Recreate the UK's top takeaways at home

We are currently living through the age of 'one-click away', where we can hop on our phones and order pretty much anything directly to us. With most takeaways, the food you've ordered will even arrive within the hour! But convenience comes at a price - takeaways are the most expensive they've ever been and frequently ordering them is no good for your health. That's why fakeaways are the tasty solution to your fast food cravings.

Deliveroo recently published the UK's top trending dishes and we are going to show you exactly how you can cook up your very own fakeaway versions of each dish landing in the top 10. In second place is a dish no one saw coming... the healthy (and very affordable) butterbean braise!

Ingredients

• 2 cans of butterbeans (400g each), drained and rinsed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 400g canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary (or a mix)
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

1. Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until softened and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Add the diced carrot and bell pepper, cooking for another 5 minutes until they start to soften.

2. Add the beans and seasonings: Stir in the smoked paprika and dried herbs, coating the vegetables well. Add the butterbeans and canned tomatoes, mixing thoroughly.

3. Simmer the braise: Pour in the vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cover. Let it cook gently for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the flavours have melded together.

4. Garnish and serve: Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with rice.

Approximate cost & savings

As of April 2024

Atis butterbean braise (London-based) - £9.50 (for one serving)
Fakeaway butterbean braise - £6.05 (for four servings)

• Butterbeans (2 cans, 400g each): £0.85 - £1.00 per can, totaling approximately £1.70 - £2.00.
• Large Onion: £0.22 - £0.30.
• Garlic (2 cloves): Around £0.10 - £0.20, assuming you buy a whole bulb and use a fraction.
• Carrot: £0.10 - £0.20.
• Red Bell Pepper: £0.50 - £0.75.
• Canned Chopped Tomatoes (400g): £0.35 - £0.60.
• Smoked Paprika: Assuming you already have this, the marginal cost is minimal, let's estimate £0.05 - £0.10.
• Dried Thyme or Rosemary: Similarly minimal, around £0.05 - £0.10.
• Vegetable Stock: Using a stock cube or homemade stock, around £0.30 - £0.50 for 200ml.
• Olive Oil: Minimal, assuming it's already in your pantry, around £0.10 - £0.20.
• Fresh Parsley: £0.70 - £0.85 for a bunch, with leftovers for other uses.

Total estimated savings: £8.00 (for one serving)

This is an approximate cost breakdown based on generic supermarket prices in the UK. Prices can vary based on the store, brand, and quality of ingredients. Keep in mind that prices can fluctuate and specials or bulk purchases can reduce costs.

This might be our cheapest recipe yet! Keep checking back for more recipes that recreate your favourite takeaways.