Top 5 Student Recipes Anyone Can Make
We all know that being a student is tough, you are balancing a million things and cooking healthy meals is probably not at the top of your to-do -list. Students often find themselves short on time and money. Which makes it difficult to cook meals that are nutritious. Resulting in them opting for quick dinners that can be tossed in the microwave or takeaways to curb their hunger. Not anymore! Look no further because we have found the top 5 student recipes that anyone can make. All short on prep/ cooking time and easy to follow these will give you the perfect fuel for your night hitting the books.
1. 9 am Lecture Call
Now if you’re like me, you struggle with early starts. Then you probably don’t find time for breakfast in your morning routine. Then halfway through your lecture, your stomach is making sounds that resemble a war zone and you regret not allowing time. So here’s a quick breakfast that won’t take too much time away from your precious bed. The acai bowl breakfast is the perfect start to the day and is loved by health-conscious people all over the world. Not only is it tasty and full of vitamins, but it’s also visually pleasing. This bowl is filling and will keep you satisfied until lunch, making it perfect for students who are low on funds. It requires no cooking so anyone can make it!
| Ingredients | Method |
| 1 medium banana | Break up the acai by banging against the countertop. |
| ½ Cup Blueberries | Blend the berries, ½ banana and honey in a blender |
| 1 Tablespoon of Honey | Break up mixture when needed and remove when it’s at a smoothie consistency. |
| 3 Tablespoons of Granola | Transfer mixture to the cereal bowl. |
| 2 Tablespoons of Pomegranate Seeds | Slice the remaining banana. Arrange the slices, blueberries, granola, pomegranate seeds and coconut flakes in neat rows on top of acai. |
| 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Coconut Flakes | Dig in. |
| Two 4-Ounce Packet of Acai Puree (Frozen) |
2. Homemade Pizza
Pizza is a crowd favourite among students. Yet many pizza chains are incredibly expensive and it dents a hole in your monthly budget. By making them at home, you are aware of what you are putting into your body and it’s still cost effective. Perfect for sharing with friends or you can make in bulk and freeze the dough for future meals, saving your time and money. Pizza is versatile so people can choose their own toppings, making it ideal for meat lovers and vegetarians. It’s one of the easiest student recipes!
| Ingredients | Method |
| 100g Self Raising Flour | Preheat Oven to 200 degrees |
| 60ml Milk | Prepare your toppings |
| 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil | In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, milk, and oil. Then mix with hands into a dough. |
| 1 tin of Chopped Tomatoes | Lightly dust countertops with flour and press dough out until it rolls into a circle. The thickness should be around an inch. |
| Sprinkle of Mixed Herbs | Spoon on your chopped tomatoes and spread all over the base. Sprinkle herbs on top. |
| Any toppings (pepperoni, ham, peppers, pineapple, mushrooms e.c.t) | Add your toppings and cheese. |
| Cheese, grated | Bake for 20 mins then serve. |
If you want to make the dough in bulk, simply increase the measurements of your milk, flour and olive oil.
3. Chicken Stir Fry
Students notoriously hate chores. Between passive-aggressive notes about cleaning the shared kitchen or emptying the overflowing bin, they will do almost anything to avoid it. So the best thing for a person short on time is a meal that can be cooked in one dish. One pot dishes are tasty and easy to make, so chicken stir fry easily finds its ways onto the top 5 student recipes. If it’s dull outside and you don’t have the cash to splash, then having this stir fry dish in your repertoire will be a godsend. This student recipe can be made by anyone!
| Ingredients | Method |
| 2 Chicken Breasts, diced | Cook the rice in a pan and cool. |
| 3-4 Spring Onions, Sliced | In a wok, heat up a tablespoon of cooking oil and fry the chicken. |
| Frozen Peas, 150g | Once the chicken is cooked through, add spring onions, peas, and peppers. |
| Frozen Peppers, 150g | Add in the rice and break it up with a spoon. |
| Any Cooked Rice, 150g | Stir until everything is hot. |
| 2 Eggs | Crack in the eggs, mix thoroughly until cooked. |
| Serve with light soy sauce, sweet chili sauce or a flavouring of your choice. |
4. Quorn Tikka Masala
A student’s freezer is normally jam-packed with boxed convenience foods, but many don’t attempt to cook a meal from it. Chances are they have some gems of ingredients lying in the back of their freezer, feeling neglected. This is a great student recipe because you get to test your creativity without spending any money. Many of us probably have a packet of Quorn tucked away in our freezer, so try this vegetarian curry. The base of the ingredients will be in your cupboards or freezer. So why not utilise this on a day when your bank balance needs a break!
| Curry Ingredients | Method |
| Half a packet of Quorn Pieces (Frozen) | Mix together all of the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add in the Quorn pieces until evenly coated. |
| Frozen Onion, 150g | Leave to marinade for 30 minutes in the fridge. |
| Frozen Peppers, 150g | Heat cooking oil in a pan, fry onions until golden and soft. Add the peppers. |
| 400ml Veg Stock | Add the Quorn pieces and marinade to the pan and stir fry for 5 minutes to cook out the spices. |
| Coriander leaves 2 tablespoons | Gradually begin adding vegetable stock, mix well and bring to boil. |
| Marinade Ingredients | Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 45 mins. |
| 2 tablespoons Tikka Masala Paste | Top up with boiling water if needed. |
| 1 tablespoon of ground coriander | Serve with boiled rice and top curry with fresh coriander if you have any. |
| ½ tablespoon of turmeric | |
| 1 tablespoon of ground cumin | |
| 1 teaspoon of chili powder | |
| 140 ml Greek Yoghurt | |
| 1 tablespoon of tomato puree | |
| 2 cloves of garlic |
Recipe amended from Quorn Website.
5. Sunday Dinner
Loved all over the world, the humble roast is one of the best student recipes. After a hard week of studying, you will be in need of some R and R. Why not invite your friends over for a traditional Sunday roast? Just because you aren’t at home doesn’t mean you have to give up certain traditions. Thanks to budget supermarkets you can pick up a whole chicken for less than 4 pounds, which is fairly inexpensive. All you need to do is put the chicken in the oven and leave it in for a couple of hours. Your dinner will pretty much cook itself and you can employ your friends to do the chopping for you!
| Ingredients | Method |
| 1 Whole Chicken | Heat your oven to 190 degrees. |
| Chicken Gravy Granules | Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the oven for an hour and a half or more depending on the size of your chicken. |
| 250g Potatoes | Peel and chop the potatoes into halves. |
| 200g frozen broccoli | Place on a tray, drizzle with oil for 45 mins. |
| 150g, chopped carrots | Boil rest of veg. |
| 1 packet of frozen Yorkshire puddings | Place Yorkshires in the oven for 2-3 mins until golden brown. |
| Slice the chicken and dish up. |
