Moving away from home and suddenly having to cook for yourself and friends can be a challenge.  But we can help you say – challenge accepted! There are so many simple and tasty meals you can try at university. Release your inner chef, and take a look at our five quick, easy, and student-friendly recipes below.

Five Simple Recipe Ideas

1 .Easy Chicken Curry

This easy chicken curry is the ultimate comfort food – perfect for those cosy nights in. Made with only a few ingredients, this recipe could become one of your staple meals.

  • Two tbsp sunflower oil
  • One onion
  • Two garlic cloves
  • A thumb-sized piece of ginger
  • Six chicken thighs
  • Three tbsp of medium spice paste
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 100g of Greek yoghurt
  • One small bunch of coriander leaves
  • 50g of ground almonds (optional).  

To get started on this delicious meal, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, and add the onions – fry for eight minutes or until browned. Then, add your ginger and garlic and cook for one minute.

Start to cut the chicken into pieces and fry for a further five minutes, adding and stirring through the spice paste and the tomatoes. Add 250ml of water, then gently simmer the sauce and chicken for 25-30 minutes uncovered, until the mixture has reduced.

Finally, stir through the yoghurt, coriander and almonds and serve with rice – a good wholesome meal for you to enjoy.

2. Spicy Sausage Ragu with Spirali

This flavour-packed pasta dish will be a new-found favourite for you and your housemates. Easy to cook, you will have this whipped up in just 30 minutes. For this recipe, you will need:

  • One tbsp olive oil
  • One large onion
  • One large carrot
  • Two celery sticks
  • 300g pork sausages, removed from the casing
  • Two garlic cloves 
  • ½-one tsp crushed chillies
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • One tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 400g spiralli pasta
  • ½ x 30g pack flat-leaf parsley

Start by frying the onion, carrot, celery, and sausages. Remember to break up the sausages using a wooden spoon for 10 minutes.

Add in the garlic and chilli flakes, stirring in the tomatoes and vinegar. Reduce the heat, and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.

Cook your pasta over the hob, then stir in the sauce, and enjoy!

3. Veggie Bean Fajitas

Vegetarian or not, everyone will love these smoky paprika-spiced fajitas. Ready in just 30 minutes for your friends to feast on, there might even be enough for leftovers too. Find out the ingredients you will need:

  • One onion
  • Two garlic cloves
  • Two mixed peppers – deseeded and finely chopped
  • Two tsp paprika
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • One vegetable stock cube made to 150ml
  • Two 400g tins of black beans – drained
  • 100g Greek-style yoghurt
  • One lime, juiced
  • Four tortilla wraps
  • 50g of cheese – optional
  • Coriander – optional

Heat your onion, garlic, and pepper in a large frying pan for 10 minutes until softened or browned.

Start adding your paprika, and then pour in the tinned tomatoes and stock. Cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced. Then, add in your black beans and cook for a further five minutes.

Once you have done this, you can mix the yoghurt, coriander and lime juice, then heat or griddle your tortilla wraps.

Remove the fajita mix from the heat, season if necessary and taste! Spoon the pepper mix onto your wraps, and relax.

4. Fish, Mash and Peas

After a long week of lectures, a trip to the local chippie sounds tempting on a Friday. Why not try this simple, healthier alternative instead? You will only need:

  • One slice of crusty bread
  • A handful of parsley stalks
  • One garlic clove
  • One tbsp of olive oil
  • Two salmon fillets
  • 250g new potatoes
  • 100g peas
  • Two tbsp butter
  • ½ tbsp malt vinegar

Preheat your oven to 180°C or gas mark 4. Start by grinding the bread, parsley, garlic and olive oil into breadcrumbs.

Then, brush the salmon fillets with a little oil and add some seasoning (salt and pepper is fine). Once you have done this, you can put the breadcrumbs onto the salmon. Place the salmon onto a baking tray, and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Once the fish is in the oven, boil a pan of water and add the potatoes. Cook for eight minutes, adding the peas in the last two minutes.

After this, drain the potatoes and peas until dry, add the butter and vinegar, and start mashing. Finish off by serving the potatoes onto a plate, and top with the salmon. Delicious!

5. Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

You can’t beat a classic homemade spag bowl – quick and easy for a weekday evening. Ready in only 30 minutes, your family and friends will be coming back for more. You will need:

  • One onion
  • Two garlic cloves
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • One carrot
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 150ml red wine (optional)
  • 300g spaghetti

Firstly, fry the onion and garlic until softened or lightly browned over a low heat. Add the mince, and cook for five minutes or until well browned.

Stir in the tomatoes and wine, and start to bring the mixture to a boil by turning the heat up to medium, occasionally stirring for 15 minutes.

Bring the sauce back down to a low heat, and cover and cook for five minutes, or until thickened. Once you have done this, you can start to prepare your spaghetti over the hob.

To finish, stir the spaghetti into the bolognese sauce – and just like that, you have made the ultimate classic!

With these simple and tasty meals, you’ll be set to impress everyone you know with your new-found cooking skills. You never know, you might have even discovered a new hobby! Which recipe is your favourite?

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