7 easy family dinners to make busy weeknights much easier

Getting dinner on the table in the middle of the week is hard enough without cooking three different meals to keep everyone happy. Add rising food bills, the usual battle against waste and the temptation to fall back on the same handful of dinners, and even a supposedly simple Tuesday night supper can start to feel like admin.

That is where Budget Bites comes in. Our series with Sorted Food is designed to make everyday cooking easier, cheaper and less wasteful, with recipes that make sensible use of familiar ingredients without feeling austere. This week, the focus is firmly on family-friendly midweek meals: quick, comforting dishes that can get from fridge to table without taking over the evening.

There is pea and mint pesto pasta for something fresh and speedy, cheesy pizzadillas with smoky sweet potato wedges for a dinner that feels a little more fun, and a one-pan smoked salmon and dill pasta that manages to feel rather more luxurious than the effort involved suggests. Elsewhere, smoky sausage and egg hash, a nacho-topped chicken bake, baked eggs with kale and cheesy garlic ciabatta, and a hearty pasta, potato and pancetta dish all make a strong case for keeping things simple.

As ever, the idea is to make the whole week easier rather than just solve one dinner at a time. We’ve pulled everything you need for all seven recipes into one shopping list, so you can plan ahead, combine ingredients where possible and spend less time working out what needs to go in the trolley.

Shopping list

Fruit and veg:

Meat and fish:

Dairy and eggs:

Pasta, bread and wraps:

Tins, jars and dry goods:

Oils, spices and seasonings:

Pea and mint pesto pasta

Herbs are always better fresher. Keeping them in the fridge whilst wrapped in a damp jay cloth, will vastly improve their lifespan!

Ingredients:

150g frozen peas

200g dried pasta

3 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

30g fresh basil

30g fresh mint

30g blanched hazelnuts

40g hard Italian cheese

Method:

1. Get the kettle on: fill the kettle with water and put it on to boil – this will be for the pasta later.

2. Get the peas in: add 150g of peas to a large mixing bowl, add a splash of water, and cover with cling film. Microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes, until the peas are soft. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

3. Get the pasta on: add 200g of pasta to a large frying pan, season generously with salt, cover with boiling water from the kettle, and place the pan over a high heat.

4. Cook the pasta: cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes, until soft but still with a slight bite. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

5. Assemble the pesto: once the peas are ready, uncover them. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, finely grate in 1 peeled clove of garlic, then add the leaves from 30g of basil and 20g of mint – we will use the rest of the mint for garnish later.

6. Blend: add 30g of hazelnuts, then blitz until smooth with a hand blender. Finely grate in the cheese, blend again, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Loosen with a splash of the pasta’s cooking water to help it smoothen if you are having trouble blending.

7. Mix it up: once the pasta is ready, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer it into the pesto bowl. Toss and mix, loosening with pasta water if necessary, to create a thick, smooth sauce that clings to the pasta.

8. Serve: divide the pasta between plates, top with leaves from 10g of mint, then get involved!

Cheesy pizzadillas with smoky sweet potato wedges

Pizza quesadillas are the dinner you didn’t know you needed! These are fun to make and even more fun to eat – the kids are sure to love them!

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes

6 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp smoked paprika

3 tbsp tomato purée / tomato paste

1 clove garlic

60g cream cheese

150g mozzarella ball

30g fresh basil

6 small flour tortillas

Method:

1. Preheat: preheat the oven to 200C and line a medium baking tray with baking paper.

2. Prep the wedges: cut 2 sweet potatoes in to 6-8 wedges each and place onto the lined baking tray.

3. Season up: drizzle over 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, scatter over 1 tablespoon of paprika, season with a generous pinch of salt and toss everything together on the tray.

4. Roast them off: lay the wedges skin-side down and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, crisp in places and fully tender.

5. Get prepped: squeeze 3 tablespoons of tomato purée into a small mixing bowl. Peel and finely grate in 1 clove of garlic. Tip in 60g of cream cheese and splash in 2 tablespoons of water, then mix everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Grate grate: coarsely grate one 150g ball of mozzarella into a kitchen towel and squeeze out any moisture over the sink – this will ensure the pizzadillas don’t get too soggy later.

7. Herb time: strip the leaves from 30g of basil and set aside. You are now ready to construct and fry!

8. Get the pan on: pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a large frying pan and place it over a medium heat.

9. Build: lay 3 tortillas on your chopping board from earlier and spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce over each. Scatter over a few of the basil leaves and a pinch of the cheese. Place 1 tortilla on top, then place them into the pan one at a time.

10. Fry: fry on one side for 2-3 minutes until golden, before flipping and repeating on the next. Once the first quesadilla is ready, transfer them from the pan to a small baking tray and repeat with the remaining quesadillas and 2 tablespoons of oil. Wash up your grater from earlier while you wait.

11. Serve: warm the quesadillas in the oven quickly when ready to serve. Divide the wedges between serving plates and cut the quesadillas into 4 so they resemble pizza slices. Pile them onto your plates, scatter over any remaining basil leaves and serve.

One-pan smoked salmon and dill pasta

A proper midweek treat with minimal faff. This one-pan wonder is speedy, comforting, and fancy enough for a Friday night without the washing up.

Ingredients:

100g echalion shallots

1 courgette / zucchini

1 head little gem lettuce

30g unsalted butter

1 tbsp olive oil

187ml white wine

1 vegetable stock cube

200g dried pasta spaghetti

20g fresh dill

1 lemon

120g smoked salmon

180g cream cheese

Method:

1. Prepare the veg: peel and finely slice 100g of shallots. Trim and cut 1 courgette into half-moons. Roughly chop 1 gem lettuce.

2. Fry the veg: heat 30g of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the shallots, courgette and lettuce and fry for 4-5 minutes, until the veg begins to char in places. Fill the kettle with water and put it on to boil.

3. Deglaze: pour in 187ml of white wine and boil for 2-3 minutes, until reduced by half.

4. Add the pasta: crumble in 1 vegetable stock cube, pour in 500ml of boiling water and add 200g of spaghetti.

5. Cook the pasta: simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is soft but with a slight bite and only a little liquid is left.

6. Final prep: meanwhile, finely chop 20g of dill, finely grate the zest of 1 lemon and gently tear 120g of smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces.

7. Stir it all together: once the pasta is cooked, stir in the dill, lemon zest, salmon and 180g of cream cheese until the pasta is coated.

8. Season and serve: season with salt and pepper, squeeze in the juice from the lemon to taste and serve. Tuck in!

Potato, smoky sausage and egg hash with aioli

This recipe works really well without the sausage if you want to keep things vegetarian.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

50g unsalted butter

3 pork sausages

600g loose white potatoes

1 tbsp smoked paprika

200g fresh spinach

4 large eggs

4 tbsp mayonnaise

1 clove garlic

Method:

1. Preheat: preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Preheat the pan: add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 25g of the butter to a large, ovenproof frying pan and place it over a medium heat.

3. Get the sausages on: once the butter starts to foam, squeeze in the meat from the casings of 3 sausages. Fry, breaking the meat up occasionally for 6-8 minutes, until golden and crisp in places. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

4. Grate and squeeze: wash any dirt from 600g of potatoes, then coarsely grate them into a clean kitchen cloth. Bring the sides of the cloth up around the potato, then squeeze out any moisture over the sink.

5. Add the paprika: once the sausage is golden and crisp in places, add 1 tablespoon of paprika. Continue to fry, until fragrant for around 30 seconds.

6. Add the potato: tip the dried potato into the frying pan along with a generous pinch of salt.

7. Fry: fry, tossing occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, until the potato starts to soften and break up a bit. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

8. Get the spinach ready: add 200g of spinach to a large mixing bowl along with the remaining 25g of butter. Cover with cling film.

9. Cook the spinach: cook on full power in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, until the leaves start to darken and wilt. Once ready, leave covered ready for serving later.

10. Add the eggs: once the potato is ready, create divots in the mix and crack an egg into each. Leave the eggs to cook slightly over the heat for 1-2 minutes, until they start to turn white in places. If you’re doubling up this recipe you’ll have to do this in batches.

11. Bake: bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks still have a wobble. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

12. Assemble the aioli: add 4 tablespoons of mayo to a small bowl, then finely grate in 1 clove of garlic.

13. Mix it up: beat everything together, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Crack on with a bit of washing up if you are still waiting for the eggs.

14. Serve: once the eggs are ready, drape over the spinach, spoon over the aioli and serve straight from the pan.

One-pan nacho chicken bake

Tortilla chips add a nice crunchy topping to this pie! Drizzle some sour cream on top if you have it.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 red onion

1 red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 chicken breasts

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tbsp tomato purée / tomato paste

1 chicken stock cube

400g tinned kidney beans

20g fresh coriander / cilantro

150g cheddar

200g plain tortilla chips

Method:

1. Preheat: preheat the oven to 200C. Put a large oven-safe frying pan over a medium heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

2. Prep the onion: halve, peel, and thinly slice 1 red onion. Deseed and slice 1 red pepper, then peel and slice 2 cloves of garlic.

3. Fry: once the oil is hot, add the onion, pepper and garlic to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

4. Prep the chicken: slice 2 chickens breasts into 2 cm strips.

5. Cook the chicken: add the chicken to the pan. Remember to always wash your hands after handling raw meat. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, until browned, stirring often.

6. Season it: sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes. Fry for another 1 minute, until fragrant.

7. Add the tomatoes: squeeze in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and crumble in 1 stock cube, then tip in one 400g tin of kidney beans – no need to drain. Season with salt and give everything a good mix. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until thick and reduced by half.

8. Chop and grate: finely chop 20g of coriander, then coarsely grate 150g of cheddar cheese – sprinkle half of each over the mixture.

9. Cover it with chips: arrange 200g of tortillas chips over the top of the cheese and sprinkle the rest on the cheese.

10. Bake: bake for 6-7 minutes, until the cheese is all melted and the tortilla chips are lightly browned.

11. Serve: remove from the oven and sprinkle over with the remaining coriander. Take the whole pan to the table and tuck in!

Sausage and kale baked eggs with cheesy garlic ciabatta

Get the oven pre-heating to 220C before you start if you want to be extra speedy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

4 pork sausages

5 spring onions / scallions

50g unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic

200g kale

1 ciabatta (1x 250g)

50g hard Italian cheese

4 large eggs

1 tbsp tahini

Method:

1. Preheat: preheat the oven 220C and line a medium tray with tin foil – this will be for the garlic bread later.

2. Preheat the pan: tip 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large, oven-proof frying pan and place it over a medium-high heat.

3. Fry the sausages: once the oil starts to shimmer and loosen, squeeze the meat from the casings of 4 sausages into the pan. Fry for 4-5 minutes, tossing and breaking up the meat occasionally, until golden in places. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

4. Chop: cut 5 spring onions crossways at 2cm intervals.

5. Add the onion: once the sausage meat is ready, tip in the onions. Fry for a further 2-3 minutes, until they start to soften.

6. Assemble the garlic butter: add 50g of butter to a small mixing bowl. Peel, then finely grate in 2 cloves of garlic and season with a pinch of salt.

7. Microwave: cover with cling film and microwave for 30 seconds, until melted and bubbling. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

8. Add the kale: add 200g of kale to the pan with the sausages and onions. Toss everything together, cover with a lid and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, until the leaves start to darken. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

9. Make the garlic bread: cut 1 ciabatta through the middle lengthways and lay them on the lined tray cut-side up. Drizzle over the garlic butter and finely grate over 50g of cheese.

10. Bake: bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese melts and the bread becomes crisp in places.

11. Add the eggs: once the kale has darkened slightly, season with salt and create 4 divots in the mix – crack an egg into each. Fry undisturbed for 1-2 minutes, until the whites start to set.

12. Bake: pop the pan into the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes, until the whites are fully set, the yolks still have a wobble and the kale is crisp and golden in places. Get on with some washing up while you wait if you are feeling speedy!

13. Serve: once the eggs are ready, drizzle over 1 tablespoon of tahini and take the whole pan to the table along with the cheesy garlic bread. Tuck in!

The 3 P’s – pasta, potato and pancetta

This hearty dish is comfort food with a twist – combining crispy pancetta, tender potatoes and fennel with pasta, all in a creamy, cheesy sauce.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic

1 medium carrot

1 fennel bulb

200g loose white potatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

140g diced pancetta

100g dried pasta small shape

1 chicken stock cube

15g fresh parsley

50g hard Italian cheese

Method:

1. Prep the veg: fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil – this will be for the stock later. Peel and finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and 1 medium carrot. Slice 1 fennel bulb in 2 halves, cut the fronds off, if any, and save for garnish. Finely chop the fennel as well. Peel and cut 200g of loose potatoes into 1 cm pieces.

2. Crisp the pancetta: heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and chuck in 140g of diced pancetta. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the pancetta is slightly crispy.

3. Add the veg: chuck in the garlic, carrot, potatoes, fennel, and a pinch of salt into the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are just starting to soften.

4. Bring to a boil: crumble in 1 stock cube and pour in enough boiled water from the kettle to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then add in 100g of dried pasta. Give it a good stir and cook for 12 minutes, adding more boiled water as needed as the pasta and potato absorb it, like a risotto.

5. Chop: finely chop 15g of parsley.

6. Grate the cheese: once the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened, stir through ¾ of the parsley and finely grate in 50g of hard Italian cheese and stir through.

7. Serve: divide the pasta into shallow bowls, then top with the remaining parsley and any reserved fennel fronds. Tuck in!

In response to the rising cost of living, we have teamed up with Sorted Food to bring you easy, affordable, quick and (most importantly) tasty recipes once a month. Find out more about Sorted and their nifty meal-planning app Sidekick at sortedfood.com/download.