The library

Recipes for absolute beginners

Every recipe here has short steps, ordinary ingredients and a warning about the one thing people usually get wrong.

12 recipes

15-Minute Garlic Butter SpaghettiNo-Fail

15-Minute Garlic Butter Spaghetti

Buttery, garlicky pasta that tastes like a restaurant and takes less time than delivery.

15 min serves 2 5 steps
Foolproof 3-Egg OmeletNo-Fail

Foolproof 3-Egg Omelet

Soft, fluffy and folded — the breakfast that proves you can actually cook.

8 min serves 1 4 steps
Sheet Pan Chicken & Sweet PotatoesSuper Easy

Sheet Pan Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Everything on one tray, into the oven, out comes dinner. Almost no washing up.

45 min serves 4 5 steps
One-Pot Tomato Basil MacaroniNo-Fail

One-Pot Tomato Basil Macaroni

Pasta cooked right in the sauce. One pot, ten minutes of stirring, big comfort.

25 min serves 3 5 steps
Crispy Skillet QuesadillasNo-Fail

Crispy Skillet Quesadillas

Golden, crunchy, melty. Five minutes from hungry to happy.

9 min serves 2 4 steps
Beginner Vegetable Stir FrySuper Easy

Beginner Vegetable Stir Fry

Hot pan, quick hands, crunchy veg in a glossy soy sauce.

18 min serves 2 5 steps
No-Fail Avocado Toast with Jammy EggNo-Fail

No-Fail Avocado Toast with Jammy Egg

Creamy avocado, crunchy toast and an egg with a golden, jammy middle.

13 min serves 1 4 steps
Simple Honey Soy Glazed SalmonBeginner

Simple Honey Soy Glazed Salmon

Sticky sweet-salty glaze on flaky salmon. Looks fancy, takes 15 minutes.

17 min serves 2 4 steps
20-Minute Creamy Tuscan ChickpeasSuper Easy

20-Minute Creamy Tuscan Chickpeas

A rich, creamy tomato and spinach pan of chickpeas. Store-cupboard hero.

20 min serves 3 4 steps
Classic Grilled Cheese & Tomato SoupSuper Easy

Classic Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

The comfort food combo. Crunchy buttered bread and a warm tomato dunk.

20 min serves 2 4 steps
One-Bowl Banana Mug CakeNo-Fail

One-Bowl Banana Mug Cake

Warm cake in 90 seconds using one mug, one fork and a sad old banana.

6 min serves 1 4 steps
10-Minute Egg Fried RiceSuper Easy

10-Minute Egg Fried Rice

Leftover rice turned into a proper meal with eggs, soy and spring onion.

10 min serves 2 4 steps

SimmerDown

The no-judgement kitchen. Every recipe assumes you've burnt toast before — and that's fine.

Beginner rule #1

Read the whole recipe before you turn the heat on. It takes 30 seconds and saves dinner.