A student meal should be quick, nutritious and delicious. These recipes tick those boxes. There’s a puff pastry spinach and feta tart that will impress your housemates, a garlicky chicken tray bake that saves on washing up, and a nutritious, filling peanut butter tofu perfect for getting you through evenings of revision. Give them a go!
Spinach and feta tart
This tart uses a nifty roll of readymade puff pastry as well as frozen spinach, creamy ricotta and lots of tangy feta cheese. Serve with a big crunchy salad.
Prep 20 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 6
Cost per portion £1.04 (without optional and to-serve ingredients)
400g frozen chopped spinach
250g ricotta
200g feta cheese, crumbled
2 large eggs, lightly whisked with a fork
½ tsp dried chilli (optional)
½ lemon, zested
1 x 320g pack ready roll puff pastry
2 tbsp sesame seeds, optional
Salad – cucumber, tomato, lots of green leaves, to serve
Defrost the spinach then tip it into a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze out all the liquid you can. Tip it into a mixing bowl. Add the ricotta, two-thirds of the feta, about half the beaten egg, the dried chilli, lemon zest and some seasoning.
Heat the oven to 200C (180 fan)/390F/gas 6. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper. Unravel the pastry carefully on to the paper. Score a border around the edge of the pastry, about 1cm wide. Fill the middle with the spinach mix, leaving the border empty. Smooth it down with a spoon and crumble over the rest of the feta.
Brush the border with the remaining egg then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and puffed up. Serve with the salad.
Garlic butter chicken tray bake
You’ll be the envy of your fellow housemates with this moreish garlic butter chicken and wedges – all cooked in the oven for ease. If you don’t like spice, simply leave out the cajun seasoning.
Prep 30 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 4
Cost per portion £1.38 (without to-serve ingredients)
2 large baking potatoes (850g), each cut into 10 wedges
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large skinless and boneless chicken breasts
2 eggs, whisked with a fork
50g plain flour
70g dried panko breadcrumbs
1½ tbsp cajun spice
70g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ small bunch parsley, finely chopped
Peas or broccoli, to serve
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the wedges and boil for 10 minutes then drain through a colander and set aside for 10 minutes in the colander.
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Heat the oil in a large-lipped oven tray or two smaller trays for 10 minutes. Once hot, toss the wedges in the oil on the tray/s. Toss through 1 tbsp cajun spice and some salt. Bake for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the chicken into strips. Toss each one in flour, followed by the egg then coat it in the breadcrumbs. Place the chicken in the tray/s, sprinkle with remaining cajun spice and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the garlic and cook over a low heat for 3 minutes then stir in the parsley and a pinch of salt.
Once the chicken and wedges are cooked and golden brown, pour the garlic butter over everything.
Serve with peas or broccoli, if you like.
Spicy peanut butter tofu
This vegan bowl is packed with creamy nut butter, red peppers and chunks of tofu. Make a batch, eat half for dinner then reheat the rest for lunch the next day.
Prep 20 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 2
Cost per portion £2.06 (without to-serve ingredients), or £2.25 (with rice and broccoli)
2 tbsp vegetable, sesame or olive oil
1 block extra-firm tofu, cut into big chunks
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1-2 tsp mild chilli (depending on how spicy you like it!)
1 tbsp tomato puree
100g peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp agave or honey
1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
300ml water
30g salted peanuts, chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
To serve
Cooked rice
Cucumber or broccoli
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Add the tofu and fry over a high heat for 6 minutes, turning regularly until golden brown. Remove with a pair of tongs or a fork and set aside on a plate.
Add the garlic and chopped pepper to the pan and fry for 2 minutes over a high heat then stir in the chilli and tomato puree and fry for a further 2 minutes. In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, soy, vinegar and agave or honey. Add the peanut mixture to the pan then slowly stir in the water. Bring to a simmer and stir in the tofu. Cook for 5 minutes.
Serve with rice and finish with chopped peanuts and spring onion. This is delicious with some cucumber or broccoli on the side.
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