Jamie Oliver's joyful run-through of 20 seasonal dishes is the perfect place to start for anyone looking to bring comforting, reliable meals to the table. This collection is packed with fuss-free inspiration and practical tips — a real celebration of cooking, easy recipes that feed families, impress friends, and make weeknights a pleasure.
Why these recipes work
Each recipe is built around smart, achievable techniques: hearty ragu that simmers slowly, a one-pan approach that keeps washing up to a minimum, and clever shortcuts like using frozen veg or ready-made pastes when they actually save time and flavour. The focus here is on flavour-first simplicity — exactly what people want when searching for cooking, easy recipes that actually taste like more.
Highlights and what to try first
Lasagna al forno — the reliable classic
This lasagna starts with smoky pancetta, a traditional meat ragu (pork shoulder and beef), and an unexpected but delicious addition — red lentils to stretch and enrich the sauce without changing the texture. A leek-scented white sauce, cheddar, parmesan and smoked mozzarella make the layers ooze and sing. The method is straightforward: build, bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40–45 minutes, rest briefly, then slice.
"You can do this. You can do this."
One-pan veggie lasagne — all the comfort, half the faff
For a speedy vegetarian option, the one-pan veggie lasagne celebrates leeks, asparagus stalks (save the tips for later), peas and broad beans. A mustard-scented white sauce mixed with parmesan and cheddar gives proper depth. Fresh lasagna sheets are torn and layered straight into the casserole — a brilliant example of cooking, easy recipes where smart ingredient choices do the heavy lifting.
Tray bakes and quick breads — big flavour, small effort
Tray-bake dishes are brilliant weeknight options: chicken tikka-style tray bake with jalfrezi paste, sticky peppers and an onion marmalade twist; a simple chicken tray bake with tomatoes and new potatoes; and a gorgeous tomato-and-sausage bake that doubles as a no-fuss dinner party centrepiece.
Jamie’s mustard flatbread is the ultimate quick bread — self-raising flour, mustard and water mixed and laminated with oil, rolled then pan-cooked until crispy and flaky. It’s the perfect mop-up partner for any tray bake.
Comfort soups, pies and family favourites
Chunky veg and bean soups
Chunky leek, carrot and bean soup (great for batch cooking) and an Italian-style cabbage-and-bread soup showcase how humble ingredients can be transformed. The latter layers garlic-rubbed bread, fontina and parmesan, then steams in stock to become a rich bread-soup hybrid — rustic comfort at its best.
Sausage & mash pie
Turning sausage casserole into a pie (potatoes as pastry around the sides) is both nostalgic and ingenious. The leeks-and-apple casserole inside is creamy, mustard-lifted and strewn with caramelized apples — this one is all about texture and balance.
Pies and roasts worth the fuss
Jamie breaks down how to make flaky chicken and mushroom pies, whole roast chickens with herb butter under the skin, and perfect roast beef with a trivet of roasted veg to make a rich jus. Key takeaways: rest the meat, use the tray juices in the gravy, and carve thin for tender slices. These are classic, dependable answers to the question of cooking, easy recipes for weekend comfort.
Standout techniques that change everything
- Score and season pork belly — score the skin, blast at high heat for crackle, then lower the oven and slow-cook the meat until it falls apart. The two-stage roast guarantees crunchy crackling and melting tenderness.
- Layer flavour into gravies — roast-off veg and bones, deglaze with red wine, add a knob of jam for depth, then simmer with stock. Strain and skim for a glossy gravy that sings.
- Stretch meat with lentils — add red lentils to ragu to bulk it without losing the meaty texture. A brilliant trick when you want to feed more people without compromising taste.
- Make superfood tomato sauce — roast or sweat seven veg, add canned plum tomatoes and reduce. Blitz and freeze in portions for quick midweek sauces — an excellent tip for meal prep and a cornerstone of cooking, easy recipes at scale.
Simple swaps that boost nutrition and flavour
Jamie encourages smart swaps: wholegrain rice instead of white, pearl barley to bulk stews and lower cholesterol, a squeeze of lemon or a hit of mustard to brighten heavy dishes. These small changes keep comfort food approachable without losing the pleasure of a proper plateful.
Barley with beef & Guinness stew
Pearl barley is treated as the hero — plumped in simmering stock and mustarded up with a little cheese at the end. It’s filling, fibre-rich and pairs perfectly with a dark, malty stew for an all-day Sunday supper.
Expert tips for stress-free success
- One-pan wins: go all-in on one-pan dishes to reduce cleaning and let flavours mingle — perfect for busy nights.
- Freeze sauces: cook a big batch of seven-veg tomato sauce and freeze in portions for instant meals.
- Use ready-made pastes wisely: jalfrezi or other curry pastes save time and deliver complex flavours — no shame in smart shortcuts.
- Mind the resting time: letting roasts rest is essential — it makes the meat juicier and easier to carve.
- Don’t be precious about shape: rustic, hand-torn fresh pasta, scraggy pastry or patched-up ravioli all taste better than they look.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make these dishes faster?
Batch-cook sauces, use fresh pasta sheets for lasagne, and choose one-pan roasts. Frozen veg and pre-made condiments (quality pastes, marmalades) are time-savers that still deliver flavour.
Which dishes are best for batch-cooking?
Seven-veg tomato sauce, chunky soups, ragu and stews all freeze brilliantly. Prep once, enjoy multiple meals — a hallmark of sustainable cooking, easy recipes for busy lives.
How to get perfect crackling every time?
Score the skin, dry it well, roast at high heat to start, then drop the temperature and slow-cook until tender. That high-then-low method is foolproof.
Make it yours
These recipes are designed to be approachable and adaptable. Swap veggies according to the market, lift spice levels to taste, or double up on a batch to freeze. Above all, take joy in the process — simple, honest cooking that brings people together. After all, cooking, easy recipes aren’t about shortcuts to flavour; they’re about smart choices that make feeding loved ones effortless and delicious.
Ready to cook?
Pick one recipe, read through the technique once, gather a couple of store-cupboard favourites — and go. These are the sorts of meals that build confidence: straightforward, satisfying and full of heart.
This article was created from the video 20 Recipes & Ideas To Cook This September By Jamie Oliver with the help of AI.
20 Comfort Classics for September: cooking, easy recipes from Jamie Oliver. There are any 20 Comfort Classics for September: cooking, easy recipes from Jamie Oliver in here.
