Top 10 lunch recipes from Taste.com.au from 2013 to 2023
From impossible quiche to pudding to Middle Eastern lamb pilaf, these are Taste.com.au’s top 10 lunch recipes from the past 10 years.
Within the tried-and-tested favourites that have popped up, some of the most loved were these lunch recipes.
From a vibrant pesto pasta recipe that’s ready in just 20 minutes, to a classic chicken caesar salad that will undoubtedly hit the spot, we’ve got you covered for your midday meal.
The beauty of pumpkin soup (and this classic pumpkin soup recipe in particular) is that it’s so versatile and forgiving. It’s one of the easiest meals to make with just a handful of ingredients, and it’s almost impossible to mess up. We love easy soup recipes, and know our community of home cooks do too. The author, Valli Little, originally created this recipe way back in 2004 and it was passed on to us here at taste.com.au as one of the first pumpkin soup recipes we ever published online. Since then, it’s become one of the most popular pumpkin soup recipes in Australia, with more than 350 rave reviews to date. What makes this our best easy pumpkin soup recipe? It’s creamy without being heavy, delicately spiced without being spicy, and hearty without being too rich. Pretty much everything we look for in a pumpkin soup (and we’ve tried a lot of pumpkin soup recipes over the years!). To get the most out of this pumpkin soup, ensure you soften the onion and leek until they just start to release some of their juices and flavours, but don’t go so far as to let them caramelise. This gives the soup a subtle sweetness of flavour without any bitterness. If you’re not sure how best to cut and prep your pumpkin for your soup, check out our video guide at the bottom of the method steps.
Don’t let the name deceive you: this ham and cheese quiche is actually incredibly possible to make. What we love about impossible quiche is that it requires no puff pastry base - you simply mix all the ingredients together, pour into the dish and voila - during cooking a quiche with golden edges forms! For this reason, and the fact it needs only 10 minutes to prep and a handful of ingredients, it’s easily become one of our favourite easy dinners and best lunchbox fillers to make. What’s more, you can make it ahead and freeze it for up to 2 months. For more quiche inspiration, check out our collection of best-ever quiche recipes, and try our sweet take on the impossible quiche with this butterscotch version. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Basil pesto pasta will keep you warm in the cooler months, and it’s ready in a flash!
Wrap the slice pieces individually in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Banh mi (Vietnamese chicken rolls)
These Vietnamese-style rolls are filled with barbecued chicken and fresh Asian herbs for a crisp, authentic flavour.
Enjoy this easy bake quiche with the natural goodness of broccoli.
This new take on a cafe classic has all the crunch and taste of a traditional caesar but much less fat.
Along with minestrone, pumpkin and chicken, potato and leek soup is up there as one of the classics. And is it any wonder: it’s warming, nourishing and super easy to make. Unlike other potato and leek soup recipes, our version only requires a handful of ingredients. It starts with an aromatic base of garlic and onion (like so many traditional French recipes do), with potato, leek, stock and cream added after. Just remember, if you are making this ahead, only add the cream just before serving so it doesn’t curdle. We’ve provided two options and instructions for blending your soup - a blender and a stick blender - to help prevent it from going slimy. What we love about potato and leek soup is it’s a great way to up you and your family’s vegetable intake, as well as add your own variations (we even like to add bacon at times).
Thai cuisine is one of contrasts and Thai beef salad is a perfect example. In the dressing alone, sweet meets salty, spicy and sour and in the salad intense chilli meets gentle aromatic herbs and cooling cucumber, all coming together in perfect harmony. A much loved and ordered restaurant item, this Thai beef salad recipe brings this heavenly dish into your own home. The secret? While most Thai beef salad recipes just season and grill the meat, this recipe uses the ingenious trick of marinating it in half of the dressing. This not only flavours and tenderises the meat, but the palm sugar in the dressing helps caramelise the surface. Known as yum nua, this Thai beef salad is easy enough to be cooked as a weeknight dinner, but also special enough to be served as part of a Thai banquet.
Pan-frying leftover roast lamb with spices to make it golden takes it to another level. This quick and easy Middle Eastern rice dish will become a weeknight dinner favourite with all the family.
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Originally published as Top 10 lunch recipes from Taste.com.au from 2013 to 2023
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