Stretch your budget further by batch cooking meals so there’s some leftover for those hectic midweek evenings. Choose recipe ideas packed with veg to get your greens in, for guilt-free dinners on a budget. Here are some staple recipe ideas to get you started on your next batch cook…

Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

  • 500g Morrisons 5% fat lean beef mince
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 390g chopped tomato, onion & garlic
  • 15g parsley
  • 500g Morrisons Linguine 
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tsp olive oil

Method

  1. Put a pan of seasoned water on to boil. Finely chop the onion, carrot, garlic and parsley.
  2. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan with 3 teaspoons of oil, add the onions and carrots and cook for 4-5 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for a further minute. Top tip - If you have any red wine to use, add a splash to the pan and a teaspoon of sugar to give the bolognese a kick.
  3. Add the beef mince to the onions, garlic and carrots and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes, bring the bolognese to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water to packet instructions.
  5. Once the spaghetti is cooked, (add the parsley to the bolognese, saving a little for garnish), drain the pasta. Use tongs to portion the spaghetti into bowls, then spoon over the bolognese and finish with any remaining parsley.

Fish Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 bag frozen mashed potato, (750g)
  • 2 sachets cheese sauce mix, (2x30g)
  • 520ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 1 bag frozen fish pie mix
  • 1 bag raw king prawns
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 dash cracked black pepper
  • 50g mature cheddar cheese, (optional)
  • 1 heaped tbsp frozen garden peas, to serve

Method

  1. Prepare the full bag of frozen mashed potato following the instructions on the pack.
  2. Prepare both sachets of the instant cheese sauce mix following the hob instructions on the pack. Once the sauce is cooked, add the frozen fish pie mix and raw prawns into the pan and cook for a further 10 mins. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the pieces of fish.
  3. Stir in the lemon zest, parsley and some cracked black pepper. Pour into a deep, ovenproof dish.
  4. Spoon over the mashed potato and top with the grated mature Cheddar cheese if desired.
  5. Cook under a preheated grill for 5 minutes until lightly golden on top. Serve immediately.
  6. Team with frozen garden peas.

Chilli Con Carne

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ bag frozen diced white onion, (250g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 2 Morrisons Loose peppers
  • 1 tbsp hot chilli powder/mild chilli powder, (optional)
  • Morrisons 5% fat lean beef mince, (500g)
  • 1 dash salt
  • 1 dash pepper
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 can red kidney beans in chilli sauce
  • Morrisons Basmati rice (1kg), or nachos
  • 1 heaped tbsp soured cream, and/or grated mature cheddar cheese to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the frozen diced onions and garlic. Fry over a medium heat for 3 mins, stirring until softened and starting to colour.
  2. Stir in the frozen sliced mixed peppers. Add the chilli powder at this point if you prefer more kick! Fry for 2 minutes stirring frequently before adding in the mince. Cook the mince for a further 5 minutes until browned stirring frequently and season.
  3. Crumble the beef stock cube into 300ml hot water. Pour this into the pan.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, kidney beans and stir well.
  5. Simmer it gently for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. If it does, just add a couple of tablespoons of water.
  6. Turn off the heat and leave the chilli to stand with a lid on for 10 minutes. This allows the flavours to mingle.
  7. Serve with either some frozen steam & serve white rice or nachos, topped with soured cream, guacamole and/or grated mature Cheddar cheese. Its also great served as a jacket potato filling!

Chilli Tuna Pasta Bake

Ingredients

  • 2 tuna chunks in spring water
  • 200g fusilli, or pasta shells
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 500g tomato and chilli pasta sauce
  • 2 tsp mixed dried Italian herbs
  • 100g cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, Gas Mark 5.
  2. Drain the cans of tuna chunks and tip onto a plate. Break the fish into chunks and set aside.
  3. Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and peppers for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Stir in the tomato and chilli pasta sauce. Add the dried herbs and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Drain the pasta thoroughly and tip it into an oblong baking dish. Stir in the vegetables and sauce, then gently mix in the tuna chunks. Sprinkle the cheese and sliced chilli on top.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until piping hot. Serve.

Ratatouille Basic Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, large
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 courgettes, medium, roughly chopped
  • 2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 aubergine, roughly chopped
  • 2 cans chopped tomatoes, 400g
  • 1 tbsp mixed herbs
  • 4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in the courgettes, peppers and aubergine, and cook for a further 5 minutes until lightly coloured.
  3. Add the tomatoes and herbs, cover and cook over a low heat for 30-35 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season and sprinkle with chopped basil.

Carrot Soup

Ingredients

  • ½ onion
  • 500g carrots
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes

Method

  1. Bring 1 litre of water to a rolling boil.
  2. Cut the carrots into 1cm chunks.
  3. Add all 3 ingredients to the water and boil until the carrots are tender (approx 10 minutes).
  4. Blend with a hand blender or food processor until smooth.
  5. Serve with crusty bread.

Lower-Fat Lasagne

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 500g lean minced beef steak
  • 3 cans chopped tomatoes
  • 30g butter
  • 45g plain flour
  • 500ml skimmed milk
  • 20g parmesan, grated
  • ½ lemon, juice only
  • 2 courgettes, cut into long ribbons
  • 1 handful rocket, to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onions for 5 minutes. Add the garlic then the mince, stirring until the meat has browned. Drain off any excess oil.
  2. Add the tomatoes and simmer while you prepare the béchamel sauce.
  3. Melt the butter in a pan until foaming then add the flour and stir into a thick paste. Cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk. Add the parmesan and lemon juice and season with black pepper. Bubble for 5 minutes to thicken, stirring.
  4. To assemble, place a layer of mince in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Arrange a layer of courgette ribbons on top, spoon over some sauce and top with another layer of courgette. Repeat, finishing with béchamel sauce. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and piping hot and serve with rocket.

Beef Ragu

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 bag frozen vegetable base mix (alternatively, you can use a combination of fresh carrot, swede and onion to make up the same amount)
  • 400g minced beef (you can use fresh or frozen mince, or Quorn mince instead of beef)
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 cloves garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 650ml beef stock (you can use a beef stock cube or alternatively a beef stock pot with 500ml of water)
  • 400g spaghetti, (swap for any pasta you may have like linguinie, penne or tagliatelle)
  • 50g grated parmesan (you can use any cheese to finish if parmesan is unavailable)

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the frozen vegetable base mix. Fry over a medium heat for 5 mins, stirring until softened and starting to colour.
  2. Stir in the frozen mince and cook until browned for around 5 minutes stirring frequently.
  3. Stir in the tomato puree, garlic, stock and season. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to cook gently for 45 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  4. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 15 mins. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve a mugful of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti and add to the ragu with the parmesan. Toss well and add a little pasta water to help the sauce coat the spaghetti. Serve with extra cheese sprinkled on top if you like. Don’t forget to try this ragu base the next time you make a lasagne or moussaka for the family!
  5. Salt and pepper to season.

Quorn Cottage Pie

Ingredients

  • 350g Quorn Mince
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 100g frozen peas, or mixed veg
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce, reduced salt
  • 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste in 1 tbsp cold water
  • 700g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 225g parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
  • 1 dash salt
  • 1 dash pepper, freshly ground

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C, Gas Mark 4
  2. Boil the potatoes and parsnip until tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and the carrot and fry gently until softened.
  4. Add the Quorn Mince, frozen veg, vegetable stock, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, soy sauce and seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add the cornflour made into a paste with the tablespoon of cold water and continue to simmer gently, stirring all the time, until thickened. Place in an ovenproof dish.
  5. Mash the potatoes and parsnip with the milk until smooth, season to taste with the salt and pepper. Place the topping over the Quorn mince filling and fluff up with a fork.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes until the topping is crisp.
  7. Serve with a selection of fresh vegetables.

Potato, Fennel and Apple Gratin

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp apple sauce
  • 30g butter, melted
  • 200ml milk
  • 284ml Elmlea single light

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Layer the sliced potatoes alternately with the sliced fennel in a large ovenproof dish.
  2. Blend together the apple sauce, melted butter, milk and Elmlea. Pour over the potato and fennel slices. Cover with a lightly buttered sheet of baking parchment then foil.
  3. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, then remove the foil and baking parchment and cook uncovered for a further 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Cassoulet

Ingredients

  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 whole onion, diced
  • 2 sticks celery, diced
  • 1 whole carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 whole leek, trimmed and sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 1 leaf bay leaf
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 1 tin cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 tin butterbeans
  • 2 large handfuls basil, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Drizzle a little olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion, celery, carrot and leek. Sauté for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add the chopped tinned tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf and thyme. Season well and stir to combine.
  5. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. After 20 minutes, remove the bay leaf and sprig of thyme. Add the cannellini and butter beans, stir to combine and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
  7. Season to taste. Add chopped basil and stir.