If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the best kind of cooking involves the least amount of washing up. Enter the traybake – the weeknight hero, the lazy Sunday saviour, the dish that demands minimal effort but delivers maximum reward. Whether it’s bubbling with coconut and lime, glistening with roast veg, or topped with molten cheese, there’s something deeply satisfying about sliding a single tin into the oven and letting it do all the work.
From Mary Berry’s fragrant Thai-style chicken to Ella Mills’s cauliflower and cashew pilaf, layered with golden spices and sweet sultanas; Rukmini Iyer’s coconut-crumbed salmon with a zesty chilli kick; and Joe Wicks’s sausage and sweet potato bake – all proof that convenience can still taste like care.
And it’s not just savoury that shines here. Paul Hollywood’s coconut and passion fruit traybake brings sunshine to the table, while Jamie Oliver’s chocolate party cake might just be the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Each recipe shares the same philosophy: fewer pans, more pleasure. So whether you’re after a quick supper fix or something to feed a crowd, grab a roasting tin and get stuck in – dinner (and dessert) really can be this easy.
