7 Best Beef Recipes From Jamie Oliver’s 15-Minute Meals Cookbook

Looking for a delicious beef dinner that’s ready in a flash? We’ve pulled together seven of the best recipes from Jamie Oliver’s 15-Minute Meals cookbook. From spicy meatballs and classic burgers to sizzling steaks and rich curries, these meals are packed with flavour and designed to be on your table in about 15 minutes.

1. Speedy Chilli con Carne Meatballs

Enjoy all the flavour of a classic chilli con carne but in the form of tender, spicy meatballs. Served in a rich tomato sauce with fluffy bulgur wheat, this is a perfect weeknight meal.

SERVES 4 | 437 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Bulgur Wheat: 1 mug (300g) of bulgur wheat, 1 preserved lemon, 1 cinnamon stick.
• Meatballs & Sauce: 400g lean beef mince, 1 heaped tsp garam masala, olive oil, 3 jarred red peppers, 4 spring onions, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 700g passata, 1 bunch of fresh coriander, 1 tin (400g) of red kidney beans, 1 pinch of cumin seeds, 4 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt, 1 lime.
• To Serve: 4 fresh chillies.

How to Make It:

1. First, cook the bulgur wheat. Add 1 mug of it to a medium pan with 2 mugs of boiling water, the preserved lemon, and a cinnamon stick. Cover and let it cook, stirring every so often.
2. In a bowl, mix the beef mince with salt, pepper, and garam masala. Shape the mixture into 16 small meatballs. Add them to a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook, tossing them regularly until browned.
3. While the meatballs cook, make the sauce. Blend the jarred peppers, half of the spring onions, paprika, passata, and half of the coriander in a liquidizer until smooth. Pour this into a separate frying pan and bring to a high heat.
4. Place the whole chillies under a hot grill to blacken all over.
5. Add the drained kidney beans and cumin seeds to the meatball pan and stir. Transfer the meatballs into the sauce pan, leaving the beans behind for now.
6. Stir the beans into the sauce with the meatballs.
7. To serve, remove the cinnamon stick from the bulgur wheat and mash the soft lemon into it. Serve the bulgur topped with the meatball sauce, a dollop of yoghurt, the grilled chillies, and the remaining fresh coriander and spring onions.

2. Classic British Beef Burgers with Shredded Salad

Whip up juicy, homemade beef burgers served in warm wholewheat buns with a fresh and crunchy shredded salad on the side.

SERVES 4 | 532 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Burgers: 500g lean beef mince, 1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 splash of beer or ale, olive oil, 4 wholewheat baps, 2 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt, Worcestershire sauce, 1 ripe beef tomato, 2–4 gherkins, ketchup.
• Salad: 2 carrots, ¼ of a white cabbage, 1 pear, 1 small red onion, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 70g rocket.

How to Make It:

1. In a bowl, mix the beef mince with salt, pepper, mustard, and beer. Form the mixture into 4 patties, each about 1 inch thick.
2. Cook the burgers in a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, pressing down on them with a spatula. Turn them when they are golden and crispy.
3. Warm the baps in a low oven. While they warm, mix the yoghurt with a splash of Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.
4. Prepare the salad. Shred the carrots, cabbage, pear, and red onion using a food processor. In a serving bowl, whisk the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, then toss with the shredded vegetables and rocket.
5. Slice the tomato and gherkins.
6. To serve, slice the warm baps, spread with ketchup, and top with a tomato slice and a burger. Let everyone build their own burger at the table with the salad, pickles, and yoghurt sauce.

3. Quick Beef Stroganoff with Fluffy Rice

A rich and creamy beef stroganoff made with tender sirloin steak and mushrooms, served over fluffy rice with a tangy red onion and parsley pickle.

SERVES 4 | 625 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 mug (300g) of wholegrain or basmati rice, ½ a bunch of fresh thyme, 200g baby spinach.
• Pickle: 2 small red onions, 1 handful of gherkins, 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley.
• Stroganoff: 300g mixed mushrooms, olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 sirloin steaks (200g each), 1 heaped tsp sweet paprika, 1 lemon, 1 splash of brandy, 4 heaped tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt, 1 splash of semi-skimmed milk.

How to Make It:

1. Cook the rice by putting 1 mug of rice, 2 mugs of boiling water, thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a medium pan. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally.
2. Make the pickle by finely slicing the red onions and gherkins in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl, add the chopped parsley, a splash of gherkin vinegar, and a pinch of salt, then mix well.
3. Slice the mushrooms and fry them in a large pan with 2 tablespoons of oil and crushed garlic. Add two-thirds of the pickle and continue to stir.
4. Slice the steaks into 1cm thick strips and toss them with salt, pepper, paprika, and finely grated lemon zest.
5. Move the cooked mushrooms to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and cook the steak strips until golden.
6. Add the spinach to the rice pan to wilt.
7. Return the mushrooms to the steak pan. Add the brandy, yoghurt, and milk, and bring everything to a boil.
8. Serve the stroganoff over the rice and spinach, topped with the remaining fresh pickle.

4. Sizzling Hoisin Steak & Prawn Noodle Bowls

A fantastic Asian-inspired dish with sizzling beef steak, juicy prawns, and noodles all tossed in a sweet and savoury hoisin sauce.

SERVES 4 | 653 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Bowls: 2 tbsp peanuts, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 fresh red chilli, 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, 2 spring onions, 1 bunch of fresh coriander, 4 nests of egg noodles, 2 cloves of garlic, 100g raw peeled tiger prawns, 80g beansprouts, 4 tbsp hoi sin sauce, 2 tbsp low-salt soy sauce, 2 limes, 1 romaine lettuce, 4 radishes, 1 punnet of cress.
• Beef: 2 sirloin steaks (200g each), 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 250g oyster mushrooms.

How to Make It:

1. Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in a dry wok until golden, then set them aside.
2. Rub the steaks with salt, pepper, and five-spice. Cook them in a large frying pan with half the sesame oil, turning every minute. Add the mushrooms to the pan after a couple of minutes.
3. Cook the egg noodles in a pan of boiling salted water.
4. While the noodles cook, finely chop the chilli, ginger, spring onions, and half the coriander in a food processor.
5. In the hot wok, add the remaining sesame oil, the chopped vegetable mix, and crushed garlic. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the prawns and beansprouts and toss for another minute.
6. Stir in the hoi sin sauce, soy sauce, juice of 1 lime, and the rest of the coriander leaves.
7. Drain the noodles and add them directly to the wok, tossing everything together.
8. Slice the cooked steak. Serve the noodles in bowls, topped with the steak, mushrooms, fresh lettuce, radishes, and cress. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts and seeds and serve with lime wedges.

5. Beef Kofta Curry with Coconut Sauce

Flavourful beef koftas (meatballs shaped like fingers) simmered in a creamy and aromatic coconut curry sauce, served with fluffy rice and poppadoms.

SERVES 4 | 706 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Curry: 1 pack (250g) of cooked Puy lentils, 1 heaped tsp garam masala, 400g lean beef mince, olive oil, 3 ripe tomatoes, 1 piece of ginger, 2 spring onions, 1 fresh red chilli, 1 bunch of fresh coriander, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp runny honey, 2 heaped tsp rogan josh curry paste, ½ a tin of light coconut milk, 4 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt, 1 lemon.
• Rice: 1 mug (300g) of wholegrain or basmati rice, 5 cardamom pods, 200g green or yellow beans, 200g frozen peas, 2 uncooked poppadoms.

How to Make It:

1. In a bowl, mix the lentils, salt, pepper, garam masala, and beef mince. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 12 fat “fingers” or koftas.
2. Fry the koftas in a large pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, turning until golden on all sides.
3. Meanwhile, cook the rice by adding 1 mug of rice, 2 mugs of boiling water, and the cardamom pods to a casserole pan. Add the beans, cover, and cook.
4. Make the curry sauce by blending the tomatoes, ginger, spring onions, half the chilli, coriander stalks, turmeric, honey, curry paste, and coconut milk until smooth.
5. Pour the sauce into the pan with the golden koftas, bring to a boil, and then simmer.
6. Add the peas to the rice pan and cook for a few more minutes.
7. To make puffed poppadoms, break them up and microwave for a minute or two.
8. Serve the curry scattered with the remaining fresh chilli and coriander, a dollop of yoghurt, and lemon wedges, with the rice and poppadoms on the side.

6. Seared Asian Steak with Noodle Salad

A light and refreshing meal featuring perfectly seared rump steak served over a vibrant rice noodle salad with a zesty pickled ginger dressing.

SERVES 4 | 585 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Salad: 50g cashew nuts, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 200g fine rice noodles, 1 romaine lettuce, 1 large carrot, 1 bunch of radishes, ½ a cucumber, 1 big bunch of fresh coriander, 3 spring onions, 1 punnet of cress, 1 pack of alfalfa sprouts.
• Steak: 1 rump steak (450g), 2 tsp Chinese five-spice, olive oil.
• Dressing: 1 pack (105g) of pickled ginger, 2 limes, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, ½ a fresh red chilli.

How to Make It:

1. Toast the cashews, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until golden, then set aside.
2. Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of boiling salted water until soft.
3. Rub the steak with salt, pepper, and five-spice. Cook it in the hot frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, turning every minute until it’s cooked to your liking.
4. To make the dressing, mix the pickled ginger (and its juice), the juice of 1 to 2 limes, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and finely sliced chilli in a bowl.
5. Assemble the salad on a large board by scattering the lettuce leaves, grated carrot, halved radishes, chopped cucumber, coriander, and sliced spring onions. Top with cress and alfalfa sprouts.
6. Drain the noodles well and add them to the board.
7. Once the steak has rested for a moment, slice it and place it on top of the salad. Pour over any resting juices.
8. Serve the salad with the toasted nuts scattered over and the dressing on the side.

7. Grilled Steak with Quick Ratatouille

A taste of the Mediterranean with a juicy grilled sirloin steak served alongside a quick and hearty ratatouille and fragrant saffron rice.

SERVES 4 | 593 CALORIES

Ingredients:

• Ratatouille: 1 courgette, 1 small aubergine, 2 mixed-colour peppers, 1 red onion, 1 heaped tsp harissa, 2 anchovy fillets, 2–4 cloves of garlic, 700g passata, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, ½ a bunch of fresh basil, 2 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt.
• Rice: 1 mug (300g) of wholegrain or basmati rice, 1 pinch of saffron, ½ a lemon.
• Steaks: 2 sirloin steaks (250g each), 1 tsp sweet paprika, olive oil, ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

How to Make It:

1. Slice the courgette and aubergine and place them on a hot griddle pan, turning when charred.
2. Cook the rice by adding 1 mug of rice, 2 mugs of boiling water, the saffron, half a lemon, and a pinch of salt to a small pan. Cover and let it cook until fluffy.
3. While the rice cooks, chop the peppers and onion and add them to a casserole pan with harissa, anchovies, and crushed garlic. Stir regularly.
4. Chop the charred courgette and aubergine and add them to the casserole pan along with the passata and vinegar. Bring to a boil with the lid on.
5. Rub the steaks with salt, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Grill them on the hot griddle pan, turning every minute until cooked to your liking.
6. On a board, mix the finely chopped parsley, mustard, and extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze over some lemon juice to create a dressing.
7. When the steaks are done, place them on the board and turn them in the dressing before slicing.
8. Stir fresh basil into the ratatouille. Serve the sliced steak with the ratatouille, saffron rice, and a dollop of yoghurt.