When you need to feed the family or kids, these are the easy dinner recipes you turn to time and time again. With lots of healthy, quick, vegetarian, chicken, and budget-friendly ideas, there’s something for everyone..
Australia’s favourite zucchini slice recipe (with video)
Our most-loved zucchini slice recipe ever While the argument as to what is Australia’s national dish will always rage (is it roast lamb, green chicken curry or a barramundi burger)? One thing is for sure, zucchini slice is hands-down the national food of the home cook. Your lamb, barra and curry may turn up on the menu of a restaurant, but our favourite savoury slice never will. It’s too humble. It just moseys its way into lunch boxes, dinners and even canapes. There’s a reason zucchini slice is taste.com.au’s most popular recipe of all time – it’s simpler than a quiche, tastier than an omelette, and it just works. Why this is our favourite zucchini slice recipe This particular zucchini slice recipe is without doubt the best we’ve tasted (and we’ve tried a lot over the years). Originally submitted by Artarmon Public School in Sydney, it not only has the endorsements of more than 1,000 reviewers, but it’s also been tasted by school kids and the taste team’s tough food critics alike. It manages to pack a big flavour and protein punch with just a handful of ingredients – eggs, zucchini, bacon, cheese and a few other staples – proving it’s totally possible to make a meal that can feed a whole family from pretty much nothing. Key ingredients in zucchini slice: Eggs: zucchini slice is one of those recipes that ticks all the boxes in one go, and thanks to the addition of 5 eggs, you get plenty of protein in this dinner-turned-lunchbox-leftovers slice. Flour: to ensure the zucchini slice isn’t too pancake-like, we use a cup of self-raising flour to create a little height and a satisfying, not-too-dense texture. Zucchini: the namesake vegetable star, zucchini (approximately 4 medium-large zucchinis makes up the 375g) shines in this slice. To make sure your mixture isn’t too wet, try squeezing some of the moisture out of the grated zucchini (you can use a clean cloth, or just your hands to try to remove some of the liquid. A little moisture is welcome in the batter though, so no need to wring it all out. To save time, we use the grating plate on our food processor to grate the zucchini. Onion: while we generally use a brown onion for this recipe, you can certainly substitute for a red onion to bring extra flavour to the zucchini slice. Bacon: the salty deliciousness and colour of bacon plays an important supporting role in zucchini slice. Our Recipes Editor, Sonya Gellert, has also tested the recipe using plant-based ‘bacon’ (sometimes called ‘facon’) and tells us it also works well, if you want to make a vegetarian zucchini slice. Cheddar: grated cheddar cheese makes this slice all the more, well, moreish. For a budget-friendly hack, we buy a block of cheese (which is often more affordable than pre-grated) and grate it ourselves. Vegetable oil: this clever ingredient ensures your slice is one that won’t dry out quickly, and will have a deliciously moist texture. Tips for making the best zucchini slice Want to get the best results from this recipe? When we make this zucchini slice (and between us we must’ve made it hundreds of times) we always ensure we squeeze out the moisture from the zucchini really well to prevent the slice turning out too moist or stodgy. Check out the notes at the bottom of this recipe for more no-fail tips on getting the best results. Want to change up your zucchini slice? Our vegetarian zucchini slice recipe is a great option if you’re going meat-free. We’ve also got plenty of recipe ideas for zucchini slice with a twist to help you experiment with ingredients and flavours. This recipe was originally submitted by Artamon Public School and has now been tried, tested and adapted. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester Make our favourite zucchini slice: full recipe below
Easy pumpkin soup recipe
The beauty of a creamy pumpkin soup (and this classic pumpkin soup recipe in particular) is that it’s so versatile and forgiving. It’s one of the easiest meals to make with just a handful of ingredients, and it’s almost impossible to mess up. We love easy soup recipes, and know our community of home cooks do too. What makes this our best easy pumpkin soup recipe? The recipe author, Valli Little, originally created this creamy pumpkin soup recipe way back in 2004 and it was passed on to us here at taste.com.au as one of the first pumpkin soup recipes we ever published online. Since then, it’s become one of the most popular creamy pumpkin soup recipes in Australia, with more than 350 rave reviews to date. It’s creamy without being heavy, delicately spiced without being spicy, and hearty without being too rich. Pretty much everything we look for in a pumpkin soup (and we’ve tried a lot of pumpkin soup recipes over the years!). Creamy pumpkin soup: ingredients guide Pumpkin: Because pumpkin really is the hero (no surprises there!) it’s best to pick your pumpkin wisely. We Originally made this pumpkin soup recipe with butternut pumpkin (or butternut squash for our international readers), but kent (or jap) pumpkin also works well. The Taste Test Kitchen team advises against some of the rarer types of pumpkin as they may give more watery results. Spices: While it can be tempting to skip the coriander, cumin and nutmeg, they really do bring warmth and flavour to this pumpkin soup. If you haven’t matched pumpkin and nutmeg in a recipe before, it really is a revelation! Onion and leek: To get the most out of this creamy pumpkin soup, ensure you soften the onion and leek until they just start to release some of their juices and flavours, but don’t go so far as to let them caramelise. This gives the soup a subtle sweetness of flavour without any bitterness. Cream: While some recipes use coconut milk, in this pumpkin soup recipe we use thin cream instead of coconut milk to achieve a luscious consistency. Potato: The ultimate thickener in so many soups, adding a potato really amps up the heartiness of your pumpkin soup. Stock: A good quality stock has the power to elevate almost any soup. In this recipe, we recommend either chicken or vegetable stock. Serve this pumpkin soup with a satisfyingly crusty piece of bread. If you like, you can sprinkle your soup with chilli flakes (or cayenne pepper) or a pinch of smoked paprika. If you’re not sure how best to cut and prep your pumpkin (be it butternut squash or another type of pumpkin) for your soup, check out our video guide at the bottom of the method steps. We also have a flavourful vegan pumpkin soup recipe for those who prefer a dairy-free soup. Looking for more easy soup recipe ideas? Try our 15-minute chicken and corn noodle soup. You could also make pumpkin soup in a slow cooker. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make the perfect easy pumpkin soup: get the full recipe below
Easy fried rice recipe
Fried rice is a staple of Aussie takeaway. We love fried rice. And, while we might all have our favourite restaurant that makes Chinese fried rice just the way we like it, satisfying fried rice and egg fried rice is a dish that is easy to replicate at home. In this super simple version we use pantry and fridge staples, but the beauty of basic fried rice recipes is that you can always adjust the ingredients based on what you happen to have on hand at any given time. Have some sesame oil and oyster sauce on hand? Brilliant! (We’ve listed vegetable oil here, but sesame oil brings extra flavour to your plate, as does a splash of oyster sauce or fish sauce). A great way to use up leftover veggies and protein, fried rice recipes can be bolstered with plenty of healthy ingredients and can easily be made vegetarian or vegan. Of course, you can use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) or low sodium soy sauce instead and still create a flavourful fried rice. You could also jazz things up with kimchi to make a kimchi fried rice. We form an omelette with the eggs to mix through our rice, but you could always create a scrambled eggs texture, if you prefer. What makes this our best fried rice? Our best fried rice recipe contains only a handful of ingredients and ensures making fried rice is simple, which means that kids love it and can have fun cooking fried rice (making it a family-friendly dinner option). It’s also a great way to use up any freshly cooked rice that’s been leftover from the night before. If you’d like to make a low FODMAP version of this fried rice, check out our tips in the Notes section of this recipe. Once you’ve mastered how to cook fried rice and egg fried rice, explore more fried rice goodness and check out our best easy fried rice recipes and 15 fabulous fried rice recipes all in one place, including our healthy, oven-baked, one-tray fried rice and this healthy fried rice with egg, for your weeknight convenience! Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Classic shepherd’s pie recipe
A classic British and Irish dish that’s loved the world over, shepherd’s pie is the ultimate comfort food. What’s in a shepherd’s pie? Made with lamb mince, a rich gravy and buttery, creamy mashed potatoes, this recipe has all the elements for a perfect slow Sunday dinner and is on the table in just over an hour. Key ingredients in our classic shepherd’s pie: Vegies: you certainly get your fill of vegetables with this shepherd’s pie recipe, with frozen peas, carrot and celery (and an onion) dappled throughout. You can, of course, substitute for any vegies taking up space in your crisper, but we find these work best. Lamb mince: a flavourful ground lamb mince meat mixture makes this pie one you’ll want to make a double batch of. It’s rich, savoury and includes some clever flavour-boosting additions (see the next key ingredients) plus stock. Worcestershire sauce: we love the addition of Worcestershire sauce as it brings a deep umami flavour and a sweet, tangy and spicy punch all at once. Bay leaf: the unassuming bay leaf is a small but mighty ingredient that further bolsters the flavour of the meat mixture. Tomato paste: when it comes to tomato paste, a little goes a long way to bring a sweet, umami-rich flavour and round-out the mince mixture. Potato: the star of the show, the buttery, golden-brown potato topping on this shepherd’s pie sees desiree potatoes combined with butter and milk for a creamy, crispy-topped finish. You can use any milk you like, but we use full cream. And, we find desiree potatoes are the best-in-show when it comes to creamy mash. The whole family is destined to be delighted by this classic and, dare we say, best shepherds pie recipe with its potato topping. This golden brown mash-topped dish is nearly impossible to resist. And, if you love a warming comfort dish, you’ll love our variations on this classic recipe, too. Try our beef shepherd’s pie, a vegetarian shepherd’s pie (that’s actually vegan too), our much-loved easy shepherd’s pie, and these individual pies. How to make classic shepherd’s pie: full recipe below
Impossible quiche recipe
Don’t let the name deceive you: this ham and cheese quiche recipe is actually incredibly possible to make. Not all quiche recipes are created equal, and this impossible quiche recipe is simple, quick and full of nutritious, everyday ingredients. How does an impossible quiche recipe work? What we love about this impossible quiche recipe is that it requires no puff pastry base or pie crust. You simply mix all the ingredients together, pour the egg mixture into the pie dish et voila! A quiche with golden edges forms as if by magic as it bakes. No pie crust required! Making quiche needn’t be hard, when you have a classic quiche recipe on hand. While quiche Lorraine might be a go-to for many (and we love a quiche Lorraine too), an impossible quiche recipe is even easier and speedier to make at home. And, while we love a good pie crust, a crustless quiche saves time and money. Win, win. Why is this such an easy crustless quiche recipe? For the fact it needs only 10 minutes to prep and a handful of ingredients, this crustless quiche has easily become one of our favourite easy quiche recipe dinners, a brunch menu go-to, and best lunchbox fillers to make. What’s more, you can make this dish ahead and freeze it for up to 2 months. What’s not to love about an easy quiche recipe with grated cheddar cheese, onion and diced ham? Yum. Serve hot and golden brown, or cooled as a leftover lunch with salad. Cheddar cheese makes a great tasty addition to this crustless quiche recipe, which has received 5 stars from more than 270 home cooks. Minimal prep, 5 stars, on the table in under an hour? That’s what midweek dinner dreams are made of. And, if you like a little extra kick, you can drizzle with hot sauce, sprinkle in green onions or add fresh herbs, Swiss cheese or goat cheese. It really is a great recipe, and incredibly versatile. Bake until golden brown and you have yourself a delicious meal at any time of day. Key impossible pie ingredients Ham: levelling-up the flavour of this very possible pie is chopped ham. If you prefer, you can certainly swap out ham for bacon or pancetta, or even plant-based ‘bacon’. Onion: subtle but mighty, onion turns this humble pie into a magic midweek meal that’s flavourful and delicious. Tasty cheese: the secret star ingredient in this recipe is tasty cheese, which brings its sharp bite to the quiche (that kids and adults will both love at any meal). Eggs: the magic ingredient that makes this pie possible, protein-rich eggs bring our ingredients together and create a lovely light texture when combined with milk. Flour: finally, a little flour makes our quiche more solid and structurally sound, and ties it all together. It’s self-raising flour, which helps our quiche rise and hold its shape. For more quiche inspiration, check out our collection of best-ever quiche recipes, our best quiche Lorraine recipe, and our sweet take on the impossible quiche with this butterscotch version. This was originally a recipe sent in by a taste magazine reader that has now been tried, tested and adapted. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Our favourite lasagne recipe
Fall in love at first bite with our favourite lasagne recipe. With layer upon layer of ground beef mince meat sauce, pasta, and creamy cheesy sauce, this comforting lasagne (or lasagna, for those in the US) is a warm hug on a plate. Originally developed by Sarah Hobbs and re-tested by Alison Adams, this delicious recipe has been absolutely perfected. What’s our secret to our best lasagne recipe? There are many good reasons this particular lasagne recipe has become so beloved. The addition of wine in the meat sauce makes it super flavourful, while the layering of pasta (or ‘lasagna noodles’ for those in the US!) with mozzarella makes for the perfect ‘cheese pull moment’ (watch our video to witness it in action). But if we were to pick one thing that makes this lasagne recipe stand out above all others, it’s the luscious bechamel. A good homemade bechamel base or ‘cheese sauce’ takes time, but it’s worth it for the extra depth of flavour it brings. The best thing about a rich Italian ragu lasagne is that it tastes even better the next day, even when heated in the microwave. This recipe is also freezer-friendly and will keep for up to 3 months in an airtight container. You can wrap individual portions in freezer wrap, ready to take out for a quick and easy dinner-for-one or to create some lunch envy in the workplace. This amazing lasagne recipe, with its rich tomato sauce, is an absolute favourite among the taste.com.au team (hence the name!), but don’t just take my word for it: our members are raving about it too. One reviewer even said she made it for her husband “who grew up eating lasagna his Italian mother cooked him” (no pressure!) and “he thoroughly enjoyed” it. Fewf (wipes brow). With a 4.5-star rating and multiple rave reviews, it’s safe to say this recipe is now an adopted Aussie classic. Key ingredients in our favourite lasagne Beef mince: it would hardly be a classic family favourite lasagne without a rich, ground beef mince sauce. Beef mince is ideal for bulking up a lasagne and adding protein to the dish. Our Recipes Editor Sonya Gellert has also made this recipe using plant-based mince, and declared it a delicious success. Italian diced tomatoes: a double duty ingredient, Italian diced tomatoes bring both moisture and added flavour to your meat sauce. We love how this simple pantry staple does so much heavy lifting in this recipe. Tomato paste: while we use lots of simple ingredients to bring flavour to this recipe (think onion, garlic, a splash of dry red wine and seasonings), for us tomato paste is a non-negotiable. It’s an instant umami-bomb and a little goes a long way. Fresh lasagne sheets: we think fresh is best when it comes to lasagne sheets, but if you only have dried lasagne sheets, you can pre-cook your pasta sheets to soften them (following packet directions) before cooking. This will ensure your pasta isn’t raw and crunchy. In our recipe notes, we have suggestions for other layers you can use instead of pasta too. Mozzarella: what would a baked lasagne be without the golden brown top and cheesy pull? We use a dry mozzarella (and coarsely grate a block), rather than fresh, wetter mozzarella, to ensure that magic pull moment and a signature, alluring topping. Feeding a crowd? check out the vegetarian lasagne recipe that even meat lovers will swoon over, and our collection of more delicious lasagne recipes. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make our best-ever lasagne: get the full recipe below
Delicious Thai beef salad recipe
Thai cuisine is one of contrasts and Thai beef salad is a perfect example. In the dressing alone, sweet meets salty, spicy and sour and in the salad intense chilli meets gentle aromatic herbs and cooling cucumber, all coming together in perfect harmony. Why do we love this Thai beef salad recipe? A much loved and ordered restaurant item, this Thai beef salad recipe brings this heavenly dish into your own home. The secret? While most Thai beef salad recipes just season and grill the meat, this recipe uses the ingenious trick of marinating it in half of the dressing. This not only flavours and tenderises the meat, but the palm sugar in the dressing helps caramelise the surface. Known as yum nua, this Thai beef salad is easy enough to be cooked as a weeknight dinner, but also special enough to be served as part of a Thai banquet. If you’re planning a Thai feast that’s better than take-away, here are our favourite homemade Thai food recipes to try and 15 Thai desserts you’ll want to devour with haste!
Curried sausages recipe
Retro is back, baby! At last, I can make my shameful curried sausage love public. Why we love this curried sausages recipe As a meal, curried sausages has enough kick to know you’re alive, but it’s not too spicy for kids, making it an ideal midweek dinner for families – and it’s pretty easy on the budget too! Whether it’s served with creamy mash or fluffy white rice, it’s bound to please everyone at the table. Key ingredients that bring flavour to curried sausages Fruit chutney: the natural sweetness of carrots coupled with the fruity chutney is a perfect match for the piquant curry powder and hearty sausages. (You can use any fruity chutney you like or have open in the fridge). Curry powder: bringing warmth (but not too much heat) to this recipe, curry powder is what gives this dish its distinct flavour (and name!). Beef sausages: you can use any unflavoured sausage you like, but beef sausages are a delicious match for the curry sauce. Chicken stock: a staple ingredient in so many classic dinners, chicken stock brings its brothy flavour to this gravy-like sauce. You can use beef or vegie stock if you don’t have chicken stock. Onion: sausage and onion goes together like bread an butter (and also go really well in bread and butter). The sweet-savoury richness of a brown onion brings added depth to curried sausages, but you can use a red onion if that’s what you have at home. Curried sausages can be served with rice (as a nod to curry) or mashed potato (hello bangers)! My guilty pleasure, however, is serving it with the sausage already cut up, in a bowl, with thick slices of buttered bread, on the couch!
Basic chicken and vegetable stir-fry recipe
There’s nothing we love more than a speedy, easy and healthy dinner, which is why we’re always in the mood for a chicken stir-fry. Whether you’re short on time, looking to empty out the vegetables in your fridge, or you just want to eat cleaner, chicken stir frys are a great all-in-one staple meal that even the kids will love. What makes this such a great easy chicken stir-fry recipe? The best part about stir-fries is that anyone can make them, regardless of cooking abilities. But this chicken stir-fry recipe is one we find ourselves coming back to again and again when we crave a healthy, easy meal during the mid-week dinner rush. Ready in 30 minutes, our easy chicken stir-fry uses a range of colourful vegies, tender chicken breast, and a salty, sweet Asian-inspired sauce. Not to mention it has an 8.4 health star rating, making it great for those following a lower-calorie diet. For more speedy and healthy dinner inspo, try these vegie-filled vegetarian stir-fries, these easy chicken dinners and our top 100 healthy recipes of all time. And, see some delicious stir-fry recipe ideas for varying your dinners, in our recipe notes below. Additional recipe notes from Alison Adams – Recipes Editor and Food Writer
San choy bau
San choy bau is a dish embraced by all ages. Sweet, sour and salty flavours meet tender, crispy and crunchy textures all wrapped up like a present! Our san choy bau recipe brings this Chinese restaurant classic into your own home. Umami-rich oyster and soy sauces flavour soft and juicy pork mince and contrast against the tender-crisp pop of bean sprouts and crunch of peanuts. And who doesn’t love having to eat with your fingers! – Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Easy butter chicken recipe
What is it about butter chicken (or murgh makhani in Hindi) that makes it loved by children and adults alike? Butter chicken is like a big hug. A must-order item on an Indian restaurant menu, this home-cooked version has all the same complexity of flavour, yet it’s so simple to make yourself. Tender chicken swims in a tomato sauce flavoured with sweet spices such as cumin, coriander and garam masala, and it’s finished with a generous slug of cream. Why is this our best butter chicken recipe? So what makes our butter chicken recipe such a delicious curry? In any authentic butter chicken, the chicken is left to marinate in a mixture of yoghurt and spices for hours before cooking. The yoghurt makes the chicken super tender, while the spices penetrate it and give it much more depth of flavour. While butter chicken sauce isn’t JUST made from butter, it is made up of a beautiful blend of rich ingredients: the yoghurt from the marinade, stock, tomato and cream. Key ingredients in our butter chicken recipe Yoghurt: Greek-style yoghurt thickens the sauce and adds a creamy lusciousness to the dish (plus a cooling quality and yoghurt tang). Garlic and ginger: this flavourful pairing brings a depth of flavour and a little zing to our butter chicken recipe. Crush the garlic and finely grate the ginger to bring out their flavours. Spices: ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala and chilli powder come together to create a delicious depth of flavour and bring this well-balanced, mildly spiced sauce to life. Chicken: we use free-range chicken thigh, cut into small pieces to help them cook more evenly (and quickly). Oil and butter: while many traditional Indian recipes use ghee (clarified butter), oil and butter do a good job of recreating the texture of this ingredient. It wouldn’t be butter chicken without its namesake ingredient! Onion: thickly sliced brown onion is an instant flavour-booster in this curry. If you don’t have a brown onion, you could substitute with a red or white onion. Tomato puree: tomato puree (not to be confused with tomato paste) brings added sweetness, richness and colour to the butter chicken. Chicken stock: stock is a must-add ingredient in this recipe, but if you don’t have a chicken stock or chicken-style stock, you can use a vegetable stock instead. In fact, to make this dish vegetarian, all you need to do is use a vegie stock and substitute chicken for paneer or tofu cubes. Cream: thickened cream is what takes this recipe to the next level and gives it the creamy comfort food factor. I recommend serving this version of butter chicken the traditional way with steamed basmati rice and naan bread. If you love chicken curry, you’ll enjoy these 15 comforting chicken curry recipes. Or, try our 50 comforting curry recipe ideas. Additional recipe notes by Sonya Gellert, food writer and recipes editor How to make butter chicken: full recipe below
Pea & ham soup
Hear me out when I suggest pea and ham soup is the Ugg Boot of the soup world. It may not look the prettiest, but it provides warmth and comfort like nothing else. The holy trinity of onion, carrot and celery forms the aromatic base for this perfect pea and ham soup recipe. Tiny split peas slowly break down in water flavoured with the aromatics and an umami-packed ham hock. The secret ingredient here? Time. Simmering for more than 2 hours allows the hock to soften until fork-tender and falling from the bone. It also allows the starches in the peas to be released into the soup, creating a creamy taste and texture. This pea and ham soup is so tasty it’s enough to make you yearn for winter at any time of the year. You can also pop this set-and-forget slow cooker pea and ham soup on and come home to a warming bowl of ready-made soup. Seeking more soup ideas? We’ve gathered together 67 warming winter soup recipes that aren’t pumpkin based. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Our favourite spaghetti carbonara recipe
We throw tradition to the wind with our speedy spaghetti carbonara recipe, with some sneaky shortcuts for time-poor cooks. It may taste exactly like the real deal, but this carbonara sauce has some secrets behind its glossy surface, proving some rules are just begging to be broken. What’s the secret behind this easy spaghetti carbonara recipe? Beloved my many, our easy carbonara recipe is one of Australia’s most popular recipes, and we know exactly why it’s become the stuff of weeknight legend. We do the thing your nonna told you not to: we add cream. And yet, although it breaks from the traditional Italian recipe, it’s all for a delicious reason. We promise. Traditional carbonara recipes require a degree of technique (for example, adding ingredients at just the right temperature and time) and quality (read: expensive) ingredients, which just aren’t ideal for regular weeknights. That’s why we like to add thickened cream to our carbonara recipe with cream. A cheaper supermarket ingredient that ensures a velvety, indulgent sauce that will rival a restaurant-made spaghetti carbonara, a splash of cream means dinner’s ready in 12 minutes! This carbonara recipe is one of the quickest you’ll come across. Here’s to making weeknights simpler (without compromising on flavour). Go on, break the rules. We won’t tell. Key flavourful ingredients in our spaghetti carbonara Pancetta: providing the perfect salty hit for your carbonara dish, pancetta acts as a shortcut to umami deliciousness. If you don’t have pancetta, you can certainly use bacon. For a vegetarian version, you can sprinkle your pasta with ‘bacon bits’ instead, which are generally made from soy-based ingredients (just check the packet!) or use some rinsed capers for a salty addition. Eggs: Not silky carbonara sauce would be complete without eggs, which also bring added protein to your dish. Though this may not be a traditional carbonara, the eggs still play an important role. Thickened cream: our shortcut to getting this meal on the table in next-to-no-time, thickened cream bolsters the sauce and creates a luscious, rich sauce. Parmesan: sharp, tasty parmesan cheese brings extra cheesy goodness to the table. We suggest adding some to the creamy carbonara sauce, and reserving extra to sprinkle on your bowl of pasta at the end (alongside parsley, if you’re using it). Vegetarians can also look for vegetarian-friendly parmesan in supermarkets. Here’s some other old-school favourites we’ve made simpler. More time to spare? Try our slow-cooker carbonara recipe, too! Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make our easy spaghetti carbonara: get the full recipe below
Our best ever spaghetti bolognese recipe
Spaghetti bolognese, or spag bol, as it’s affectionately known in Australia, is what most of us would consider to be the quintessential Italian meal. However, In Italy, the thick, slow-cooked Bolognese sauce is usually served with flat pasta or in a lasagne. This spaghetti bolognese recipe really is a great recipe. It’s absolutely delicious, and here’s why we love it so. Why is this our favourite spaghetti bolognese recipe? Our version starts with a soffritto mix of finely chopped onion, celery and carrot (plus garlic) and is flavoured further by diced tomatoes, oregano and nutmeg. This particular spaghetti bolognese recipe is diabetes-friendly, making it suitable for everyone’s dinner. It’s easy to make spaghetti bolognese at home on any night of the week, and you can freeze the ground beef meat mixture for future use. You’ll thank yourself later! Our best spaghetti bolognese recipe (and yes, that’s a big call) is one kids will love, adults will crave and ticks the nutritional boxes! If this classic spaghetti bolognese is a favourite in your home, you’re bound to adore our easy spaghetti bolognese bake, this 5-ingredient bolognese rice bake (a total midweek saviour!), our cheesy spaghetti bolognese pie, our garlic bread spaghetti carbonara, and this collection of budget-friendly pasta recipes.
Potato and leek soup
Along with minestrone, pumpkin and chicken, potato and leek soup is up there as one of the classics. And is it any wonder: it’s warming, nourishing and super easy to make. Unlike other potato and leek soup recipes, our version only requires a handful of ingredients. It starts with an aromatic base of garlic and onion (like so many traditional French recipes do), with potato, leek, stock and cream added after. Just remember, if you are making this ahead, only add the cream just before serving so it doesn’t curdle. We’ve provided two options and instructions for blending your soup – a blender and a stick blender – to help prevent it from going slimy. What we love about potato and leek soup is it’s a great way to up you and your family’s vegetable intake, as well as add your own variations (we even like to add bacon at times).
Beef nachos recipe
Our favourite nachos recipe Nachos are one of the best comfort foods out there – the crunch of the corn chips, scooping up fragrant and flavourful ground beef and salsa, and who could forget about delicious, stringy pulls of cheese! It’s so tempting to just order from one of the many Mexican chains out there, but the cost per serve and delivery fees motivate me to make my own. Lucky for you, with this easy beef nacho recipe, you’ll be able to use a bunch of on-hand ingredients to make it and there’s only three steps before you can enjoy a big bowl for dinner! How do you serve nachos? Finish off your beef nachos with salsa, avocado, sour cream and coriander for the ultimate dinner winner. Of course, you can add heat with some jalapeños too. Put the tray of nachos on a heatproof board or trivet on your table and watch eyes light up at the ultimate share dish arriving. Key ingredients in beef nachos Beef mince: ground beef mince is not only a budget-friendly way to put a hearty meal on the table, but it takes on all the flavours and spices in this recipe to create a crave-worthy nachos topping. You can of course use other types of mince, if you prefer, and even a plant-based mince if you wish to make vegetarian nachos. Beans: we use kidney beans to bulk up this nachos dish, but you can also use black beans if that’s what’s in the pantry. Chilli powder and taco seasoning: this hard-working duo brings our ground beef mince mixture to life but, if you’re not into spice, you can omit the chilli powder. Need more chilli? Adjust to your tastes! Tomato paste: for a savoury flavour bomb, tomato paste is the answer. If you don’t have tomato paste, you can add a splash of passata (but it won’t have quite the same concentrated strength of flavour). Toppings: we love the combination of grated cheese, sour cream, salsa and fresh coriander, but you can play around with toppings (and add hot sauce, if you wish), based on your preferences. Corn chips: nachos wouldn’t be complete without their bed of corn chips, but if you have any leftover meat sauce mixture, you can add it to taco shells, tortillas, or even pile it on toast. Taste.com.au is home to many enticing nacho recipes. Try our tray-bake nachos, easy tuna nachos, these loaded nacho fries for a fun twist, or our outrageous cheeseburger nachos. There are plenty of veggie versions too if ground beef isn’t your style. Just don’t forget the guac! Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make our beef nachos: full recipe below
Our go-to classic minestrone soup recipe (with video)
Most of the classic Italian dishes are steeped in frugality. Known as cucina povera – meaning ‘peasant food’ or ‘poor kitchen’ – with this style of cooking nothing is wasted. Stale bread turns up in a panzanella, leftover cooked pasta is used in a frittata, and those jars or cans of tuna, capers and anchovies can be used to make a classic puttanesca sauce. This classic minestrone soup recipe is one for the ages. It’s comforting, warming, full of healthy ingredients and is hearty enough to feed a crowd. What is minestrone? Minestrone soup is another fine example of this practical form of cooking. Laying somewhere between a soup and a stew, minestrone is more of a guide than a recipe. Always nourishing and simple to prepare, it opens itself to using whatever you have in the pantry or crisper drawer (see more about this below). Whatever you use, minestrone is a hearty, homey, bowl of goodness that costs next to nothing and is all cooked in the one pot. Our minestrone is also low in fat and high in fibre, making it nutritious as well as highly delicious and is ideal for dinners or a weekend lunch served with some crusty bread. Love a bulked-up, budget-friendly minestrone soup recipe? Try this vegetarian minestrone soup, our meatball minestrone soup recipe, this spring-inspired green minestrone with whipped lemon fetta and this cheesy, garlic-bread-topped version. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Beef stroganoff recipe
I think of beef stroganoff as having the warm comforting taste of a slow-cooked stew with the cooking style of a stir-fry. In this beef stroganoff recipe, thinly sliced beef is sauteed until just sealed, but still rare (and never chewy!) Out of the pan it goes then in goes the onion and mushrooms, cooked until just tender. Why is this the best beef stroganoff recipe? In this version, the beef stroganoff sauce flavours are built up with some clever key ingredients. Although many stroganoff recipes use sour cream, we use creme fraiche for richness (see below for more details). Paprika is also the star of this recipe. Its mellow capisum flavour adds a touch of sweetness. The result? Beefy, creamy deliciousness in only 25 minutes. Key beef stroganoff ingredients Tomato paste: tomato paste is one of those hard-working ingredients where a little goes a long way to adding a salty-sweet umami richness to a dish, and beef stroganoff is all the better for a couple of tablespoons of the good stuff. Mustard: another cook’s essential, mustard adds additional depth of flavour to our stroganoff sauce. Crème fraîche: velvety, creamy and tangy, crème fraîche works wonderfully in this beef stroganoff recipe (but you can use sour cream, if you prefer). Paprika: harking back to the original recipe, paprika brings its sweet-savoury vibrancy to this recipe. What do you serve with beef stroganoff? Beef stroganoff was originally served with roast potatoes or mashed potatoes, but you can also serve beef stroganoff with buttery pasta or egg noodles, ready to soak up the gorgeous creamy sauce. Is time on your side? Why not try our slow cooker beef stroganoff so you can set and forget and it’ll be ready in time for dinner (our slow cooker beef stroganoff is one of our most popular beef stroganoff recipes). There are also plenty more beef stroganoff recipes to choose from, including healthy versions, our enticing stroganoff rissoles and even a beef strog cob loaf! Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make beef stroganoff: full recipe below
Basic beef burger
When done right, a beef burger is food for the soul, but so often the burger you order can be a massive disappointment: dense bread with a dry patty, limp lettuce and not nearly enough sauce. Take all the guesswork out of the equation and start making your own burgers at home. This is our fail-proof beef burger recipe With this foolproof recipe we give you all the tips and tricks to creating mouth-wateringly good beef burgers every time. Lightly toasted buns are spread with piquant American mustard that anchors the lettuce and tomato, ready to be topped with a perfectly seasoned, juicy beef patty, covered with tangy cheddar cheese. The genius trick in this beef burger recipe is that the onion is grated, rather than chopped, before being added to the mince. The juice from the onion both seasons the mince while adding moisture. This prevents the burger drying out. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or weekend barbecue, this basic beef burger recipe proves that true greatness often lies in simplicity. Want a beef burger but want to make it a little bit healthier? Our low-fat healthier cheeseburger has less fat and more fibre than the regular version, but it’s still big on flavour. We’ve also got loads more burger recipe ideas, so you can find the burger for you – whether it’s gourmet or basic, and for meat lovers or vegetarians. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Chilli con carne recipe
With lean beef mince, red beans and a nice kick of heat, our hearty chilli con carne recipe is a family favourite. Serve with steamed white rice or as a filling for enchiladas or burritos. I’ve been eating what we in Australia know as chilli con carne since childhood. Why not? It’s simple to prepare, low budget and loved by kids and adults alike. It wasn’t until I started researching the history of this beloved chilli recipe that I realised what a controversial dish it is to Americans. I won’t say that vendettas and feuds have been started over what should and shouldn’t go into a bowl of traditional chilli con carne (or chili, for those in the US) but there’s a lot of passionate opinion around the subject. Opening a can of beans: should chilli con carne contain beans? Known as the state dish of Texas, locals are adamant that a proper con carne should contain no tomato and no beans! Instead chunks of beef are simmered in ground smoked chilli with stock. Here in Australia, we’re a bit more relaxed, to us it’s just beef, tomatoes and beans with a hit of chilli in our chilli con carne recipe. Our favourite chilli con carne recipe adds a couple of capsicums for good measure. This versatile chili con carne recipe serves eight, so freeze half for later, ready to be served on baked potatoes, corn chips or rice and topped with pickled jalapenos, shredded cheese and sour cream or rolled in burritos or baked into enchiladas. What is chilli con carne made of? Aussie chilli con carne is made on ground beef mince. We’ve gone with 5-star lean mince, which has helped give our chilli recipe a 8.8 health rating. Rather than using a combination of spices, we’ve used Mexican chilli powder, which is a mix of paprika, chilli, cumin and oregano. Adding the fresh chilli is up to you – add more or omit, it all depends on your heat tolerance. Capsicum and chilli are from the same family so we’ve added a couple for extra fibre and colour. A traditional Texan chilli uses smoky dried chillies, but we’ve cheated by using smoked bacon. Chilli con carne was an early invention in what later became known as Tex Mex cuisine, where Mexican flavours were added to dishes that were actually developed in Texas. This includes original Texan nachos that were simply cheese and jalapenos on corn chips, as well as breakfast tacos, fajitas, queso and refried beans. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester.
Creamy chicken pesto pasta recipe
I love it when I have recipes in my repertoire that are easy enough for a mid-week meal, yet I can also serve it to guests (they don’t have to know it’s easy, right?). This is one of my favourites. First thing to love about this creamy chicken pesto pasta recipe is that it’s made in only one pan! The pasta is cooked, drained and then it goes straight back into the pot. In go the remaining ingredients and voila! Dinner is on the table. Another thing to love is that it uses ready-made supermarket ingredients; a roasted chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and bought pesto, yet when it’s all tossed together it tastes restaurant quality. Also, this is a really versatile recipe. You can double the pesto and get rid of the cream or serve it without the chicken for a hearty vegetarian main. – Alison Adams, Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Zucchini fritters
Zucchini fritters are a delicious and easy way to use up your summer squash excess. These crispy fritters are a perfect side dish, appetiser, or even a light lunch. The shredded zucchini soaks up the herbs and spices to give you a bite that is just bursting with flavour. The best thing about this recipe is how simple it is to make. In just two steps you have gorgeous, golden brown zucchini fritters. And, while this recipe is guaranteed to work as is, feel free to add your own twist. Lots of our reviewers have already tried experimenting with some other ingredients: chilli flakes, oregano, ground cumin, paprika and corn – nothing’s off limits! What’s more, the ingredients are ones that you often find in your pantry, meaning there’s no need for a last-minute panicked dash to the shops! Love a fritter dinner? Here’s 50 fantastic fritter recipes for your fritter fix. And, you could also try our air fryer fritters too.
Chicken and mushroom risotto
A basic risotto recipe is a must in every cook’s repertoire and this one tastes great – it’s bursting with fresh herbs. Pour a glass of wine and sip while you stir until your risotto is creamy and al dente.
Vegetarian lasagne
Packed with veggies, this lasagne makes a hearty weeknight dinner.
Sausage rolls
Get the kids to eat their vegetables in these tasty sausage rolls.
Classic Australian corn fritters recipe
If there’s one meal that gets everyone’s approval in the family, it has to be corn fritters. It’s not surprising really: the sweetness from the corn and tang from the feta, the crisp edge after cooking and, of course, that fluffy, airy inside. This is one of those classic brunch recipes that works at any time of day. It’s absolutely delicious and yet so simple to whip up. Why is this our best corn fritter recipe? What we love about our corn fritter recipe is that it’s the perfect base on which to add your own variations. You can replace the canned corn for creamed corn (keep in mind this may make the batter more liquidy) or use fresh corn straight from the cob. Some of our readers even like to switch out one can of corn for chopped capsicum and zucchini. When it comes to serving, the corn fritters pair perfectly with condiments like sweet chilli sauce and ingredients such as avocado and a sharp bite of rocket. If fritters are a favourite in your home, try these fritter recipe ideas on for size, including our impressively easy giant skillet haloumi and zucchini fritter. Additional recipe note by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Chicken and sweet corn soup
Whenever I got sick as a kid, Mum would always offer to make me a bowl of chicken and sweet corn soup. While some may say it’s a placebo effect, I believe that this bowl of soup is a miracle worker. The subtly salty chicken consomme is infused with sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger (which has numerous health benefits) and the flavour profile gets even more complex thanks to the sweet flavours of creamed corn and the addition of savoury egg whites and ham. To me though, it truly just tastes like nostalgia. One of my favourite things about this soup is how quick and easy it is to prepare, even with the added ingredients that aren’t usually found in a traditional chicken and sweet corn soup! Even when I’m not sick, I often find myself turning to this recipe when I need a bit of a pick-me-up.There’s a reason that so many people turn to chicken soup – it really does warm both your stomach and your soul.
Creamy fettuccine carbonara
I can see the purists out there raising their fists. Yes, I know, I know – carbonara recipes don’t traditionally have cream in them! But depending on my mood I sometimes like to add it. When I’m calm and focussed, I go the authentic route; where hot pasta is added to a mixture of egg and finely grated parmesan and gently tossed off the heat until a silky sauce forms, lightly covering the pasta strands. It’s not necessarily difficult, you just have to ensure the eggs aren’t over or under cooked. Some nights when craving the umami bomb that is carbonara without the guesswork I turn to this recipe. It’s perfect! The clever addition of cream stabilises the egg mixture, giving you the authentic taste with a safety net! Seeking further carbonara inspiration? Try this spaghetti carbonara next.
Tuna pasta bake
Ahh, tuna bake. Where would we be without it? Ticking all the boxes: simple, budget-friendly, family friendly and made from at-hand ingredients, this tuna bake recipe’s one of my favourites. What we love about this tuna bake recipe It’s carby, creamy and cheesy but with a couple of substitutes that creates a better-for-you version. This is a tuna bake for all the family. There are no vegetables for the fussy eaters, but you can serve it with a salad or a bowl of steamed greens. I love the way the tiny flakes of tuna find their way into the macaroni pasta and that it’s on the table in just over half an hour. This tuna bake also freezes perfectly and is excellent eaten hot or cold the next day for lunch. Key ingredients in our tuna bake recipe: Macaroni pasta: if you don’t have macaroni pasta, you can use other small pasta shapes instead. (Just avoid long shapes, like spaghetti). Salted butter: full fat salted butter adds flavour, rounding out the other low-fat dairy products. Plain flour: flour thickens the sauce, helping to create that creamy, silky texture. Milk and cheese: the milk and cheese are both low fat, and yet the dish still feels comforting and indulgent. You can of course use full-fat dairy ingredients instead. Tuna: the tuna is packed in springwater, not oil, making it a lighter choice. Love this recipe? Try your hand at these fabulous, kid-friendly pasta bakes to please all ages, this much-loved healthy tuna mornay bake or this better-for-you tuna pasta bake with tomato. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make tuna pasta bake: full recipe below
Our best pad Thai recipe
Get a taste of Asia’s south-east with every bite of this easy pad Thai recipe. Making pad Thai at home might just be simpler than you’d expect, and this pad Thai recipe has all the hallmark flavours of a traditional Thai cooking. It really is an amazing recipe – be it a weeknight delight or a dinner party pleaser. Why is this our go-to easy pad Thai recipe? This pad Thai recipe sees you get your Thai take-away fix at home! Few dishes boast the flavour of a tangy pad Thai sauce covering flat rice noodles. Combining chicken and prawns, this delicious noodle dish with its flavourful pad Thai sauce is jam-packed full of nutty, salty and sweet goodness, thanks to the addition of peanuts, brown sugar and fish sauce (the ultimate pad Thai sauce combination, in our humble opinions!). This pad Thai recipe includes chilli in the pad Thai sauce, but feel free to add as much or as little as you like depending on your spice preference! Love a flavourful noodle recipe? Try our sticky pork pad Thai, our vegetarian pad Thai recipe with firm tofu, this spicy prawn pad Thai for those who like it hot, our delicious pad Thai egg rolls, and our pad Thai rice recipe (complete with pad Thai sauce).
Warming chicken soup recipe
History is dotted with references to chicken soup. Since the 2nd century AD, different cultures simultaneously realised that chicken plus water and a handful of vegetables equalled flavour, comfort and a general feeling of well-being. What makes this our best homemade chicken soup recipe? With this express chicken soup recipe, we skip the simmering-a-whole-chicken-in-water bit, instead poaching thigh fillets creating a full-flavoured chicken broth in half the time. With spicy whole peppercorn and a final flourish of fresh parsley, this chicken soup recipe will warm the cockles of your heart Discover more of our favourite chicken soup recipe ideas, including a wonderful chicken noodle soup, and dive into our slow-cooker chicken soup recipes (well, not literally of course). Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Corned beef
Growing up in the country, the Sunday roast was a year-round ritual. As the weather started cooling though, this roast would often be swapped for corned beef, or silverside as we called it. Mum would put it on early in the morning and let it simmer away as we did our Sunday jobs, preparing for another school week. These are the happy memories that play in my mind as I prepare this perfect corned beef recipe. It offers all the nostalgia I crave, fork-tender beef infused with a salt and peppery flavour, swimming in a rich and silky white sauce. New and improved corned beef recipe There is a subtle twist in this corned beef. A whole head of garlic is halved and added to the cooking broth, where it simmers, gently infusing the stock with a subtle spicy taste. This flavour is carried over when the stock is added to the creamy sauce. We serve our corned beef with wintery turnips, but feel free to swap these for a buttery potato mash. Check out our recipe notes below the method to find out what you can do with your leftover corned beef. Want to set and forget? Try our slow cooker corned beef with mustard sauce. We’ve also got plenty of slow-cooked beef recipes to satisfy all your hearty dinner cravings. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Creamy garlic prawns recipe (with video)
You had us at ‘garlic prawns,’ then we read ‘creamy’ (swoon) and, finally, we learnt this recipe takes only 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook, and we were head over heels. We love learning from our readers and this recipe from Taste reader ‘KRISSSY86’ has become a favourite of ours. Why is this our go-to creamy garlic prawns recipe? When it comes to enticing kitchen aromas, garlic sizzling in a pool of butter is top tier, and these two ingredients form the base of this restaurant-quality, creamy garlic prawns recipe. Then, we elevate matters with a splash of floral white wine and a generous pour of cream. No hard-to-find ingredients are required here – just a handful of chopped, fresh parsley to give the dish a final boost. The ease of this creamy garlic prawns recipe makes it suitable for a midweek meal, served simply with steamed rice. And yet, its elegance steers it into dinner party territory, perhaps tossed with angel hair pasta to create an indulgent entrée. We know how much our home cooks adore our prawn starter recipes. And, just a couple of extra ingredients transforms this culinary concept into a creamy Tuscan garlic prawn recipe. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester.
Baked jacket potatoes
The perfect baked potatoes are slightly crispy on the outside and soft in the interior. Try them with these topping suggestions or try a few combinations of your own.
Our go-to easy paella recipe
Paella is one of the most loved (and well-known) dishes of Spain, and for good reason; it’s packed full of flavour, it’s filling, and can be customisable depending on what proteins and vegies you have on hand. At its core, a homemade paella is a delicious rice dish loaded with all the good stuff: think capscicum, tomato, parsley and a gentle sprinkling of spices. We also use turmeric to give this simple paella recipe its signature yellow rice hue. Chicken and chorizo form the meaty components in this paella recipe, but once you have your simple paella recipe base, you can play with your choice of add-ins when you next make paella. Why is this our best easy paella recipe? We’ve simplified the traditional Spanish rice recipe a little to make it perfect for busy weeknight dinners. So if you want to get all the flavours of the Valencia-born recipe at home without any fuss, this one is definitely worth a try. Featuring chorizo, skinless chicken thighs, white rice, chicken stock (or chicken broth, if you have it) and spices like turmeric and cumin, this hearty dinner will be ready to eat in under an hour. And don’t worry, you won’t be needing a paella pan. Though a paella pan is the traditional choice, any large pot or pan in your kitchen should do the job nicely. This might not be the image of an authentic paella rice dish, but it certainly is a delicious midweek meal. Key ingredients in our paella recipe: Chorizo sausage: while chorizo mightn’t be a traditional addition to paella, it’s an instant salty flavour hit that works really well in this speedy weeknight-ready recipe. If you don’t love chorizo you can leave it out. Chicken: an easy protein-boosting addition to our homemade paella, we use chicken thighs (trimmed) in this dish. Onion and garlic: it would hardly be Spanish cuisine without onion and garlic to bolster the flavours. Red capsicum: colour, flavour and nutritional value, to boot! If you only have a green or yellow capsicum on hand, you can stray from tradition and add those instead. Ground turmeric: this easy, speedy and budget-friendly paella gets its yellow hue from a little ground turmeric (seeya, saffron!). Ground cumin: deepening the flavours of your paella, is a little cumin for added kick. White rice: good old white rice serves as the vessel for all these flavourful ingredients, and makes for a hearty meal. Diced tomatoes: for a long time, tomatoes and Spanish dishes have gone hand in hand, and canned diced tomatoes bring moisture to the rice. Stock: we use a chicken-style stock in this recipe, but you can substitute with another stock if you’re out of this variety. Frozen peas: another budget-stretching ingredient that brings protein, extra veg and greenery to homemade paella is the freezer staple, frozen peas. Parsley: fresh, flat-leaf parsley leaves are the final touch to top this homemade paella. For a vegetarian variation, try our one-pan vegetarian paella, that’s bound to please a crowd. We also have a nifty prawn-topped paella tray bake recipe, and our party-in-your-mouth chicken, chorizo and seafood paella. Plus, try these 17 recipes that will make you want to move to Spain, and these dinner ideas that use canned tomatoes (hello, budget-friendly bulked-up meals!). Recipe notes by Sonya Gellert, Recipes Editor and Food Writer How to cook paella: full recipe below
Easy oven-baked frittata recipe
My most memorable frittata experience was in Florence. Wandering through the streets I found a little hole-in-the-wall lunch place that had lines of frittata-stuffed panini on display. With just a lick of mayo and a sprinkling of rocket, I continued my journey, thinking this was the most inspired sandwich ever! I’ve been playing around with frittata recipes ever since and I’ve hit payload with this baked frittata recipe. It’s a chunky, cheesy, protein hit. Why is this such a great, easy frittata recipe? In this easy frittata recipe, the potato provides the carbs making it a nice, filling dinner and I love the fact that I can adapt it depending on what’s in my fridge. As long as I have eggs and cheese I’m set to go. What I also love about this frittata recipe is that it’s baked. That means the oven takes care of it rather than me having to tend to it on the stove top. And the leftovers from this baked frittata recipe are perfect for lunch, served in a panini if the mood takes you! It’s absolutely delicious. You can enjoy this easy recipe served immediately, fresh and hot, serve warm, or at room temp. Leftovers make an enticing healthy breakfast too. Key ingredients in our frittata Sebago potatoes: like a Spanish tortilla, our frittata includes cooked potato, which is thinly sliced and layered with the onion mixture. Red onion: a shortcut to flavourful frittata, red onion is cooked with the pancetta and spinach in the pan. You could use a brown onion if you don’t have a red on hand. Pancetta: salty, umami-rich and tasty, pancetta does for this frittata what bacon does for zucchini slice. And, if you can’t source pancetta, you can use bacon instead. Vegetables: baby spinach, red grape tomatoes and red capsicum bring colour, flavour and added nutritional value to our frittata. Eggs: a key ingredient in any frittata, eggs make light work of this delicious dinner-turned-snack (literally holding it all together!) and pack the recipe full of protein, too. Thickened cream: making this frittata a little more indulgent, thickened cream is whisked into the (8!) eggs, turning a simple dish into an especially comforting one. Cheese: creating a golden, cheesy top to complete the frittata, shredded parmesan and grated tasty cheese are sprinkled over the layered dish before baking. Though we have a feeling this is the only frittata recipe you’ll want to use from now on, if you love a basic frittata recipe, try our best frittata variations, including our favourite mini frittatas, this salmon frittata, our better-for-you frittata and this healthy frittata traybake. How to make frittata: full recipe below
Curtis Stone’s stir-fried rice noodles with chicken and vegetables
Throw together a quick and easy weeknight dinner with Curtis Stone’s 30 minute chicken, vegetable and noodle stir-fry.
Our favourite lentil dhal recipe
India produces some of the best vegetarian recipes in the world. From onion bhajis and vegetable samosas to saag paneer and vegetable korma. When you have such intense flavours, meat often seems a bit redundant. One of the most popular staples of Indian cuisine is dhal (often spelt dal or dahl). What goes into a lentil dhal recipe? While often served as a side dish in a restaurant, our lentil dhal recipe is a comforting meal in itself. With a rich buttery taste, the lentils are cooked down until super tender then spiked with sweet spices and a touch of chilli. Despite its diverse flavours, our favourite lentil dhal recipe is made entirely from easily sourced supermarket ingredients and is ideal for meat-free Monday or eat-on-the-couch Sunday (yes, it’s a thing). Need to bulk-up your dahl? Try our red lentil dhal with sweet potato for a robust meal. For more meat-free dinner ideas, allow our collection of Indian vegetarian dinner recipes to pique your appetite. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Delicious and simple savoury mince recipe
When you think about it, savoury mince is an odd term as pretty much all mince dishes are savoury (unless you’re Rachel from Friends who got the pages of her cookbook stuck together and made a combination of trifle and shepherds’ pie for Christmas lunch). That particular dish aside, savoury mince is usually a warm and hearty dinner – and was a regular on the table for me growing up in rural Australia. Tender mince cooked with colourful crisp vegetables, thickened just enough to hold its shape when spooned over rice or on thick buttered toast. The word comfort doesn’t do it justice. And it’s not the only retro mince recipe making a comeback. While savoury mince is usually thickened with flour, the secret to our favourite savoury mince recipe is the addition of a couple of tablespoons of Gravox. This not only thickens the mixture but adds an extra beefy flavour. Despite being a family favourite, another great thing about savoury mince is that it’s easy on the budget, requires only ten minutes prep and you can add whatever is in the crisper drawer, making it a great use-it-up meal. Serve it on mash, wedges, polenta, rice or simply on toast. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni is one of our go-to meals for those crazy busy school nights. Ticking all the boxes we require for an easy dinner – kid-friendly, a bit of veg, and guaranteed to result in empty plates at the end of the night – is it any wonder we have one on the go, and one in the freezer at all times? What we love about this recipe is that there is no need to fill individual cannelloni tubes (we use fresh lasagne sheets instead) so it cuts down on the prep time immensely. If you want to up the veg, add some salad leaves on the side, or for little kids, some chopped carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes. If you’re partial to the odd meat filling, like beef or lamb, we have plenty of variations on cannelloni – just check the note sections below for the link.
Hearty chicken and vegetable soup
This is the chicken and vegetable soup recipe you need. While all soups offer a certain level of comfort, chicken and vegetable soup takes this to a new level. Chicken and vegetable soup is not just for the colder months. With its magically comforting, elixir-like qualities, this soup can be eaten all year round, whenever the body or soul needs a pick-me-up. Simmering bone-in chicken in store-bought stock deepens the chicken-rich flavour of this recipe, giving it a homemade taste. Slow simmering also brings out the sweetness in the carrot, celery and turnips. These vegetables have the double duty of providing the aromatic base of the soup as well as being ingredients in their own right. The addition of soup mix is the clincher here. Not only does it provide a heartiness in this chicken soup recipe, but it is also a nutritional powerhouse. This chicken and vegetable soup freezes beautifully, ready to be warmed up whenever the body craves it. And, keep the chicken soup inspiration coming with our collection of best-ever chicken soups you’ll be dreaming about until dinner time (like our hot and sour chicken soup with extra kick). Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Traditional roast lamb
Spread the word to your near and dear — this roasted classic makes for easy entertaining.
Pork ribs with smoky barbecue sauce
Pork ribs are a perennial favourite – these are slow-cooked so that they become a melt-in-the-mouth delight.
Simple potato gnocchi recipe (with helpful tips)
Gnocchi are bite size Italian dumplings made with potato, flour and egg. Making them from scratch does require some preparation, but once the dough is mixed and shaped into the signature ridged balls, they take just minutes to cook fresh homemade potato gnocchi. To master the art of making gnocchi, try this simple gnocchi recipe and read the helpful gnocchi recipe notes below. How do you make great homemade gnocchi at home? The key to light, fluffy gnocchi lies in the preparation of the potatoes. We recommend steaming, rather than boiling, as it prevents the potatoes retaining moisture before mashing and turning into gnocchi. We love this gnocchi recipe as we mix grated parmesan cheese into the dough before boiling, giving the dumplings a delicious umami flavour. If you’re planning to make gnocchi, here are the gnocchi toppings you’ll want to try. We love this gnocchi with prawns and chorizo, and this sweet potato gnocchi recipe, too.
Chicken curry
From searing vindaloos to gentle kormas, Indian curries can be as challenging or comforting as your mood or palate dictates. This, our favourite, chicken curry sits somewhere in between. With the pop of spicy mustard seeds and heady fragrance of garam marsala, you can add as much chilli powder as you desire. Some Indian curries are made with a tangy tomato base and others on cream, yoghurt or coconut milk. This curry gives us the best of both worlds. Pieces of chicken are simmered in a spiced tomato sauce until tender and then finished off with rich and smooth coconut milk. Don’t be put off by the ingredient list here, there’s no complicated curry paste to make, instead the spices are simply spooned from their jars straight into the pan. This chicken curry recipe makes a generous batch. Leftovers can be frozen, or how about getting out the pie maker and making crispy little curried chicken hand pies?
Crispy-skinned salmon
We have the chef’s secrets on crispy-skinned salmon. With our clever tips you won’t have to go out for dinner!
Slow-cooker massaman beef curry recipe
Take your tastebuds on an exotic trip with this authentic Thai curry dish.
Slow cooker beef stroganoff
This slow cooker beef stroganoff which is simple to prepare and will warm you up when the weather gets cooler.
Hearty beef casserole
Loaded with tender beef and vegetables our rib-sticking hearty beef casserole is a bowl of comfort for when the nights turn chilly. Serve it with an equally soothing potato mash. While curries can be eaten all year around, there’s something about a traditional beef casserole that screams winter. And this recipe is the real deal. No bells and whistles, instead our favourite beef casserole is just beef simmered in a broth of wine, tomato and stock until mouth-wateringly soft. Peppered with pieces of sweet carrot, this easy beef casserole recipe really hits the spot when craving a fork only dinner, eaten preferably on the couch. Our popular beef casserole recipe makes a double batch. Half for tonight’s dinner and the remaining can be frozen for later or used as a pie filling. Why people love this old fashioned beef casserole Our favourite beef casserole recipe is a no-nonsense, down to earth, country-style stew. With only 15 minutes prep, the beef is left to simmer for two hours, the perfect amount of time for it to become spoon tender and allow the flavours to meld. We know that finely chopped onion, carrot and celery (known as mirepoix) is the flavour base for many dishes. In this classic beef casserole, we cut the pieces a bit bigger, so they act as vegetables as well as providing those sweet bass notes. Nearly every country has its version of a beef casserole. France has its bourguignon. Ireland has their beef and guinness stew and of course everyone loves Hungarian goulash. Asia embraces slowly simmered beef as well, whether in a Vietnamese Bo kho or a classic Indonesian rendang. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester.
Old-fashioned beef rissoles recipe
Loved by children, always welcomed at a barbecue, budget-friendly, super versatile and the butt of everyone’s least favourite Dad joke (‘see you round like a…’), good old-fashioned beef rissoles are a family-friendly classic. Whether you pair rissoles with veggies for a simple weeknight dinner, eat them in a fresh white bread roll with tomato sauce (over your lap) at a gathering, or even add them to a salad, these round beef mince balls have become an Australian staple. There are so many delicious variations on the classic rissole recipe, and taste.com.au is full of well-rounded rissole ideas – from chow mein rissoles to chicken satay rissoles and even a surf and turf rissole tray bake. These days, you can make rissoles in an air fryer for a super speedy meal. Try out this easy rissole recipe then get creative with more rissole recipes. Additional recipe notes by Sonya Gellert, Recipes Editor and Food Writer
Chicken cacciatore
This chicken cacciatore recipe is nutritious and bursts with flavour. Make it ahead and freeze it for later.
Slow-cooker roast lamb
This Greek-style roast lamb from one of our taste members is meltingly tender and so simple to make.
Our best classic meatloaf recipe (with video)
Loaf pan at the ready! Few dishes evoke nostalgia and comfort more than a delicious meatloaf recipe. When done properly it warms the heart, with flavourful juicy meat covered with a sweet and tangy topping, demanding to be served with a creamy mash. For those who may have had a disappointing experience, this is the super tender meatloaf recipe to change your mind. Why is this our best meatloaf recipe? We’ve swapped dry breadcrumbs for fresh and added pork and veal mince to the ground beef mince to ensure this homemade meatloaf recipe makes a soft and tender, yet firm enough loaf to slice without crumbling. And, while the sweet tomato sauce glaze (a delicious sweet and tangy glaze if ever there was one!) Tomato sauce adds extra juiciness, but serving this meatloaf recipe with gravy takes it to another level. All the hallmark secret ingredients make this meatloaf recipe a winner. What’s more, if you have any leftover cooked meatloaf in the loaf pan, they get a new life in a meatloaf sandwich with fresh white bread and loads of butter. Who doesn’t love meatloaf sandwiches? But, we regret to inform you, we’re almost certain that with this meatloaf recipe leftovers are unlikely. Key ingredients in our meatloaf Onion and garlic: that formidable, flavourful duo is an instant recipe booster, and brings added depth to this meatloaf. Breadcrumbs: while we use fresh breadcrumbs, you can use dry breadcrumbs if that’s what you have. Mince: we use both veal and beef mince for added flavour and a winning meatloaf texture. Wholegrain mustard: a little touch of grainy mustard adds a lovely kick to this recipe. You can use another mustard if you don’t have grainy, but we love the texture of wholegrain mustard. Worcestershire sauce: that classic weapon, Worcestershire sauce deepens the umami-rich profile of our classic meatloaf. Tomato Sauce: tangy, sweet and a non-negotiable, tomato sauce is delicious addition to any meatloaf. Brown sugar: lending its caramel-like sweetness to the loaf, a little brown sugar makes all the difference and balances out the savoury ingredients. We have a collection of varied and absolutely delicious meatloaf recipe ideas! Try our hidden-veg family meatloaf and this creative spanakopita meatloaf! To get the absolute best from your meatloaf recipe (with moist, juicy results every time), read the tips in our recipe notes section below. How to make meatloaf: full recipe below
Easy beef chow mein recipe (with video)
Move over, takeaway beef chow mein. This homemade beef chow mein recipe is easy to make (and even easier to eat!) Why do we love to make easy beef chow mein at home? Made with quick and easy supermarket ingredients, including fresh egg noodles (but you can also use dried if that’s what you have in your pantry), vegetables and a delicious sauce, made from soy and oyster sauce, is it any wonder chow mein is one of our most popular recipes on taste.com.au (and around the world)? Perfect for kids and adults alike, our beef chow mein recipe uses ground beef mince, so it’s cost-friendly, and has pak choy in place of cabbage, for extra crunch. Yum! If you love recreating Chinese food at home, give our sticky Chinese pork stir-fry a try, our toothsome Chinese barbecue pork, and check out our collection of crave-worthy Chinese recipes you can make at home.
Our favourite classic apricot chicken recipe (with video)
Some things are just better together, and there’s something to be said for the combination of juicy apricots and chicken. Apricot chicken is a classic recipe, and we’ll likely never stop cooking it. But this apricot chicken recipe is our firm favourite for good reason. It’s the OG, the best ever apricot chicken and we won’t be persuaded otherwise! Sweet apricot nectar brings so much flavour to this recipe, alongside Moroccan spices (instead of the old go-to French onion soup mix). Why do we love a classic apricot chicken recipe? Budget-friendly, easy to make at home and full of savoury meets fruity flavour, this apricot chicken recipe is hard to beat. The 1970s saw us getting pretty creative with our dinners, especially when it came to adding fruit to savoury dishes. Ham steaks Hawaiian (grilled ham with pineapple) was on high rotation in our house, my mother would set grated carrot in orange jelly and serve as a side at barbecues, and restaurants were serving up duck a l’orange. And then there was apricot chicken. Before the (brilliant) invention of ring pull cans, we were at the mercy of can openers. In the case of cans of apricot nectar, we used the pointy part of the can opener to pierce two holes on the top of the can to allow the thick syrup to glug into the frying pan. The remaining nectar was stored in the fridge where we’d sneak decadent sips straight from the can. This apricot chicken recipe is a twist on the one mum made, swapping the French onion soup for Moroccan spice mix to create a sweet and savoury apricot chicken sauce – this is the comfort food of my childhood with a bit of a grown-up edge. Thanks to recipes like this we’ll be eating apricot chicken for generations to come. We serve this one with couscous, but you can serve with rice if you prefer. You can also make this delicious apricot chicken recipe in the slow cooker. (See recipe notes below!) When you make apricot chicken, be it in a slow cooker or in a baking dish, your house will fill with the incredibly alluring scent of apricot nectar, spices and very juicy fruit. It really is a delicious meal. We serve it with couscous but many home cooks love to serve this delicious dinner with mashed potato. Looking for something speedy? Try our 10-minute sticky apricot chicken recipe. Try this crispy crumbed apricot chicken tray bake, and these 50 easy chicken dinner recipe ideas for time-poor cooks. Additional notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Easy chicken noodle soup
Let’s face it, most of the dishes we turn to for comfort aren’t that great for you. I personally turn to a creamy pasta bake or chips and gravy when feeling a tad needy. Chicken noodle soup though is one of the rare exceptions. With tender pieces of chicken simmered in a sweet and savoury broth, our favourite noodle soup is food for the soul whether you’re under the weather or fit as a fiddle. Keep a batch in the freezer, ready to be defrosted for a homemade “instant” soup. Why is this a much-loved chicken soup recipe? With over a hundred ratings, this five-star chicken noodle soup is praised not only for its simplicity, but also for being easy on the budget. If feeding yourself during a cold or flu, our reviewers suggest adding turmeric, ginger and garlic to boost your immunity. What goes into a proper chicken noodle soup? Key ingredients: Mirepoix: This is the technical term for a mixture of finely chopped celery, onion and carrot. This combo naturally sweetens and deepens the flavour of a dish. Chicken stock: We use ready-made stock as, although soups made on homemade chicken stock are lovely, the aim of this recipe is to have it on the table pronto. Potato: Some chicken noodle soup recipes use a touch of flour to slightly thicken the soup. We use a potato that breaks down, allowing the natural starches to thicken the soup. Chicken: We use breast fillets as they cook quickly and have a sweet and subtle taste. you could swap for though if desired. Parsley: The parsley in our chicken noodle soup is not just for garnish. Instead it’s an ingredient in itself, not only adding freshness, but it is also rich in vitamin C and A, as well as zinc. There is also evidence that parsley contains microbial properties that help with healing when unwell. If it’s a country, there’s a good chance that there is a local version of chicken soup. Italy has its brodo di pollo or try the classic Greek soup, avgolemono that uses rice instead of noodles. There are also some amazing Asian chicken noodle soups out there from coconutty laksa, to Indonesia’s soto ayam and Thai chiang mai. Take your taste buds to Vietnam and have a bowl of chicken pho or a quick trip to Japan with this chicken ramen recipe. Additional recipe notes from Alison Adams, Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make chicken noodle soup: full recipe below
Comforting classic moussaka recipe
Our classic Greek moussaka recipe epitomises the richness and comforting nature of hearty Greek fare. For me, this recipe brings back memories of childhood dinners (the kind everyone at our table would gladly eat!). What’s in a traditional moussaka recipe? A classic family-friendly dish from the Mediterranean, moussaka is classic comfort food, which we happily eat all year round. It consists of layers of pan-fried eggplant, a thick, rich lamb-tomato sauce, and a topping of deliciously creamy bechamel sauce. Do you need to salt eggplants before making moussaka at home? Many recipes call for eggplants to be salted and rinsed to draw out any bitter juices, but this shouldn’t be necessary if they’re fresh. If the seeds are too defined or feel hard, the eggplant may be old and should be salted. If you love comforting Greek dishes, you’ll love these 14 Greek recipe ideas. And, if you’re hungry for more moussaka recipes, sink your teeth into our slow-cooked beef moussaka, our cheesy moussaka pasta bake and this vegetarian moussaka made from lentils.
Creamy mushroom risotto recipe
Meet our go-to mushroom risotto recipe Risotto is a dish that originates from Northern Italy and is considered a staple meal on dinner tables across the region. Why has this creamy mushroom risotto become our favourite? We love this mushroom version as it has a big umami flavour with welcoming hits of garlicky butter – oh, we’re drooling just thinking about it. If you’re afraid to make this classic Italian dish because you’ve heard it’s complicated or you fear you’ll end up with a soggy porridge–like mess at the end, fear not, this fail-proof recipe is for you. Why is this an easy risotto to make? We’ve tested it so many times to ensure the perfect rice-to-liquid ratio for creamy, silky risotto. Our best step is not to over-stir – you just want to ensure that no rice is sticking to the bottom of the pan – or overcook it. If you follow this advice, you’ll end up with rich, creamy, al dente risotto every time. Here are 25 excellent vegetarian risottos to try out next, and our favourite creamy mushroom pasta recipes. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams, Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Tuna mornay
There’s a curious thing about comfort food. It’s nearly always simple, budget-friendly and made from items you may already have on hand. Whether it be a mac and cheese, bangers and mash or even a classic bread and butter pudding it’s the simple things that seem to hit the spot when needing a bit of nurturing that can only come from certain foods. This tuna mornay recipe is no exception. Why is this our best tuna mornay recipe? Cheesy and creamy and on the table in just over half an hour, our tuna bake has the simple addition of celery which adds a nice crunch to the dish as well as a sweet and floral flavour. The other thing we love about this tuna mornay recipe, is that it’s made in individual servings, making it a fun dinner for the kids or a great meal prep and freeze-ahead meal for solo diners. Love tuna? Here’s every canned tuna recipe you need to try. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Thai green chicken curry
Australia has a natural affinity with Thai cuisine. It may be a climate thing, but all I know is our laid-back lifestyle befits the idea of shared plates, fresh ingredients and easy to prepare dishes. Green chicken curry is at the essence of all this. While making your own curry paste is something everyone should do at least once, we now have the option of amazing supermarket versions, which means this authentic tasting dish can be on the table in just 30 minutes. Why is this our best easy green curry recipe? This recipe has everything you want in a Thai curry, a good spice kick from the curry paste, saltiness from the fish sauce, the mandatory sweetness from brown sugar and a final squeeze of lime juice balances the dish with its citric tang. Green chicken curry is a dish that knows no season. As welcome on a hot summer’s day as it is in the depths of winter, the combination of creamy coconut milk, tender chicken and as much spice as you care for makes it a family favourite – or serve it up for a dinner party or Thai banquet (see more in our notes, below) And, try these Thai desserts to finish your meal on a delicious note. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Vietnamese rice paper rolls
As the name suggests, these fresh rolls originated from Vietnam, but have become a staple around the world. Vietnamese rice paper rolls are healthy, brimming with fresh ingredients and not fried like spring rolls, and you can mix and match ingredients according to dietary needs, occasions and taste buds. Most rolls have a basic filling of vermicelli rice noodles, vegetables and herbs which can be paired with different proteins such as chicken, pork, prawn and beef, or if you prefer a vegetarian option tofu. For a dipping sauce, we serve our rolls with store-bought sweet chilli sauce but you could also make the traditional Nuoc cham (North Vietnamese dipping sauce) or a peanut dipping sauce.
Our best basic roast chicken recipe
I remember years ago that a friend was amazed I made a roast chicken “from scratch” and didn’t buy a rotisserie chook from the supermarket. Don’t get me wrong, I love supermarket roast chicken but it’s a totally different entity to roasting your own. Roasting a chicken for dinner is the easiest meal you can have. And this basic roast chicken recipe proves it. Why is this our best basic roast chicken recipe? After just ten minutes prep you can stand back and let the oven work its magic. It doesn’t get much easier. Most roast chicken recipes ask you to cook the chicken at 180 degrees for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. This one requires you to cook at 220 degrees for 1 hour. This higher heat means the skin gets super crispy and the lowered cooking time means the flesh stays super moist. Also, placing it on a rack rather than directly on the roasting pan means the air can circulate allowing for even cooking. Planning a Sunday roast with all the trimmings? Try these French onion roasted potatoes, Moroccan-spiced roasted carrots and cauliflower, and this stuffed roast pumpkin.
Crispy chicken schnitzel recipe
Classic chicken schnitzel recipe A chicken schnitzel is a thing of beauty. With a golden, crisp crust enclosing tender, lean chicken, it is little wonder that it appears on menus around the world. Known as Katsu in Japan and cottaletta alla Milanese in Italy, here in Australia we call it a ‘schnitty’. For us Aussies, chicken schnitzel is one of our most ordered pub meals, especially when topped with an Italian tomato sauce and melted cheese – giving us chicken parmigiana! There’s no need to go out to the pub now that you have this perfect recipe on hand. Why is this our favourite chicken schnitzel recipe? What we love about this chicken schnitzel recipe is that it ups the ante a bit with the addition of lemon rind, parsley, and parmesan to the breadcrumbs. If you’re new to shallow frying, see below for all the tips and tricks to get the most gorgeous chicken schnitzel you’ve ever tasted on your plate, pronto. We also have a great airfryer chicken schnitzel recipe, and plenty of chicken dinner ideas for midweek culinary inspiration. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams, Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Honey-soy chicken recipe
Want to know the secret for how to make honey soy chicken drumsticks in the oven? Well, with only three steps, six ingredients, some minimal effort and a lot of flavour you have one impressively flavourful winner of a chicken dinner ready to go. Our beloved, prep-ahead honey-soy chicken drumsticks recipe sees an enticing marinade bring together the sweetness of honey, the saltiness of soy sauce, the gentle spice of ginger, a little kick of garlic to round things out, and a final sprinkling of sesame seeds. All you need to do is marinate your chicken drumsticks, pop them in the fridge (giving them an occasional turn) then bake them until golden. Pair your marinated chicken drumsticks with a speedy fried rice and you’ll soon be tossing away your take-away menus in favour of eating in. Some things are just better together, and we think honey and soy are two of these things. Need further proof? Try this tofu with sticky honey soy sauce and greens and this honey, soy and ginger glazed pork ribs. Looking for more chicken drumstick recipes? Try these 13 easy chicken drumstick recipes that’ll have you arguing over the last bite. Additional recipe notes by Sonya Gellert, Recipes Editor and Food Writer
Corn and zucchini fritters
This is a great meal for children and a snack or light meal for adults. You could also serve these fritters with grilled meat such as chicken breast for a main meal.
Beef shepherd’s pie
For a classic family favourite, try this hearty shepherd’s pie with beef mince, veg and topped with cheesy potato mash.
Creamy chickpea and vegetable curry
Boasting 7 serves of vegetables, this vegetarian curry is slow cooked perfection. Enjoy for dinner tonight and savour leftovers for lunch later in the week.
Coconut chicken curry
This quick and easy coconut chicken curry is a simple way to liven up the week.
Sticky Chinese pork stir-fry
This speedy recipe will leave the cook happy and the family full.
Prawn, mango & avocado salad
This prawn salad showcases Australia’s amazing seafood.
Classic quiche Lorraine
Our best-ever classic quiche Lorraine recipe. I mean, let’s face it, we’re talking about pastry, bacon, cheese, eggs, cream… no wonder quiche Lorraine is one of the world’s most-loved quiches. Why do I love this classic quiche Lorraine recipe? I love serving up this tart for brunch with a simple green salad dressed in a Dijon vinaigrette, but it’s also perfect for lunchboxes or you can make mini versions as part of an elegant high tea spread. This recipe is so simple thanks to store-bought pastry, but if you’re keen, we have a fabulous shortcrust pastry recipe in case you want to make pastry from scratch. And, if you’re “on a roll”, check out our collection of more than 200 quiche recipes. Additional recipe notes by Amira Georgy, Digital Food Director
Aussie-style beef and salad tacos
Our go-to tacos recipe These tacos are a fresh and flavourful twist on everyone’s favourite Mexican meal. It may stray from Mexican tradition, but it’s become something of a tradition here in Australian. In this business, we often hear people referring to a particular component as being the ‘star of the dish’. With these crunch tacos though, the entire meal absolutely shines. Why do we love this easy taco recipe? The juicy, deliciously seasoned ground beef mince, crisp salad greens, and acidic tomato toppings creates the perfect week-night meal that will be gone in seconds. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner or a fun party food to share with friends and family, this flavourful and wonderfully textured dish is a great option for you. We have plenty of great taco filling ideas, from fish tacos to vegan tacos and prawn tacos, too. Taco Tuesday, anyone?
Classic one-pot beef stew
This classic French-style beef stew is the ultimate one-pot dinner. With time the meat becomes fall-apart tender in a rich sauce, for a satisfyingly tasty beef stew with potatoes.
Falafel
Easy falafel recipe Crispy on the outside, soft and tender inside and spiked with sweet spices, our easy falafel recipe can be eaten as a snack, with a salad or wrapped in warm pita bread. One of the greatest food experiences has to be biting into a fresh-from-the-pan falafel. Loved by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, crisp little falafels are high in protein and fibre, and are absolutely moreish. If you’ve tried making falafels before without success, then this is the recipe you need. Traditional falafel recipes use soaked, dried chickpeas, but with this clever falafel recipe, we use canned chickpeas and a combination of flour and egg white to help them bind. What are some tips when making crispy falafels? We say to flour your hands when shaping your falafels. Another tip is to have a bowl of water on hand to keep your hands wet. Either technique works well to prevent your hands from becoming sticky with the falafel mixture. Also, don’t make the balls too big, you want that perfect ratio of golden crunchy exterior to super moist interior. After cooking, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Falafel can be eaten on their own as a snack or are traditionally wrapped in pita bread with tomato, lettuce and tahini sauce. They can be dipped into tzatziki, baba ganouj and that amazing garlicky sauce, toum. Falafel is also a great vegan option for a cocktail party served with a dollop of hummus and scattered with coriander leaves. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester.
Creamy chicken and risoni tray bake
For an easy one-pan dinner, try this creamy chicken, mushroom and risoni bake.
Chicken enchiladas with tomato salsa
For classic Mexican, fill tortillas with chicken, salsa, cheese and vegies, top with extra salsa and cheese, then bake until irresistible.
Country chicken pie
This country chicken pie is proudly brought to you by Western Star.
Fish tacos
Soft fish tacos have to be one of my favourite Mexican midweek meals. They’re flavourful, full of healthy ingredients and loved by my whole family. Why we love this fish taco recipe Not only are they quick and easy to prepare, but they’re family-friendly, too with everyone getting to pick their own toppings. For the best fish taco recipe, we choose firm white fish fillets as they hold their shape and have a mild flavour, and opt for corn tortillas as they are more authentic to Mexican cuisine. Key ingredients in this fish taco recipe Red cabbage: a brightly hued crunchy purple slaw makes a lovely addition to fish tacos. Lemon juice or lime juice: you can choose between lemon on lime, based on what you have. We just recommend you go fresh! And, we suggest serving the tacos with lime wedges, too. Corn: charred corn makes a flavourful (and colourful) addition to this healthy meal. Guacamole: we add lemon or lime juice, French shallots and coriander to mashed guacamole, for a tangy and creamy topping for our fish tacos. Coating for fish: we use a light coating of white plain flour, ground coriander and a little cayenne pepper (you can omit this if you want to) to prepare the fish. White fish fillets: choose the firmest fish fillets you can, to ensure they fold their shape. You can use any white fish you prefer. Flour tortillas: we use white flour tortillas, but feel free to use corn tortillas, if you wish. In fact, you can use any thin-style wraps as the vessel for your fish and salad. Sour cream: a cooling element to top your taco, you can use a thick, Greek-style yoghurt or creme fraiche if you prefer them to sour cream. Fresh jalapeno chilli: while jalapenos are optional here, they make a great spicy topping if you like a little heat. We have plenty of taco topping ideas to share, alongside our easy tuna tacos for a speedy taco Tuesday, or our classic Aussie-fied taco recipe. How to make fish tacos: full recipe below
Grandma’s curried sausages
Nothing is as comforting as a big plate of traditional curried sausages.
Aussie meat pies
There’s no food more iconic in Australia than a meat pie. Sure, we have our Chiko Rolls and lamingtons, but there’s something about biting into a scaldingly hot meat pie that is a truly Aussie experience. Pies are the perfect convenience food. Not unlike a pastie that miners would take underground, hand-held meat pies have historically made an ideal lunch on the run as well as a one-handed snack balanced by a cold beer in the other. While store bought pies tick the boxes of familiarity and comfort, there’s nothing like tucking into ones you’ve made yourself. This recipe for meat pies has it all, from the signature solid shortcrust base, thick beef and gravy filling and golden flaky puff pastry lids. The secret to our favourite meat pie recipe is the addition of that other Australian icon: Vegemite. Although subtle, it adds an umami kick that deepens and broadens the beefy flavour. Make a double batch and store these super tasty meat pies in the freezer, ready to be thrown into the oven or air fryer for a lunch, snack or dinner. Next up, try your hand at home-made sausage rolls, pie maker meat pies, or how about mixing up your meat pie game with this nod to the great Adelaide invention, pie floaters? And, check out our collection of uniquely Australian recipes. Additional recipe notes and recipes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester.
Sweet corn fritters with avocado salsa
These colourful corn fritters are a great way to decorate your table and can be prepared in advance for an easy work lunch (see notes).
Juicy and delicious Italian beef meatball recipe
Soft, juicy and packed with flavour, our Italian-style meatballs recipe is sure to become a family favourite. Serve meatballs with spaghetti, on a pizza or in a meatball sub. Some of the most famous dishes we think are from Italy were actually developed in America by Italian immigrants. While they may have a footing in a traditional dish, the lack of availability of traditional ingredients meant they were forced to experiment. And we’re still enjoying these spoils. What would life be like without chicken parma, garlic bread and, of course, spaghetti and meatballs? In Italy, pasta is served as a first course (primi) with meatballs known as polpette served after as a second course (secondi). The union of giant meatballs tossed through spaghetti is definitely an American thing. Not just for spaghetti, serve these meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce on their own served with creamy mash, grilled polenta or in a crusty bread roll. Is it better to fry or bake meatballs? There are pros and cons to both methods. By frying your meatballs you get that glorious golden crust, but the tender meatballs can become misshapen no matter how gentle you are. The other option is to tray bake them in the oven so they hold their shape, but this does run the risk of stewing. This can be mitigated by placing the meatballs on a preheated tray or cooking them on a wire rack set over the top of a baking tray, which allows the air to circulate. Another option is to cook them in batches in an air fryer. Do this at 200C for 10 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice during cooking. Nearly every country has its own version of meatballs, with the most popular (arguably) being Swedish. The Middle East has its koftas, Greece has its keftedes and in Spain meatballs are referred to as albondigas. Asian countries too have their own versions, including the Chinese classic lion’s head meatballs, Japanese tsukune and the Vietnamese have pork meatballs that are served with bun cha. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester.
Madras beef curry
Create beautiful Indian aromas in your own kitchen with our highest-rated Madras beef curry.
Chicken fried rice
This tasty variation on fried rice is guaranteed to keep the hungry hordes happy.
Slow-cooker beef cheeks in red wine
Slow-cooked beef with red wine and mushrooms. It’s a winning combo that most commonly turns up in that classic-for-a reason beef bourguignon. Using this as a basis our beef with wine recipe switches things up a bit by swapping the chuck steak for beef cheeks, adding loads of garlic and using not one – but three different types of mushroom. Slow cookers have a reputation of being one of the least cool appliances in the kitchen, often relegated to more run of the mill weeknight dishes. But this recipe proves you can use it to create a truly elegant meal. As one of our members’ husband proclaimed “this is the best thing to come out of our slow cooker,” “this is better than what I’ve had in a restaurant,” and “make this again!”. If you’re new to the world of beef cheeks, this is a great introduction. Being a secondary cut of meat. they need to be slow cooked, so what better way than in a slow cooker. If serving to guests, prepare the recipe the day before, transfer to a bowl and allow to sit in the fridge overnight. This will allow the flavours to develop. As slow cookers aren’t great for re-heating, Reheat in a casserole dish in the oven. That way you get the just cooked smelI in the house but the beef cheeks will have even more flavour. Why we love this recipe Although it looks like a lot of ingredients, only a few of them need to be chopped, which means loads of flavour with very little prep. We also love the set and forget element, for let’s face it most dinner party recipes require a bit of added attention. That’s not to say this is an entertaining only recipe, beef cheeks can also be served as a simple midweek meal. As this recipe serves six, any leftovers can be shredded and tossed through fettuccine What goes into this much-loved beef cheeks recipe? Beef cheeks: Literally beef from the muscle of a cow’s cheek, these belong to the group known as lesser cuts of beef, that also includes chuck steak, gravy beef, brisket. All of these can be used as a substitute if desired. Mushrooms: We use a combination of oyster, button and shiitake. The great thing about oyster mushrooms is you don’t need to cut them, simply tear them in half. We pop our buttons in whole as well. Make sure you use fresh shiitakes as the dried version will overwhelm the dish. Oil: Don’t be stingy with the oil. You need the full two tablespoons to get a good colour on the beef before it goes in the bowl of the slow cooker. Flour: Tossing the beef in plain flour before browning it off thickens the sauce for the beef cheeks. If you can’t have wheat you can thicken with some cornflour at the end of cooking. Red wine: We say to use shiraz but pinot noir also works well. Garlic: We go in hard with the garlic in our favourite beef cheeks recipe. A full six cloves. When finely chopped they just melt into the sauce adding a subtle yet robust flavour, Sugar: because we also use tomato paste we add brown sugar to round out the sometimes metallic taste it can add. We have a few beef cheek recipes on taste.com.au. Another French-style recipe is Manu Feildel’s braised cheeks that he tops with a macaroni gratin and we have a classic daube that uses port and orange zest. Away from France we have a Spanish beef cheek recipe where they are cooked with Pedro Ximenez. Beef cheeks turn up in a lot of Mexican recipe, where they’re shredded and piled into tortillas or try this Italian version topped with salsa verde. The rich taste of beef cheeks can also stand up to spicy Sichuan peppercorns and star anise in our Mandarin and ginger braised beef. This was originally a member recipe, contributed by ‘TA6574’. It has since been tested by food writer and recipe tester, Alison Adams. Recipe notes and introduction by Alison Adams. How to cook beef cheeks: full recipe below
Our go-to easy chicken parmigiana recipe
I don’t know about you, but if I see chicken parmigiana on a pub menu, I am compelled to order it. As if a golden crispy chicken schnitzel isn’t tempting enough, when drizzled with a rich and tangy Italian-style tomato sauce and topped with gooey, melty cheese, all bets are off. No need to step out to the local with this easy chicken parmigiana recipe. Why has this become our favourite chicken parmigiana recipe? There are a few reasons we love this ‘parmie’. To start, the addition of dried oregano in the crumb is a flavourful nod to its Italian ancestry. We then double the sauce action, drizzling it on the base of the baking dish as well as over the top of the fried schnitzels. We don’t skimp on the cheese either, using fresh, creamy buffalo mozzarella alongside sharp, salty parmesan. Perfect with a simple, crisp green salad. Or, take a leaf out of our American friends’ book and serve on top of cooked spaghetti. We’re big fans of getting creative with classics, and think this Mac ‘n’ cheese parmi tray bake makes a top-tier comfort dish. Or, try our Keto-friendly parmi for a low-carb alternative. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Delicious ratatouille recipe (with how-to video!)
A delicious ratatouille recipe to add to you repertoire Tangy tomatoes, spongy eggplant, sweet capsicum, soft, tangy onion… all these flavours combine to create this irresistible-yet-effortless dinner. Given its rich history, there have been many recipe variations, but this one is our favourite. The name actually gives a hint as to what the meal consists of – it combines the French words “rata”, which is a type of stew with chunky, chopped pieces in it, and “touiller”, meaning ‘to stir’. Why do we love this ratatouille recipe? The flavours of the vegetables and fresh, fragrant herbs compliment each other so brilliantly. What’s more, the ease of our recipe makes it one you’ll be returning to weekly! You can serve ratatouille on its own, over pasta, but our favourite is on a crusty piece of sourdough bread to soak up that aromatic tomato sauce. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams, Recipe Tester and Food Writer
Vegetable frittata
Tasty hot or cold, this frittata is also easily transportable, so it’s perfect for popping into lunch boxes. See notes section for FODMAP diet tip.
Pumpkin, spinach and lentil lasagne
This tasty recipe for healthy vegetable lasagne has stunning layers of spinach, ricotta, lentils and pumpkin. It’s the perfect dish for sharing with friends and family.
Chicken pasta bake
Like peaches and cream and a coach and his team (you know the rest…) chicken and bacon are true companions. Appearing in centuries-old dishes like coq au vin and modern classics like our famed keto cauliflower bake, this power couple can do no wrong. With our chicken and bacon pasta bake, we’ve added tender roasted pumpkin and tossed it all in a thick creamy sauce with just cooked pasta. An Instagram-worthy amount of cheese is added and then after a stint in the oven you have a truly comforting and satisfying family meal. What do you serve with pasta bake? Serve our favourite pasta bake with a fresh green salad or even garlic bread to up the comfort factor. This ultimate chicken pasta bake serves six, which means any leftovers can be popped into the freezer or eaten for lunch the next day. Winner, winner, leftover chicken dinner. For more easy chicken recipes ideal for weeknights, check out our collection of better-for-you, simple chicken dinners. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Healthier chicken chow mein
Try this healthy version of the Chinese takeaway classic. In just 25 minutes you can feed the whole family a tasty healthy chicken dish that won’t disappoint!
Porcupine meatballs
Here’s a retro favourite that is sure to be a hit with the kids. Made in one pot, it’s sure to be a hit with the adults too.
Sweet and sour pork
This old-time favourite is still cooked nightly in a Chinese restaurant near you!
Singapore noodles
This old-style noodle dish is as popular and delicious as ever!
Zucchini and haloumi fritters
Meatballs in rich tomato sauce
This recipe for spaghetti with meatballs is kind to the budget so you can afford to make lots and freeze some for later.
Green chicken curry
This amazing green chicken curry is guaranteed to have your family coming back for seconds.
Creamy chicken bake
This hearty chicken bake is designed to satisfy even the hungriest of appetites.
Classic, crispy beer-battered fish and chips
Call off the take-away: make this beer-battered fish and chips We all know what we’re looking for in a batter. It must be thin, crisp and golden – that’s a given, yet it also must be thick enough to protect the food inside from the ferocious heat of the oil. All batters are made from flour and a liquid, yet arguably the crispest most glorious batter, is created by the addition of a carbonated liquid like soda water – or, in this case, beer. And, once you’ve tasted it, you’ll know exactly why beer batter recipes are so popular. Why do you add beer to batter? Gently whisking beer into batter means tiny bubbles of air become trapped to create a thick foam. This foam becomes partially solid when added to oil yet still retains its airiness. Not only does the beer help create the crisp texture of the batter, it also adds flavour and the sugars caramelise the batter slightly – making it super golden. With our beer battered fish recipe, we also provide a recipe for simple oven-baked wedges, which happily roast away as you prepare the fish. This versatile batter recipe can also be used to coat vegetables like wedges of potato, batons of zucchini and onion rings – as well as other seafood like oysters, prawns and squid. If you’re craving more beer-battered dishes, try our beer-battered barra and potato scallops recipe next. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Our best easy cottage pie recipe
We can’t think of anything better than a hearty and flavourful meat pie when we crave a comforting meal. That’s why this classic cottage pie is a favourite in our home. The flavourful ground beef mince base topped with velvety mashed potatoes, and a
