Easy Recipes

Good everyday cooking starts with a few meals you feel comfortable making. These easy recipes use familiar ingredients, short shopping lists, and straightforward steps. Pick one that fits your evening, and use the substitutions to work with what you already have.

Three Simple Meals to Try

Times are approximate and include preparation. Each recipe serves two.

Tomato and Spinach Pasta

Total time: 25 minutes | Prep: 5 minutes | Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 200g dried pasta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 chopped garlic cloves, one 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 handfuls washed spinach, salt, and pepper.

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir the spinach into the sauce until wilted. Reserve a mug of pasta water, then drain the pasta. Toss with the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed. Season to taste.

Simple swap: Replace spinach with frozen peas, adding them to the pasta water for the final few minutes according to their package instructions.

Smashed Chickpea Wraps

Total time: 10 minutes | No cooking required

Ingredients: One 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 2 tablespoons plain yogurt; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; half a cucumber, diced; 2 large tortillas; salt; and pepper.

1. Mash the chickpeas with a fork, leaving some texture.
2. Stir in the yogurt, lemon juice, and cucumber. Taste and season.
3. Divide between the tortillas. Fold in the sides, roll tightly, and serve.

Simple swap: Use mayonnaise instead of yogurt, or replace cucumber with grated carrot. Add a little extra yogurt if the filling feels dry.

Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Total time: 20 minutes | Prep: 5 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes

Ingredients: One 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed; 100g grated cheddar; 2 tablespoons thick salsa; and 4 medium flour tortillas.

1. Roughly mash the beans and stir in the salsa.
2. Spread the mixture over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and fold closed.
3. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and hot throughout with melted cheese. Reduce the heat if the tortillas brown too quickly.

Simple swap: Use canned kidney beans instead of black beans.

Make Tomorrow’s Meal Easier

Check your cupboards before shopping, and measure ingredients before turning on the heat. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within two hours, or one hour above 32°C/90°F, using shallow containers for quicker cooling. Follow FoodSafety.gov’s storage guidance.