Nice and easy with one-pot meals

After the recent launch of our One-pot meals guide, Chef Claire explains the benefits of keeping it simple.

Even experienced cooks will say that the less washing-up they have to do, the better, which is one reason why the VfL chef team loves one-pot meals. We are delighted to launch our new publication One-pot meals, which features a fantastic range of tasty recipes from around the world, and which will save you both time and money in the kitchen.

Some of our favourite, and easy, one-pot meals include a jambalaya rice pot, which is packed full of colourful veggies. We've also featured a classic casserole, to which we've given a protein boost with quinoa and broccoli. Believe it or not, you can even make fantastic one-pot pasta dishes, for a winning Italian night.

World-wide one-pot meals

Gathering for a home-cooked meal is one of life’s great pleasures; it is proven to boost well-being, and it is a fundamental part of many cultures around the world. Methods and ingredients may differ, but there’s one dish whose variations can be found almost everywhere – the one-pot meal.

Whether it’s paella in Spain, balti in India, or a North African tagine, there’s no shortage of mouth-watering recipes that require just one pot to prepare. And the benefits of cooking meals this way go way beyond their fantastic flavour. Here are seven reasons you should think about cooking one-pot meals.

1. It’s an easy way to cook: One-pot cooking reduces the stress of meal planning. For most recipes, you just keep adding ingredients and then leave everything simmering. It’s also possible to cook a big batch in advance and freeze some portions for a later date, or save the leftovers for lunch the following day. This can be far more economical than preparing every meal from scratch.
2. One-pot meals save time: Whether you have a busy life or you find it difficult to get around, saving time in the kitchen will make your life easier. One-pot recipes allow you to prepare a satisfying meal quickly, so you can spend more time with your family and friends.
3. Easy clean-up: Few people feel good when they're faced with a mountain of dishes. With a single pot to prepare and serve your meal, cleaning up is a breeze.
4. An economical way to cook: One-pot recipes often use simple and affordable ingredients, which make them easier on the pocket.
5. A nutritious option: With one-pot meals, you won't have much difficulty getting your five-a-day; these recipes are packed with nutrients and incorporate a wide variety of vegetables, plant-based proteins and whole grains.
6. Cooking with confidence: Our one-pot recipes are ideal for beginners; they boost your confidence in the kitchen and encourage you to explore different flavours and cuisines. One-pot cooking also keeps things nice and simple, so you're not juggling pots around – you won't have to worry about a bubbling curry sauce on one hob while you're frying onions on the other.
7. The sustainable option – reducing hot water and fuel costs: Preparing food is the fourth most energy-intensive household activity – by preparing everything in the same pot, you're keeping things to one heat source and greatly reducing your use of water for washing up. And eating at home is great for the planet; restaurant kitchens often use five times more energy than home kitchens.

On those long winter nights, we hope you will love our one-pot comfort food recipes as much as we do – a sure way to brighten a chilly evening.

VfL's One-pot meals guide features 15 mouth-watering recipes, and our chefs have provided great hints and tips to streamline the cooking process and encourage you to experiment with different combinations of flavours. We’ve also included kitchen shortcuts, such as store-bought pesto, Thai curry paste, and straight-to-pan items, to save you even more work.

You can purchase a paper copy of the guide by calling 0161 257 0887 or visiting our online shop. Hard copies cost £2 plus P&P. Also available to download here.