Midweek cooking doesn’t have to mean complicated recipes or a sink full of dishes. When you start with great seasonal produce, a handful of ingredients is often all you need.
Right now in Australia, markets are full of beautiful late-summer and early-autumn produce: sweet tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, capsicum, corn and fragrant herbs. The trick is to let those ingredients shine rather than bury them under a long list of extras.
These three vegetarian dinners use five ingredients or fewer and come together quickly – perfect for those evenings when you want something fresh, tasty and satisfying without spending an hour in the kitchen.
Spaghetti
Zucchini
Ricotta
Lemon
Olive oil
Cook spaghetti according to packet instructions.
While it cooks, slice the zucchini into thin ribbons with a peeler or knife and sauté briefly in olive oil until just softened.
Drain the pasta, reserving a splash of the cooking water. Toss the spaghetti with the zucchini, ricotta, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add a little pasta water to loosen the sauce and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Fresh, creamy and incredibly quick.
Pumpkin
Baby spinach
Feta
Olive oil
Balsamic glaze
Cut pumpkin into wedges, drizzle with olive oil and roast at 200°C until golden and tender (about 25 minutes).
Arrange baby spinach on a serving plate, scatter the warm pumpkin over the top and crumble feta generously across the salad.
Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
It’s hearty enough for dinner but still light and fresh.
Corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
Cherry tomatoes
Tortillas
Tasty cheese
Avocado
Lightly sauté corn and halved cherry tomatoes in a pan for a couple of minutes.
Place a tortilla in a frying pan, sprinkle with grated cheese, add the corn and tomato mixture, then top with another tortilla. Cook until the cheese melts and the tortilla is golden.
Slice into wedges and serve with sliced avocado.
Crunchy, cheesy and done in under 15 minutes.
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