Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

favourite meals taking less than 20 minutes

29 replies

WitchofScots · 09/08/2015 13:12

I'm getting bored with the recipes I always cook and fancy a change. What are your favourite recipes that are popular with all the family that take less than 20 minutes to prepare?

We like most foods and have no allergies, vegans or vegetarians.

OP posts:
Dancingqueen17 · 09/08/2015 15:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhatLizzyDid · 09/08/2015 20:18

WitchofScots I feel your pain! I'm in exactly the same situation. Thanks for the ideas Dancingqueen. I can add
Thai green curry (very lazy jar & coconut milk)
Baked salmon with rice, peas and sweetcorn

Original poster
WitchofScots · 10/08/2015 15:40

great suggestions, thanks :)
Off to the supermarket this afternoon with a new list.

OP posts:
janetandroysdaughter · 12/08/2015 15:51

Beef stir fry with noodles.
Left over Sunday roast beef cut into strips.
Carrots, courgettes, peppers, spring onions cut into strips, mangetout
sliced ginger, garlic, sesame oil, garlic puree, soy, sweet chilli sauce.

put oil and carrots in first then add the rest of the food with garlic puree. Once it's lightly fried add soy and sweet chilli sauce.
Serve with noodles or rice.
20 mins tops.

Ten mins prep time but 35-40 mins to cook:
Chicken legs in a roasting pan with a glass of white wine and a mug of chicken stock poured over them. Add quartered red onions, fresh thyme or rosemary (or both).
On a separate tray, wash and quarter sweet potatoes and brush with a mix of olive oil and garlic puree, sprinkle on seasoning. Both go in the oven for 35 mins.
5 mins before they are ready, steam some green veg to go with them.
the chicken comes out crispy on top with lovely sticky juices underneath. Really nice and takes no prep time at all.

BeautifulBatman · 12/08/2015 15:53

Anything satay. Had shrimp satay last night.

AdoraBell · 12/08/2015 16:09

Pre prepped salmón en croute, for DDs only now I know I have a problem with glutenEnvy with steamed veg. DDs say they don't need carbs as is very filling.

Any fish fillets either Poached or steamed, veg and new pots.

Stir fry, proteína can be bought ready chopped if cost isn't an issue.

Microwave veg curry - frozen mixed veg, rice, curry paste of choice, water - 2 cups water for 1 cup of rice- stir To combine and cover. Nuke for 10 mins, stir again, moré nuking -10 mins should do it. This serves 4 here.

swillows · 12/08/2015 16:33

Creamy chicken pasta

Fry some cubed pancetta until crispy, add diced chicken breast, towards the end of the chicken being ready, add some quartered mushrooms which only need a few mins to cook.

Whilst this is cooking, boil water and cook penne pasta.

When everything is ready, drain pasta and add pancetta / chicken / mushrooms (there might be some cooking juices in here which are best to drain off). Then add creme fraiche and your choice of pesto to taste - mix it all up well.

No real guidelines for how much of each ingredient other than say one chicken breast per person. You can vary each ingredient to taste.

Excellent with a glass of something cold and white and lots of freshly ground pepper.

ChilliAndMint · 12/08/2015 17:41

Tagliatelle..boil, when cooked stir in tub of crème fraiche and chopped smoked salmon trimmings ( about £1.25 Sainsbury's or £4.99 Waitrose for the same thing)

A grind of black pepper or pretty mixed peppers, some chopped dill ( or chives), the dried stuff is okay, a few gratings of lemon zest et voila!

Nice served with a green salad.

shovetheholly · 12/08/2015 17:54

Tortilla magics!

Pot of salsa
pack of tortillas
mozzarella
low fat creme fraiche

Spread salsa on tortillas and role. Put into greased baking tin. Spoon over creme fraiche and shove bits of mozzarella on top. Bake. Put chopped green coriander on top if feeling fancy. Serve with salad if you can be arsed/if you are freaked about 5-a-day.

Fahita kits are also awesome. I just stir fry a bunch of veg (without bothering with onion or garlic), add the spices, then serve with yoghurt or hummus. So little work and goes down a treat.

tooneedyme · 12/08/2015 18:17

chicken/veg fajitas
pesto pasta with chorizo and vegetables
stir fry noodles
chicken fried rice
rice crispie chicken
homemade pizza
cous cous with chickpeas and roasted veg
fritatta
fish topped with pesto and breadcrumbs

I tend to batch cook then freeze portions bring out night before to defrost and dinner is on the table in 5 minutes.

calzone · 12/08/2015 18:19

Mushy Pea Curry.

Tis delicious. Smile

peekaboo1 · 12/08/2015 18:27

Anything fried rice. Made with leftover rice and frozen veg. Fry frozen chopped onion, a touch of ginger garlic puree from a jar. Chuck in cooked chicken/prawns/chopped up hot dog (/spam which is actually delicious in this)and fry a bit. Add In some frozen veg either still frozen or microwave quickly. Nuke some rice from the fridge for 2 mins so its properly hot. Season with soy or any sauce you like. We add in wahaca habanero too. Dinner done in under 5 mins.

FryOneFatManic · 12/08/2015 20:25

I think my goto recipe is to have a pre-cooked and frozen tomato pasta sauce that I can add whatever I've got left in my fridge. I get the sauce out in the morning to defrost and dinner can be so quick when I get home.

I use the same sauce for topping pizza, just I whizz it smoother. Again I freeze it in portions enough to top pizzas or breads for the 4 of us, and just add grated mozzarella and any toppings from whatever's in the fridge again.

Risotto is another quick meal, varied by leftovers, etc. (There's a theme here Grin)

Or sometimes, I'll order an extra portion of egg fried rice with a takeaway, cool, freeze and bring out to reheat and add a variety of extras to suit our tastes.

I do have other quick healthy recipes, but can't think at the moment.

I think that getting quick dinners sorted is in prepping/freezing/planning beforehand. Even Jamie's 15 minute meals need planning beforehand to make sure you've got everything, even if the cooking is quick.

Quietlifenotonyournelly · 12/08/2015 21:17

For a quick meal I do tagliatelle pasta, stir fry some peppers if I don't have fresh I always have some frozen sliced in freezer just in case stir into the pasta with green pesto and top with shavings of hard cheese of your choice.

Quietlifenotonyournelly · 12/08/2015 21:22

Just to add to my pp, I sometimes add peas or leftover chicken to it.

fuzzpig · 12/08/2015 21:32

Not 20mins to cook, but very quick to prepare and then you just leave it on low - sausage stew. I just chop up some sausages, seal them in a little oil in a big pot, bung in some tinned tomatoes/stock/crushed garlic/chopped onion/diced potato and sweet potato and whatever veg is lying around (I used frozen veg, just put it in for the last 15mins or so)

fuzzpig · 12/08/2015 21:33

And my jazzed up scrambled eggs - with chorizo, sauteed peppers, pine nuts and cherry tomatoes, some green veg and parmesan shavings. Super quick.

80schild · 12/08/2015 22:32

Anyone ever done egg fried rice? It is so easy to do and takes 15 mins and so little chopping.

The simple version is boil rice for 12 mins (one cup for family of 4)
Crack 2-3 eggs depending on how eggie you want it
Heat up a pan with wok oil (or plain sunflower)
Once the rice is cooked put it in the frying pan, making a well to pour the egg into
Pour in the egg and keep on stirring until the egg starts to harden
Add a bit of soya sauce.

If you want to make it more extravagant just stir fry the veg before adding the rice.

Such an easy meal, so cheap and also a good way to get rid of leftover veg / meat.

OccamsLadyshave · 12/08/2015 22:41

Our busy night meal is pasta carbonara.

Put spaghetti on to cook (takes 8 mins from water boiling)

Use that time to fry some bacon or chicken (chopped small) or both and veg if you want it. Yellow pepper, sweetcorn & olives all work well. I expect mushrooms do too but they are the devil's food so they aren't allowed in my house!

Put a couple of eggs in a bowl beaten with a bit of olive oil and pepper

When spaghetti is cooked, drain and add to raw egg. Stir it around a lot (this cooks the egg)

Add a scoop of cream if you have it (it is still nice without if you don't have any)

Add grated cheese (parmesan / grana padano is better but cheddar will do)

Chuck all the meat & veg in, add fresh basil if you have it and salt if you want.

I can have this on the table 10 mins after walking in from work.

Kiwiinkits · 13/08/2015 01:17

Quesadillas
Polenta or couscous with a saucy meaty contraption of some sort
chick pea curry

chumbler · 13/08/2015 05:54

slow cooker!!

to make - curry, stew, soup...

ready cut veg / veg packs and ready diced meat speeds things up too

awoke · 13/08/2015 09:58

The puff pastry tart (mentioned up thread) is something I do, though I use ready made pastry and add goats cheese, black olives and vegetables then cook and serve with salad. V. quick!

Tyne teas I've just bookmarked your blog Flowers

whiskeytangofoxtrot · 13/08/2015 18:30

I LOVE puff pastry but am low carbing Sad - and place marking Grin

FryOneFatManic · 14/08/2015 03:51

fuzzpig scrambled eggs with whatever chucked in is good, also varying this by making omelettes is something I do, takes just a minute to cook an omelette.

I like adding smoked salmon, or cheese and ham, ham and mushroom, endless variations. Salad and nice bread on the side and job done.

I also like making panini or hot filled wraps, with salad.

Swipe left for the next trending thread