Aldi has just been named Australia’s favourite supermarket, six years in a row! So why not make your next work lunch that’s cheap and fresh… instead of feeling icky after buying an expensive greasy meal.
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Here are five healthy lunch recipes (that aren’t salad) from Aldi, without breaking the bank or your taste buds.
1. Ratatouille
Prep: 15 Minutes – Cook: 35 Minutes – Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Eggplant
1 Sweet Capsicum
1 Green Capsicum
1 Zucchini
2 Red Onions
3 Garlic Cloves (peeled and finely chopped)
400g Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
2 tsp Pesto
1 tsp Basil
2 tsp Paprika
80ml Olive Oil
Salt and Black Pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Chop the capsicums in half, then into medium size chunks and remove any seeds.
- Chop the eggplant, zucchini and onions into similar size pieces.
- Then place all the chopped vegetables into a large roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Place the chopped tin tomatoes, paprika, pesto, garlic and basil into a large saucepan.
- Add the cooked vegetables, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and heat gently.
- Serve either as a side dish, or with some crusty baked bread.
Alternatively, transfer the ratatouille to a large baking dish, crack four eggs over the top and bake in the oven for 10 minutes (or until the eggs are set.)
2. Grilled salmon skewers with lime
Prep: 25 Minutes – Cook: 10 Minutes – Serves 4
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets (2 packs, defrosted) cut into 2-3cm cubes.
1 pot mint, roughly chopped
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
Pinch or 2 of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
For the dipping sauce
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
115g smooth peanut butter
5-6 tbsp water
1 pot fresh coriander, chopped
2-3 spring onions, finely chopped
Instant noodles
Method
- Place the salmon cubes free of skin and bone onto four skewers.
- Place the mint, zest and lime juice, sugar, pepper, salt and oil together in a bowl, mix really well.
- Place the salmon skewers onto a plate or stainless steel tray, then pour over the mixture and coat well, leave to marinate.
- Next, make the sauce by heating the two tbsp of olive oil, and then adding the onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and cook for five to eight minutes to soften.
- Add the vinegar, peanut butter to the pan, mix well and warm through off the stove, add the chopped coriander and the spring onions and add enough water to make a thick sauce.
- When ready to cook, remove the skewers from the marinade, and pat really dry on kitchen towel.
- Heat a barbecue or hot non stick frying pan, if using a barbecue, before heating lightly oil the bars with kitchen towel dipped in a little oil, also lightly oil the marinated salmon. This will stop them sticking.
- Cook the salmon skewers for three to four minutes on each side.
- Serve with instant noodles and the dip on the side.
3. Zucchini pancakes with capsicum salsa
Prep: 10 Minutes – Cook: 10 Minutes – Serves 2
Ingredients
2 Zucchinis
2 Spring Onions (sliced)
100g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
Sunflower Oil (to cook)
1 pack Mini Capsicums (cored and sliced into small cubes)
100g Cherry Tomatoes (quartered)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Red Chilli (seeds removed, finely diced)
½ Lime (juiced)
7g fresh Coriander
Method
- Pan fry the capsicums in olive oil.
- When softened, add the chilli and tomatoes along with the lime juice, coriander and leave to reduce while you make the pancakes.
- Grate the zucchinis and place in a bowl with the sliced spring onions.
- Add the flour, baking powder and seasonings and mix.
- Leave the mix for five minutes. The natural water in the zucchinis will make the batter moist. If necessary, add a teaspoon of water.
- Heat a frying pan with two to three tsps of oil whilst spooning the pancake batter into the pan.
- Fry for 5 minutes until golden and then flip over and cook for two to three more minutes.
- Serve with the red capsicum salsa and some coriander over the top.
4. Curried sea bass with turmeric rice
Prep: 10 Minutes – Cook: 25 Minutes – Serves 2
Ingredients
2 packs Sea Bass Fillets
1 x 400ml tin Coconut Milk
50g Korma Spice Paste
½ tsp Ground Ginger
2 Spring Onions
1 tsp Paprika
150g Basmati Rice
400ml Boiling Water
½ tsp Turmeric
Black Pepper and Sea Salt
Fresh Coriander Leaves and a squeeze of fresh Lime Juice to garnish
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
- With a sharp knife, skin the sea bass fillets and discard the skin.
- Put the rice in a small saucepan with the turmeric, season with some salt and black pepper and pour over the boiling water. Cover the rice and cook on a low heat for four minutes. Turn off the heat, but don’t take the lid off, allowing the rice to cook in the steam while you cook the fish.
- Trim and wash the spring onions then slice thinly. Put the spring onion slices, coconut milk, korma spice paste, ground ginger and paprika into a small saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring as you cook.
- Put the sea bass fillets into a small baking dish, curl them into a roll. Pour over the curry sauce and bake in the oven for fifteen minutes.
- Serve with some sugar snap peas and tender stem broccoli – steam them over some water with a generous squeeze of lime juice.
- Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
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5. Pancetta, tomato and spinach frittata
Prep: 10 Minutes – Cook: 15 Minutes – Serves 4
70g Smoked Pancetta Strips
1 Medium Red Onion
6 Medium Eggs
70g Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
150g Baby Plum Tomatoes
60g Grated Mature Cheddar Cheese
1 Red Capsicum
12ml Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1 x 20cm Heavy Based Frying Pan
Method
- Pre-heat the grill to high.
- Whisk the eggs together and season with a little salt and some black pepper then stir in the grated cheese.
- Peel, half and thinly slice the red onion.
- Slice and dice the red capsicum
- Chop the pancetta into strips.
- Cut the tomatoes in half.
- Sauté the pancetta, pepper and the red onion in the olive oil for five minutes until the pancetta is browned and the pepper and onion softened.
- Add the tomato halves and the spinach leaves.
- Cook stirring till the spinach has wilted.
- Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pancetta mixture in the pan.
- Lift and tilt the pan to spread the egg mixture evenly.
- Cook gently for about five minutes until the egg has set.
- Put the pan under the grill for three to four mins to set the top.
- Allow to cool then cut into wedges.
- Refrigerate for up to two days.
- Can be served warm with beetroot, carrot and cucumber.
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What’s your go-to lunch recipe? We hope this has given you inspiration so you have a little variety in your work lunches!
Your co-workers are going to be so jealous at your delicious and nutritious food from Aldi…
