Cheap and delicious recipes for student gourmets from some of the country's top chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver

Gordon's macaroni cheese by Gordon Ramsay

Being on a budget doesn't mean you have to cut corners. Pasta, in this case macaroni, can be elevated with little effort to create a comforting meal. I would recommend strong cheddar, but that's my preference. A green salad would be the perfect accompaniment.

Cost: £9.50

Difficulty rating: Medium

Prep and cooking time: 1 hour

Serves 4

400g dried macaroni

Large knob of butter, plus extra for greasing

2 tbsp olive oil

300g mixture of mushrooms eg chestnuts and button

Handful of thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

1 onion, chopped

6 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped

75ml white wine

200ml creme fraiche

4 egg yolks

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

150g Parmesan cheese, grated

150g strong cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water according to pack timings. Drain and rinse under a cold running tap. Return to the pan and set aside.

Melt the butter with half the olive oil in a saute pan. Wipe the mushrooms clean, trim the stalks and tear or slice into even pieces. Tip them into the pan, sprinkle over the thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Tip on to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil, then the chopped onion and bacon. Cook over a medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the onions are soft and the bacon has released its fat into the pan and browned a little. If your bacon is quite fatty, drain off some of the excess fat now.

Return the mushrooms to the pan, then pour in the wine. Increase the heat and let it bubble until reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk the creme fraiche, egg yolks, parsley, half the parmesan and cheddar together with some seasoning. Toss the mixture through the cooked macaroni.

Lightly butter a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof baking dish then pour in the macaroni mixture. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over it and place in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and golden and crisp on top. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken fajitas by Jamie Oliver

Chicken fajitas, by Jamie Oliver. Photograph: Felix Clay

This is the sort of thing I cook when I get home late. It's perfect for a busy student who wants a fresh, tasty meal.

Cost: £11

Difficulty rating: Easy

Prep and cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 2

1 red pepper

1 medium red onion

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 tsp smoked paprika

A small pinch of ground cumin

3 limes

Olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½–1 fresh red chilli, to your taste

15 ripe cherry tomatoes

Small bunch of fresh coriander

4 flour tortillas

150ml sour cream or natural yoghurt

230g tub of guacamole

100g cheddar cheese, grated

Put your griddle pan on a high heat. Halve and de-seed your pepper and cut it into thin strips. Peel, halve and finely slice your onion. Slice your chicken lengthways into long strips, roughly the same size as your pepper strips.

Put the peppers, onion and chicken into a bowl with the paprika and cumin. Squeeze over the juice of half a lime, drizzle over a lug of olive oil, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. Put to one side to marinate for 5 minutes or so while you make your salsa.

Finely chop your chilli. Roughly chop your tomatoes and the coriander, stalks and all. Put the chilli and tomatoes into a second bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper and the juice of 1 lime. Add a good lug of extra-virgin olive oil, then stir in your chopped coriander.

Use a pair of tongs to put all the pieces of pepper, onion and chicken into your preheated pan to cook for 6-8 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. As the pan will be really hot, keep turning the pieces of chicken and vegetables over so they don't burn – you just want them to lightly chargrill to give you a lovely flavour.

Warm your tortillas up in a microwave or a warm dry pan, and divide them between your serving plates. Help yourselves to the chicken and vegetables straight from the hot griddle pan. Halve your remaining lime and squeeze the juices over the remaining meat in the pan. Serve with pots of sour cream and guacamole alongside your cheddar and your fresh salsa.

• Jamie Oliver is the author of Ministry of Food (Penguin)

Chicken, potato and spinach balti by Anjum Anand

Chicken, potato and spinach balti, by Anjum Anand. Photograph: Felix Clay

This is a really easy one-pot curry to make when you have friends coming over. You can cook it without the potatoes or spinach, or add a different vegetable. I like to serve it with a little yoghurt and naan bread for an inexpensive, warming meal.

Cost: £6.50

Difficulty rating: Medium

Prep and cook time: 45-50 minutes

Serves 4-5

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter

750g chicken thighs, skinned

7 baby potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 handfuls of baby spinach

Handful of finely chopped coriander leaves and stems

For the curry base:

6 fat garlic cloves, peeled

¾in ginger, peeled

3 medium tomatoes, chopped into large chunks

3 good tbsp of full-fat Greek yoghurt

1½ tbsp coriander powder

1¼ tsp garam masala

¼-½ tsp red chilli powder, or more if you like it hot

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste

For the base, make a paste of the ginger, garlic and tomatoes. I use a hand blender, but you can chop the tomatoes and finely grate the ginger and garlic – the sauce will not be as smooth though. Stir in the spices, salt and yoghurt. Add the chicken and potatoes.

Heat the oil and butter/ghee in a medium non-stick saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a moderate flame, stirring often, until the onion is well browned on the edges, around 7-8 minutes.

Add the chicken, potatoes and curry base and cook over a moderate-high heat, tossing the chicken in the paste quite often until small oil droplets start to form on the base or edges of the pan; this takes around 10-12 minutes. If it still isn't cooked, you can add a splash of water and cook for another 5 minutes or until the water has reduced.

Add enough water to come halfway up the chicken and bring to the boil. Cover and cook on a low flame until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through, around 12-15 minutes more (depending on the size of the joints and potatoes).

Add the spinach and, once wilted, taste and adjust the seasoning. There should be enough of the sauce for a creamy gravy; if not, add a little more water from the kettle. If you add too much, reduce over a high heat.

Stir in the coriander and serve.

• Anjum Anand is the author of I Love Curry (Quadrille).

Smoked haddock pie by Marcus Wareing

Smoked haddock pie, by Marcus Wareing. Photograph: Felix Clay

You can make this dish inexpensively without having to compromise on flavour or use inferior ingredients. A fantastic recipe for anyone who loves the comforting tastiness of a fish pie.

Cost: £7.50

Difficulty rating: Medium to hard

Prep and cooking time: 1 hour

Serves 4-6

2 large maris piper potatoes, scrubbed

4 free-range eggs

1l semi-skimmed or whole milk

2 bay leaves

¼ bunch thyme

400g smoked haddock

25g unsalted butter

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

½ nutmeg, freshly grated

½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

100g gruyere, grated

¼ tsp smoked paprika

Place the potatoes in a large pan of cold, seasoned water and bring to a gentle simmer until cooked through (10 to 20 minutes). Remove and run under cold water until cool.

Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Remove and run under cold water until cool.

Pour 500ml of milk into a deep frying pan with the bay leaves and thyme, heat gently, then add the haddock and poach for 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove the fish and set aside, discarding the milk.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan and add the flour, mixing well. Whisk in the remaining 500ml of milk, little by little, until smooth. Add half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper and the nutmeg and cook slowly until thick, about 10 minutes.

Peel the eggs and slice into eighths. Flake the haddock into a mixing bowl, add the parsley and white sauce and gently mix together. Then fold in the chopped egg.

Crush the potatoes with a fork into chunks, add the rest of the seasoning and paprika. Place the haddock mix into a pie dish, then top with the crushed potatoes and gruyere cheese. Bake in a 180C oven for 20-30 minutes until bubbling around the outside.

Quick shepherd's pie by Tom Aikens

Quick shepherd's pie, by Tom Aikens. Photograph: Felix Clay

This is quick and easy, plus it can be frozen and then eaten for several meals.

Cost: £9

Difficulty rating: Easy to medium

Prep and cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Serves 4-6

200ml vegetable oil

350g lamb mince

30g unsalted butter

150g diced carrot

180g diced onion

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp thyme leaves

12g flour

200g roughly diced plum tomatoes, no seeds or skin

40g tomato paste

400ml white chicken stock

Large pinch of dried herbes de provence

12 turns of milled black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

While you are making the filling, have the spuds cooking for the mash – see recipe below – so you can then put it on top while both are hot.

Take a large shallow pan and place on to a high heat. Add the veg oil. Once hot add the lamb and spread evenly over the surface area of the pan. Leave to cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring the mince. Once you can see it starting to colour around the edges you can move the mince. This is so the pan gets back up to heat and the meat will not boil in its own fat. If you move the pan around it will lose heat and the meat will simmer as opposed to fry. Cook for a further 5-8 minutes adding half the salt and the black pepper, stirring every so often until the mince is golden all over. Tap the mince so it breaks down and then drain in a colander, keeping all the oil.

Put the oil back into the pan with the butter; add the carrot and remaining salt and cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes until a light golden brown. Scrape the sediment from the pan (but leave the carrots in), add the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook for 3 minutes on a medium heat then remove most of the fat and put the mince back in the pan along with the flour. Cook for a minute, then add the tomatoes, paste, herbs and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Put into a dish, add mash and grill to colour for 3 minutes.

For the mashed potato:

1kg peeled potatoes (maris piper, king edwards or desiree) cut in rough 2in pieces

10g sea salt

200g unsalted butter

100ml warmed milk

12 turns of milled black pepper

Place the diced potato and 8g of salt into a litre of cold water in a pan, put on the heat and bring to the simmer. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes until cooked. Tip the potatoes into a colander and drain really well. Put back in the pan with the potato, add the butter and mash. Then add the remaining salt, pepper and warm milk and mash again.

Lentils with roast parsnips, garlic and goat's cheese by Thomasina Miers

Lentils with roast parsnips, garlic and goats cheese, by Thomasina Miers.

This requires little time, very little cash and yet will win over many a fellow student. You can use this dish as a basis for at least 100 different recipes by substituting other root vegetables, different cheeses, or mixing in tinned tomatoes, tuna or crispy bacon.

Cost: £7

Difficulty rating: Easy

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

4 medium parsnips

4 clusters of garlic (garlic heads); 2 additional cloves, crushed

Olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil

350g puy lentils

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, diced

2 bay leaves

Thyme, the leaves from 5-6 branches

50g streaky bacon chopped (optional)

1 lemon

500ml chicken or vegetable stock

200g soft goat's cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C. Scrub the parsnips and cut into bite-size chunks. Cut the garlic heads in half across the middle and lay them out on a baking sheet with the parsnips. Drizzle all in a generous amount of olive oil, tossing the parsnip pieces well to coat them. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the garlic cloves are completely soft. Take them out and put the parsnips back in for another 10 minutes or until they are golden, caramelised and crunchy/chewy all over.

Meanwhile, rinse the lentils through a sieve with cold water. Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. When it is hot, add the onion, carrot, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme and bacon (if you are using it). Cook for about five minutes until the onion is starting to look translucent. Grate in the zest of the lemon, taking care to avoid the white pith. Then stir in the lentils and finally, the stock. Simmer the lentils gently until they are just tender and the stock has been absorbed, about 20-30 minutes.

Once the lentils are cooked, squeeze over the juice of the lemon and fork through the soft goat's cheese. Squeeze out the soft garlic flesh from the heads into the lentils and toss in the roast parsnips. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and dish up.

• Thomasina Miers will be appearing at Love Cooking, lovecookingfestival.com

Zuppa di pane by Ruth Rogers

Zuppa de pane, by Ruth Rogers. Photograph: Felix Clay

This Italian soup can be adapted depending on the season. In summer, we add courgettes and in the winter, cavolo nero (Italian cabbage). We would recommend that you invest in a good bottle of single-estate extra-virgin olive oil. Use it sparingly but it will make a difference to all your soups.

Cost: £4

Difficulty rating: Very easy

Prep and cooking time: 1 hour, 35 minutes (includes cooling time for soup)

Serves 8

200g dried cannellini or borlotti beans

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

6 large waxy potatoes eg charlotte or maris peer, peeled and quartered

2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 head of celery, all green parts removed, coarsely chopped

1.5kg cabbage, roughly chopped, or 2 courgettes, roughly chopped (in summer)

200g very stale white bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces

Soak the beans overnight and cook per instructions on packet or click here for the River Cafe recipe. In a large thick-bottomed pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

Lightly brown the onion and garlic for a few minutes, then add the potatoes, tomatoes, celery, chopped cabbage or courgettes. Cover with water and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Add the cooked beans and cook for a further 15 minutes. Check the seasoning.

Put the stale bread into a large bowl and pour in the soup. Stir to combine – the bread will absorb most of the liquid and become soft.

Add an additional tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Let the soup sit for half an hour to cook and intensify the flavours.

Serve at room temperature, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

Rigatoni with tomato, smoked bacon, rosemary and red onion by Theo Randall

Rigatoni with tomato, smoked bacon, rosemary and red onion, by Theo Randall. Photograph: Felix Clay

Buy chopped Italian tomatoes in cans: these are usually picked ripe and are worth the extra expense. The rosemary here adds a really wonderful flavour: it's always worth experimenting with herbs to bring out the best in more basic ingredients.

Cost: £5

Difficulty rating: Easy

Prep and cooking time: 20 mins

Serves 6 as starter; 4 as a main course

400g rigatoni pasta

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, sliced

200g smoked bacon – cut into matchsticks

2tsp chopped rosemary

2 400g tins of Italian chopped plum tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

In a frying pan, add the olive oil and soften the garlic and red onion for about 10 minutes.

Add the bacon and cook until a light, golden colour. Add the rosemary and chopped tomatoes and cook until the sauce has reduced by half.

In a large pan of boiling, salted water add the rigatoni and cook until al dente. Drain and add to the sauce and cook for further 2 minutes so the sauce has absorbed into the rigatoni. Season and serve with black pepper and grated parmesan cheese.

• Theo Randall is the author of Pasta (Ebury Press).

Thai fish curry by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Thai fish curry, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Photograph: Felix Clay

This looks like a complicated recipe, but it isn't really. I like to make the paste in double or triple quantities and freeze some, so I can whip up a curry quickly. You can vary the fish and shellfish, increasing the proportion of white fish in relation to shellfish for a more economical dish.

Cost: £22

Difficulty rating: Medium

Prep and cooking time: 1 hour

Serves 4

2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil

400ml tin of coconut milk

200ml fish stock or water

2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

2 tsp sugar

125g French beans

100g spring onions

500g firm fish fillets, such as pollack, gurnard or grey mullet, skinned

300g fresh crabmeat – a mix of white and brown, or all white if you prefer

A handful of coriander, Thai basil or ordinary basil leaves, roughly torn

For the curry paste:

2–6 small green chillies, according to heat, de-seeded if you like

3–4 small shallots or 1 small onion, chopped

100g fresh ginger, chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tbsp galangal paste (optional)

3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed, finely sliced

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tbsp ground cumin

Juice and grated zest of 1 lime

4 kaffir lime leaves, chopped (optional)

1 tsp Thai shrimp paste

1 tsp sea salt

400g rice, to serve with the curry

Put all the curry paste ingredients into a food processor or blender and whizz to a fairly smooth paste, adding a tablespoon of water to help it along if necessary.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan, then scrape in the curry paste. fry over a low-medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, without letting it colour. Add the coconut milk, stock or water, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the French beans into 2–3cm lengths and slice the spring onions on the diagonal. Add these to the curry sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Cut the fish fillets into large bite-sized pieces. Add these to the pan, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Stir in the crabmeat and heat through gently for another minute.

Serve in deep bowls, scattered with the coriander or basil, and accompany with boiled rice.

• This recipe will feature in the Fish episode of the new series of River Cottage Every Day, which starts on 23 September at 8pm, Channel 4.

Broad bean frittata by Yotam Ottolenghi

Broad bean frittata, by Yotam Ottolenghi. Photograph: Felix Clay

This is highly nutritious and made mostly from food with a long shelf life.

Cost: £4

Difficulty rating: Medium

Prep and cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves four

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

150g (1 medium) waxy potato eg charlotte or maris peer, peeled and thinly sliced

200g frozen broad beans

6 medium free-range eggs

¾ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric

Pinch of cayenne pepper

20g fresh coriander, chopped

10g fresh mint, chopped

30g grated parmesan, or mature cheese

Salt and black pepper

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a medium (23cm diameter), preferably non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and potato and cook on low-medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is completely brown and sweet and the potatoes are cooked.

Meanwhile, place the broad beans in a small bowl; cover with boiling water for about 10 minutes, then drain.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl for a minute or two. Add the cumin, turmeric, cayenne, coriander, mint, parmesan, ¼ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Finally, stir in with a fork the onion, potato and broad beans.

Wipe clean the frying pan and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When hot add the egg mix, turn down the heat to medium, and cook for about 12 minutes, or until the egg is almost set.

Use a fork to gently release the sides of the frittata from the pan. Place an inverted plate over the pan and carefully turn it over to remove the frittata. Then, slide it back into the pan to finish cooking; 2 minutes should be enough.

Place plate over the pan, and turn over to remove the frittata.

Mushrooms on toast by Stuart Gillies

Mushrooms on toast, by Stuart Gillies. Photograph: Felix Clay

This dish is unbelievably simple to cook and can be eaten either as a light lunch for two or dinner for one. I recommend buying a mixture of field, chestnut and button mushrooms, as it gives the mixture a bit more depth. Cost: £3

Difficulty rating: Very easy

Prep and cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves 1-2

2 shallots, finely chopped

50ml olive oil

400g mushrooms, sliced

4 dessert spoons creme fraiche

Salt and pepper

1 lemon

Handful of chives, chopped

2 thick slices of wholemeal bread

Cook the shallots in the olive oil for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, until soft, but not wet. Add creme fraiche, a pinch of salt and pepper, the grated lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat straight away. The chives can be mixed in once the pan is off the heat.

Serve immediately on hot toasted bread.

Poached autumn fruits in warm sangria by Jason Atherton

Poached autumn fruits in warm sangria, by Jason Atherton. Photograph: Felix Clay

Sangria acquired a poor reputation here in the 70s and 80s, when it was regarded as a cheap thing to drink on holidays in Benidorm. When made properly, however, it tastes fantastic.

Cost: £11

Difficult rating: Very easy

Cooking and prep time: 20 minutes, plus allow 45 minutes for the sangria to infuse

Serves 4

For the sangria:

750ml red wine

200g frozen mixed berries

1 tsp ground coffee

100g caster sugar, or more to taste

For the poached fruit:

2 red plums

1 green apple

1 pear

4 ripe but firm figs

1 vanilla pod, cut in half and split lengthways

Zest of lemon

Zest of orange

For the sangria, put the wine, frozen berries, ground coffee and sugar into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring to encourage the sugar to dissolve, then lower the heat and simmer very gently for 10 minutes while continuing to stir. Take off the heat and set aside for 45 minutes. Then pass the sangria mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing the pulp with the back of a ladle to extract the juice. Pour the liquor back into the pan.

To prepare the fruit, halve and stone the plums, quarter and core the apple and pear, and cut the figs in half.

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add them to the sangria with the empty pod pieces and citrus zest. Bring to a low simmer, then add the fruit. Cook gently for about 8 minutes until just tender. Take off the heat and let cool slightly. Taste for sweetness, adding a bit more sugar if needed. Ladle the fruit and sangria into individual bowls and top with a vanilla pod piece, if you like.

• Jason Atherton is the author of Gourmet Food for a Fiver (Quadrille)

Strawberry pavlova by Gregg Wallace

Strawberry pavlova, by Gregg Wallce. Photograph: Felix Clay for the Guardian

These aren't expensive ingredients and once you have learned to make the meringue you can adapt it to different desserts – fresh fruit, tinned fruit, chocolate.

Cost: £6.50

Difficulty rating: Medium to hard

Prep and cooking: 2 hours

Serves 6

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

250g caster sugar

1 tsp of cornflour

1 tsp of vanilla essence

1 tsp white wine vinegar

For the topping:

700g strawberries, hulled and halved

3 tbsp of icing sugar

350ml double cream

Preheat oven to 150C, 300F, Gas mark 2. On some baking paper, with a pencil, draw round a dinner plate.

Whisk the egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl until they form stiff peaks. Use an electric whisk or a hand-held rotary whisk.

A tablespoon at a time, whisk in the sugar, keep whisking until your meringue looks glossy. Then whisk in the cornflour, vanilla and vinegar.

Spread out the meringue mix inside your paper circle, make the sides slightly higher than the middle. Bake for 1 hour, then let the meringue sit inside until the oven is cool.

Chop up 200g of the strawberries, mix this with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar. Place in a small pan and heat gently so that the sugar melts. Push the warm fruit mixture through a sieve, leave the liquid to cool (you can throw the stuff in the sieve away), then refrigerate.

Whip your double cream with one tablespoon icing sugar. Spread the cream over the centre of the cooled meringue. Put 500g of the strawberries on to the cream and then pour your refrigerated sauce over the top and serve.

• Gregg Wallace is the author of Gregg's Favourite Puddings (Hamlyn)