Best cheap fakeaway recipes

Feel like you're spending half your Student Loan on takeaways and eating out? We chatted to someone who knows how to recreate your favourite dishes for a fraction of the cost.

Credit: William Murphy - Flickr

Whether you're struggling with deadlines, short on time, drunk, hungover or just fancy treating yourself, fast food can be a godsend. A quick bowl of ramen from Wagamama or a tasty chicken box from KFC can be a lot more appealing than cooking at home.

But, alas, it can also be expensive. While we all deserve a treat now and then, it can create a serious dent in your Student Loan if you're splurging on pricey food every week.

We spoke to Rob Eades to hear his top recipes for fakeaway meals – all for under £2.60 per portion.

Easy fakeaway recipes to make at home

Rob has created a whole load of super easy and simple-to-follow recipes inspired by food from his favourite restaurants and takeaways.

Let's face it, most students aren't exactly Michelin-star chefs, and Rob admits he's certainly no Gordon Ramsay, so his recipes stick to minimal ingredients and easy instructions. Rob told us in 2018:

It's the ease of a pot noodle or pizza that's the big challenge to overcome. I try to do that by keeping my recipes short and simple!

Of course, these dishes aren't going to be exact replicas of those you crave. But they will cost you a lot less, contain fewer calories and taste pretty good too.

Rob's recipes have been a huge hit with students, and his Instagram has garnered such a following that he's now able to make extra cash from his online presence.

I started it just to share what I was doing with other students and it ballooned from there really. It's almost unbelievable whenever brands want to work with me nowadays to be honest. But I'm not complaining…

If you're looking for a way to cut down on your weekly food bill without living off baked beans, recreate your favourite fast food dishes with these five fakeaway ideas...

Wagamama style speedy chicken ramen recipe

• Takeaway – £14
• Fakeaway – £2.37 per portion.

Serves: 4 | Time taken: 14 mins

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts – season first, ideally overnight (£4.42)
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (£0.29)
• 1.5L chicken stock (2 little pots of Knorr) (£0.70)
• 1 tablespoon Very Lazy chopped garlic (£0.15)
• 1 tablespoon garlic granules (£0.18)
• 2 pak choi (£1.40)
• 150g rice noodles (£0.63)
• 150g mushrooms (£0.45)
• 12.5g fresh coriander (£0.16)
• 1 fresh chilli (£0.20)
• 6 spring onions (£0.53)
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce (£0.15)
• 1/2 tablespoon hot chilli powder (£0.08) (leave out if you don't want it too hot)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (£0.15).

Method

Marinade: Mix 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (or chopped fresh lemongrass), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and a sprinkle of pepper. It takes around 2 minutes to prepare, and try to marinate the chicken for 12 hours if you can.

You'll need a wok for the broth and a baking tray to grill the chicken.

1. Boil the kettle with 1.5L of water to start and set the grill to 250°C.
2. Pop the marinated chicken under the grill for 6 and a half minutes on each side.
3. Immediately pop the chicken broth on a medium heat in the wok and roughly chop the coriander, finely chop the chilli into horizontal slices and pop them both in, as well as the garlic granules and hot chilli powder. Leave for 10 minutes to simmer.
4. In the meantime, cut each pak choi in half, chop up the spring onions and slice the mushrooms thinly.
5. Pop the mushrooms, noodles and pak choi into the broth with the other tablespoon soy sauce and a sprinkle of pepper once the broth has been on for 10 minutes.
6. Then take the chicken out of the oven after it's been on for 13 minutes. Slice into even thin pieces and pop them in with the spring onion for 1 more minute.

Serve it up and enjoy.

Pizza Express style Calabrese tortilla pizza recipe

• Takeaway – £17.25
• Fakeaway – £1.45 per portion.

Serves: 1 | Time taken: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1 wholemeal wrap (£0.15)
• 1 large free-range egg (£0.31)
• 1/2 tablespoon chilli flakes (£0.09)
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika (£0.07)
• 20g chorizo (£0.22)
• 25g rocket (£0.33)
• 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup (£0.02)
• 1/2 fresh chilli (£0.15)
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano (£0.11).

Method

You'll need a grill oven, a small frying pan and a tray to place the pizza on.

1. Preheat the grill to 250°C.
2. Finely dice the chorizo and chop the fresh chilli into strips.
3. Evenly spread a tablespoon of ketchup on the tortilla wrap, then evenly spread the chorizo and chilli.
4. Pop the pizza under the grill for 4 minutes.
5. With 1 minute to go, break the egg into a frying pan on a high heat.
6. Take the pizza out, pop the egg in the middle and sprinkle the rocket, followed by the chilli flakes and the oregano.

Voila!

KFC style chicken breasts with sweet potato chips recipe

• Takeaway – £10.67
• Fakeaway – £2.55 per portion.

Serves: 4 | Time taken: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 8 mini frozen corn on the cob (£1.60)
• 4 chicken breasts (£5.19)
• 500g sweet potato (£0.60)
• 300g bread flour (£0.26)
• 2 tablespoon paprika (£0.27)
• 1 tablespoon FryLight oil spray (£0.22)
• 1 tablespoon garlic granules (£0.18)
• 1/2 tablespoon allspice (£0.18)
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano (£0.11)
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley (£0.07)
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary (£0.06)
• 1 tablespoon onion granules (£0.23)
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder (£0.16)
• 1 tablespoon black pepper (£0.16)
• 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence (£0.14)
• 3 free-range eggs (£0.75).

Method

You'll need 2 baking trays (1 for the chips and 1 for the chicken), a large saucepan and a microwave.

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Chop the sweet potato into chips and pop on a baking tray, evenly spray with low cal butter and then sprinkle with salt, pepper and a tablespoon paprika. Pop in the oven for 30 mins – flip halfway.
3. Combine the flour, a tablespoon salt, a tablespoon pepper and the rest of the dried herbs in a bowl for 1 minute.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the 3 eggs together for 1 minute.
5. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthways and dip each in the egg before coating with the batter mixture and leaving for a couple of minutes to dry before spraying lightly with some low-calorie butter (Rob uses FryLight).
6. Pop the chicken in the oven too for 22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
7. In the meantime, boil the kettle with enough water for the corn. Pop the corn on a medium heat for 5 minutes to defrost and slightly cook then drain and leave to dry for a few minutes. 
8. With 4 minutes to go, spray FryLight on each corn and sprinkle salt and pepper. Then pop the corn cobs in the microwave for 4 minutes.

Take the chicken off the heat, the corn out of the microwave and the chips out of the oven, and serve it up!

Fish, chips and fresh mint mushy peas recipe

• Takeaway – Around £9
• Fakeaway – £1.58 per portion.

Serves: 3 | Time taken: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 400g sweet potato (£0.48)
• 500g frozen peas (£0.55)
• 3 frozen cod fillets (£3.14)
• 15g fresh mint (£0.26)
• 1 tablespoon paprika (£0.14)
• 1 slice of brown bread (£0.02)
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley (£0.14).

Method

You'll need a baking tray for the sweet potatoes, a frying pan for the fish and a boiling pot for the peas.

1. Pop the oven on at 220°C.
2. Chop the sweet potatoes into wedges and place them on a baking tray. Evenly spread the paprika, a splash of oil and plenty of salt and pepper over them before throwing them in the oven for 30 minutes. Shake around halfway to stop them from sticking.
3. In the meantime, for the breadcrumbs – put a piece of toast in the toaster for 3 minutes and then blend with a tablespoon of parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Crack an egg into a bowl and whisk thoroughly as if you're going to make scrambled eggs. Lightly brush each piece of fish with egg to make the breadcrumbs stick and then evenly cover all of the fish with breadcrumbs.
5. With 10 minutes to go on the sweet potatoes, put the kettle on with enough water for the peas. Then add a few sprays of oil into a frying pan on medium to high heat and pop all of the fish in, skin-side down. Cook for 5 minutes and then flip for a further minute. Take off the heat with 1 minute left on the sweet potatoes.
6. Once the fish is on, boil the peas for 3 minutes. Chop the fresh mint up. Drain the peas and mash them together with the mint and plenty of salt and pepper.
7. Take the sweet potatoes out.

Serve it up however you like!

Nando's style Peri-Peri 1/4 chicken and rosemary wedges recipe

• Takeaway – £11
• Fakeaway – £1.76 per portion.

Serves: 4 | Time taken: 40 mins

Ingredients

For the Peri-Peri Sauce and Perinaise:

• 4 tablespoon olive oil (£0.47)
• 8 tablespoon lemon juice (£0.38)
• 1 tablespoon Very Lazy chopped garlic (£0.15)
• 1 tablespoon garlic granules (£0.18)
• 1.5 tablespoon paprika (£0.21)
• 1.5 tablespoon cayenne pepper (£0.16)
• 8 tablespoon malt vinegar (£0.07)
• 2 tablespoon honey (£0.09)
• 1 tablespoon salt (£0.02)
• 100g light mayonnaise (£0.24).

For the Quarter Chicken & Wedges:

• 1kg chicken thighs (£3.30)
• 800g potatoes (£0.56)
• 500g frozen peas (£0.55)
• 15g fresh mint (£0.26)
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice (£0.10)
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary (£0.12)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (£0.11)
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (£0.06) – optional.

Method

You'll need a baking tray and mixing bowl for the rosemary chips, another baking tray for the chicken and a saucepan for the peas.

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Throw together all of the Peri-Peri ingredients and lather 2/3 of it on the chicken. Ideally, leave to marinate for a couple of hours at least.
3. Chop the potato into chips and pop them in a bowl, evenly cover with a tablespoon olive oil, a tablespoon dried rosemary and plenty of salt and pepper. Spread evenly across a baking tray, and put the chicken and wedges in the oven for 35 minutes.
4. While they cook, make the Peri Peri mayo by mixing together 100g of light mayonnaise and a quarter of the Peri-Peri sauce.
5. With 10 minutes left on the chicken and chips, boil the kettle with enough water for 500g of frozen peas. Boil for 4 minutes before draining. While they boil, chop up the mint.
6. Once the peas go on, put the grill on at 250ºC and get the chicken under the grill to crispen up the skin for 4 minutes.
7. Take everything off the heat. When drained, pour the peas back into the saucepan and add the mint, a tablespoon lemon juice, teaspoon chilli flakes (if you like spice) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, before stirring thoroughly.

Serve it all up and drizzle the rest of the Peri-Peri sauce over the chicken. Enjoy!

Recreating meals is just one of many ways you can save money on takeaways.

Of course, we're not saying these recipes will be the exact double of their restaurant equivalents. They will, however, save you a LOT of money.

If you want more of Rob's student budget-friendly recipes, head over to his Instagram where you'll find countless tasty dishes and top tips on how to bag bargain ingredients.

And the next time you're tempted to order a Domino's, think about whether you could make a pretty decent imitation at home first.

We know that students living off baked beans is an old-fashioned stereotype – but that doesn't mean these unique baked beans recipes aren't delicious!

* Prices are correct at the time of writing (using Tesco.com and Sainsburys.co.uk prices as guidelines).