TO tie in with his new Channel 4 series, Jamie Oliver’s latest cookbook delivers on fab fast food – and we have some exclusive recipes you’ll definitely find time to make.
20 Minute Meals: Real Fast Food by Jamie Oliver (Penguin Michael Joseph) is bursting with banging dishes for the whole fam – from a filling fish pie bake to a beefy dumpling stew to see you into autumn.
Just knowing you have a raft of easy meals at your fingertips will do wonders for your mental load – especially at this busy back-to-school period.
The best bit? Jamie assures us, if it couldn’t be made in 20 minutes, it didn’t make the book!
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There’s a max of 10 ingredients in each recipe, and 70% hit the daily recommended nutrional targets, too.
From pasta to pulses to meat and fishy faves, it’s all here – and we have three to get your started, plus find more here.
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Fish Pie Pasta Bake
Serves: 4
Energy: 649 kcal Fat: 20.8g Sat fat: 8.2g Protein: 42.7g Carbs: 78.5g Sugars: 11.9g Salt: 1.7g Fibre: 3.9g
Ingredients:
*320g frozen spinach
*1 onion
*Olive oil
*300g dried macaroni pasta
*50g plain flour
*2 heaped tsp English mustard
*500ml semi-skimmed milk
*400g frozen fish pie mix, from sustainable sources
*100g cheddar
*2 red chicory
*60g rocket
*Red wine vinegar
*Extra virgin olive oil
Method:
1. Turn the grill on to high. Boil the kettle. Defrost the spinach in a bowl in the microwave. Peel and finely chop the onion, and place in a large ovenproof frying pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft, stirring regularly. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water for 8 minutes, until al dente, then drain, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water.
2. Stir the flour and mustard into the onions, then gradually stir in the milk. Add the spinach to the pan, water and all, then season to perfection. Stir in the fish chunks and simmer for another 5 minutes on a medium heat, then stir in the drained pasta, along with a splash of reserved water, if needed. Coarsely grate and mix in half the cheese, grating the rest over the top. Carefully transfer to the highest shelf of the grill for a few minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
3. Meanwhile, finely slice the chicory bases and separate the leaves, toss with the rocket and 1 tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, then season to perfection. Serve with the fish pie pasta bake.
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Minced Beef & Black Pepper Dumplings
Serves: 2
Energy: 600kcal Fat: 13.9g Sat fat: 3.9g Protein: 40.1g Carbs: 85.3g Sugars: 12g Fibre: 13.6g Salt: 1.8g
Ingredients:
*200g beef mince
*160g frozen chopped mixed onion, carrot and celery
*150g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
*2tbsp double concentrate tomato purée
*2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*400g tin lentils
*1 bunch spring onions
*2tsp English mustard
*160g greens, such as chard or spinach
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Method:
1. Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a frying pan on a high heat with the mince, breaking it up with the back of your spoon. Cook for 3 minutes, then tip in the frozen veg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
2. Meanwhile, put the flour in a bowl with a small pinch of sea salt and 2 level teaspoons of coarsely ground black pepper. Mix in 90ml of water, knead lightly on a clean floured surface for 2 minutes, then roll into a 3cm-thick sausage and cut into 14 pieces, rolling each into a ball. Boil the kettle.
3. Stir the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce into the pan, pour in the lentils, juice and all, add 200ml of kettle water and bring to the boil. Drop in the dumplings, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes on a medium-high heat, or until the dumplings are fluffy and the stew has thickened.
4. Trim the spring onions, chop into 2cm lengths and dry fry in a pan on a high heat for 2 minutes, while you mix the mustard into 100ml of water and prep the greens, discarding any tough stalks. Add it all to the spring onions, stirring for 2 minutes, or until wilted and slightly charred. Season.
5. Serve the stew and dumplings with the mustardy greens on the side.
Embellish it! Feel free to flavour your dumplings – chopped fresh herbs, some dried herbs or mustard powder would all add a lovely extra dimension.
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Peanutty Noodles
Serves: 2
Energy: 568kcal Fat: 24.5g Sat fat: 4.2g Protein: 22.4g Carbs: 62.1g Sugars: 9.2g Fibre: 5.3g Salt: 1.8g
Ingredients:
*2 (160g) pak choi
*1/4 sweetheart cabbage
*4 spring onions
*125g rice noodles
*2tbsp crunchy peanut butter
*3tbsp crunchy peanut and sesame chilli oil
*2tsp low-salt soy sauce
*2 limes
*280g firm tofu
*1/2 bunch (15g) coriander
Method:
1. Boil the kettle. Quarter the pak choi. Slice the cabbage 3cm thick. Trim the spring onions, finely slice the green tops and put aside, then cut the whites into 2cm lengths. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, then drain, refresh under cold running water and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
2. To make a sauce, mix the peanut butter with 2 tablespoons of chilli oil, the soy and the juice of 11/2 limes, then taste and tweak with more soy, if needed.
3. Put a large frying pan on a medium-high heat with the remaining tablespoon of chilli oil. Cube the tofu and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden on all sides, turning regularly, then remove to a plate. Go in with the veg and fry for 4 minutes, or until just cooked through, then add the noodles and toss with the sauce.
4. Divide between warm bowls and top with the crispy tofu and green spring onion tops, then tear over the coriander. Finish with an extra drizzle of chilli oil, if you like, and serve with lime wedges, for squeezing over.

