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Original poster

What's your 'bung it in the oven' no effort dinner?

320 replies

racinghare · 19/04/2022 13:03

I asked for dinner advice yday and got so may lovely suggestions, so I'm back for more lol. Something quick and easy bung it in the oven no effort- what's your go to? Mine is usually a chicken, carrots and potato all cooked together and then add stock at the end to turn into a gravy. That's too much effort today though!

OP posts:
nearlyspringyay · 19/04/2022 13:41

Kiev and chips
Pasta bake
Spaghetti and meatballs (pre made with dollop sauce)

We eat very well most of the time / from scratch so I have no guilt over a freezer meal once a week

Joystir59 · 19/04/2022 13:42

Very rarely cook proper meals that are cooked in the oven. There's only me and sometimes friends or family. I'm a very simple caterer!

BarbaraofSeville · 19/04/2022 13:43

@ChairOfInvisibleStudies. I just use a Knorr stock cube. Not sorry.

I decided a long time ago that life was too short for any kind of stock making and my taste buds are not refined enough to feel the need to start boiling up fish heads and old prawn shells.

A variation on the salmon in stock soup theme would be cubed potato simmered in the fish stock until it's nearly done then add sliced salmon fillet, spring onions and fresh dill which I think is like a Scottish or Scandinavian soup, probably bastardised, but I like it and it's fairly low effort.

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ToastedCrumpetwithCheese · 19/04/2022 13:43

Salmon pastry things with red pesto.

Divide ready roll puff pastry into 4x rectangles (if you have 4 people). Cut the skin off some salmon. Spread some red pesto in the middle of each square. Cut each salmon fillet in half so you can fit it on the pastry rectangle. Fold up the edges of the pastry to make a little tub around the salmon. Brush pastry with milk. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Cook at about 180C for 25-30 mins. Serve with some veg and we do easy roast potatoes (shove some little charlotte or salad potatoes in hot oil and cook in oven for 30mins).

Get kids to lay the table and put your feet up for 30mins.

cheesesandwhich · 19/04/2022 13:45

My go to is jacket potato or pesto pasta with mascarpone, peas, mushroom and bacon and shove some garlic bread on the side

SirenSays · 19/04/2022 13:48

Ramen, especially if I have some ramen eggs and char siu

JudgeRindersMinder · 19/04/2022 13:48

Salmon pasta and pesto here….poach salmon in the microwave while pasta is cooking, mix through the cooked pasta with a dollop of pesto

carefullycourageous · 19/04/2022 13:53

Cheese bread and butter pudding, with baked beans, is the easiest 'proper' meal I make in the oven.

Most of my easy meals are made on the hob.

doris9034 · 19/04/2022 13:54

@JudgeRindersMinder

Salmon pasta and pesto here….poach salmon in the microwave while pasta is cooking, mix through the cooked pasta with a dollop of pesto
I do this, but with smoked salmon, so even less cooking!
starlingdarling · 19/04/2022 13:58

I'm not really a meal prepper but the one thing I do is a big bolognese and big veg-filled smooth tomato sauce (about 8 portions each). I store single portions flat in a sandwich type bag in the freezer so they're only about 2cm thick. I always have a bag of fresh pasta in the fridge (lasts weeks). I break the sauces up into pans and turn the heat on to defrost and heat up. Boil the kettle for pasta and by the time the pasta is finished (5 minutes), the sauces are done (I'm a vegetarian, DH is not so we do both sauces). 10 minutes from start to finish. It's normally a good 2-3 months before we need to do another batch.

ChairOfInvisibleStudies · 19/04/2022 14:00

[quote BarbaraofSeville]@ChairOfInvisibleStudies. I just use a Knorr stock cube. Not sorry.

I decided a long time ago that life was too short for any kind of stock making and my taste buds are not refined enough to feel the need to start boiling up fish heads and old prawn shells.

A variation on the salmon in stock soup theme would be cubed potato simmered in the fish stock until it's nearly done then add sliced salmon fillet, spring onions and fresh dill which I think is like a Scottish or Scandinavian soup, probably bastardised, but I like it and it's fairly low effort.[/quote]
Music to my ears!

timtam23 · 19/04/2022 14:02

When I lived alone and needed a very quick meal I would cook some pasta, boil up some frozen peas right at the end and when about to serve I'd stir in a quick sauce of pesto and crème fraiche mixed together. Lots of freshly-ground black pepper sprinkled over and it was a meal in minutes.

Comedycook · 19/04/2022 14:03

Put whole chicken breasts in an oven proof dish...one per person. Pour over a jar of good quality pasta sauce and add a tiny splash of water. Cover with foil.. bake for about an hour in the oven. Remove foil and top with mozzarella...back in oven for ten minutes to melt. Serve with pasta....there will be enough sauce left around chicken to coat pasta.

Xiaoxiong · 19/04/2022 14:04

Chicken thighs on the bone, potatoes cut into wedges (or left whole if they're small enough), a bulb of garlic broken up but unpeeled, rosemary or thyme if I've got it, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast 30 mins at 180c. Add broccoli cut about the same size as the potatoes, toss everything together, roast another 15 mins.

I do the same with new potatoes, green beans and salmon - start off with just the potatoes for 15 mins, add the green beans and salmon for the last 15 mins.

1forAll74 · 19/04/2022 14:07

I have just put a chicken casserole in the oven, I prepared it last night. Its got some onions and celery and mushrooms in it, and some tarragon, might add some left over wine in it later before eating, then some green veg to go with it..

I had a shock last week, reading about broccoli. I read that broccoli can sometimes have tiny little worms inside it, like from where it grows. And sure enough. i decide to be more careful when washing it and preparing it, and in a couple of the floret things, I found two tiny worms embeded in them., little tiny black ones. I would have just done a quick wash and prepare before and cook, before i read this..

Anna197264 · 19/04/2022 14:07

Slow cooker chicken curry….buy pre chopped veg & diced chicken, Chuck it all in with a jar of sauce or with passatta & curry powder (could add a bit of coconut milk towards the end). I alternate this method just with stock to make a home made soup too. Kids love it & it’s got veg so I feel vaguely like I’m being a good parent.

I’ve also been known to do this with mince & frozen veg. Chuck it all in & then cook pasta when required.

RedPanda901 · 19/04/2022 14:08

Mine is cook some pasta (linguine, orecchiette or some other short pasta), drain then add nice tuna chunks (Ortiz or the Saino's one labelled ventresca tuna fillets in a mackerel-like tin) and the oil from the tin, juice of a lemon (zest too if you can be bothered), sliced fresh chilli and/ or cherry tomatoes, halved, then chopped parsley or basil. That's it. Ridiculously good!

Pegasussnail · 19/04/2022 14:09

Pork tray bake

baby potatoes (halved) peppers and onion
Place pork chops and seasoning on top. Roast for 50 mins

I do this a lot! So easy

Assssssssssss · 19/04/2022 14:09

Block feta cheese or half depends how rich you want it, cherry tomatoes fresh or tin tomatoes, dry oregano. Boil pasta. Done.

Assssssssssss · 19/04/2022 14:10

Sorry was meant to say put all the ingredients in the oven

poshme · 19/04/2022 14:11

Shameless place mark to read later.

Mine would be pizza.

ScouseQueen · 19/04/2022 14:11

Pasta, stir in sauce and whatever vegetables I have, stir fried, and or bacon bits.

HelebethH · 19/04/2022 14:16

No Stir Creamy Lemon and Herb Baked Risotto.
It is on the recipetineats.com website.
Really easy and can just dump everything in.
I just vary the herbs from the recipe depending what I have.
Even ok to use dried if you have no fresh.

ExcitedRabbit · 19/04/2022 14:16

Sausages, potatoes, peppers + cauliflower all roasted in the oven with some olive oil, paprika and chilli flakes. Add some kale in the last 5 minutes. Minimal washing up and always tasty.

thesnaleandthewhail · 19/04/2022 14:17

Love how some peoples quick dinners are like my full effort 🤣