on a large plate, then add olives, pickles, sundried tomatoes and stuffed chilli peppers. Make a quick salad with tomatoes, chopped parsley and tabbouleh, and warm some shop-bought falafels through in the oven. Find room for juicy quartered figs drizzled with honey, and serve with flatbreads on the side. This picking platter would also work brilliantly as an easy dinner party starter or grazing plate.
These satay chicken lettuce wraps make a great light lunch or nibble, and can easily be turned into a more substantial meal when served with noodles or rice. To make yours, prepare a simple satay-style dressing by mixing peanut butter with soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice and zest and sesame oil. Fold this mix through diced cooked chicken. Arrange iceberg or butter lettuce leaves on a platter, fill each one with a large spoonful of satay chicken and scatter with sliced spring onions. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
The ultimate brunch dish, it’s worth remembering that avo toast can easily double up as dinner, too. Mash ripe avocados with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Cook rashers of bacon in the oven until properly crisp, then cut into thin pieces (kitchen scissors are particularly handy for doing this). Spread toasted English muffins with the mashed avocado, sprinkle over the crispy bacon bits and top with a poached egg. Serve with chilli sauce on the side.
This Middle Eastern-inspired meal is ready in minutes. To serve 2, fold a spoonful of thick Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil through a pot of hummus. Heat a large frying pan with a little sunflower oil until searing hot, add a packet of beef, lamb or turkey mince, and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the mince is crisp. Sprinkle over a little za’atar and ground cinnamon, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a minute more. Divide the hummus among serving plates and spoon the crispy beef on top. Scatter with chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds and serve with toast or flatbreads.
Thrifty, wholesome, filling and almost effortless to put together, this Puy lentil and tuna salad packs a real flavour punch. To serve 2, tip a pouch of pre-cooked Puy lentils into a large bowl, then mix in a small can of drained tuna, a couple of handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes, a little finely sliced red onion and a small bunch of chopped parsley. Drizzle with a dressing made by whisking together 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp each Dijon mustard and runny honey, a squeeze of lemon juice and 3 tbsp olive oil.
Baked sweet potatoes can be stuffed with all manner of different fillings, but this is one of our favourites. Pierce your potatoes with a fork, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and roast in a really hot oven until crisp on the outside and soft in the centre. While the potatoes cook, melt a generous knob of butter in a small saucepan, then add a scattering of chilli flakes and a generous drizzle of honey. Sizzle over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Split open your baked sweet potatoes, top with crumbled feta and drizzle with the hot honey butter.
To make a bright and healthy quinoa bowl, cook the grains according to packet instructions, dress with olive oil, salt and pepper, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add roasted vegetables – sweet potato, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and green or red peppers work well – and a few fresh green leaves for contrast (think kale and spinach). For the final flourish, crisp up some canned chickpeas: drain and fry in hot oil until the chickpeas just begin to blister on the outside. Serve with a tahini dressing (tahini, lemon juice and honey) on the side.
For a dish that'll transport you to a Greek island, this is a must-try. To serve 2, cut a large chicken breast into strips. Mix together 5-6 tbsp plain yogurt, the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, a crushed garlic clove and 1 tsp dried oregano, and pour it over the chicken. Leave to marinate for at least an hour, and ideally overnight. Cook the chicken strips in a searingly hot griddle pan for 3-4 minutes, until cooked through. Fill warm flatbreads or pitta bread with lettuce, tomatoes and sliced red onions. Add the chicken strips, roll up and serve with oven chips and tzatziki.
While we’d never claim this is an authentic version of the popular Mexican breakfast, this simple idea certainly delivers on both flavour and texture, and is perfect for any meal. To try it, scramble eggs in a large pan until just set. Remove the pan from the heat, then add grated Cheddar and finely chopped fresh chillies to taste. Stir in crushed tortilla chips and tuck in as is, or pile the mix into warm tortilla wraps. Serve with fresh salsa and hot sauce on the side.
Leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken comes into its own with this soothing broth. To make enough for 2, set a saucepan with 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat. Add 5 sliced spring onions and a couple of handfuls of sliced mushrooms, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in 2 crushed garlic cloves, cook for a minute more and cover with 24fl oz (700ml) good-quality chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and add 2 handfuls of frozen peas and a couple of generous handfuls of leftover shredded roast chicken or rotisserie chicken. Warm through, divide between bowls and garnish with chopped parsley to serve.
This dish is perfect for a Friday night in or as part of a party spread. Cut pittas (1-2 per serving) into triangles, arrange on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a hot oven until golden (around 5-10 minutes). Meanwhile, cook some lamb mince (a standard packet should make enough for 2-3 people) in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat, until crisp around the edges. Pile the pitta bread crisps onto a large platter and spoon the warm lamb mince over the top, throw on some sliced cucumber, red onions and tomatoes, crumble over feta and drizzle on some olive oil and lemon juice.
Simple yet sensational, this is salad on another level. To serve 2, heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat and brush two rump steaks with olive oil. Add to the hot pan and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side (or until done to your liking). Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toss a few handfuls of rocket leaves with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and plenty of black pepper. Tip onto a serving platter. Slice the steak into strips, season with sea salt and arrange on top of the rocket. Finish with a generous handful of shaved Parmesan and a good drizzle of balsamic syrup.
This one-pan dish delivers comfort food feels in spades, and also happens to be vegan and budget-friendly. To serve 4, set a shallow frying pan with 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat, add 2 finely sliced onions and cook for 10 minutes, until golden. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger and 1 tsp each mustard seeds, cumin seeds and ground turmeric. Mix well, then stir in 1 tbsp tomato puree, followed by 10.6oz (300g) red lentils. Add a can of coconut milk and add 29fl oz (850ml) vegetable stock or water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft and soupy. Divide among bowls and garnish with chopped coriander.
Comfort in a bowl, and ready in less than 10 minutes – this is brilliant weeknight dinner idea to have in your arsenal. You can use a garlic cream cheese, such as Boursin, or make your own by mixing plain cream cheese with little crushed garlic and finely chopped parsley. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add frozen peas and ready-made fresh ravioli or tortellini, and cook according to the instructions on the pasta packet. Drain, return the pasta to the pan, add garlic cream cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, and mix gently to coat. Serve scattered with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan.
Perfect for warming you up on a cold evening, or as an indulgent brunch dish, this traybake is packed full of punchy flavours. To serve 4, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Arrange a packet of sausages in large baking dish along with some halved new potatoes, a few rosemary sprigs and wedges of red onion. Add a generous glug of olive oil and toss. Roast for around 40 minutes, giving it all a good stir – and turning thje sausages over – halfway through. Drizzle with a mix of runny honey and a little grainy mustard, mix well and cook for 5 minutes more.
Cheap, filling, quick and easy – and seriously tasty – these quesadillas make the most of store-cupboard ingredients. To prepare yours, fry a finely chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp sunflower oil, until softened. Add 1 tsp each cumin seeds and smoked paprika, followed by a can of drained pinto beans. Mix well and roughly mash the beans. Spread the beans over 4 flour tortillas, scatter with grated Cheddar and top each with another tortilla. Set a dry frying pan over a medium heat and cook each quesadilla for 1-2 minutes on each side, until the tortillas are golden and the cheese melting. Cut into wedges and serve warm with salsa, sour cream and lime wedges.
This substantial French-inspired salad is packed with beautiful colours and Mediterranean flavours. Arrange lettuce leaves in a large serving bowl, then add peeled and halved boiled eggs, blanched green beans, tender boiled new potatoes, halved plum tomatoes and tuna (you can use tinned tuna, drained, or slice a seared tuna fillet). Drizzle with a dressing made by whisking together olive oil, white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Add capers and black olives and serve.
Effortlessly elegant affogato makes for a classy end to an evening meal. This dessert is all about contrasts – if you like, you can simply pour a shot of rich, dark-roast espresso over a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and call it a day (affogato means ‘drowned’ in Italian, so be generous with the coffee). To take things up a notch, sprinkle toasted flaked almonds or crushed amaretti biscuits over the top, or layer the ice cream with Morello cherry compote and shards of dark chocolate.
This no-bake cheesecake is a treat to look at, and to eat. Per portion, crush 1-2 digestive biscuits to crumbs and tip into a serving glass. Beat 3 tbsp cream cheese with 1.5 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp mascarpone, 2 tbsp icing sugar and the seeds from a small vanilla pod. Spoon half the mixture over the crushed biscuits. Hull and slice 5-6 strawberries, add on top of the cheese mixture, top with the remaining cream cheese mix, then decorate with the reserved strawberries.
Whip this dessert up in minutes, then prepare for the compliments to start rolling in. Place a sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry on a large baking tray. Score a border around the edge of the pastry and prod the centre all over with a fork. Scatter 4 tbsp ground almonds over the pastry, keeping within the border. Core and thinly slice 3-4 medium pears, and arrange on top of the pastry with some finely chopped crystallised ginger (1-2 pieces). Drizzle generously with syrup from the crystallised ginger jar. Bake in an oven preheated to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7 for 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the pears tender.
No discover these delicious dinners on the table in under 15 minutes