Quick and Easy recipes

If you're short of time, need something cooked quickly - or you just forgot - browse Delia's quick and easy recipes

Here you will find stirfries, that take literally minutes to make, classic recipes with shortcuts and meals you can rustle up in no time

Watch Delia introduce our free Online Cookery School. A project consisting of over 60 videos, accompanying recipes and helpful study notes.

One-crust Gooseberry Pie

This American idea for making a pie is blissfully easy – no baking tins and no lids to be cut, fitted and f...

This American idea for making a pie is blissfully easy – no baking tins and no lids to be cut, fitted and fluted. It looks very attractive because you can see the f...

35 minutes

to cook

A Very Easy One-crust Rhubarb Pie

This American idea for making a pie is blissfully easy – no baking tins and no lids to be cut, fitted and f...

This American idea for making a pie is blissfully easy – no baking tins and no lids to be cut, fitted and fluted. It looks very attractive because you can see the f...

35 minutes

to cook

Quick Moussaka

If we were talking journalese here this recipe would be called a cut-and-paste job. Everything here is r...

If we were talking journalese here this recipe would be called a cut-and-paste job. Everything here is ready-made, and all we cheats have to do is add in some subtl...

30 minutes - 35 minutes

to cook

Alex Mackay's 'Lentilzotto'

Delia Online, proud sponsors of Delia's Food and Wine Workshops. This recipe was inspired by Delia’s bri...

Delia Online, proud sponsors of Delia's Food and Wine Workshops. This recipe was inspired by Delia’s brilliant book, ‘How to Cheat at Cooking’ and is is the quickes...

4 minutes - 8 minutes

to cook

Almond Tuiles

When you look at these you’ll probably think ‘I can’t be bothered’, but they are unbelievably easy to make ...

When you look at these you’ll probably think ‘I can’t be bothered’, but they are unbelievably easy to make and are the most elegant biscuits to serve with fruit fools ...

4 minutes - 5 minutes

to cook

Apricot and Nut Crunchies

You can almost imagine sneaking in to quickly grab one of these from under the cook's nose. But you don'...

You can almost imagine sneaking in to quickly grab one of these from under the cook's nose. But you don't have to tiptoe around to enjoy these fantastically moreish...

15 minutes

to cook

Asian Steak Sandwiches

No not bread sarnies. These are slices of sticky, fragrant marinated steak, served wrapped in lettuce le...

No not bread sarnies. These are slices of sticky, fragrant marinated steak, served wrapped in lettuce leaves. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Delia's Ho...

1 minute

to cook

Banana Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce

This is a lightened-up version of the old English classic that used leftover bread. Cheats just need to ...

This is a lightened-up version of the old English classic that used leftover bread. Cheats just need to grab some dried breadcrumbs and throw it all together. Serve...

35 minutes - 45 minutes

to cook

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

Watch how to make a Basic Vinaigrette Dressing, and other dressings, in our Cookery School Video, just clic...

Watch how to make a Basic Vinaigrette Dressing, and other dressings, in our Cookery School Video, just click the image to play.

Vegetarian

Boeuf Bourguignon Easy

Such a cheat this one! In darkest winter, not only is this version better than having no boeuf Bourguign...

Such a cheat this one! In darkest winter, not only is this version better than having no boeuf Bourguignon at all but it also more than holds its own against the re...

3 hours

to cook

Butterscotch and Banana Trifle

There are endless variations on the trifle theme, and this is the latest Delia version. It's wickedly ri...

There are endless variations on the trifle theme, and this is the latest Delia version. It's wickedly rich and quite wonderful – not for an everyday event, but perf...

Calamares Fritos (Fried Baby Squid)

These are so simple – they take seconds to cook and are good served with Tracklements’ Chilli Jam. I buy...

These are so simple – they take seconds to cook and are good served with Tracklements’ Chilli Jam. I buy mine ready-prepared (still frozen from the fish counter at ...

2 minutes

to cook

Californian Grilled Fish

If you have a jar of lovely Coriander and Lime Tartare Sauce (see below) a wonderful way to use it is to sp...

If you have a jar of lovely Coriander and Lime Tartare Sauce (see below) a wonderful way to use it is to spread it on to some fish fillets, then sprinkle with cheese a...

10 minutes - 15 minutes

to cook

Canadian Buttermilk Pancakes

Canada is where this profoundly unique syrup made from the sap of maple trees is made, and these are the pa...

Canada is where this profoundly unique syrup made from the sap of maple trees is made, and these are the pancakes that a certain Madame Lafond made for me when I was i...

2 minutes

to cook

Caramelised Apples

This is really toffee apples served as a dessert and, while they are pretty child-friendly, we know they'll...

This is really toffee apples served as a dessert and, while they are pretty child-friendly, we know they'll go down a storm with adults too! The Delia Online Cooker...

Caribbean Banana Strudel

Cheats the world over should regularly offer thanks for strudel pastry. Firstly, it is ready to use, so ...

Cheats the world over should regularly offer thanks for strudel pastry. Firstly, it is ready to use, so there’s no tedious rolling out and secondly, all that butter...

40 minutes

to cook

Caribbean Chicken with Salsa

A dead simple recipe this, with a wonderfully exotic combination of textures and flavours. Perfect for s...

A dead simple recipe this, with a wonderfully exotic combination of textures and flavours. Perfect for serving to friends. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Del...

40 minutes - 45 minutes

to cook

Chocolate Rum Gateau

This recipe, originally invented for Comic Relief is the busy person's chocolate dessert, which is made in ...

This recipe, originally invented for Comic Relief is the busy person's chocolate dessert, which is made in an instant but tastes like you slaved all day. It freezes...

Cheats' Chocolate Trifle

This one’s either for people who don’t like to cook or for devoted cooks who nonetheless need something rea...

This one’s either for people who don’t like to cook or for devoted cooks who nonetheless need something really speedy. First, you need to zip round the supermarket ...

Cheats' Creme Caramel

Ok then, no more sticky moments and saucepans coated in hard toffee. You can, and will, achieve a light,...

Ok then, no more sticky moments and saucepans coated in hard toffee. You can, and will, achieve a light, creamy caramel with the utmost of ease - because someone el...

1 hour

to cook

Cheese and Spinach Souffle Omelette

If you're not an experienced cook, you need a bit of courage for this one. It's not at all difficult, it...

If you're not an experienced cook, you need a bit of courage for this one. It's not at all difficult, it's just that it often looks as if it's not going to work. Bu...

2 minutes

to cook

Cherry and Almond Crunchies

You can almost imagine sneaking in to quickly grab one of these from under the cook's nose. But you don'...

You can almost imagine sneaking in to quickly grab one of these from under the cook's nose. But you don't have to tiptoe around to enjoy these fantastically moreish...

15 minutes

to cook

Vegetarian

Chicken Breasts with Stem Ginger

Preserved stem ginger is a wonderful storecupboard standby and I always have a jar of it handy. It keeps...

Preserved stem ginger is a wonderful storecupboard standby and I always have a jar of it handy. It keeps indefinitely so it doesn't matter if you don't use it often...

25 minutes

to cook

Chicken Breasts with Marsala

This is a very simple way to deal with four boneless chicken breasts. The use of wild porcini mushrooms ...

This is a very simple way to deal with four boneless chicken breasts. The use of wild porcini mushrooms combined with the beautifully rich flavour of Marsala wine i...

20 minutes

to cook

Quick and Easy recipes

One-crust Gooseberry Pie

A Very Easy One-crust Rhubarb Pie

Quick Moussaka

Alex Mackay's 'Lentilzotto'

Almond Tuiles

Apricot and Nut Crunchies

Asian Steak Sandwiches

Banana Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

Boeuf Bourguignon Easy

Butterscotch and Banana Trifle

Calamares Fritos (Fried Baby Squid)

Californian Grilled Fish

Canadian Buttermilk Pancakes

Caramelised Apples

Caribbean Banana Strudel

Caribbean Chicken with Salsa

Chocolate Rum Gateau

Cheats' Chocolate Trifle

Cheats' Creme Caramel

Cheese and Spinach Souffle Omelette

Cherry and Almond Crunchies

Chicken Breasts with Stem Ginger

Chicken Breasts with Marsala

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