One-pot wonder

As the weather gets colder, the meals get heartier. And there are no complaints here.

Cooking in autumn and winter means warming, cosy dinners, the kind of food that warms the body and soul. As well as ensuring delicious taste, creating recipes that require minimum dishes and equipment is also a huge yes for lazy, cold nights.

One-pot meals are the perfect solution for easy cooking that still packs a flavour punch. Letting ingredients simmer away and cook down boosts food with so much flavour. And when everything cooks together in one pot, layers of flavour are even more enhanced.

Dishes such as risotto, soup, paella, and stew are all classic hearty meals that can be cooked in one pot (or pan) on the stove. There are also oven-based meals like a pasta bake or rice bake that if prepared correctly, can be cooked in one dish. Even classic family favourites like a mac and cheese can be a perfect one-pot meal.

The most important component to get correct for any one-pot meal is the liquid measurements and ensuring there is the right amount of water, stock or sauce to cook whatever starch is in the dish. While traditionally pasta and rice are boiled in water, then added to a dish once cooked, with a one-pot meal this process is done at the same time as everything else cooking. The last thing you want is undercooked rice in your finished dish, so be sure to follow along with a recipe as a guide for mastering your one-pot deliciousness.