The Cookaway recipe box review

The Cookaway recipe choices

The Cookaway is unique in format compared to other recipe boxes. There are over 180 recipes to choose from and these are divided by cuisine, with nine to choose from including Indian, Greek, Pakistani, Malaysian and Spanish. You can also filter by type or occasion (e.g. dinner party, festive, date night).

The menus are all created by chefs who are experts in their cuisine, so you’re getting professional recipes and experiences.

How many recipes do you get with The Cookaway?

The Cookaway isn’t a subscription model, so instead you choose one box that includes a main dish and an accompaniment. You can also choose to purchase add-ons to your box with more sides, dessert or wine. While most choices will be a main and a side, the exact amount of recipes you receive could vary depending on your choice – for example the Greek brunch box contains 5 small dishes to make a sharing brunch feast.

You can choose whether your box is for 2 or 4 people and on some recipes we also noticed being able to specify if you want halal meat.

What are the first impressions of the delivery? How much packaging is there?

Our delivery was in a compact cardboard box and packaging didn't feel excessive. Ingredients inside were bundled into paper bags together, where possible, to make it clear to know what ingredient was for each dish. Our chicken stayed cool and tightly sealed in its own coolbag packaging, while loose veg was together in brown paper bags to protect it. All the ingredients felt fresh and good quality with nothing being damaged.

Everything you need is included, right down to salt, and we were impressed by the generous 100ml bottle of olive oil when only 1 tbsp or so was required. There are also recipe cards with more context of the recipe you'll be making, as well as the A4 step-by-step (with pictures) recipe cards themselves.

What are the delivery options like?

The minimum delivery time is 48 hours (e.g. if ordering on a Tuesday, the earliest you can get delivery is Thursday). Standard delivery is free, or you can opt for premium by 12pm delivery for £5. Our box was left on our doorstep so you don’t have to worry about being in. Delivery is available Tuesday-Saturday, with fish menus being Wednesday-Saturday.

Does it offer good value for money?

The Cookaway is undoubtedly more expensive than other recipe boxes that we tried. Our box for two was £40, which did feel expensive at £20 per portion for pasta and chicken. A box for four is better value at £60, but still feels pricey in comparison to either eating out and especially compared to cooking this dish from scratch yourself. Other recipes on the site we saw were much cheaper, such as a pork souvlaki kit with tzatziki, chips and pita for £28 – so it may be a case of careful choosing to get the most value for money.

It's clear that the higher prices here reflect the more one-off nature of these boxes: they are a cooking experience to do together as a couple or a group, rather than an everyday midweek shortcut. You're also clearly paying for the expertise of the chefs to create the menus and pass on their knowledge.

How easy are the recipes?

We tried out recipes from the Greek menu choices – trying a chicken pastitsada with an orange and fig mixed leaf salad.

There was lots in here new to us: we hadn’t tried a pastitsada before (which we discovered is a traditional dish in Corfu) , or seen the nutty graviera Greek cheese and hilopites pasta shape that were key ingredients included in the kit. It was great to learn new things and we were big fans of the cheese, which we'd definitely look out for again.

The recipe itself was simple and the steps were clear. We'd recommend reading the recipe thoroughly first, as some ingredients are divided between different steps or elements so you don't want to chuck everything in at once. Pastitsada is traditionally a beef stew, but this simple chicken version makes it an easy midweek meal. The chicken was roasted in a spice paste (provided in a jar) and served with a spiced tomato sauce and the pasta took just 5 minutes to boil. Some of the method was unusual – such as pan-frying the chicken before marinating it – and we would do things slightly simpler if making this dish again, but the steps were not hard.

What were the finished recipes like?

Our box was to serve 2 and the portions were impressively generous, with plenty of tomato sauce on our pasta – we even saved some to make a third meal. The flavours worked well together for a hearty meal and we liked the hit of lemon in the marinade.

We enjoyed the orange and fig salad along with it as a change from plain greens and this salad was a combination we'd use again. It's a simple way to give meals a boost.

Who would the product be most useful for?

The Cookaway is great for someone getting into cooking and looking to expand their repertoire, but lacks the confidence to go it alone. The recipes aren’t necessarily complicated, they’re just lesser known, so are a great way to try new dishes, techniques and flavours. When ordering, there’s also the ability to give it as a gift, if you think you know someone this would be suitable for.

What’s your favourite thing about The Cookaway?

It was a great way to learn more about a cuisine beyond the famous favourites you may know.

Order your first box from The Cookaway.