Pesto Pasta Salad (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe)

June 27, 2025June 27, 2025 What Jessica Baked NextLeave a comment

Copycat recipe of Marks & Spencer pasta salad with spinach, pesto and pine nuts. Picnic season has arrived and this is the perfect, easy pasta salad to enjoy this summer.

I’m back with a scrumptious, easy-to-make and filling pasta recipe. I’ve already expressed my sincere love for Marks & Spencer food, with this recent recipe for Chocolate Chunk Shortbread (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe).

I enjoy recreating some of my favourite foodie finds at home, so up next is a homemade take on a pasta salad I enjoy from Marks & Spencer. I absolutely love anything with pesto, homemade pesto is unbeatable. It’s easy to make, and, once mastered, tastes like pesto made in Italy.

We had an abundance of fresh basil in our garden and decided this would be a good use for homemade pesto!

If I remember correctly, this pasta salad was previously made with orzo pasta, but has since been made with farfelle. I love farfelle – meaning butterfly in Italian.

With the summer season here, we’re enjoying lots of fresh, healthy homemade meals. It’s not summer without endless Greek salads either! If you’re a lover of Greek salads, then this Greek Pasta Salad is another brilliant choice.

This pasta salad is ready in less than half an hour. It’s a delicious recipe, bringing flavours of the Mediterranean to your kitchen. It’s fab for taking to summer picnics, barbecues, or for packed lunches. Feel free to add some chopped cherry tomatoes or even sun-dried tomatoes to the mix.

With lots of textures and tonnes of flavour, this is a summer pasta salad you just have to make!

Pesto Pasta Salad (Marks & Spencer Copycat Recipe)

Copycat recipe of Marks & Spencer pasta salad with spinach, pesto and pine nuts. Picnic season has arrived and this is the perfect, easy pasta salad to enjoy this summer.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings 10

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Pesto

60 g fresh basil leaves roughly two big handfuls
1 clove of garlic peeled and left whole
50 g pine nuts lightly toasted in a dry pan
55 g Parmesan or Grana Padano finely grated
5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil add more if needed to adjust consistency
salt and black pepper to taste

Pasta

500 g farfelle pasta
roughly two large handfuls of baby spinach roughly chopped/torn into smaller pieces - removing any tough stalks

Serving

extra grated Parmesan/Grana Padano, pine nuts and basil leaves if desired

Instructions

Start by preparing the pesto. Dry toast the pine nuts in a small pan until lightly coloured. In a food processor, pulse together the basil, garlic, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan/Grana Padano until they are minced.
With the processor on slow speed, add the oil (a tablespoon at a time) in a slow stream. Now season to taste with salt and black pepper. Process for another minute until all the ingredients are combined.
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions - mine took 12 minutes. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Tip the cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl and stir through the pesto. You might need to add another tablespoon or two of olive oil at this point just to get the correct consistency.
Now add the chopped spinach, check the seasoning and season with any extra salt and black pepper if needed.
I like to stir through a couple of tablespoons of extra toasted pine nuts and some more coarsely grated Parmesan/Grana Padano cheese - this is optional. Cover the bowl and chill the pasta salad for at least 4 hours before serving - I leave mine overnight.
The pasta salad will keep stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Baking · Bread · Light Lunches

Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns

March 13, 2023March 12, 2023 What Jessica Baked Next83 Comments

A savoury spin on hot cross buns! These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns are packed with flavour from mature Cheddar, they’re topped with a cheesy cross and even more cheese. I serve mine with a quick, homemade chive butter.

Recipe originally posted in March 2014. Recipe and photographs updated March 2023.

This is a recipe redo from 9 years ago! The recipe and photographs were in need of a little update.

You’ll find hot cross buns in supermarkets all across the UK. The traditional hot cross bun is filled with dried fruit and mixed spice, but in recent years, new flavours have appeared and become equally popular choices.

We’re talking chocolate hot cross buns, some with cocoa powder in the dough and others with chocolate chips added. I have a recipe for Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns.

Red velvet is another flavour I’ve come across, along with apple and cinnamon, and caramelised white chocolate and fudge.

All these sweet hot cross buns are great, but you can also get savoury hot cross buns, with many, including one of my favourite ingredients. Cheese.

These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns consist of a simple dough that’s flavoured with cayenne pepper and grated mature Cheddar cheese. The cross-topping is usually made by mixing flour and water, but mine is made by mixing together grated Pecorino cheese, flour and water. The cheese adds that extra salty, cheesy deliciousness to each hot cross bun!

Right before baking, I sprinkled the tops of each HCB with even more Pecorino – if you’re not vegetarian, then you can use Parmesan instead.

Serve your cheesy hot cross buns with a liberal amount of salted butter. I made my own chive butter, by mixing softened butter with chopped chives from the garden and a little bit of black pepper.

Also, why not fill your savoury hot cross bun with some crispy bacon – I love vegetarian bacon and think this would pair wonderfully for brunch/lunch. Or spread with butter, followed by your favourite chutney and some extra cheese.

The recipe is time-consuming, but there’s no better feeling than eating a batch of homemade bread you’ve baked right in your own kitchen.

Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns

A savoury spin on hot cross buns! These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns are packed with flavour from mature Cheddar, they're topped with a cheesy cross and even more cheese. I serve mine with a quick, homemade chive butter.

Prep Time 3 25

Cook Time 30

Total Time 3 55

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Hot Cross Bun Dough:

250 ml milk
50 g butter (salted or unsalted)
500 g strong white bread flour
14 g dried yeast 2 x standard 7g packets
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
1 medium or large egg
150 g mature Cheddar coarsely or finely grated

Cheese Cross Topping:

5 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Cheddar can be substituted
5 tablespoons plain flour
5 tablespoons water

Cheese Topping:

25 g Cheddar or Pecorino grated

Instructions

In a small pan, heat your milk and butter until the butter has melted and the milk is just warm to the touch - you don't want the milk boiling hot.
In a large mixing bowl, add your bread flour, yeast (to one corner), salt (to the opposite corner to the yeast) and the cayenne pepper (if using). Give these ingredients a good stir so they're evenly mixed.
Now add the warmed milk/butter mixture, along with the beaten egg and stir until a soft dough comes together.
Knead by hand or in a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
Cover the bowl and leave the dough somewhere warm for 2 hours or until it's doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, mix the grated Cheddar into the dough by hand. Divide it equally into 12 pieces (I weigh for accuracy and each dough piece weighs roughly approx. 80g) and roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the balls of dough on a large, lightly greased baking tray, leaving space for them to rise. Leave for the dough to rise for another hour, or until the dough has risen and joined up.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Make the cheesy cross topping by mixing the grated cheese, flour and water gently until it's just come together - try not to over mix this, otherwise it becomes tough when baked.
Transfer the cheesy cross topping to a piping bag, snip the end a little just to make a small hole. Pipe a line across the top of the buns and then pipe another line the opposite way, so each bun is topped with a cross. I went over the top of each line again to use up the majority of my mixture - don't worry if you don't use it all.
Sprinkle over the grated cheese and then bake the buns for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden - mine took 25 minutes. Allow to cool and then serve with plenty of butter!

Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

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Baking · Dips and Sides · Light Lunches · Vegan · Vegetarian Recipes

Sriracha Glazed Roasted Potatoes

August 22, 2022August 22, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next3 Comments

Roasted potatoes in a sriracha glaze – the potatoes are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside with a spicy sticky glaze.

This recipe is inspired by So Vegan, I saw a blog post/recipe video of these potatoes being made and instantly saved the recipe to try myself.

Asian food is always super flavourful and this sriracha glaze is sweet, sticky and adds a delicious spicy kick of heat to each mouthful.

Slice your potatoes and place in a large baking tray. Drizzle over a tablespoon of oil and season with a smallish pinch of salt before roasting for 30-35 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and have turned golden in colour.

When the potatoes are a few minutes away from being ready, start preparing your glaze.

Take all the glaze ingredients, whisk together in a bowl, then pop in a saucepan and then heat for a few minutes until thickened. Toss the potatoes in the glaze and mix together in the pan until the sauce is coating the potatoes.

Serve right away with a sesame seed and chive or spring onion garnish.

Sriracha Glazed Roasted Potatoes

Roasted potatoes in a sriracha glaze - the potatoes are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside with a spicy sticky glaze.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings 4 people

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

800 g baby potatoes quartered
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt

Sriracha Glaze:

3 tablespoons agave nectar, honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce I use dark soy sauce
1 and 1/2 tablespoons sriracha adjust to taste
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C Fan / 425°F / Gas Mark 7. Place the potatoes on a large baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and season with a generous sprinkle of salt. Roast the potatoes for 30-35 minutes until soft and they're lightly golden in colour.
When the potatoes are nearly ready, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the agave nectar/honey or maple syrup with soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha and the chopped garlic.
Heat the glaze in a large saucepan (I recommend a deep frying pan/wok to do this) and allow the glaze to gently bubble for 2-3 minutes, or until it's thickened slightly. Add the roasted potatoes to the pan and mix to coat the potatoes in the glaze. Serve garnished with sesame seeds and chives/spring onion.

Baking · Light Lunches · Vegan

Vegan Sausage Rolls (Easy Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls)

May 16, 2022May 22, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next8 Comments

Homemade sausage rolls made with vegan sausages, herbs and black pepper incased in flaky puff pastry. This easy sausage roll recipe is perfect to pack up for lunch, picnics and all kinds of gatherings.

Sausage rolls are something I’ve loved since childhood. They’re available in most bakeries and supermarkets, I used to make a lot of sausage rolls when I worked as tea room baker and nowadays in my current job role these feature on the menu rotation.

Making your own couldn’t be easier or quicker. I cheat and use ready rolled puff pastry, which saves a job rolling out a block of puff pastry.

Most supermarket puff pastry is vegan, but always check the label.

Lots of vegan sausage roll recipes use a mix of beans, vegetables or nuts to make the filling. I like to keep the recipe as easy and traditional as possible by using vegan sausages. I take a pack (8 in total) of my favourite vegan sausages, remove the outer skin layer and mash the sausage ‘meat’ with a heaped teaspoon of dried sage and lots of black pepper.

You can add whatever flavourings/spices you desire. Swap the dried sage for rosemary, oregano or leave it out entirely. I sometimes use fresh herbs from our garden. Also, if you want, then why not add a spoonful or two of caramelised onion or tomato chutney? I’ve linked my favourite onion chutney further down in this blog post…

Making these sausage rolls is pretty straight forward. Take your pastry and divide it up into 3 long slices. Evenly spread the sausage mixture down the centre of each piece of pastry and press together to form an even roll of sausage meat. Lightly brush a little water down either side of the pastry and roll the pastry up and seal the edges together.

Wrap the pastry rolls up and chill for about half an hour – this is optional but it makes slicing the sausage rolls neatly a lot easier. You can slice and bake the sausage rolls straight away if you’re pushed for time.

Trim the edges and then slice each roll in half, then each half in half again – you’ll have 4 sausage rolls and once you’ve sliced up the other two, you’ll have 12 sausage rolls in total. You can make mini sausage rolls too, if you prefer – just slice each roll in half, then each half into 3 and you’ll have 18 mini sausage rolls.

A plate of these sausage rolls goes down brilliantly at parties. My grandad was the biggest fan of sausage rolls and also homemade bacon and cheese pastry turnovers. I know he would’ve loved these and happily eaten his way through a plate of these!

Food evokes memories and this recipe certainly reminds me of good times spent enjoying food with my family.

I’ve baked these sausage rolls countless times, we serve them with lots of different condiments: recently I served these with salad and some chutney, my Caramelised Onion Chutney is a reader favourite and definitely worth making to go alongside these.

These never last long in our house, we took them to an afternoon tea recently and we came home with an empty container. That’s proof of just how good these sausage rolls taste as they impressed the non-vegans too!

Vegan Sausage Rolls

Homemade sausage rolls made with vegan sausages, herbs and black pepper incased in flaky puff pastry. This easy sausage roll recipe is perfect to pack up for lunch, summer picnics and all kinds of gatherings.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

320-375 g pack ready rolled puff pastry check the label to see if it's vegan
8 vegan sausages (I use a 336g pack of Richmond Meat Free)
1 teaspoon dried sage use your favourite herbs
Black pepper add a generous amount
1-2 tablespoons plant milk for brushing
A couple of drops of soy sauce (this helps give the sausage rolls a golden colour when baked) optional
Nigella seeds, sesame seeds or poppyseed's optional

Instructions

Take your puff pastry from the fridge and unroll on a chopping board. Leave the pastry a few minutes to warm up, whilst you prepare the sausage filling.
Remove the skins from each sausage and place the sausage meat in a small mixing bowl. Add your herbs and seasoning (I use dried sage and black pepper) and mash together to combine.
Split the puff pastry into thirds lengthways and equally distribute the sausage filling down the centre of each piece of pastry.
Brush each pastry edge with water and then roll the pastry up to cover the sausage meat filling completely and seal the edges. Cover the sausage rolls with cling film and chill in the fridge or place in the freezer for 30 minutes - this is optional, but it makes cutting them up easier.
Using a sharp knife (I find a serrated knife best for this), trim the edges and then slice each roll into four equal pieces (if you want to make 12 sausage rolls in total) or slice each roll into 6 pieces for mini sausage rolls (you'll have 18 mini sausage rolls in total).
Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Evenly spread the sausage rolls out on the baking tray. Mix the plant milk with a couple of drops of soy sauce and generously brush each sausage roll.
At this point, sprinkle the tops of each sausage roll with either nigella, sesame or poppyseed's (optional but it looks and tastes great). We love ours with nigella seeds because it works really well paired with the sage.
Bake the sausage rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Leave to cool for a few minutes then serve. The sausage rolls taste amazing when served warm or cold.

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Light Lunches · Main Meals · Vegan

Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)

May 3, 2021May 24, 2023 What Jessica Baked NextLeave a comment

This restaurant-style red rice is filling, healthy and packed full of flavour. It’s a must try for anyone who loves Mexican food!

Recipe originally posted July 2013, recipe and photographs updated May 2021.

This rice recipe holds a special place in my heart, it’s a dish that’s enjoyable as an accompaniment to many of our favourite Mexican foods.

I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve made this rice over the years since I first shared the recipe in 2013. It’s a staple savoury recipe in my house and is the perfect side dish to any Mexican dinner: used to fill a burrito or served with enchiladas and fajitas.

We love it served in tortilla wraps with Mexican-style roasted vegetables with vegan soya and chive dip or drizzled with piri piri mayonnaise. Or grab a pack of tortilla chips and scoop the rice up along with some tomato salsa!

I often make this rice for dinner but if we happen to have any leftover rice then I’ll take a portion for lunch at work. I love it served both warm straight from the pot or cold. When you let it cool down and eat the next day I find the flavours have developed more and the rice is even tastier!

Vegetable wise I’ve always added chopped bell peppers to my Mexican rice. I like using two different coloured peppers and usually go for a red and a yellow bell pepper. You can use whichever colour peppers you like or even add different vegetables like sweetcorn or peas, it’s really up to you what you choose to put in!

So to make this tasty rice you’ll start by sautéing diced onion with garlic, chopped bell peppers and some salt and pepper for about 5 minutes until softened. Add a combination of spices (cumin, cilantro/coriander, smoked paprika and chilli powder) and toast those off with a couple of tablespoons of tomato purée. Add the rice and stock and simmer the rice on the stove top or braise it in the oven for 20 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Once the rice is cooked, squeeze the juice of a lime over the rice, give it a quick stir and add any extra seasoning if needed and leave the rice to sit and infuse.

Serve the rice hot or cold with a garnish of lime wedges and some chopped cilantro/coriander or parlsey.

Forget the bland and stodgy packet of microwave Mexican rice and make your own, you won’t regret it once you’ve tasted my recipe!

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 red or white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cilantro/coriander

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder (optional)

2 tablespoons tomato purée

450g (2 cups) long grain rice

900ml (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock (I use vegetable stock to ensure this rice is vegan)

Juice of 1 lime, plus more lime wedges to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion, garlic and peppers for 5 minutes until they’re starting to soften slightly. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Add the spices (cumin, cilantro/coriander, paprika and chilli) and toast for a minute fragrant. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further minute.
Now add the rice and cook for another couple of minutes to toast slightly making sure it doesn’t catch too much on the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and bring up to the boil – at this point stir the rice with a fork opposed to a spoon.
Once boiling, either simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked and all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy or alternatively you can braise the rice in the oven for the same amount of time at 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Take off the heat and add the lime juice and mix through the rice. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed and then cover and allow the flavours in the rice to infuse for 5-10 minutes before serving, then serve the rice warm or cold. Garnish the plate of rice with lime edges and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro/coriander or parsley if desired. The rice once cooled completely to room temperature will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Don’t reheat rice more than once.

I recently made a rice dish inspired by this rice recipe. My take on a Nando’s Spicy Rice adds a slightly different combination of spices – chilli flakes, cumin, smoked paprika and turmeric.

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Light Lunches · Vegetarian Recipes

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

October 11, 2016October 23, 2023 What Jessica Baked Next3 Comments

Make the most of autumn’s harvest with this hearty and warming Thai Butternut Squash Soup.

Now it’s officially autumn that means soup season is upon us. I’ve definitely been noticing the recent cooler weather and when it’s cold out all I crave is comforting food like soups and stews. Recently I’ve been feeling a tad rundown and decided on making soup so I would feel back to my best.

Around this time of year you’ll be seeing lots of delicious savoury and sweet pumpkin recipes. I adore butternut squash soup and every year when autumn rolls around and pumpkin is in season I like to make a batch of homemade soup. However, whilst I love butternut squash soup as it is, this time I wanted to try something a little more aromatic and spicy.

My love of Thai cuisine is the main inspiration behind this recipe. Many classic Thai recipes are packed full of different flavours and spices. I frequently cook my family Thai green curry and other traditional dishes from Thailand.

For the soup, I thought about chopping up chilli, garlic and ginger, however I was feeling lazy so instead I decided to cheat this time and use a couple of tablespoons of Thai red curry paste we had leftover in the fridge after my sister made a Thai red curry.

To make this soup, it’s really quite simple. Take your butternut squash, peel (you don’t have to do this) and chop it up in small chunks/cubes. Add the chopped squash to a large saucepan along with the red curry paste and sauté for a few minutes. Next add the can of coconut milk and stock, bring up to the boil, cover and leave to simmer for about 30 minutes or until the squash is soft. Finally, blend the soup until smooth. I like my soup a little on the thicker side, but if you prefer your soup thinner in consistency just add a touch more stock.

With Bonfire Night next month, this soup would be brilliant to pack up or come home to if you’re feeling cold after watching fireworks. You’ve got to give this soup recipe a try this autumn, it’s amazingly tasty and comforting with the fragrance from the red curry paste and creamy coconut flavour from the coconut milk.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Make the most of autumn’s harvest with this hearty and warming Thai Butternut Squash Soup. Best served with croutons, or some crusty sourdough. You can't beat a bowl of homemade soup!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings 6

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

1-1.3 kg butternut squash or pumpkin peeling is optional, just scoop the seeds out and cut the butternut squash into small chunks
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
400 ml can coconut milk full-fat or half-fat will both work
600 ml vegetable stock

Instructions

Add the chopped butternut squash to a large saucepan along with the red curry paste. Gently sauté over a medium heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes until all the squash is thoroughly coated in the curry paste.
Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock, cover the pan and leave to simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until the squash is soft. If you leave the peel on the squash, then it will take nearer to 30 minutes to soften.
Blend the soup in a food processor or with a handheld blender until smooth. Add a couple of generous pinches of salt and some black pepper (optional), stir and serve immediately.
Top with croutons, or serve with your favourite bread - I recommend sourdough.
The soup will keep stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes:

Add more or less curry paste depending on how spicy you want your soup.
Adjust consistency of the soup to your liking by adding more stock if it is too thick.
Soup will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up a 2-3 days, it’s best eaten on the day of making.
This soup is delicious served with bread, rolls or croutons. We made our own croutons and baked them in the oven until they were crispy and golden.

Try my Butternut Squash, Cheddar and Sage Scones next!

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Dips and Sides · Light Lunches · Vegetarian Recipes

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

August 24, 2016July 8, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next21 Comments

A simple and easy recipe for couscous with roasted vegetables. This is great eaten on its own or you can make it into a meal and serve as a side dish. Colourful, healthy and ready in just over 30 minutes!

Eating healthy and sticking to a budget each week can sometimes seem tricky. I always believe delicious and nutritious food doesn’t have to be expensive, hard to make or take an eternity to prepare.

Couscous is one of my favourite ingredients to use in savoury cooking because it’s so convenient. I always have it in my kitchen cupboard along with rice and pasta. If you’re not familiar with couscous, it’s a grain that’s common in North African cuisine and is usually served with tagine and stews.

Preparing couscous is really simple and unlike most recipes I don’t even worry measuring out the water/stock I add. I usually just place the couscous in a bowl, crumble over a vegetable stock cube and then just pour enough boiling water to cover the top. I’ve always used this method of making the best fluffy couscous and it hasn’t let me down yet. What I love most about making savoury recipes is the fact you can freestyle unlike baking which is a science and where the measurements have to be exact.

Roasted vegetables are my family’s favourite and recently we’ve all made a concerted effort to eat less meat (and cake!) each week. Lately our meals have been based around using fresher ingredients and we’ve been exploring healthier vegetarian options.

I usually get fed up of vegetables like broccoli, carrot or peas that we eat so often with roast dinners. I eat roasted veggies probably two or maybe three times a week. They’re pretty much a staple part of my diet nowadays! I just love the vibrant colour and beautiful flavour when they’re all golden and roasted.

We love serving this roasted vegetable couscous with either chicken or halloumi. Both of which would be super tasty served with my homemade tzatziki! Also, I think the couscous would be fabulous to bring to a late summer BBQ, potluck or even as part of a mezze platter.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 mixed colour bell peppers, deseeded and cut into medium chunks

8-10 small mushrooms (such as button or chestnut), cleaned and quartered

1 red onion, chopped into small chunks

1 courgette, halved lengthways and sliced into 1/2 inch quarters

Salt and black pepper, to taste

200g (1 cup) dried couscous

1 vegetable stock cube (optional)

Boiling water (see method for instructions)

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Evenly spread the vegetables out onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables until they’re all coated well in the oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until soft and starting to colour slightly.
Once the vegetables are near enough cooked, start preparing the couscous. Place the couscous in a large bowl that will be big enough to mix up all the vegetables in too. Crumble the stock cube over the top of the couscous, season with salt and pepper and pour over just enough boiling water to cover the top of the couscous. Cover the bowl with some clingfilm/plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes (I always leave mine for the full 10 minutes).
Now using a fork, fluff the couscous and then mix through the roasted vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature. Couscous can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes:

You don’t have to use olive oil when roasting the vegetables, you can use any light flavoured oil you have in such as canola/vegetable oil.
If you’d like you can season the vegetables with your favourite herbs and spices before roasting. Sometimes I add some garlic powder or a pinch or two of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika. Dried oregano and thyme would also taste great with the vegetables.
The vegetable stock cube is optional. I find it adds extra flavour to the dish but feel free to leave it out if you want.
Swap around the vegetables. If you’d prefer to add more of a certain vegetable that will work just as well.
Just an idea, you could crumble a little bit of Greek feta cheese into the couscous prior to serving. I’m going to try that next time I make this!

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Baking · Dips and Sides · Gluten-Free · Light Lunches

Paprika Roasted Potatoes

April 15, 2016August 21, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next10 Comments

Crispy oven roasted potatoes seasoned with sweet smoked paprika and garlic. Serve as an appetiser or for lunch with your favourite dips. These potatoes are the perfect side dish to about pretty much anything!

Recipe originally posted April 2016, photographs updated January 2022.

I’ve completed a couple of updates on older blog recipes. Last year I updated this Mexican Red Rice and this Roasted Vegetable Couscous. I’ve also updated my Paprika Roasted Potatoes recipe with a some new photographs as I made the recipe again recently.

We usually enjoy these paprika roasted potatoes on a regular basis. They make a brilliant light lunch and they’re also a great sharing food. Take baby potatoes, slice in half and mix with paprika (I use smoked paprika for best flavour), garlic granules instead of fresh garlic as the granules don’t burn and taste bitter when roasted, some salt and pepper and oil.

As soon as the potatoes leave the oven they’re tossed onto a platter or bowl and served with dips like sour cream, classics like ketchup and mayonnaise or sometimes we like to serve them with sweet chilli or Sriracha for even more flavour.

These crisp and golden potatoes are super easy and quick to prepare – they’ll be on your dinner table in half an hour!

To make this potato dish all you will need is a handful of ingredients, most of which I’m sure will already be in your kitchen cupboard. They take 30 minutes at most to cook and after baking they’re perfectly crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and not to mention super flavourful!

Great served with salad along with (vegan) sausages or pizza. However you choose to eat these potatoes, I know you’ll really enjoy them!

Paprika Roasted Potatoes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings 4

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

1 kg baby potatoes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons oil I use olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C Fan / 425°F / Gas Mark 7.
Slice the baby potatoes in half. Place the sliced potatoes in a large mixing bowl along with the paprika, garlic granules, salt, black pepper and oil.
Mix the potatoes with the other ingredients until they're thoroughly coated. Toss the potatoes onto a large baking tray and spread them out evenly.
Bake the potatoes for 25-30 minutes until crisp and the potatoes are soft and cooked all the way through.
Serve the potatoes warm with your choice of dips and a sprinkling of chopped chives or parsley. My favourite dips are vegan soya cream, mayonnaise or ketchup.

Other vegan side dishes to try!

Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Roasted Tomato Risotto

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Italian Cuisine · Light Lunches · Main Meals · Pasta Recipes · Travel

Linguine Gamberi

June 16, 2015June 16, 2015 What Jessica Baked Next51 Comments

Linguine with prawns flavoured with chilli, lemon, garlic and parsley. One of the tastiest seafood pasta dishes you will try and it’s all ready in less than 15 minutes!

I came up with this recipe when I was on holiday in Sardinia a couple of years ago, where the majority of our meals were based around the fresh seafood on offer and most nights we ate pasta. This dish is perfect to eat anytime of year – it’s a great al fresco meal for the summer, but also extremely flavourful and warming in the colder months too. I love this recipe because fresh flavours are brought together to create an amazing seafood dish that takes hardly any time to make and has to be one of the best dinners you could eat! Just eating this dish transports me back to the beautiful sunny Italian island!

Pasta dishes are definitely one of my specialities! Pasta is a very versatile ingredient, I have shared many different creations on the blog so far, including this spaghetti with marinara sauce and this delicious pesto linguine with halloumi cheese and roasted tomatoes.

This linguine gamberi is truly one of my go-to quick dinner recipes. It would definitely be my last meal on earth – I LOVE anything with garlic butter!

The recipe is based on one of my favourite pasta sauces, aglio e olio – which is simply a sauce made out of garlic oil, you can also add some pepperoncino (chilli flakes) if you like too! All you have to do to make this dish is cook some linguine or any other of your favourite pasta shapes, flavour the oil with garlic, red chilli and lemon, then gently cook the prawns. Add some butter – which adds the indulgence and helps keep the prawns tender and then toss together with the cooked drained pasta. It couldn’t be any simpler!

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t love a bowl of this pasta for their dinner! Comfort food to the max. This is sure to impress anyone who tries it! Serve with a big glass of chilled white wine for the ultimate dinner, perfect for any night of the week! Enjoy the recipe guys!

(Serves 4 portions)

Ingredients –

500g dried spaghetti

225g raw tiger prawns, cleaned and de-veined

75g butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 – 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 unwaxed lemon, zest + juice of half

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Method –

1. Cook the linguine in salted boiling water according to the packets instructions.

2. Once the pasta is near enough cooked, add the olive oil to a large frying pan. Gently sauté chopped garlic, chilli and lemon zest until fragrant, then add the prawns and the lemon juice and continue cooking for about 3 minutes or until they start to turn pink in colour.

3. Once the prawns are cooked add the butter and cook on a medium heat to warm the prawns completely through and melt the butter. Toss the drained pasta and prawns together in the pan. I also like to sprinkle over a little freshly grated parmesan too. Serve in pasta bowls and enjoy!

Original recipe posted October 2013

More pasta recipes you may like:

Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

Pesto Linguine with Halloumi & Roasted Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Courgettes, Chilli, Lemon & Garlic

Enjoy the recipe!

Gluten-Free · Light Lunches · Main Meals · Rice Dishes · Vegetarian Recipes

Saffron Rice

May 11, 2015August 11, 2021 What Jessica Baked Next25 Comments

Fluffy aromatic buttered saffron rice. A classic and delicious side dish.

I absolutely adore simple and easy dishes. They’re especially convenient for busy working families with hardly any time to make a delicious and tasty dinner. Rice dishes in particular are a great standby for hectic weeknight dinners. Rice is a basic store cupboard ingredient and my recipe proves it can be transformed into something special with just a handful of extra ingredients!

This rice is amazing and it’s always a big hit with my family. It’s quick to make and with a buttery and fragrant flavour it makes a tasty side dish that is luxurious and will impress any dinner guest who tastes it. I decided to combine one of my favourite ingredients in my herb and spice cupboard, saffron. I often use saffron in my Spanish recipes like paella (recipe for that will be coming soon!) and homemade sauces. This rice recipe is very adaptable as you can add a small handful of cardamom pods, cloves, a little pinch of turmeric and a cinnamon stick and easily turn the recipe into pilau rice ready to serve with your favourite curry.

I’ve been making and creating my own rice recipes for a little while now. I shared this amazingly good Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo) recipe a while back when I’d just started blogging and it still remains one of my favourite dishes.

The rice is speckled with beautiful saffron threads. I love the rich flavour the saffron adds. To prepare the rice it’s very important to have your mis en place prepared beforehand. I take two smallish pinches of saffron threads and I soak the saffron in boiling water for 10 minutes. The soaking allows the oils to be released and the flavour will become stronger. Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice but it can be found at an affordable price if you look around at your local supermarket.

Whilst the saffron is soaking you have the opportunity to prepare your other ingredients. I finely diced a small white onion and chopped up a couple cloves of garlic. To cook the rice, melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan. Caramelise the onion and then add the garlic and a bay leaf – caramelising the onion again will add more depth of flavour and a little sweetness. Tip the rice into the pan and toast slightly so it can be coated fully in the butter mixture. Then all that’s left to do is to pour in the stock and leave the rice to simmer away until cooked.

Once cooked I always take rice off the heat and leave it to rest for another 5-10 minutes. This allows the rice to steam a little longer and makes it fluffier – it’s one of the most vital steps in making perfect homemade rice! Fluff with a fork and then serve up.

This rice can also be served alongside many dishes – I love to serve it with curry or my mum’s Spanish roast chicken. But the rice is great enjoyed on it’s own too.

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

2 pinches saffron threads

2 tablespoons boiling water

30g / 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 bay leaf, torn

450g (2 cups) rice (you can use basmati or long grain rice)

900ml (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley, to serve

Method:

1. Add the saffron threads to a small bowl. Pour over the 2 tablespoons boiling water, mix and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

2. In a large saucepan gently melt the butter and oil. Add the chopped onion, season well with salt and pepper and sauté on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Now add the minced garlic and bay leaf and continue cooking for a further minute until fragrant.

3. Add the rice and toast for 2 minutes. Now add the stock and the saffron infusion you pre-made earlier and stir to combine. Bring up to the boil and then once boiling turn down the heat to low and allow the rice to simmer covered for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked fully.

4. Once the rice is cooked, take off the heat and leave on the side for 5-10 minutes. Fluff the rice up and adjust seasoning, if needed.

5. Serve warm with a sprinkling of parsley.

Note: To make this dish vegan, omit the butter and add an extra tablespoon of oil or 30g of your preferred butter substitute.

Enjoy!

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