One-Pot Recipe Ideas

Meal planning makes life easier for busy families. Whether you are ordering some dishes from your local cook or getting creative in the kitchen, having some meals available in the fridge always makes solving the dinner dilemma much easier.

Ideally, you would want to exert maximum effort with each healthy meal like this sweet potato gnocchi. But the truth is that some weeks just give you a little less time than usual.

Planning your meals ahead of time enables variety and control and helps you prevent decision fatigue. One of the best ways to take these benefits even further is by looking into one-pot recipes that allow you to quickly put together healthy meals without limiting your options.

Here are some of our family favourites you can add to your weekly menu.

Easy vegetable rice

Vegetable rice is an absolute family favourite. The two main ingredients you’ll need are rice and vegetables, which means you can tweak the ingredients based on what you already have. The dish will need sauteeing, but even that has been made even more convenient with rice cookers. Multifunctional rice cookers can do pretty much anything these days, with functions such as the Sauté-Then-Simmer technology, which lets you saute in high heat and simmer when adding liquid ingredients.

Simply sautee your onions, garlic, and ginger in oil for 2 minutes and add in cinnamon, bay leaves, peas, and green beans and sautee for a bit more. Add your rice and cook on medium heat for two minutes so that it’s coated well with oil. 

Finally, add your stock and fresh herbs like coriander or parsley and season it with salt and pepper. Leave it cooking on low for 15 minutes, let it rest, and you’re good to go!

Chicken Pie

Here’s a quick version for a widely-loved comfort dish — chicken pie! This is perfect if you have a handy cast iron skillet from the most established makers like Le Creuset

These pans offer durability, even heating and allow you to cook a wide variety of timeless dishes easily because of their versatility.

This is why it’s perfect for chicken pie. All you have to do is soften onion, carrots, celery, and thyme, with garlic added last, so it doesn’t burn. Make your sauce right in the skillet by adding some flour, chicken, stock, and cream. Whisk your mixture until it has become thick. Top with chicken and puff pastry and bake after covering it with some egg wash. This is a quick and easy dish to make and reheat throughout the week for quick meals or convenient snack times for the family.

Check out this delicious chicken pie from My Beach Kitchen

Italian Farro Salad

If you’re looking for a convenient meal that feels like you spent hours on it, then look no further than Italian Farro Salad. Farro can be used very similarly to brown rice in cold salads, side dishes, or soups. It also yields many health benefits for your family as it is high-fibre and nutrient-dense.

Once you’ve cooked your farro, you can prepare your dressing with olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard. Add that in, and toss in some chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, peas, and parsley and mix. Your salad can be stored for days. Once you’re ready to eat, heat it up, sprinkle on some feta cheese, lightly toss, and serve!

One-pot recipes are perfect for families who don’t want to sacrifice versatility and health for convenience. With these quick and tasty recipes, you can have all three!