Five minute lunches? Yes please!

CHILLI TUNA & STUFFED RED CAPSICUM PAPPARDELLE

Fortunately there are now many varieties of fresh pasta available in supermarkets – which only take a few minutes to cook through. They are the perfect choice for getting pasta salads organised in 5 minutes.

You will need 

100 g fresh pappardelle pasta

95 g tin tuna in chilli oil, undrained

4 feta-stuffed baby red capsicums (bell peppers), halved (available from delis) 

Handful of parsley leaves

Red onion & caper dressing, store bought or see recipe below

For the RED ONION & CAPER DRESSING

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 ½ teaspoons baby capers

Method

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes, until cooked, then drain and cool.

Toss with the remaining salad ingredients with salt and pepper to taste, then tip into your lunchbox.

Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.

CHICKEN, MINT & COUSCOUS SALAD

If you wanted to add a few more ingredients to this 5-ingredient salad, you could always throw in a few different types of herbs. Parsley or basil would be good additions, or you could add coriander (cilantro) instead.

You will need 

150 g cooked and cooled couscous

100 g shredded cooked chicken

large handful of roughly torn mint leaves

3 tablespoons currants

Lemon dressing, store-bought or see recipe below

For the LEMON DRESSING

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

Toss the salad ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste, then tip into your lunchbox.

Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.

PERSIAN COUSCOUS SALAD

Moreish dried fruits and nutty pistachios combined with couscous and shredded chicken – what a delight! This hearty couscous-based salad is a feast for the senses.

You will need

150 g cooked and cooled couscous

100 g shredded cooked chicken

70 g diced mixed dried fruits (apricot, cherries, figs)

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Lemon & sumac dressing, store bought or see recipe below

For the LEMON & SUMAC DRESSING

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon finely diced shallot

2 teaspoons chopped mint leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground sumac

Method

Toss the salad ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste, then tip into your lunchbox.

Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.

Recipes extracted from The 5 Minute, 5 Ingredient Lunchbox: Happy, healthy & speedy meals to make in minutes by Alexander Hart (Smith Street Books, £14.99)

Image: © Chris Middleton