I tried Jamie Oliver's new Iceland frozen meals - one was unexpected

Iceland and The Food Warehouse have launched a range of frozen Jamie Oliver ready meals that promise to bring the celebrity chef's dishes to the masses with a choice of six meals

Jamie Oliver has teamed up with Iceland to roll out a new line of frozen meals, and as a mum who trusts Jamie's flavours and owns four of his cookbooks, the prospect sounded promising. Now available in stores are six ready-made dishes developed by Jamie to provide quick and easy meal solutions.

In a message to his email subscribers, Jamie said: "When you don't have the time or energy to cook from scratch, I've got you. Taking inspo from my favourite recipes over the decades, I've created this brilliant range. I hope you enjoy."

On offer are two "quick hob heroes" - 'Beef Rib Bourguignon' and 'Low and Slow Ragu' - alongside four oven-ready traybakes; 'Loaded Lasagne', 'Roasted Veg Lasagne', 'Mighty Moussaka', and 'Comforting Cottage Pie', all priced at £4 each.

I had the chance to test four samples provided by Iceland, sadly excluding the lasagnas, to determine if they might become a household hit with my family as much as his sausage pasta recipe. The £4 price tag being slightly steep for my liking, and each serving marked as "serves one", but I think there is some flexibility with this for some of the meals, reports the Mirror.

Ranking from least to most favoured, here's my take and there was certainly one surprising discovery...

Low and Slow Ragu - 6/10

For those craving a hearty plate of pasta, this ragu aims to satisfy. I prepared it following the package instructions, which simply involved adding it to a pan with four tablespoons of water and heating it through from frozen in 15 minutes.

You can pop it in the microwave, which I reckon is the route I'd take next time as it's quicker (nine minutes) and tidier (no pan to scrub). As it was cooking, it gave off a very aromatic scent, which did worry my husband.

It appeared silky and glossy, and upon tasting, it had a delightful rich tomato taste and the diced beef was tender and well seasoned. One of our favourite Jamie Oliver recipes is the sausage pasta with fennel, so I'm accustomed to Jamie adding an unexpected herb and it being a success.

However, I found the ground cloves and cinnamon a bit too aromatic for my liking, but then again, I'm one of those people who doesn't like coriander. My husband and teenage son really enjoyed the flavour and suggested it would be fantastic with a sprinkle of parmesan.

It claims to serve one, but given the amount of sauce, I'd say if you cooked enough pasta for two, this would easily cover them for a super easy midweek meal packed with flavour.

Comforting Cottage Pie - 6/10

If you're expecting a traditional cottage pie, you might be let down as the celeriac and cloves give this cottage pie a unique, rich taste. Cooked according to the recommended instructions (50 minutes in a preheated oven at gas mark 6), the toasted bread crumbs topping the potato cook really well, providing a delicious crunch.

The cottage pie is well seasoned, with a lovely sharpness from the red wine and Worcestershire sauce. It's a complex flavour for a frozen ready meal, but it doesn't taste like your average cottage pie - some will love this, others may not.

The celeriac is tasty, but if you're expecting creamy mash, you might be disappointed. This portion would serve one person.

The Mighty Moussaka - 7/10

Despite aubergine not being known for retaining its texture, this dish was surprisingly delicious.

After 45 minutes in the oven, it came out near-perfect.

The lamb was excellent in the tomato sauce, and the cheesy bechamel was creamy and rich with a hint of nutmeg. The potato and aubergine held up well for a frozen meal, and the seasoning was spot on.

It was so comforting that I found myself going back for more - exactly what Jamie is known for.

The Beef Rib Bourguignon - 8/10

Another hob-cooked sauce, this was really tasty. Rich and dark, the deep flavours envelop you like a comforting blanket - impressive for a frozen meal.

The red wine and Dijon mustard add a great kick, and the mushrooms, carrots and onions all cook perfectly without turning mushy. This is the perfect comfort food for a dull autumn evening, and one I'd buy again. At £4, it's worth it.

While it's advertised as a meal for one, with the addition of mashed potatoes and veg, I reckon you could easily stretch this to feed two. If you're going to try any of the four, make sure this is the one you opt for.

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