No matter what your go-to takeaway is, most of us enjoy ordering in from time to time. But, while takeaways can be a real treat on nights you don’t feel like cooking, they aren’t the healthiest option (or the cheapest!).
However, the good news is that it’s entirely possible to create your favourite takeaway dishes at home and enjoy them as part of a healthy diet. You’ll be able to add plenty of fresh vegetables, buy leaner cuts of meat, and choose healthier cooking methods – and you won’t have to forgo on flavour either!
With that said, here are nine healthy and satisfying fakeaway recipes to try.
1. Tortilla pizza
Pizza was voted Britain’s most popular takeaway in 2023, but with heapings of gooey cheese, salt, and high-calorie dips, it isn’t the most nutritional meal. So, next time you’re craving your favourite pizza, why not make one with a tortilla base instead?
If you love thin, Romana-style pizzas, you’ll be satisfied; the tortilla crisps up beautifully in the oven to provide a crunchy base, with the added bonus of being lower in salt and fat than regular dough. Alternatively, flatbread, pitta bread, or naan bread bases work equally well – and for maximum health points, you could choose a wholemeal version. Whole foods are great sources of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Tortilla pizzas are also quick, easy, and fun to make! Instead of waiting 40 minutes for your dinner to arrive, you’ll have a delicious pizza ready to eat in 15 minutes. As for toppings, you can use whatever you’d like; just make sure to add some fresh vegetables and a form of protein.
To make a tortilla pizza, try this recipe from Skinny Fitalicious which is topped with spinach, mushrooms, and turkey pepperoni.
2. Mushroom and chickpea burgers
Few people don’t enjoy tucking into a juicy burger and, thankfully, there are several ways to make a healthier version. For example, you can swap the bun for lettuce or a portobello mushroom, use fish or turkey instead of beef, or simply grill the burger instead of frying it.
Plant-based burgers, like these mushroom and chickpea ones from BBC Good Food, are another good option. Typically lower in saturated fat than beef burgers, they’re worth considering if you’re watching your cholesterol levels. They’re also moreish, satisfying, and high in protein and fibre. Plus, you can batch-cook and freeze them.
Chickpeas are nutritional powerhouses; they’re packed with vitamins and minerals like manganese, iron, copper, and zinc and have been linked to improved heart health and reduced inflammation.
Pair your burger with healthy sides like sweet potato wedges (which tend to be more nutritious than regular chips), salad, roasted vegetables, or grilled corn. And if mushroom and chickpea burgers aren’t for you, you can browse other healthy burger recipes on the BBC Good Food website.
3. Doner kebab
For many of us, ordering a doner kebab might be a bit of a guilty secret. However, it’s surprisingly easy to make a healthier version at home (that’s just as tasty!).
For starters, it’s best to use wholemeal pitta bread, which will be soft, fluffy, and hold everything together well. Next, consider your protein. While a takeaway kebab tends to use cuts of fatty meats, you can use leaner cuts of lamb or chicken breast which are lower in saturated fat.
Another benefit of a homemade kebab is that you’ll have control over the sauces. Dips can be surprisingly calorific, so you can make healthy swaps like using ‘No Added Sugar and Salt’ ketchup rather than Heinz Original, or low-fat yoghurt rather than full-fat.
If you think you’d enjoy this fakeaway, try this doner kebab recipe from BBC Good Food – your pitta will be heaped with fresh, crunchy vegetables and tender strips of lamb. It’s also easy to make a vegetarian version; simply swap the lamb for halloumi, tofu, or mock meat. For more inspiration, check out these vegetarian kebab recipes.
4. Sweet and sour chicken
A Chinese takeaway can be a real crowd-pleaser and, for many of us, sweet and sour chicken is the star of the show. Sweet chunks of pineapple are coated in a glossy sauce while succulent bites of chicken contrast colourful stir-fried peppers and onions.
To help you dodge the takeaways, you could try The Hairy Bikers’ sweet and sour chicken recipe. It’s tangy, filling, and contains just 0.1g salt per portion.
As well as being tasty and refreshing, pineapple is highly nutritious and can benefit heart and bone health. To learn more, check out our article; 13 health benefits of pineapple.
For the full Chinese takeaway experience, why not whip up some accompanying sides? These stir-fried garlic green beans from BBC Good Food are simple but flavoursome, and these baked spring rolls from Sainsbury’s are perfectly crispy (and healthier than deep-fried versions).
5. Fish and chips
What’s more British than heading to your local chippy for fish and chips on a Friday night? While fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and antioxidants, the deep-frying process, along with generous portion sizes and lashings of salt, offsets the nutritional benefits.
However, if tucking into fish and chips is a highlight of your week, it’s easy to make a lighter and lower-calorie fakeaway version at home. For example, this recipe from Proper Foodie takes just 15 minutes to prep and half an hour to cook. Cod or haddock fillets are coated in breadcrumbs and baked in the oven until they’re golden brown on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside.
Instead of being blitzed in a deep-fryer, the chips are also cooked in the oven in just a little oil. If you have an air-fryer, chips are even easier to make – they cook quicker and need less oil to achieve the same crispy texture.
Serve with peas on the side – whether mushy or fresh – for a welcome dose of vitamins and to score another of your five-a-day.
6. Tandoori chicken
Looking for something a little spicier? An aromatic curry with bold Indian flavours may be just the takeaway you’re craving on a cold, dark evening. But instead of ordering in, why not try making this tandoori chicken from BBC Good Food? It’s simple to prepare, wonderfully fragrant, and can be a lighter option than curries made with rich and creamy sauces.
Tender chicken thighs are marinated in a delicious blend of Greek yoghurt, herbs, and spices (like ginger, garlic, chilli, and turmeric). Try to leave it to marinate for at least an hour so that the spices can infuse into the chicken and make the flavour as potent as possible.
After being grilled in the oven, you’ll have a smokey dish that packs a powerful punch – without lashings of oil, cream, and butter.
Alongside brown rice, for a lower-calorie side, consider swapping naan bread for a couple of poppadoms.
7. Spicy tuna poke bowl
Poke bowls can be incredibly healthy and are a great example of clean eating. Interestingly, poke bowls originated in Hawaii (the word poke actually means ‘to slice’ in Hawaiian) and nowadays they typically include fish, a rice or quinoa base, fresh vegetables, a light sauce, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
If you’ve never had a poke bowl before, they’re hard not to like. Each mouthful is an intriguing contrast of hot and cold, and soft and crunchy. Plus, they’re easy to tailor to different dietary preferences and can be fun to prepare – you can add all your favourite ingredients and choose colourful vegetables to help brighten your day.
If you like fish, you might enjoy this spicy tuna poke bowl from The British Heart Foundation. Tinned tuna is cheap to buy and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while wholegrain rice adds a hearty dose of fibre and will help keep you full. The recipe uses edamame beans, carrot, cucumber, radishes, and red cabbage, but you can use whatever veggies you’d like.
To finish, drizzle over a light chilli and lime sauce (a healthier option than the heavy mayos that are often added to takeaway poke bowls).
8. Katsu curry
If you’re a fan of Wagamama’s popular Katsu curry, you might like to know how to cook your own. Katsu curry is a Japanese dish that’s traditionally made by deep-frying chicken or pork in panko breadcrumbs and serving it in a thick sauce with white rice.
To make a healthier chicken Katsu curry, check out this recipe from BBC Good Food. The chicken is coated in crushed almonds which are good for bone, gut, and brain health. As with many of the recipes in this list, it’s then baked (rather than fried); it should come out of the oven crispy and golden on the outside and moist and tender inside.
The sauce will be mild but deliciously sweet and rich. Though, the great thing about home cooking is that if you’d prefer fierier flavours, you can easily add a spicy kick. You can also cook the sauce in bulk and freeze it to heat up on nights when you’re next craving a takeaway.
For vegetarians, swap the meat for aubergine, sweet potato, mock meat, or tofu – such as in this recipe from Healthy Living James.
9. Burrito
Driven by the UK’s growing love of Mexican cuisine, burritos have become a popular takeaway choice. But, stuffed with cheese, salty sauces, and saturated fats, they’re not always the healthiest option.
The good news is that you can easily make healthier burritos at home. They’re easy to customise, packed with protein, and a great way to add lots of veggies to your diet. The beauty of a burrito is that you can use whatever ingredients you have: beans, rice, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms…the list goes on.
If you’ve always had meaty burritos, why not try a veggie version? Like this recipe, which includes avocado and black beans. Not only will this save you money, but beans are linked to improved gut and heart health.
Instead of higher-calorie dips like mayo or sour cream, opt for a fresh tomato salsa to add flavour and a subtly spicy tang. And if you love guacamole, consider making your own to avoid the salt and preservatives found in store-bought versions.
For a lower-carb option, you could skip the tortilla and try a burrito bowl, which has all the same fillings. Bowls also bring the added benefit of not having a burrito fall apart as you eat it!
Final thoughts…
While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a takeaway every once in a while, we hope this article has shown you that it can be easy to make healthier versions of your favourite takeaway dishes at home – and you don’t have to compromise on taste either!
For further inspiration, head over to the food and drink and diet and nutrition sections of our website.
What’s your favourite fakeaway recipe? Will you be trying any of the ideas in this article? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!