Here at taste, it’s no secret we love cooking up a storm in the kitchen and trying out different recipes, especially for dinner.
But we also understand that if you’re a beginner, finding a dinner recipe that’s easy to make can be a challenging task, which is where we come in.
Our team of recipe creators and food experts may have decades of experience cooking and creating recipes, but they also have some great tips for when you’re an absolute beginner.
“I always suggest avoiding overly-complicated recipes that require complex techniques or various kitchen gadgets all at once,” says taste food director Michelle Southan.
“For me, the secret to cooking success is embracing simplicity in the kitchen.”
Cooking dinner for absolute beginners: taste food experts reveal their top tips
Get familiar with your recipe
“Always scan your recipe before diving in,” Michelle says.
“Checking those prep and cook times ensures you won’t be caught short, especially on busy nights.
“While building your kitchen confidence, try to pick dishes that feel manageable but offer a little challenge to help grow your repertoire when you have the time.”
Lean towards familiar favourites
“Beginners feel much more comfortable cooking dishes they already like to eat at restaurants or ordered as takeout,” advises taste digital food director Amira Georgy.
“Reproducing familiar taste profiles, like a simple teriyaki or classic garlic butter, gives them a clear benchmark for success and keeps motivation high.”
Keep your ingredient list and cooking time short
“I’d always steer beginners toward recipes with a short ingredient list and a relatively short prep and/or cook time,” says taste senior food editor Elisa Pietrantonio.
“If a recipe looks too long, too busy or too time-consuming, it can feel overwhelming before they’ve even started.”
Seek out one-dish meals
“Tray bakes, slow cooking, and slow-simmered pasta sauces give beginners plenty of leeway if their timing isn’t perfect,” says Amira. “Unlike delicate fish or precise steaks, these dishes won’t ruin if left on the heat for an extra minute or two.”
Elisa agrees, adding: “One-pan, one-pot, or tray-bake dinners are always a great place to start because they’re easier to manage and generally more forgiving if your timing isn’t perfect.”
Take advantage of ‘cheat ingredients’
This is a time when cheating is encouraged.
“Seeking out smart shortcuts can truly take the pressure off during the evening rush and when learning to cook,” Michelle says.
“Utilising pre-cooked barbecue chicken, ready-made seasoning mixes, or convenient microwave rice can be a brilliant way to reclaim your evening.
“Embracing these simple time-savers keeps the cooking experience effortless, allowing you to enjoy it and succeed.”
Taste food experts reveal the best weeknight dinners for beginners
Ready to get cooking? Here are our food team’s top-recommended dinners for absolute beginners in the kitchen, no experience needed!
4-ingredient teriyaki beef noodle stir-fry
“This one works well because the flavour profile is familiar and the ingredient list is short, which makes it feel less intimidating,” says Elisa.
“It’s also a nice introduction to quick stovetop cooking without asking beginners to manage too many different components.”
4-ingredient cheesy meatball rice bake
Amira recommends this recipe as it “takes just 10 minutes to pull together using pre-cooked meatballs and microwave rice, eliminating long prep times”.
“It’s cooked all in one pan, which minimises kitchen clutter and makes clean up completely stress-free,” she adds.
“Uses pre-sauced meatballs so beginners get rich, slow-cooked depth of flavour without having to build a sauce from scratch.”
Quick one-pot chicken stroganoff
“Picking up a barbecue chicken from the shops is such a clever way to fast-track dinner, and pairing it with a velvety stroganoff sauce takes your chook to new heights,” Michelle says.
“For those looking for a shortcut to a family classic or beginner cooks wanting a fuss-free meal, this truly is the ultimate easy weeknight solution.”
Sticky sesame chicken drumsticks
“This is a great beginner recipe because the easy three-ingredient sticky glaze does most of the work when it comes to flavour and the oven makes the cooking process simple and largely hands-off,” says Elisa.
“It also gives you really clear visual cues, as the chicken turns golden, glossy and caramelised when it’s ready. Serve with a quick salad and dinner is sorted.”
5-ingredient beef brisket rice bowls
Amira recommends this meal because it “uses pre-cooked slow-cooked brisket, giving beginners melt-in-your-mouth tender beef without spending hours over a hot stove” and it “assembles easily using quick microwave rice and a bagged salad kit, requiring almost no actual knife work or complex cooking skills”.
Brown rice salad with fried haloumi
“This has become one of my favourite standby meals for busy evenings,” Michelle explains.
“You might be surprised how quickly pickling onion and currants in lemon juice makes them the standout star of the dish, especially when combined with golden pan-fried halloumi, microwave rice, fresh spinach, and store-bought chargrilled capsicums.
“Better yet, any remaining portions make for a fantastic lunch the following day.”
5-ingredient chicken yaki udon
“Udon noodles cook in just a couple of minutes and are very forgiving, making them hard to overcook or ruin,” Amira says.
“High-heat stir-frying keeps the technique quick, energetic, and straightforward for anyone learning pan management.
It also “relies on a short list of high-impact ingredients, teaching beginners how to create authentic, takeaway-style flavours with very little effort”.
Quick cajun fish tacos
“Mid-week taco nights just got faster with these 15-minute Cajun barramundi tacos,” Michelle says.
“By simply tossing cubed barra in a punchy cajun spice blend and pairing it with a bought slaw mix, fresh pineapple, and a kick of jalapeno, dinner is on the table in no time.
“If you don’t have barramundi on hand, this method works just as beautifully with salmon fillets.”
Air fryer nachos
“This is a great beginner dinner because the air fryer makes the cooking process feel simple and easy to manage,” Elisa says.
“It also gives really clear visual cues, with the cheese melting and turning golden on top, and uses familiar flavours that make the whole recipe feel fun and achievable.”
Easy mango chicken curry rissoles
“(This dinner) requires no advanced cooking techniques, just mixing the ingredients by hand and shaping them into basic patties,” Amira says.
“The sweet and savoury sauce uses mango chutney and curry powder, giving beginners a foolproof glaze that thickens right in the pan.”
