Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

Easy Kidney Bean Curry (Vegan)

Becca Heyes — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:57:00 +0000

This easy kidney bean curry is a total winner. Not only is it absolutely delicious (the beans seriously melt in your mouth), it’s also a super simple one pot meal that you can easily adapt to your family’s tastes. It’s rich and saucy, mildly spicy, and wonderfully creamy – pretty much everything you could want in a curry! This is the perfect easy dinner for those evenings when you want something hearty and comforting, but not too taxing to make.

You might also like: Creamy Butter Beans with Leeks; Creamy Three Bean Stew; Mexican Bean and Potato Bake.

The recipe is super simple, and really easy to adapt – see below for some ideas! I make this one regularly, and it’s a real people-pleaser.

Store Cupboard Recipe

I love the fact that this kidney bean curry is made with just store cupboard ingredients – I make it regularly, and I never have to go out to buy anything special. Tinned beans, canned coconut milk, an onion – just things with long shelf lives that I always have in the house.

It helps if you use lazy ginger and garlic, the kinds that come in a tube or a jar, rather than fresh. I just keep them in the fridge, ready to go, and they last a long time.

Kid-Friendly Curry

Because this kidney bean curry has a mild and creamy sauce, it’s pretty kid-friendly, especially if you adapt it to your family’s tastes (feel free to add whatever vegetables your kids will eat!).

Like many others, my kids tend to gravitate towards anything anything dry and beige – so a spicy, saucy curry isn’t something they’d usually go for, but they have actually begun to really enjoy this one. I generally skip the onion if I’m making it for my kids (if you ever need help finding a needle in a haystack, tell my kids they’re looking for a bit of onion in their dinner, and they’ll find it in seconds) but they really enjoy the mild, creamy sauce.

As for me, I love that it’s super simple to make, easy to adapt to my family’s preferences, and has plenty of comforting flavour.

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy bean curry recipe. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

canned beans – I used both kidney beans and black beans, and I love the way the dark colours look against the creamy sauce. To be honest though, you can use whatever cans of beans you have in the kitchen – I often use chickpeas instead, which also work well.
coconut milk – to add a wonderful creaminess to the sauce.
onion – I tend to skip this if I’m cooking for my kids, but it does add a lovely flavour to the curry.
curry powder – in an effort to keep things super simple, I just use a curry powder blend, which contains various spices including coriander, cumin, chilli powder, paprika, turmeric, and lots more. You can use individual spices if you prefer, but I love the fact that someone else has already created the perfect blend – who am I to argue with that?
minced garlic and ginger – I use the ‘lazy’ versions, which are pre-minced, and come in a jar or tube. They are so convenient to have on hand, and save a lot of time.
tomato puree (paste)

Substitutions

I love how adaptable this easy curry recipe is. I make it a little differently each time – here are a few ideas for substitutions or adaptations:

Swap the onion for any other vegetable you like (mushrooms are a favourite!).
Or, skip the vegetables altogether and serve a vegetable on the side instead (my kids love peas, so that’s a common occurrence in our house).
Swap the coconut milk for a can of chopped tomatoes for a richer, less creamy curry.
Use different spices to make it hotter or more mild, depending on your preferences.
Or use curry paste instead of curry powder, if that’s what you have on hand.
Serve with a selection of toppings (chopped nuts, fresh herbs, a drizzle of chilli oil…).
Spoon the curry over rice, or serve with naan bread for dipping.

Becca’s Top Tip

It might be tempting to serve this curry as soon as the sauce comes together, but give it a little extra time to simmer – about 15 minutes or so. The sauce ends up much richer, and the beans melt in your mouth!

Printable Instructions

Easy Kidney Bean Curry

This easy kidney bean curry is a simple vegan dinner made with store cupboard ingredients. You'll love this mild, family-friendly curry!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 320kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 Tablespoon tomato puree (paste)
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ginger puree
400 g tin kidney beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
400 g tin black beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
400 ml tin coconut milk (~ 1 1/2 cups) – I used light
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
To serve (optional): rice, naan bread, fresh coriander (cilantro)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and add the finely diced onion. Cook over a medium-low heat for around 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
Add the tomato puree, curry powder, minced garlic, and ginger puree. Mix to combine, and cook for 2 more minutes, until fragrant.
Add the canned kidney beans and black beans, along with the coconut milk.
Bring to a simmer (you may need to turn up the heat a little), and allow to bubble away for at least 10-15 minutes (a bit longer is also fine!), stirring regularly, until the sauce is rich and slightly thickened, and the beans are nice and soft.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with your choice of rice or naan bread (or both), and some fresh cilantro if desired.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze this bean curry?

Yes, this curry will freeze nicely. Freeze it in an airtight container, then reheat thoroughly in the microwave or in a saucepan. If the curry has dried out at all after being frozen, you can add an extra splash of water to revive it.

How can I keep leftovers of this curry?

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and reheated thoroughly in the microwave or a saucepan.

What should I serve with this kidney bean curry?

I like to serve this creamy curry with some white rice, which soaks up the sauce beautifully. Some garlic naan bread is also great for dipping.

Is this bean curry vegan / gluten-free?

Yes, the curry is vegan. It is also gluten-free, but you may need to double check that the curry powder you’re using is labelled as gluten-free.

Other Bean Recipes

Vegetarian Curry Recipes

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High Protein Overnight Oats

Becca Heyes — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:06:18 +0000

Overnight oats are a firm favourite in my family – I’ll generally make some around once a week, and my kids are always excited when they wake up to find a batch ready in the fridge. A bowlful of these sweet and creamy oats is a great way to start the day, and also a really easy way to sneak in some wholesome ingredients, in a tasty and enjoyable way.

This time, I added some vanilla flavoured whey protein powder to my overnight oats. The protein powder brings a lot of flavour to these overnight oats, and also brings them to a whopping 34 grams of protein per bowlful!

You might also like: High Protein Lentil Tortillas; Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs; Peach Melba Overnight Oats.

This is an advertisement. Thank you to Naked Nutrition for sponsoring this post. Find out more here.

High Protein Overnight Oats

I’m sure most of you are familiar with overnight oats (or the more traditional Swiss dish of Bircher muesli) – essentially, oats soaked in liquid overnight, so that they soften without needing to be cooked. You can mix any number of ingredients with the oats, and this time, I boosted them with vanilla protein powder for an extra creamy sweetness.

I’ve only started eating protein powder in the last year or so, but it has quickly become a regular feature of my diet, particularly at breakfast time. I don’t feel the need to eat it religiously, every single day – it’s more something useful to have on hand for those times I feel my protein intake has been a little lacking (vegetarian protein doesn’t have to be hard to come by, but it is something we need to be mindful of).

Protein aside, I’ve also been eating protein powder purely for enjoyment – it tastes wonderful, and is a great addition to a banana smoothie or my morning porridge. Often I’ll just mix it with some Greek yogurt, which makes an incredible high protein vanilla pudding (it tastes more like a dessert than anything else!).

Whey Protein Powder

I’ve tried several types of protein powder over the past year or so – soy protein, pea protein, whey protein… and my favourite, by a long way, is the whey protein. I’ve found some of the other kinds can have a very strange aftertaste, but whey protein just tastes sweet and creamy.

This time I used a seriously tasty vanilla whey protein powder from Naked Nutrition. It tastes incredible, and is perfect for mixing into my overnight oats. You can buy a small tub of it, or a huge one like the one you can see in my photos – and although its size may look a little intimidating, we’re thoroughly enjoying working our way through it!

If you’re interested in checking out any other health supplements, do have a browse on the Naked Nutrition website. They have all kinds of things available, including a chocolate version of the whey protein powder! I might try another version of overnight oats using chocolate protein powder and a dollop of peanut butter…?!

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these high protein overnight oats. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

oats – a pretty important part of overnight oats! I use regular rolled oats (porridge oats).
milk – I use cow’s milk, but you could easily use a different kind of milk if you prefer.
protein powder – as mentioned, my favourite is a whey-based protein powder, and I chose to use vanilla this time, since it’s sweet and delicious, but doesn’t overpower the other ingredients I used in my overnight oats. You could experiment with other flavours of protein powder if you like.
cottage cheese (a great way to up the protein content even more)
honey (for sweetness)
raisins
pumpkin seeds
milled flax seeds – these are totally optional, but I love adding them. They don’t make much difference to the finished meal (even my kids don’t notice them), but they’re a great way to add some extra fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, which aren’t always easy to get into a vegetarian diet.

What Other Ingredients can I use in Overnight Oats?

I never usually measure any ingredients for my overnight oats (it felt quite strange weighing everything out to write this recipe), and I don’t always make them the same way – you can pretty much just add a dollop or a splash of whatever you feel like. See where your heart takes you!

Here are a few ingredients that regularly find their way into our homemade overnight oats:

fresh berries (or even frozen berries, which will defrost overnight)
Greek yogurt (which I usually use instead of the cottage cheese – my kids prefer the smoother texture)
maple syrup (instead of the honey)
milled hemp seeds (instead of the flax seeds)
peanut butter (try to find one made with 100% nuts, rather than a peanut butter with lots of added salt and sugar)
mashed banana (which tastes great – but beware, it can make the overnight oats go slightly brown after a couple of days)
any other favourite chopped nuts or seeds

Printable Instructions

High Protein Overnight Oats

These high protein overnight oats are a hearty, wholesome and delicious breakfast, with 34g protein per bowl!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Allergen Dairy

Prep Time 10

Soaking time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings people

Calories 514kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

200 g (~ 2 cups) rolled oats
200 g (~ 1 cup) cottage cheese (I used full fat)
55 g (~ 2 oz / 3 scoops) vanilla whey protein powder
450 ml (~ 1 3/4 cups) milk
1 Tablespoon milled flax seeds (optional)
1 Tablespoon runny honey
1 Tablespoon raisins
1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl, and mix thoroughly to combine. The mixture will be quite wet at this stage, since the oats have not yet absorbed the liquid.
Cover the bowl with a plate (or alternatively, you could use an airtight storage container), and place it in the fridge. Leave to soak overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, thoroughly mix the overnight oats to recombine any ingredients that may have settled. Taste the oats, and adjust with a little more honey (for added sweetness) or milk (if a little dry), as needed.
Serve the high protein overnight oats on their own, or topped with some fresh fruit and / or seeds, as desired.

Notes

If you follow a gluten-free diet, please note that although oats are naturally gluten-free, they are often contaminated with gluten during farming and processing. If needed, please use oats that are specifically labelled as gluten-free.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

How far in advance do I need to prepare overnight oats?

Technically, raw oats are safe to eat, so you could eat your overnight oats immediately after preparing them. However, to soften up properly, the oats need at least a few hours to soak. I prefer to leave them overnight, or for a full day in the fridge before eating – ideally at least 6-8 hours.

How long do leftover overnight oats last for?

I regularly make a large batch of overnight oats, and eat them over the course of 3 days – but if you decide to use an ingredient that can go brown, like mashed banana, they’re best eaten in just one day. I wouldn’t recommend trying to stretch a batch for longer than 3 days.

How can I store leftover overnight oats?

Overnight oats must be stored in the fridge. I’ll generally just store any leftovers in a bowl with a lid on top, but you could also use an airtight container.

How should I serve overnight oats?

These high protein overnight oats are really tasty on their own, and already contain a big variety of flavours, textures and nutrients – so they don’t need to be served with anything else. However, I do often like to add some extra fresh fruit to serve, especially fresh berries.

Are overnight oats gluten-free?

Oats are technically gluten-free, but they are often cross-contaminated during farming and processing. If you need to follow a gluten-free diet for health reasons, make sure you specifically use oats that are labelled as gluten-free.

Other Breakfast Recipes

High Protein Recipes

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Easy Air Fryer Hash Browns

Becca Heyes — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:08:24 +0000

There’s something so comforting about a crispy, golden hash brown – is there ever anything better than fried potato?! Perfectly crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, and salted to perfection – it’s absolute heaven. These air fryer hash browns really hit the spot.

In the UK, we’re used to hash browns being fairly compact (and often triangular, for some unknown reason), but these air fryer hash browns are more American-style, made with a slightly looser grated potato mixture. They’re more like a Swiss potato rösti – but whatever you want to call them, they’re seriously delicious, and great for serving at a family Easter brunch.

You might also like: Perfect Baked Potatoes; Easy Cheesy Potatoes Anna; Homemade Parmentier Potatoes.

This is an advertisement. Thank you to Very for sponsoring this post. Find out more here.

Making hash browns from scratch might sound like a bit of a faff, but the whole process is made super simple using an air fryer. With just a few basic ingredients, you can have beautifully crispy hash browns without having to worry about splattering oil!

Ninja CRISPi Air Fryer

To make these homemade hash browns super straightforward, I used a Ninja CRISPi air fryer. You know I love my Ninja air fryers – you’ll see them featured here every time I share an air fryer recipe. The difference with the CRISPi is that the base of the air fryer is made from heat resistant glass, so it’s entirely dishwasher safe (hurrah!), and the container even has a lid, so it can be used to store any leftovers after it’s been used for cooking.

Fewer dishes to wash + washing them in the dishwasher -> very very happy Becca!

The Ninja CRISPi has two different containers, a small and a large, and a cooking unit that can clip onto either container. The design is a little different to the air fryers I’m used to, but it’s easy to get the hang of, and when you realise you can pop the leftovers straight into the fridge, it suddenly makes a lot of sense!

Easter Brunch

A special occasion like Easter is a great excuse to get the family together. If you’re planning to host an Easter brunch, these air fryer hash browns are the perfect focal point (and if you’re reading this after Easter, they’ll be great for any other Sunday breakfast too). Slice them up in the middle of the table, and serve them with both boiled and fried eggs (very on-theme for Easter), and some other tasty brunch items – good quality sliced tomatoes, creamy avocado, fresh fruit, and some leafy greens for good measure. Just simple stuff, but good quality, and a nice variety.

To add an extra sense of occasion, I also dressed the table in its fanciest outfit, with some beautiful table accessories (also from Very) – a table runner, place mats, and even a new dinner set. It’s only a small amount of extra effort, but it makes a huge difference to the whole vibe – makes it feel like more of an occasion.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

potatoes – ideally some kind of russet potato, which is a floury, starchy potato with a low water content. If you’re in the UK, Maris Pipers or King Edwards are a great option.
oil – I used olive oil
flavourings – you could stick with simply salt and black pepper if you like, but I also added a small amount of garlic granules and some dried parsley, for extra flavour. You can add any other favourite dried herbs or spices.

Printable Instructions

Air Fryer Hash Browns

These homemade air fryer hash browns are easy to make, and perfect for breakfast or brunch! You really can't beat crispy potatoes.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings pieces

Calories 126kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

550 g (~ 1 1/4 lb) potatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (I used dried parsley)

Instructions

Wash the potatoes, and remove any eyes. I left mine unpeeled. Grate the potatoes using the large holes on your grater.
Line a large bowl with a couple of sheets of absorbent kitchen paper, and add the grated potato. Add another couple of sheets of paper on top, and press down firmly to squeeze some of the water out of the potatoes. You can repeat with a new piece of paper if the potatoes still feel a bit soggy, but it doesn’t need to be perfect.
When the grated potatoes are relatively dry, remove the paper from the bowl. Add the oil and flavourings (salt, pepper, garlic granules, dried herbs), and mix well to combine.
Add the crisper plate to the air fryer container (I used the Ninja CRISPi's large container), and tip the grated potato mixture on top. Press the mixture out into a relatively even layer.
Close the air fryer, and cook at 190°C (375°F / ‘Roast’ setting on the Ninja CRISPi) for 15 minutes, until crisped up to your liking.
Loosen the hash browns around the edges if needed, then slide a large, flat spatula underneath, and carefully flip it over. Cook in the air fryer for a further 10 minutes, or until crisped up to your liking. I topped mine with some chopped chives.
Cut the hash browns into slices or squares to serve. I served mine with fried eggs and some avocado.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare the recipe in advance?

This recipe is best prepared just before cooking, as the potatoes can go a little grey if you leave them to sit for too long after grating them.

Can I reheat any leftover hash browns?

Leftover hash browns can easily be reheated in the microwave, although they do lose a little of their crispiness. If you prefer, you can reheat them in a frying pan to recrisp them.

How should I serve hash browns?

Homemade hash browns are a great option for breakfast, brunch, or even breakfast-for-dinner. I always serve them with fried eggs (a runny egg yolk is wonderful with the crispy potato), and other brunch items, like tomatoes and avocado.

Are these hash browns vegan / gluten free?

Yes to both!

Other Potato Recipes

Vegetarian Side Dishes

The post Easy Air Fryer Hash Browns appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

Becca Heyes — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:30:13 +0000

Easter is fast approaching, and even though I’m not religious, I do love this time of year for all the Easter food that appears in the shops. Of course there are chocolate eggs, but also – hot cross buns! These sweet spiced buns, with raisins and a big cross on top, are a staple in the UK at this time of year. And they’re even better when they’re made into a tasty bread and butter pudding!

You might also like: Traditional British Pancakes; Easy Apple Crumble Cake; Berry Pancake Pudding.

What is Bread Pudding?

Bread pudding (also known as bread and butter pudding) is a traditional British dessert that’s made with – you guessed it – stale bread, cooked in an easy custard mixture. It’s a favourite here in the UK, and you’ll regularly find it on menus in restaurants and pubs. As with a lot of traditional British dishes, it’s a super simple recipe, originating in the 11th century as a way to use up stale bread (we Brits are nothing if not resourceful).

But, just like other British dishes, it’s significantly tastier than it sounds… you’ll have to trust me on this one. We’re really good at making something out of nothing.

If you’ve never eaten bread and butter pudding before, there will be a time during the process that you’ll be seriously doubting yourself – probably when you’re leaving the bread to get nice and soggy in the custard mixture. I am aware that the whole concept seems bizarre. But please trust the process! Once it’s baked, it will be moist and cakey, and crispy on the edges, and altogether delicious. Promise. Look at the crispy brown sugar on top!

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What are Hot Cross Buns?

Hot cross buns are a favourite here at this time of year. They’re a lightly spiced, sweetened bun made with raisins, and decorated with a cross to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus. The cross is made from either shortcrust pastry or, more commonly, a flour-based paste – it is not made from icing! To be honest, the cross doesn’t taste of much – if you can find any similar sweetened bun without the cross, those will work just as well.

We generally eat hot cross buns toasted, with some melty butter on top – but they make a great bread and butter pudding too, if you want an easy Easter dessert!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

hot cross buns. These are really easy to find in the UK and some other Commonwealth countries, but if you can’t find them, you can easily use any other kind of lightly sweetened bread, such as croissants or brioche. Even a regular unsweetened bread will work, but you may wish to add a little more sugar to the custard mixture.
raisins – I like it extra fruity, so I add a few extra raisins to the bread pudding, in addition to the raisins in the hot cross buns.
eggs – for the custard mixture
milk (or single cream, if you’d like it extra rich)
ground nutmeg
ground cinnamon
brown sugar – to sprinkle over for a sweet, crispy topping.

Variations on the Recipe

I’ve made bread and butter pudding dozens of times, and I’ve probably never made it the same way twice. This version is built around the flavours of the hot cross buns, to make a perfect easy Easter dessert, but you can use the same concept to make any number of variations. Here are a few ideas:

The hot cross buns can be replaced by any other kind of bread, either sweetened or unsweetened – see above for a few ideas. This recipe is a great easy way to use up the last few stale pieces of whatever bread you have on hand.
If you’re using a plainer kind of bread (e.g. a simple sliced bread), you can add flavour with any favourite sweet spread, e.g. Nutella, strawberry jam, marmalade, etc. Just spread your chosen ingredient on each slice of bread (I sometimes add butter to the other side of each slice), and layer them up in the dish before adding the custard mixture.
You can add any additional mix-ins that you think will work. Here I used raisins, but you could add chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or anything else you fancy.

Becca’s Top Tip

Try to choose flavours that complement each other – for example, you could make a peanut butter and jam bread and butter pudding, or use marshmallows and chocolate chips for a s’mores version!

Printable Instructions

Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding is a seriously easy Easter dessert. This traditional British recipe is a great way to use up stale bread!

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Diet Vegetarian

Allergen Dairy, Egg, Gluten

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 248kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

6 hot cross buns
1 Tablespoon raisins or sultanas (optional)
3 eggs
250 ml (~ 1 cup) milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
To serve: cream, custard, or ice cream

Instructions

Cut the hot cross buns into chunky pieces – I cut each one into nine chunks. Put half of the pieces into a baking dish (mine measured approx. 9 x 7 inches), nestling the bread down into any gaps. Scatter the raisins on top, if using. Add the remaining hot cross bun pieces, again trying to fill any large gaps, and making sure the top layer is relatively flat.
Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl or jug, and add the milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well to combine.
Slowly pour the egg mixture over the hot cross buns, allowing it to soak into the bread. Use a fork to press all of the bread down into the liquid. You might need to squish it right down – you don’t need to be careful about it! You can add a splash more milk if there’s not enough liquid to soak all of the bread. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes, so the bread becomes a bit soggy.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the dish.
Bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 30 minutes, until the egg mixture is fully cooked (a knife should come out clean), and the topping is crisped up to your liking.
Serve the hot cross bun bread pudding warm, ideally with some cream, custard or ice cream on top.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare bread and butter pudding in advance?

Yes – you can prepare the pudding in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

How should I reheat any leftovers?

If needed, bread and butter pudding leftovers can easily be reheated in the microwave.

How should I serve bread and butter pudding?

This Easter dessert is best served with a drizzle of cream, a dollop of custard, or a good scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Other British Recipes

Vegetarian Desserts

The post Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

Vegetable Cobbler (with cheesy scone topping)

Becca Heyes — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:14:00 +0000

Photographing this vegetable cobbler was absolute torture – I was desperate to dig in! It smelled so amazing, with heaps of different vegetables in a creamy sauce, topped with fluffy, cheesy scones… I know I cook a lot of comfort food, but you really can’t get much more comfort food-y than this.

You might also like: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie; Creamy Vegetable Bake; Mushroom and Chestnut Pie.

Savoury Cobbler

A cobbler is usually a dessert, but I’m not usually much of a dessert person (unless it’s chocolate. I am definitely a chocolate person). A savoury cobbler is more my thing. The sweet filling is replaced with loads of veggies (bringing plenty of different flavours, textures and colours to the dish), all smothered in a creamy sauce. And the sweet scone topping instead becomes flaky, cheesy scones – crispy on the outside, and soft and flaky in the middle.

My Granny’s Recipe Book

I know it’s a bit of a cliché for a food blogger to talk about how a recipe came from their grandmother… but seriously. This recipe was inspired by one I found in my late Granny’s old handwritten recipe book – from back when there were no computers, and recipes had to be copied out of magazines and cookbook by hand, or given to friends on random scraps of paper… how beautiful is this?! It’s perfectly imperfect – spelling mistakes, scribbles, pages torn out – there’s even a recipe scribbled on the back of a letter from the DVLA! And just look at the handwriting!

There’s a whole section in the book for vegetarian recipes (my lovely Granny was obviously ahead of her time), so maybe I’ll share some more of her recipes another time. But first, this delicious vegetable cobbler!

I have simplified the original recipe a little, in order to make it work better for my busy life (ain’t nobody got time for two different kinds of flour), but the most important elements – the luxurious creamy sauce, the fluffy cheese scones, the colourful veggies – are all still there.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegetable cobbler recipe. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

vegetables – obviously the vegetables are the most important part of this recipe! Choose a variety of colours and textures. I used broccoli, peppers, frozen green beans, and frozen corn (I love frozen vegetables for convenience, and to reduce waste). You can use different veg if you prefer – see below for some more ideas.
milk
grated cheese – I’m not generally against buying pre-grated cheese, but for this recipe it’s best to use a nice mature cheddar, and grate it fresh from the block.
egg
flour – just plain flour / all-purpose
baking powder (to make the scones super fluffy)
butter
garlic granules – for convenience
dried herbs – I used regular mixed herbs

If you fancy using different vegetables in your veggie cobbler, there are lots of things that would work well:

leek
onion (red or white)
asparagus
frozen peas
mushrooms
courgette (zucchini)
cabbage
sweet potato

To be honest, almost any vegetable will work well – this recipe is a great way to clear out the fridge!

Becca’s Top Tip

If you’d like to up the protein content of this vegetable cobbler even more, you could also add a can of chickpeas, lentils, or your favourite kind of beans.

Printable Instructions

Vegetable Cobbler (with cheesy scone topping)

This vegetable cobbler is an old family recipe – creamy veggie casserole with cheesy scone topping. Vegetarian comfort food at its finest!

Course Main meal

Cuisine British

Diet Vegetarian

Allergen Dairy, Egg, Gluten

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 544kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

For the creamy vegetable mixture:

1 Tablespoon oil
1 head broccoli
2 bell peppers (I used orange and red)
100 g (~ 3 1/2 oz) green beans (I used frozen)
130 g (~ 1 cup) sweetcorn (I used frozen)
30 g (~ 2 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons plain flour (all-purpose)
450 ml (~ 1 3/4 cups) milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon dried herbs (I used mixed herbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the scone topping:

165 g (~ 1 cup) plain flour (all-purpose)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
70 ml (~ 1/4 cup) milk
100 g mature cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/4 cups when grated)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Dried parsley, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

First, wash any fresh vegetables, and cut into bitesized pieces. Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan, and add the vegetables. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are fairly soft (the broccoli should still have a bit of bite to it). If you find that the vegetables are starting to brown, turn the pan down a little.
While the vegetables are softening, prepare the creamy sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, and add a couple of Tablespoons of flour. Combine to make a paste (called a roux), and cook for it a couple of minutes, stirring regularly, just to cook the flour.
Add about a quarter of the milk at a time, each time stirring the mixture until it comes together into a smooth, cohesive paste before adding more milk. If you’d like more detailed instructions, including photos showing the sauce at each stage, you can check out my simple white sauce recipe.
When you’ve used all of the milk and you have a smooth white sauce, add the garlic granules and dried herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
Add the white sauce to the cooked vegetables, and mix well. Set aside.
To make the cheesy scones, add the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix with a fork.
Add the lightly beaten egg, milk, grated cheese, and olive oil, and use the fork to bring the mixture together. You should end up with a slightly sticky dough – you can add another splash of milk if the mixture seems too dry.
Transfer the creamy vegetables to a baking dish (mine measured approx. 8 x 8 inches), and scoop rough dollops of the scone mixture on top. I made 4 rough scones in total.
Bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 25 minutes, or until the scones are firm, and golden brown and crispy on top. As soon as the cobbler comes out of the oven, I like to add a sliver of butter to the top of each scone – it melts right onto them, and really brings them to life. I also like to add some dried parsley for colour.
Serve the cobbler straight from the oven.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare this recipe in advance?

If you need to, I would recommend constructing the recipe fully, but waiting to bake it until just before serving. Store it in sealed container in the fridge until you are ready to bake. It may take a little longer to bake if the mixture is cold from the fridge.

How can I reheat any leftovers?

Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave – although bear in mind that the cheesy scones taste best fresh from the oven.

What should I serve with this vegetable cobbler?

This veggie cobbler is a complete meal, and doesn’t really need any side dishes. However, if you would like some variety, a few good side dishes could be a green salad, or some crispy potatoes.

Other Vegetarian Casseroles

Vegetarian British Recipes

The post Vegetable Cobbler (with cheesy scone topping) appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

Easy Homemade Baked Falafel

Becca Heyes — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:31:04 +0000

Oh, how I love a recipe that begins with ‘preheat the oven’ – you just know there’s going to be minimal prep work! The mixture for these easy homemade falafel is blitzed up in just a few minutes, then you roll it into balls (which is a little messy, but in a fun way), and let the oven do the rest of the work while you put your feet up.

You might also like: Falafel curry; Easy Chickpea Burgers; Cheesy Lentil Burgers.

To be entirely honest, I find that falafel can sometimes be a little dry – that’s why I often use them with some kind of sauce, like in this falafel curry. But as long as you don’t overbake them, these homemade falafel are just delicious – beautifully spiced, crispy on the outside, and ever so slightly moist in the centre.

Baked Falafel

I imagine most people reading this have already heard of falafel – they’re a staple vegetarian option on restaurant menus, at least here in the UK. But if you’re unaware, falafel is a chickpea-based fritter that’s popular in various Middle Eastern countries.

Traditionally, falafel are made with uncooked (just soaked) chickpeas, but to make this recipe even more straightforward, I used a can of chickpeas instead – much more convenient, in my opinion. I also baked the falafel in the oven rather than deep frying them, so they are a lot simpler to make – not to mention less oily to eat. I did try pan frying these falafel, but baking them in the oven worked significantly better.

How to Serve Falafel

The classic way to serve falafel is stuffed into a pitta bread, with some salad and tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber dip). This is how I served mine, and it was honestly one of the nicest lunches I’ve had in a long time. The freshness of the tzatziki in particular is a wonderful contrast to the warm, crispy falafel.

If you don’t fancy that, you can also serve falafel on top of a simple salad (they’re like an elevated version of a crouton!), or in a wrap instead of a pitta bread. Tahini (sesame seed paste) is also a common sauce to serve with falafel.

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy homemade falafel. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

chickpeas. As mentioned, this recipe uses a can of chickpeas for convenience.
onion. You don’t need a huge amount – either one small onion, or half a larger onion, is fine.
spices – I kept things really simple with chilli powder and ground cumin. The cumin in particular gives the iconic Middle Eastern flavour.
dried cilantro (coriander leaf). A few sprigs of fresh cilantro or parsley will also work just fine, but I wanted this recipe to use just store-cupboard ingredients, so I used dried.
garlic – I used minced garlic from a jar because it’s super convenient, and I always have some in the fridge. If you’d rather use fresh garlic, you’ll just need 1-2 cloves.

Becca’s Top Tip

If you’re using half an onion, leave the other half unpeeled, and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge. It will last very well for a few days until you can use it up in another meal.

Equipment

You will need a food processor to make these homemade falafel. It doesn’t need to be anything state-of-the-art – mine is a couple of decades old and used to belong to my grandmother! I don’t think they still make the one I have, but there are plenty of options on Amazon that are a similar style, and have great reviews:

Food Processor on Amazon

Printable Instructions

Easy Homemade Baked Falafel

A very easy homemade falafel recipe that takes no time at all to prepare! Just blitz it up, and let the oven do the hard work.

Course Light lunch

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 172kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Equipment

food processor

Ingredients

1/2 onion (or 1 small onion)
1/2 tsp minced garlic (or 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled)
400 g tin chickpeas, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp dried coriander leaf (cilantro), or a few sprigs fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 tsp salt
To serve (optional): pitta bread, lettuce, tzatziki (use vegan tzatziki if needed)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F), and thoroughly oil a baking sheet. These homemade falafel do tend to stick a little if the tray isn’t greased.
Peel the onion, and chop it into a few chunks. Add it to a food processor with the garlic. Blitz until well chopped. You may need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides once or twice if you’re finding it’s clinging to the sides – it’s helpful to start the food processor at a lower speed, and gradually speed up as the mixture becomes more finely chopped.
Add the remaining ingredients – chickpeas, spices, and salt – and blitz again until the mixture is fairly smooth, and forming a soft dough. Again, you can scrape down the sides as needed.
Remove the blades from the food processor. With clean hands, roll a small handful of the mixture into a ball, and place it on the oiled baking tray. I like to flatten them slightly so they’re easier to serve inside pitta bread. Repeat with the remaining mixture – I ended up with 8 falafel overall. Spritz them lightly with a little more oil.
Bake the falafel for 35-40 minutes, until crisped up to your liking.
Serve the falafel warm. I like them served with pitta bread, salad and tzatziki (cucumber and yogurt dip)

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze homemade falafel?

Yes. Ideally, you’d freeze the uncooked mixture after shaping, but before baking. Freeze the falafel for a couple of hours on a baking tray (so they don’t all stick together), then transfer them to a ziplock bag. You can also freeze fully cooked falafel, but it can sometimes dry out a little when reheated (though nothing a bit of tzatziki can’t fix!).

Can I prepare the mixture in advance?

If you need to, you can prepare and shape the mixture, and then store the uncooked falafel in the fridge for a day or two before baking and serving.

How should I reheat any leftovers?

This recipe only makes two portions, but if you do end up with leftovers, make sure you store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The falafel can be reheated in the microwave, or in the oven. I prefer to use the microwave, to prevent them from drying out too much.

Are falafel vegan / gluten-free?

Yes, these homemade falafel are both vegan and gluten-free! However, I did serve mine with tzatziki (which contains dairy) and pitta bread (which contains gluten), so make sure you choose your accompaniments accordingly.

Other Chickpea Recipes

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

The post Easy Homemade Baked Falafel appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

35+ Easy Vegan Recipes (with no ‘weird’ ingredients!)

Becca Heyes — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:52:47 +0000

As you can probably tell from the name of my website, I am not a vegan – but I do absolutely love vegan food. I adore all kinds of vegetables, grains, tasty sauces, crispy tofu, beans and lentils… there is so much to love about vegan recipes. It’s not all rabbit food!

However, I do also feel that vegan food can feel a little alien sometimes. When a recipe contains all kinds of ingredients that I’ve never even heard of, which will almost certainly require a trip to a specialist health food shop, that totally puts me off.

So today I’m sharing a collection of my favourite easy vegan recipes that are all super straightforward.

❤️ Why You’ll Love These Recipes

These recipes are all:

super straightforward and easy to make.
packed with familiar ingredients – nothing ‘weird’ or hard to find.
completely and utterly delicious!
just as hearty and satisfying as any non-vegan meal you’ve ever had.

Let’s jump straight into the recipes!

🥙 Easy Vegan Recipes

In case you need a reminder, vegan food contains absolutely nothing that originates from an animal. That obviously means no meat or fish, but it also means these meals contain no dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, etc.), and no eggs.

Since I am not actually a vegan myself, you may see the occasional mention of a non-vegan ingredient in some of these recipes (for example, I might say that soup can be ‘served with a swirl of yogurt, if desired’) – but the main part of each of these recipes is vegan. Similarly, I might suggest that you can use regular milk or plant-based milk in a recipe – but all of these recipes will all work just as well without any animal products, or by using vegan alternatives.

🍛 Vegan Curries

Pulses work beautifully in a vegan curry, as they soak up any flavour you cook them with. Make sure you add plenty of spices and fresh herbs, and your curry will be seriously tasty, without the need for any meat or cheese!

Easy Tarka Dal (Vegan Red Lentil Curry)

Tarka dal is the ultimate simple lentil curry – just a few aromatic spices can transform a few lentils into a creamy, richly flavourful dish!

Total time: 30

Servings: 2 people

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

Easy Kidney Bean Curry (Vegan)

Store Cupboard Recipe

Kid-Friendly Curry

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Becca’s Top Tip

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Easy Kidney Bean Curry

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High Protein Overnight Oats

High Protein Overnight Oats

Whey Protein Powder

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What Other Ingredients can I use in Overnight Oats?

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High Protein Overnight Oats

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Easy Air Fryer Hash Browns

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Other Potato Recipes

Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

What is Bread Pudding?

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What are Hot Cross Buns?

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Becca’s Top Tip

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Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

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Other British Recipes

Vegetable Cobbler (with cheesy scone topping)

Savoury Cobbler

My Granny’s Recipe Book

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Becca’s Top Tip

Printable Instructions

Vegetable Cobbler (with cheesy scone topping)

Ingredients

For the creamy vegetable mixture:

For the scone topping:

Instructions

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Other Vegetarian Casseroles

Easy Homemade Baked Falafel

Baked Falafel

How to Serve Falafel

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