One-Pot Meals for Easy Weeknight Dinners
One-pot cooking is the secret weapon of every time-pressed home cook. Everything goes into a single pot, the flavours meld beautifully together, and washing up is minimal. Here are our favourite one-pot weeknight dinners.
1. One-Pot Chicken and Rice
Sear chicken thighs in a large pot until golden. Remove and fry onion, garlic, and spices. Add rice, chicken stock, and the seared chicken. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Everything cooks together in one pot.
2. Spaghetti Bolognese in One Pot
Fry mince with onion and garlic. Add tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried pasta. Pour in enough stock to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer until pasta is cooked. Stir frequently as the pasta cooks.
3. Thai Green Curry
Fry green curry paste in a pot for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, chicken or vegetables, and bring to a simmer. Add vegetables in order of cooking time. Serve in the same pot with rice on the side.
4. Spanish Chorizo and Bean Stew
Fry sliced chorizo, add onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, and drained white beans. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach in the last 2 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
5. Vegetable and Lentil Dhal
Fry onion, garlic, and spices. Add red lentils, tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, and sweet potato. Simmer for 25 minutes until thick and creamy. Serve with rice or flatbread.
Why One-Pot Cooking Works
- Flavours develop and deepen as everything cooks together
- Juices from meat flavour the rice or pasta
- Less cleaning means less stress
- Recipes are forgiving — hard to get them wrong
Tips for Success
- Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
- Add liquids gradually — you can always add more but cannot remove it
- Taste and season at the end
- Let the pot rest for 5 minutes before serving