Easy Dinner Recipes — Sorted by Simplicity
Quick weeknight dinners don't need jar sauces and packet mixes. These recipes are sorted by fewest ingredients and every one has been analysed for hidden processing, sugar, glucose impact, and protein content.
Puff Pastry
Recipe by Sarah Rossi at Taming Twins
This recipe is unique in our set because the main ingredient — shop-bought puff pastry — IS the ultra-processed product. Jus-Rol contains margarine made from palm oil with emulsifiers and flavourings. The analysis shows what’s inside the packet most people never read.
Tuna Steak
Recipe by Brian Jones at Krumpli
A minimal 7-ingredient recipe. The tuna and ginger are NOVA 1, soy sauce and vinegar are NOVA 3. Honey is the only sugar source — used intentionally. MSG is NOVA 1 (a naturally occurring amino acid salt). The shop-bought teriyaki alternative tells a shockingly different story.
Steak
Recipe by Daniela Apostol at My Gorgeous Recipes
Steak is NOVA 1 — unprocessed meat. The peppercorn sauce uses 8 recognisable ingredients: butter, flour, broth, milk, peppercorns, salt, and oil. Zero UPF markers, zero hidden sugars. The shop-bought version tells a completely different story.
Smoked Salmon
Recipe by Amy Fulwood at The Cook Report
A simple assembly recipe with 8 ingredients. The smoked salmon is NOVA 3 (processed: salmon 97%, salt, sugar) and the toast is NOVA 3. The creme fraiche is NOVA 1 — just pasteurised cultured cream. Zero UPF markers across the entire dish. The interesting story is the brand comparison.
Vegetable Soup
Recipe by Eb Gargano at Easy Peasy Foodie
This is an exceptionally clean recipe. Every vegetable is NOVA 1 unprocessed. The only processing comes from olive oil, stock cube, and seasoning — all NOVA 2 culinary ingredients. Zero hidden sugars.
Pork Fillet
Recipe by Martyn at Amateur Chef
A flavourful marinade built from whole spices and fresh ingredients. The ketchup and balsamic glaze are the most processed components, but used in small, controlled quantities. Two known sugar sources (honey, ketchup) — both intentional and measurable.
Pork Chop
Recipe by Brian Jones at Krumpli
A clean recipe with 12 recognisable ingredients. The only sugar source is dark brown sugar — used deliberately and in a known quantity. No UPF markers, no hidden sugars disguised under alternative names.
Chicken & Rice
Recipe by Sarah Rossi at Taming Twins
A clean fakeaway recipe. The chicken, vegetables, eggs, and spices are all NOVA 1 unprocessed. The soy sauce and oyster sauce are NOVA 3 (processed) but used in small controlled quantities. Zero hidden sugars. The rice is the main glucose contributor.
Lamb Mince
Recipe by Helen Best-Shaw at Fuss Free Flavours
A traditional British comfort dish using a homemade spice mix (cumin, cinnamon, mixed herbs) instead of a packet. Zero hidden sugars, zero UPF markers. The lamb dripping is a traditional NOVA 2 cooking fat. Every ingredient is recognisable.
Egg Curry
Recipe by Camilla Hawkins at Fab Food 4 All
A frugal vegetarian curry where eggs (NOVA 1) are the star. The spice blend is built from individual spices rather than a packet. Zero hidden sugars, zero UPF markers. The potatoes are the main glucose contributor. The real story is in the accompaniments — especially the mango chutney.
Pork Mince
Recipe by Jacqueline Bellefontaine at Recipes Made Easy
A well-balanced stir fry using individual sauces in measured amounts. The sweet chilli sauce is the only NOVA 4 ingredient. Using separate sauces (soy, oyster, sweet chilli) gives you control over each flavour component — something a single jar sauce removes entirely.
Chicken Mince Bolognese
Recipe by Eb Gargano at Easy Peasy Foodie
A well-balanced recipe using a classic soffritto base (onion, carrot, celery) with chicken mince and tinned tomatoes. Zero hidden sugars and zero UPF markers. The spaghetti and tinned tomatoes are NOVA 3 (processed) but contain no ultra-processing additives.
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