16 budget Coronation menu ideas

Recipe: Coronation quiche

2. Coronation hummus

This vegan Coronation hummus combines the two picnic favourites of creamy coronation and hummus. Play around with the toppings and switch out pomegranate and nigella seeds, for sultanas and toasted sunflower seeds, or whatever you have in the cupboard. Serve with a colourful selection of veg for dipping.

Recipe: Coronation hummus

3. Peanut lime salad

Make this punchy peanut lime salad as a sharing platter. Inspired by South Indian lemon rice, it has the added crunch from lettuce and cucumber, plus aroma and bite from curry leaves and peanuts. Whether you enjoy it on its own or with sides, this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that you’ll want to make again.

Recipe: Peanut lime salad

4. Roasted carrot & whipped feta tart

Make the most of budget-friendly carrots with this beautifully photogenic tart. If you don’t have walnuts, use any nuts you have at home for the pesto garnish, then store any leftover pesto in ice cube trays for up to three months.

Recipe: Roasted carrot & whipped feta tart

5. Aubergine & chickpea stew

Dig out the slow cooker to make this healthy stew. Topped with toasted pine nuts and served with flatbreads, it makes a wonderfully nutritious vegan meal. Dial up the spices if you like more flavour, or switch out the aubergine for sweet potato if that’s a cheaper and more available option.

Recipe: Aubergine & chickpea stew

Budget meat & fish recipe ideas

6. Pulled pork tacos with pineapple salsa

Put your slow cooker to good use with sweet and smoky pulled pork, using budget-friendly pork shoulder. If you don’t have a slow cooker, use a lidded ovenproof dish and cook it on a very low setting for 4 hours. Pile the shredded pork into taco shells with shredded red cabbage, soured cream and a lip-smacking pineapple salsa.

Recipe: Pulled pork tacos with pineapple salsa

7. One-pot braised lamb breast

If you love a lamb centrepiece but can’t justify the price of a premium cut, this fork-tender lamb recipe will help keep costs down while still delivering a big sense of occasion. This rolled lamb breast, stuffed with garlic, rosemary and lemon zest, is served with a bright, fresh mint sauce.

Recipe: One-pot braised lamb breast

8. Lemon & herb chicken traybake with butter beans & potato wedges

Chicken thighs are a go-to ingredient when it comes to feeding a crowd. This traybake makes for effortless entertaining, with tomatoes, butter beans and chicken on one tray, and potato wedges on a separate one, all in the oven at the same time.

Recipe: Lemon & herb chicken traybake with butter beans & potato wedges

9. Easy-to-scale cheesy fish pie with kale

This crowd-pleasing fish pie has spring flavours of kale, peas and spring onion. Buying a bag of frozen fish pie mix can be cheaper than buying fresh. This is a great recipe to double or quadruple, and can be frozen unbaked if you want to get ahead.

Recipe: Easy-to-scale cheesy fish pie with kale

10. Sardine pasta with crunchy parsley crumbs

Crunchy, garlicky, parmesan and parsley breadcrumbs lift this pasta dish to the next level. You’ll love the speedy sauce made with canned sardines, sliced black olives and passata, which leaves you with very little washing-up. This recipe can also be easily doubled or tripled.

Recipe: Sardine pasta with crunchy parsley crumbs

11. One-pan pulled beef brisket

Tom Kerridge seasons his brisket with spices, chilli, sugar and vinegar, then cooks it low and slow for a tender and flavourful result. You can either buy brisket in one neat piece or a couple of pieces tied together – either way, you’ll have a cut of beef that makes feeding a crowd affordable.

Recipe: One-pan pulled beef brisket

Budget dessert recipe ideas

12. Giant fondant fancy cake

This beautiful nostalgic bake serves 15-18 people, making it a winning option for a street party or big lunch. Use different jams or curds you might already have to keep costs down and personalise your favourite fancy.

Recipe: Giant fondant fancy cake

13. Slow-cooker sticky toffee pudding

Leave this slow-cooker sticky toffee pudding cooking all day, so it’s ready to serve in the evening with ice cream. Rich and indulgent, it's the ultimate comforting dessert, especially if there’s still a chill in the air.

Recipe: Slow-cooker sticky toffee pudding

14. Dorset apple cake

The flavour combination of apple, cinnamon and sultanas makes this a winning regional bake. If you can’t find Bramley or Granny Smith apples, any other apple variety will work. As it's made with just one egg, this is a more affordable cake than most. The demerara sugar top has a delicious, crisp texture.

Recipe: Dorset apple cake

15. Battenberg blondies

Think Battenberg cake with a modern twist. Golden marzipan is swirled into a marbled blondie mix to give you the best of both worlds. Cut this batch of blondies into 25 - plenty to share and some to save for later.

Recipe: Battenberg blondies

16. Lemon drizzle sponge pudding

This is an excellent dessert for feeding a crowd. Transform a classic lemon drizzle cake into a self-saucing pud for an affordable, comforting dessert. The double lemon in the sponge and in the drizzle delivers a fresh, spring-like flavour hit.

Recipe: Lemon drizzle sponge pudding

For more Coronation recipe ideas head over to the Coronation recipe collection.

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