46 family recipes

The whole family is sure to love our comforting pasta bakes, speedy stir frys and hearty curry recipes.

Best family recipes

Best spaghetti bolognese

Spaghetti bolognese is the ultimate crowd pleaser for a busy weeknight. With our best-ever spaghetti bolognese we've perfected a family favourite including tips on how to make it in a slow cooker.

Toad-in-the-hole

Classic toad in the hole is a staple family recipe for a reason- it's easy to make, budget friendly and super filling. Here we show you how to make a really simple, ready-on-the-table-in-minutes recipe. Remember to serve with mustard, to take it to the next level.

Best ever cauliflower cheese

Is it really a roast dinner if there’s no super cheesy, crispy-topped cauliflower cheese on the table? Read our hints and tips to take this classic vegetable side to the next level.

Classic lasagne

A good lasagne should be a nice balance of pasta, meat and creamy béchamel. Whether you like yours on the dry side, so it is easy to cut and serve in squares, or slightly sloppier with plenty of sauce, is a matter of personal taste. The beauty of a recipe like this is that you can make it your own by tweaking things; it tastes just as good for example without any cheese on top, or with the cheese layered up within it.

Classic cottage pie

Starting to experiment with batch cooking? Try a classic cottage pie to stock up for weeknights to come. With rich beef and creamy mash, it's a long-standing family favourite and a good one to have in the freezer for emergencies.

Easy macaroni cheese

Comfort food at its best. Mac 'n' cheese is always a winner and this one, with shredded ham and a crispy top is top of our list. Fresh salad is good as a side. We have plenty of macaroni cheese recipes if you want to try another one.

Roast chicken with garlic and thyme croutons

Everyone loves a Sunday roast, and this roast chicken with garlic and thyme croutons makes it even better. Big chunky pieces of sourdough make a trivet for roast chicken and soak up all the delicious juices while it cooks. Serve with your favourite veggies and crispy roasties.

Beef goulash

This deeply satisfying Hungarian stew is loaded up with smoky paprika and melting beef shin. Serve with pasta or rice for a comforting dinner for four.

Broccoli cheese

Swap cauliflower for broccoli and combine with tangy blue cheese in this comforting baked side dish, perfect for Sunday lunch.

Vegan chilli

A sweet 'n' smoky chilli non carne recipe (see what we did there?) with vegan mince, two types of bean and plenty of spices for added kick.

Tuna pasta bake

An absolute classic family recipe, made even more wonderful with the addition of dried chilli flakes and rosemary. It's a real crowd-pleaser and will be on the table in 50 minutes.

Spatchcock chicken

Master butterflied chicken with our easy recipe, seasoned simply with lemon, oregano and salt. Serve with roast new potatoes and seasonal fresh greens.

Healthy turkey stir-fry

Sauerkraut adds a delicious tang to this simple turkey stir-fry, balanced with earthy broccoli and mushrooms, zingy ginger and a sweet and salty sauce that gives this supper an added kick.

Aubergine parmigiana

Looking for a vegetarian-friendly family dinner? This Italian classic of layers of tomato sauce, aubergine and Italian hard cheese, is simple to make and is good for entertaining or for family meals.

Paneer tikka masala

Swap chicken for paneer to make a creamy, dreamy vegetarian masala. You'll need some tikka curry powder for this one (find it at most supermarkets).

Vegan lasagne

This lasagne is full of warming flavours, but lower in calories and contains less saturated fat than the traditional dish. It’s also vegan – perfect for anyone participating in Veganuary.

Creamy tomato and basil rigatoni bake

Check out our veggie pasta bake with juicy chopped tomatoes, nutty parmesan and creamy mozzarella. This super simple one-pot recipe is ready in less than an hour, an easy midweek filler for all the family.

Vegetarian cassoulet

Rich, meaty mushrooms lend deep flavour to this meat-free cassoulet. Double up by making twice the amount of stew and freezing the extra. When ready to cook, simply defrost and top with the breadcrumbs before baking.

Chicken fajitas

Check out this flavour packed recipe for these next-level chicken fajitas. Our cookery writer Adam Bush shares his tips and tricks to getting this classic family meal right, every time.

Baked Spanish rice with chicken and chorizo

Chicken and chorizo is a classic combination, and this recipe for one-pot Spanish rice with chicken and chorizo, with plenty of hot smoked paprika is a great way to use these flavours. It's super easy and ready in under an hour, perfect for weeknight meals with the family.

French onion and beef pie with gruyère crust

Make our meaty pie for a warming family meal. Rich onion soup-style gravy meets melt-in-the-mouth beef and a cheesy mash topping for the ultimate winter comfort food.

Tuscan bean and barley stew

This recipe for Tuscan bean and barley stew is a perfect one to have on hand for a quick midweek meal. It's ready in 30 minutes, serves 4 and is under 200 calories. You can use any leafy greens for this, just whatever you have around.

Overnight pizza

This recipe for overnight pizza takes a little bit of time and leap of faith, but once you've tried it you won't look back. There's no kneading required, so its super-easy. We’ve topped our pizza with prosciutto and rocket, but try this base with your favourite toppings. Check out our other pizza recipes here.

Vegetarian moussaka

We make the most of meaty aubergines in this creamy vegetarian moussaka, an ideal comforting recipe to feed the family midweek.

Quick pork and bean tacos

These quick pork and bean tacos are the perfect speedy meal to make midweek and they're under 500 calories. Put everything on the table and let people help themselves.

Coconut and peanut aubergine curry

This creamy coconut and peanut aubergine curry is vegetarian, under 300 calories and ready in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect comforting meal to make midweek.

Five-bean chilli

Make the most of storecupboard tins in this easy vegan bean chilli. Serve this comforting one-pot with brown rice, avocado, coriander and dairy-free yogurt for a nourishing dinner.

Burgers and slaw

Victoria Moore's recipe for burgers and slaw is super-simple and ready in under 30 minutes. The focus is on the quality of the beef, using a 20% fat mince to create a meltingly soft burger so good you can keep the rest simple.

Meatball and mozzarella pan bake

This easy meatball and mozzarella pan bake is a one-pot that will please everyone. You can't plate this up politely, so just put it in the middle of the table and serve family style.

Broccoli stir-fry

Purple sprouting broccoli is at its best in early spring – make the most of it with this zingy stir-fry, loaded with veg and flavoured with soy, ginger, garlic and chilli.

Chicken, red pepper & olive cacciatore

This summery Italian one-pot is easy to make and freezes brilliantly, plus, it's low cal and gluten free. The recipe is easily halved if you only want to serve 3-4 people.

Oven baked frittata

This recipe for oven baked fritata serves 4 in 35 minutes - perfect for a midweek meal. Try making extra portions for a packed lunch the next day.

Fish kebabs

This salad is inspired by a turmeric fish banh mi, and you could easily serve everything inside a baguette with some mayonnaise. If that doesn’t appeal, a pile of sesame-dressed rice noodles or lettuce leaf cups make perfect accompaniments.

Tomato soup with quick spring onion cornbread

Need warming up? Our velvety tomato soup, pepped up with a little horseradish, is just the ticket. And it's so worth making homemade cornbread to go with it.

Diner-style chilli

This recipe is based on a simple US chilli served in bars and diners in small bowls or cups. This is also a great chilli to serve in burgers, hot dogs, or over nachos.

Spicy sausage calzones

It's easier to make this family favourite than you think with our recipe for spicy sausage calzones, plus they're freezer-friendly.

Linguine with peas and mint pesto

This fresh-flavoured pasta dish is super quick and easy – perfect to throw together for the family after work. Pine nuts add a bit of welcome crunch to the dish.

BBQ pulled pork

Pulled pork is a great recipe to feed a crowd, served up in soft buns with crunchy coleslaw. Plus instructions on how to make the this recipe in a slow cooker.

Chicken kebabs

This kebabs recipe has it all: spicy paprika chicken, sweet caramelised pineapple and plenty of refreshing mint. The skewers are great on their own as a starter, or with some rice or noodles as a main dish.

Sausage, sweet potato and red onion toad-in-the-hole with mustard gravy

Give this classic comfort food an upgrade with sweet potato wedges, thyme and red onion, and mustard gravy.

Sausages and kale recipe with puy lentils

Add to your repertoire of family friendly dishes? Make our sausage one-pot – served with kale and a quick, punchy gremolata on the side.

Butternut squash risotto

This is indulgent but easy enough for family weeknight dinner, plus it'll hit the spot when you need Italian comfort food.

Classic nachos

Loaded with beef, beans, cheese and chilli, these classic nachos are a great way to feed the family on a Friday night.

Butternut squash, spinach and mascarpone lasagne

This butternut squash, spinach and mascarpone lasagne is a great veggie option when you're looking to cut down on meat. It's so packed full of flavour that even if you're making it for meat-eaters there won't be any complaints

Chicken enchiladas

Pack plenty of protein into your midweek family meal with smoky chipotle chicken, crunchy peppers and black beans.

Sweet potato burgers

The whole family can enjoy these mile-high burgers, stuffed with paprika-spiced sweet potato patties, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo.