One-Pot Meals: Delicious Dinners with Minimal Cleanup

The "One-Pot Meal" is the holy grail of weeknight cooking. But it takes a bit of strategy to ensure everything—meat, starch, and veg—finishes cooking at the same time.

The Formulas

1. The Grain Bowl (Rice/Quinoa)

Vessel: Deep Skillet or Dutch Oven.
Method: Sauté protein/veg, add grain + liquid, cover and simmer.
Example: Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice). Brown chicken thighs, remove. Sauté onions/peppers. Add rice and toast it. Add broth and return chicken. Cover and bake/simmer 20 mins.

2. The Pasta Wonder

Did you know you can cook pasta in the sauce?

Vessel: Large pot.
Method: The starchy pasta water thickens the sauce naturally.
Example: One-Pot Tomato Basil Linguine. Put dry pasta, cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and water in a pot. Boil hard for 9 minutes, stirring often. The water reduces to a creamy sauce.

3. The Sheet Pan Dinner

Technically a "One-Pan" meal.

Vessel: Baking Sheet.
Method: Roast everything at high heat (400°F).
Timing: Start dense veggies (potatoes) first. Add protein (salmon/chicken) and soft veggies (asparagus) for the last 15-20 minutes.

4. The Soup/Stew

The OG one-pot meal.

Vessel: Dutch Oven.
Method: Sauté mirepoix (onion/carrot/celery), add protein, add broth, simmer.

Tips for Success

Layer Flavor: Don't just dump everything in at once (unless it's the pasta method). Brown the meat first to create fond (bottom flavor).
Size Matters: Chop ingredients so they cook at similar rates. Potatoes need to be small cubes to cook as fast as rice.
Finish Fresh: Stewed food can taste heavy. Always finish with fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, or fresh drizzle of olive oil.

Search for "Stew" or "Casserole" in our recipes for easy cleanup ideas.