Cooking for 1: Here are 10 of the best single-serving recipes

Cooking for 1: Here are 10 of the best single-serving recipes

(Rebecca Clyde)


10 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — For many of us, the concept of cooking for one may look like eating leftovers night after night, or eating boring eggs. And the other side of eating leftovers every evening may feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen night after night.

The good news is cooking for one doesn't have to look like either of those scenarios.

I encourage my clients to stock their kitchens with pantry (and fridge/freezer) staples so they can throw a quick meal together, whether or not they've planned it out, and to seek out easy recipes for one.

Another piece of advice I have for clients who don't enjoy cooking "only for one," or don't feel like it's worth it, is to make the cooking process more enjoyable. Turn on a favorite playlist, watch a show or listen to a podcast. Cooking for one is usually less stressful than cooking for others since no one else is eating your meal. So lean into this less stressful opportunity and make it fun.

To help get you cooking, here are 10 of the best recipes for one:

1. Mushroom Chicken Soup with Wild Rice

I love this recipe because it takes just a few minutes to chop up the veggies, then you can throw all the ingredients in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot and let it do all the work. It's hearty, delicious, and easy to make 1 serving or double it.

2. Detroit Style Pizza for One from Joanie Zisk of One Dish Kitchen

Detroit Style Pizza For One
Detroit Style Pizza For One (Photo: Joanie Zisk)

This homemade pizza for one is easy to make on your own. Just start the dough three hours before you want to eat. Other than that, it's mostly a hands-off recipe.

3. Beef Enchiladas from Joanie Zisk of One Dish Kitchen

This recipe makes two enchiladas, which is perfect for one person. It just takes about 15 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake. Double this recipe for leftovers, which you'll definitely want.

4. Hummus Toast with Everything Bagel Spice from registered dietitian nutritionist Amy Gorin

{#photo2

This simple toast recipe would be great for breakfast or a 5-minute dinner. It's got lots of different flavors and textures going on and it's very easy to prepare.

5. Easy Instant Pot Fish

This is one of my favorite pantry staple meals. I always have frozen fish, couscous and frozen vegetables on hand. No need to defrost the fish since this recipe uses frozen fish. The simple lemon butter topping adds a lot of flavor and makes your fish tender and delicious.

6. Baked Chicken Tenders from Joanie Zisk of One Dish Kitchen

Who doesn't love chicken tenders? This simple recipe for one is quick and super tasty!

7. Pan Seared Pork Chops with Potatoes and Green Beans

Pan Seared Pork Chops
Pan Seared Pork Chops (Photo: Rebecca Clyde)

This breaded pork chop with veggies recipe can all be cooked in one pan and is ready to eat in just 20 minutes. You can also swap the green beans for whatever vegetable you have.

8. Lentil Avocado Salad from Joanie Zisk of One Dish Kitchen

Lentils are one of my favorite inexpensive, plant-based proteins. They're easy to use, take on any flavor, and are an affordable option. These little lentils take on the delicious flavors of a tasty red wine vinegar and dijon vinaigrette.

9. Pasta Carbonara for One

Healthy Lemon Carbonara
Healthy Lemon Carbonara (Photo: Rebecca Clyde)

I used to think that carbonara was a special meal that I couldn't just have whenever. Well, this recipe changes the game. This 15-minute recipe is definitely something you can throw together any day. Plus, it'll still feel like a special meal (for half the effort).

10. Easy Black Bean Tacos

Black Bean Veggie Tacos
Black Bean Veggie Tacos (Photo: Rebecca Clyde)

This recipe is the best for cleaning out your fridge. Throw in those random veggies or toppings from your fridge so you can reduce food waste and make simple tacos that taste different every time you make them.

If you've felt like cooking for one is something to not look forward to, I hope these simple recipes can change your mind. Of course, cooking may not always be something to look forward to, but if you enjoy cooking for others these recipes will help you enjoy cooking for yourself just a bit more.


Rebecca Clyde

About the Author: Rebecca Clyde

Rebecca is a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in helping women find happiness and feel comfortable in their skin by empowering them to nourish their minds and their bodies. She also works tirelessly to help people reject the unrealistic and dangerous expectations for women to look a certain way and enjoys helping women improve their body image. She runs a Salt Lake City-based nutrition business. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter and her free private Facebook support group for food and health inspiration. You can also download her complimentary list of healthy foods to save you hours in the kitchen each week.

Editor's Note: Anything in this article is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended, nor should it be interpreted, to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition; Any opinions, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and not of KSL. KSL does not endorse nor is it responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, information, or statement made in this article. KSL expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on the content of this article.

Photos

Related stories

Most recent Lifestyle stories

Related topics

Lifestyle

STAY IN THE KNOW

Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Newsletter Signup

KSL Weather Forecast

KSL Weather Forecast
Play button