Beginner Friendly Recipes
If you’ve never spent much time in the kitchen, it can be daunting to know where to start.
There are so many different cooking methods, ingredients and types of equipment to consider, it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and the good news is that we’re here to help!
We love to create recipes that are simple but pack in plenty of flavour, proving that cooking is for everyone.
Using ingredients that are easy to find and keeping the steps simple means less fuss, quicker meals and delicious home cooked food that anyone can make.
If you’re looking for a little inspiration or help to choose a few recipes to start with, here’s our roundup of beginner friendly recipes.
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Slow cooker and Instant Pot® recipes
If you’re not the most confident in the kitchen, slow cooker and Instant Pot® recipes are here to save the day.
The equipment does all the hard work, so there’s less stress and great results every time.
You only need to prepare your ingredients, throw them all together and leave them to cook.
Dishes like this Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Stew can be left to simmer in the crock pot all day, developing rich flavours with minimal effort.
All you need to remember is to brown the beef before adding all the other ingredients.
Making up the balsamic glaze does add an extra step but it’s totally worth it for the extra flavour.
This recipe is tasty, healthy and really filling.
How about trying your hand at this Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole?
It’s an ideal beginner friendly recipe because it’s unbelievably easy and completely delicious.
A classic home cooked dinner, this dish is just so comforting.
You simply throw all the ingredients except the butter beans into the slow cooker and come home to a perfectly cooked meal at the end of the day.
It doesn’t get any easier!
Along with stews and casseroles, your Instant Pot® or slow cooker is also perfect for making soups.
With just four ingredients, our Ham, Leek and Potato Soup is definitely a beginner friendly recipe!
There’s no need for any fancy cooking skills – just pop it all on to simmer away until the potatoes are soft and you’ll have a bowl of perfectly cooked, flavourful soup.
You can also use your slow cooker or Instant Pot® to cook meat until it gets melt-in-the-mouth soft.
Even novice cooks can make this Pulled Pork.
It’s important to use a leg or shoulder rather than loin so that it doesn’t turn out dry.
You can make the BBQ sauce while the pork is cooking so it’s ready to mix it all together in the final step.
This pulled pork is so good! Pair it with chips, coleslaw or just load up a sandwich – it’s juicy and full of flavour.
We love cooking in a slow cooker. You can pick up slow cookers in most large supermarkets, or online from Amazon.
The Instant Pot is basically a super slow cooker with a wide range of other functions. It’s the safest pressure cooker out there! 
Batch cooking
Anything that can be cooked in a big batch is instantly beginner friendly.
Batch cooking is a great time saver whether you’re an old hand in the kitchen or a total novice.
It means that you can get multiple meals out of one cooking session, which comes in handy for lunches, or quick weekday dinners if you freeze your leftovers.
Some of our best batch cook recipes are also the easiest to make!
You could start by making your own homemade version of some classic dishes.
Once you realise how much healthier and tastier our versions are, you’ll want to cook them every time.
These Salmon Fish Fingers are a perfect example.
They’re super easy to make, take just 20 minutes from start to finish, and they taste unbelievably good.
You can even freeze any leftovers for an easy lunch or dinner later in the week.
If that’s enough cooking for one day, you could serve them with salad or in a sandwich, but we think they go so well with these Sweet Potato Fries.
Once you’ve got the potatoes chopped and seasoned all you need to do is leave these in the oven to get crispy and delicious.
This is a great side dish to perfect – once you feel confident making these you’ll be able to serve them with so many different meals.
If you don’t have much experience in the kitchen it can be tempting to reach for the takeaway menu on nights you fancy something a little more exotic for dinner.
Our Fakeaways are easier to make than you might think!
Some of them look fancy, but – trust us – even a beginner cook can rustle them up.
Our Lemon Chicken is a great place to start.
You can batch cook it – so why not double the quantity and pop some portions in the freezer for a rainy day?
The steps are nice and simple, you just need to make sure you cook the chicken all the way through.
It’s also important to keep whisking the sauce as you add in the Xantham gum to make sure you achieve the right consistency.
Batch cooking isn’t just for savoury dishes!
Some of our favourite sweet treats are beginner friendly and can be cooked in big batches to enjoy throughout the week.
Why not try these Apple Pie Cookies?
They’re easy peasy and take just 20 minutes to make.
Delicious as a snack with a cup of tea, these are also great for on the go breakfasts.
Baking has a reputation for being a little trickier, but even if you’ve never had a go at making your own cakes before, you’ll be able to make our incredible Chocolate Brownies.
You just need to mix all the ingredients together and pop it into the oven.
The only thing to bear in mind is it’s important not to overbake your brownies.
If you leave them in too long, they might become dry.
Keep a close eye on them towards the end of the cooking time and you should get squidgy, chocolatey brownies that are the perfect treat.
You can discover more baking tips in this article here.
One pot bakes
If you’re still finding your feet in the kitchen, having multiple pans on the go can get overwhelming.
When there are lots of different elements to a dish, cooking can get complicated.
Along with having to keep an eye on what’s on the stove, what’s in the oven and what’s under the grill, you also have to think about timings.
Making sure everything is cooked at the same time is a crucial part of preparing a home cooked meal.
If you’re not quite ready to juggle lots of different elements just yet, don’t panic!
You can cook plenty of delicious, slimming friendly meals in just one pot.
This means less hassle, no multitasking and not as much washing up!
Take this One Pot Mediterranean Chicken Orzo for example.
The chicken, veg and orzo are all cooked together, making a full meal from just one pot.
Not only does it make this recipe super beginner friendly, it also means the flavours of each element have the chance to cook together and become really vibrant.
You might think Bang Bang Pork with Spicy Potatoes sounds quite fancy – and although it looks impressive, it’s another of our one pot wonders.
Start by browning the potatoes first, getting some colour on them before you add in the pork and broccoli.
After that, throw in the rest of the ingredients, pop it all in the oven for half an hour and you’ll have a whole meal. Easy peasy!
Fancy fish for dinner? This Cajun Baked Cod with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes is super simple.
The cod and vegetables get wrapped up together in some tin foil and placed in the oven.
You can enjoy this dish on its own as a light lunch or add salad and a jacket potato for a really filling dinner.
One pot meals don’t have to be just for dinners and lunches though!
If you want to try your hand at a home cooked breakfast, we have the perfect recipe for you.
These Breakfast Bakes are so easy to make, and you can switch the ingredients to include your favourite elements of a cooked breakfast.
Our version has eggs, bacon, mushrooms and beans but you can get creative!
Add all the ingredients into a small oven dish and you won’t have to worry about multiple pans to clean up afterwards.
Tips and tricks
If you’re new to cooking, it can be tricky knowing where to start.
Before you jump in, take a look through the articles below for some handy tips about how to prepare your kitchen, stock your cupboards and other helpful hacks.
- Top tips for food safety and hygiene
- How to cook – getting started
- How to use different pans and cookware
- The best types of kitchen knives
- Kitchen food hacks
- How to keep your ingredients fresher for longer
Are there any other Pinch of Nom recipes you’d recommend for beginners? Pop over to our Facebook group where you can share tips, inspiration and motivation. There’s already almost 1 million members waiting to support you on your slimming journey!