Spring is the perfect time to simplify your cooking routine with one-pot meals.
Not only are one-pot dishes easy to prepare and clean up, but they also provide an opportunity to embrace your favorite spring flavors.
In this blog, we're sharing our favorite one-pan recipes you should try this season.
Why Do One-Pot Meals Work So Well in Spring?
One-dish recipes are popular with home cooks year-round, but here’s why we love making one-pot meals in the spring:
Easy to Pair With Seasonal Veggies and Flavors
Most one-pot meals are customizable, so you can swap out the vegetables, herbs, and seasonings for your in-season favorites.
Spring veggies like artichokes, broccoli, kale, and carrots can all make great additions to sheet pan meals and casseroles.
Lighter dishes also pair nicely with sides of seasonal greens.
While your one-pan meal is in the oven, you can quickly saute some spinach or prepare a simple salad.
Great for Busy Schedules
Spring is a hectic season, especially for families.
School events, sports, home improvement projects, spring cleaning, and any number of other tasks can keep you busy during this time of year.
One-pot recipes take the stress out of cooking while still allowing you to prepare nutritious meals at home.
Simple Clean-Up
No one likes to see their sink overflowing with dishes after preparing one meal.
One-pan recipes require fewer dishes, which significantly cuts down on your clean-up time.
Quick One-Pan Meals You Should Try This Season
Hearty Breakfasts
1. Shakshouka With Napa Cabbage
This recipe is a simple take on a favorite North African breakfast, packed with fresh greens, aromatics, and perfectly poached eggs.
Recipe:
In a cast-iron skillet, cook onions, garlic, Brussels sprouts, napa cabbage, and broccoli in melted butter.
Carve out egg-sized indentations in the vegetable mixture and crack one egg into each indent.
Bake at 325 degrees until the egg whites are set.
Chef’s Tip: Remove the skillet from the oven when the egg whites are opaque but slightly jiggly. The eggs will finish cooking in the residual heat after you remove the dish from the oven.
2. Migas With Chorizo
Migas is a traditional Mexican breakfast made with fried tortillas, vegetables, eggs, and cheese.
This versatile meal is a great way to make use of the leftover veggies in your fridge or old tortillas in your pantry.
Recipe:
Fry tortilla strips in vegetable oil in a skillet until crispy, then set aside.
In the same skillet, saute chopped onions, peppers, garlic, and chorizo.
Add eggs, chili powder, salt, and pepper and scramble until the eggs are cooked.
Top with the fried tortilla strips, cheese, cilantro, and avocado.
Chef’s Tip: Add salt and chili powder to the pan when frying the tortilla strips for an extra kick.
3. Vegetable Frittata
Another easy and delicious breakfast scramble, this frittata recipe is packed with fiber-rich greens, healthy fats, and protein.
Recipe:
In a cast-iron skillet coated with melted butter, combine eggs, creme fraiche, napa cabbage, onions, garlic, and cilantro.
Let the mixture cook undisturbed for five minutes, then add crumbled feta and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes.
Chef’s Tip: Use a ratio of one-quarter cup of vegetables to one egg for the perfect balance of ingredients.
Protein-Packed Dinners
4. Chicken and Vegetables
It's hard to go wrong with chicken and vegetables, but this recipe uses a particularly mouthwatering combination of herbs and spices to kick the meal up a notch.
To keep this a truly one-pan meal, skip the homemade sauce and simply top the dish with your favorite stir-fry sauce.
Recipe:
Place chicken thighs side-up on a sheet pan. Arrange halved Brussels sprouts and chopped acorn squash around the chicken, drizzle with olive oil, and top with rosemary, thyme, salt, and chili flakes.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, add the sauce, and return to the oven for 20 more minutes.
Chef’s Tip: Sprinkle baking powder on the chicken thighs for crispier skin.
5. Sausage With Napa Cabbage
This recipe combines savory sausage, tart pink lady apples, and crisp napa cabbage into a simple one-pan meal, great for a busy weeknight or for meal-prepped lunches.
Recipe:
Place quartered shallots and chopped apples on a sheet pan and top with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
Add quartered napa heart and bratwurst sausages to the sheet pan, drizzle with more olive oil, and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Chef’s Tip: If you like sweet and savory flavor combinations, drizzle the sheet pan with honey or maple syrup in the last few minutes of baking.
6. Ratatouille Ground Beef Skillet
Add some hearty protein to classic ratatouille vegetables with this one-skillet dinner.
This ground beef ratatouille is easy to prepare in large quantities, making it great for a holiday meal, potluck, or a delicious week of lunches.
Recipe:
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook garlic and onions in olive oil, then add tomato paste and spices.
Add ground beef and saute until cooked through.
Add chopped eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and squash, then cover the pan and cook for around 12 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Top with basil leaves, black pepper, and olive oil.
Chef’s Tip: Make sure the vegetables are cut into uniform pieces to ensure they cook evenly. A mandoline slicer is very helpful when preparing veggies for ratatouille.
7. Salmon Dinner
Salmon, broccoli, and potatoes might be the most quintessential healthy meal, and they don't have to be complicated to prepare.
This sheet pan recipe comes together in less than an hour with minimal dishes to clean up.
Recipe:
Place halved red potatoes and broccoli on an oiled baking sheet with salt and pepper, and roast at 450 degrees until the broccoli is browned.
Remove the broccoli from the pan, raise the oven temperature to 500 degrees, and continue roasting the potatoes for about eight minutes.
Turn the temperature down to 275 degrees, add the salmon to the pan skin-side down, and bake for 15 more minutes.
Chef’s Tip: When selecting salmon at the supermarket, look for fish with either a vibrant red or pink color, and avoid salmon with a pale color or brown spots.
Vegetarian Meals
8. Cheesy Baked Pasta
A pasta bake is one of the best vegetarian one-pan comfort meals.
This recipe is incredibly easy and customizable, and it may reheat even better the next day.
Recipe:
In an oiled baking dish, add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, red wine, water, herbs, cheese, and dry rigatoni.
Stir the ingredients so the pasta is submerged, and sprinkle shredded provolone on top.
Cover the dish in oil, bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees, then remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is bubbling.
Chef’s Tip: Use any type of short-cut pasta, like ziti or cavatappi, so the noodles cook evenly.
9. Vegetable Jambalaya
This one-pot jambalaya, a vegetarian take on a classic Creole dish, makes a fantastic lunch or dinner for plant-based diners.
Recipe:
In a large pot, combine chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery in oil and cook until soft.
Add garlic, chiles, tomatoes, bay leaves, spices, and Worcestershire sauce.
Add long-grain rice and vegetable broth, lower the heat, and cook until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
Chef’s Tip: Avoid stirring the rice too much, as this will cause it to release starch and break down, becoming mushy.
10. Black Bean Quinoa Casserole
This dump-and-bake quinoa and bean casserole, rich in plant-based protein and fiber, is the perfect weeknight dinner for Tex-Mex lovers.
Recipe:
In a baking dish, combine dry quinoa, chopped bell peppers, canned diced tomatoes, black beans, diced onion, diced jalapeno, garlic, tomato paste, cilantro, and taco seasoning.
Add water and stir the ingredients until well mixed.
Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, then top with cheese or vegan cashew cream.
Chef’s Tip: Replace the water with broth for extra savory flavor.
Easy One-Dish Sides
11. Cast Iron Corn Casserole
This corn casserole recipe pairs well with pot roast, baked chicken, and other proteins, but it's so delicious that you may be tempted to enjoy it as a main course.
Recipe:
Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet, then add onions, bell peppers, sugar, sage, salt, cayenne, and paprika. Cook until the onions are translucent.
Add fresh or frozen corn and cook for 10 minutes, then add cornmeal, eggs, milk, and cream.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 degrees, then broil until the top is lightly browned.
Chef’s Tip: Bring the eggs to room temperature before adding them to the casserole so they mix better into the dish.
12. Oven-Baked Risotto
While traditional risotto requires constant stirring, this oven-baked alternative is much simpler, allowing you to set it and forget it while you prepare your main dish.
Recipe:
In a Dutch oven, combine Arborio rice and chicken stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Place the covered Dutch oven in the oven, and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Return the rice to the stovetop and add more chicken stock, white wine, butter, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Stir until the risotto thickens, then stir in frozen peas.
Chef’s Tip: For an even creamier risotto, swap out one cup of chicken stock for heavy whipping cream.
Savor Spring With Quick and Tasty One-Pan Meals
Delicious spring cooking doesn't have to be complicated.
With these one-pot recipes, you can prepare crowd-pleasing meals without seeing your kitchen fall into chaos.
Here at Hitchcock Farms, we're happy to see home chefs and restaurant professionals alike embrace simplicity while still enjoying their favorite seasonal foods.
We're here to fulfill your produce needs so that you can continue perfecting your recipes at every time of year.
FAQ
How do I store one-pan dishes?
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Some one-pot meals can also be frozen either in large batches or in individual servings.
Can I use frozen vegetables in one-pan recipes?
Frozen vegetables work well in many one-pan recipes, but they may require a longer cooking time.
How long do one-pot meals take to cook?
Most one-pot meals can be prepared in an hour or less.
