11 One-Pot Meals That Your Family Will Love
Guaranteed to please everyone, including the cook and the dishwasher!
By Lynn Andriani
A Chance for Humble Ingredients to Shine
Braising chicken in vinegar is a cheap way to make a supermarket staple taste like a million bucks. This recipe calls for a cup and a half of red-wine vinegar, which sounds like a lot, but there's also chicken broth and water—and the liquid simmers in the oven for an hour and 15 minutes, so there's plenty of time for it to mellow and make the chicken deliciously tender.
Get the recipe: Vinegar-Braised Chicken
A Wholesome Meal for When You're Taking a Break from Taco Night
We know black beans, corn, avocado, cumin and ancho chili are great in tacos, burritos and enchiladas; but, this easy dish proves just how adaptable these Mexican flavors can be. Quinoa is the base for this healthy meal—it cooks in the same pan as the beans and corn, along with diced red bell pepper and tomato. The spices add depth and you garnish the somewhat spicy mixture with cooling dollops of sour cream, sliced avocado and shredded cheese.
Get the recipe: One-Pot Mexican Quinoa
A New Way to Make Pasta and Veggies
The beauty of this recipe is that you boil the penne, ziti or bow ties together with the sauce ingredients, so it's truly, honestly, no-strings-attached one pot. You just add the vegetables (kale and tomatoes) to a big skillet or stockpot and pour in pasta and water. It'll simmer away, and in a few minutes you'll be topping the dish with grated Parmesan and fresh basil and digging in.
Get the recipe: One-Pot Pasta
A Twist on a Diner Favorite
Corned-beef hash gets a fresh makeover with this foolproof recipe, which keeps the potatoes and onion but swaps in prosciutto for corned beef and adds asparagus for a bit of green. Once they're well cooked, you use a spoon to form four nests in the hash and crack an egg into each. You can cook them until the whites are firm and the yolks are still runny, or let them go until they're fully set.
Get the recipe: Asparagus and Prosciutto Hash
An Asian Dish with a Little Bit of Everything You Want
When it comes to quick one-pot meals, it's hard to beat a stir-fry. And when it comes to the ingredients you put in that stir-fry, we wholeheartedly recommend chicken legs and thighs, since the dark meat tends to soak up delicious sauces so well. This chili-soy-garlic-flavored dish also offers a fantastic contrast of textures, from tender chicken to crunchy peanuts and celery, which falls nicely in the middle.
Get the recipe: Chicken Stir-Fry with Celery and Peanuts
A Meat and a Side in One Tidy Container
This tasty meal isn't technically one pot, but it is one-
sheet pan—which means there's still minimal work and cleanup involved. You par-roast asparagus, baby carrots and cherry tomatoes coated in olive oil, garlic and thyme for seven minutes to give them a head start. Then, add inch-thick sirloin steaks to the sheet pan and broil both the vegetables and the meat for about four minutes, until the steak is browned and charred. No need for a serving platter; just bring the pan to the table (we especially love those burnt and crispy bits in the corners).
Get the recipe: Sheet-Pan Steak and Veggies
The Streamlined Italian Classic
Among basic yet indulgent pasta dishes, we have a soft spot for fettuccine alfredo, which is essentially mac 'n' cheese that you twirl with a fork. Recipes often have you boil the pasta in one pot and cook butter, garlic and cream in another; but this one keeps things simple. You sauté garlic in olive oil in a large pot; add chicken broth, milk, butter and the noodles; then simmer everything for 15 minutes. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan and enjoy.
Get the recipe: One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
5-Minute Burritos
Not only does this superfast supper not require more than a single pan—it also barely necessitates a knife. You start by warming canned black beans in some butter; then you toss in torn pieces of tortilla, crack eggs into the mix, scramble them and top with pico de gallo, scallion, cheddar and Greek yogurt. While this recipe serves one, you can easily double, triple or quadruple it.
Get the recipe: Burrito Scramble
No-Fail Chicken with a Pleasant Surprise
This uncomplicated chicken-and-rice dinner somehow manages to feel familiar and fresh all at once. The stress-free recipe has you cook onion, garlic and chicken pieces with some unexpected but still approachable spices, including cumin, coriander and turmeric, in an ovenproof pot. Then you add rice, broth and dried cranberries, slip it into the oven for an hour, or so, and that's it. The finished dish is warm and satisfying, and has a wonderful burst of flavor from the berries.
Get the recipe: Chicken and Wild Rice
An Even Better Way to Eat a Supermarket Shortcut
Cheese tortellini from the refrigerated section of the grocery store are just fine on their own with, say, some tomato sauce or butter. Let them cook in a pot of simmering broth, though, and they turn into something that tastes far more delicious than you'd expect: plump and flavorful, with a gooey inside that melts in your mouth. This soup combines them with canned diced tomatoes, some dried herbs and baby spinach for a veggie-rich dish that comes together in just 25 minutes.
Get the recipe: One-Pot Spinach and Tomato Tortellini Soup
A Traditional Sunday Dinner in 30 Superfast Minutes
Here's a smart recipe that manages to deliver ooey-gooey lasagna on nights when a multi-step, multi-pot, multi-hour affair just isn't happening. You simply sauté ground beef, add canned tomatoes and seasonings then throw in wide egg noodles (which are almost like mini lasagna sheets). The pasta cooks in the sauce as you stir in ricotta and shredded mozzarella—and the cheeses melt almost instantly.
Get the recipe: Easy One-Skillet Lasagna
Published 05/10/2017
