If you’ve never cooked before, ask someone to show you a few basics to get you started and get some practice. Check out our quick, simple and cheap 5 ingredient recipes to help inspire your culinary adventures!
Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp medium Indian curry paste, such as tikka masala
- 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 227g can chopped tomatoes
- 25g/1oz creamed coconut, from a block, roughly chopped
- 250g sachet basmati rice or 125g uncooked basmati rice
Cost
£3.43 – 2 portions (full recipe in link)
Top tip
if you are boiling your own rice – after draining, rinse the rice in hot water to remove the starch and give you fluffy rice!
Sausage Pasta
- 1 red pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 400g sausages, skins removed
- 350g tomato and chilli pasta sauce
- 350g penne
- freshly grated Parmesan
Cost
£4.09 – 4 portions (full recipe in link)
Top tip
an easy way to remove the sausage skin is to cut of the tip with scissors and squeeze the meat out.
Chorizo and Butterbean Stew with Baked Potato
- 4 baking potatoes
- 200g chorizo
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 x 400g tins butter beans
- 50g fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Cost
£5.86 – 4 portions
Top tip
for speedy baked potatoes, prick with a fork, place on a microwave safe dish with 2x tablespoons of water and cook for 5 mins either side.
Carrot and Coriander Soup
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 450g carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock
- large bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Cost
£3.75 – 4 portions
Top tip
save your plastic takeaway containers and freeze your leftovers.
Fish cakes
- 450g potato, chopped into chunks
- 450g mixed frozen fish such as cod, haddock, salmon, smoked haddock
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- vegetable oil, for frying
Cost
£6.49 – Makes 8-12 fishcakes
Top tip
If you can’t get to a supermarket for the fish, supplement with tinned tuna or salmon.
If you are moving into student accommodation, look out for the Hungry in Halls programme. Gain confidence in the kitchen, learn how to budget when you shop and earn Edge award accreditation.