7 Classic Meals for One With Normal Ingredients

Sometimes you just want a normal meal made from things you already recognise. Chicken, rice, carrots, eggs, frozen peas, tinned tomatoes and a bit of cheese all qualify. Nothing here needs tracking down in a health-food shop, and none of the recipes leaves you with an open jar of something you’ll never touch again.

These seven classic meals for one are simple, balanced and properly filling. Most are easy to adjust according to what you have, and several make good use of frozen or tinned vegetables so you don’t have to buy more fresh food than one person can reasonably eat.

1. Chicken, Carrots and Peas with Rice

This easy chicken and rice dinner cooks in one pan, which means the rice absorbs the chicken stock and there’s very little washing up afterwards.

You can use chicken breast or a boneless chicken thigh. Thigh meat stays a little juicier, while breast cooks slightly faster.

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small chicken breast or 1 boneless chicken thigh
• 1 teaspoon oil
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 60g / 2oz. long-grain rice
• 175ml / ¾ cup chicken stock
• 1 small handful frozen peas
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: dried parsley, thyme or a squeeze of lemon

Method

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan or deep frying pan over a medium heat.
3. Add the chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked yet.
4. Add the onion and carrot. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
5. Stir in the rice, then pour in the chicken stock.
6. Bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Stir in the frozen peas. Cover again and cook for another 3–5 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
8. Leave the pan off the heat for 2 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork. Add a little lemon juice or dried parsley if you like.

Simple swap: Frozen mixed vegetables can replace the carrot and peas. Add them during the final 5–7 minutes so they don’t become too soft.

2. Baked White Fish with Tomatoes and Green Beans

A white fish fillet cooks quickly and doesn’t need much doing to it. Tomatoes, green beans and lemon give enough flavour without covering everything in a heavy sauce.

Cod, haddock, pollock and hake will all work. Frozen fish is perfectly fine too, but thaw it completely and pat it dry before cooking.

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15–20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 white fish fillet, around 120–150g
• 1 handful green beans, trimmed
• 6–8 cherry tomatoes, halved, or 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: dried parsley, dill or mixed herbs
• 1 slice of bread or a small portion of cooked rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C or 400°F.
2. Place the green beans and tomatoes in a small baking dish. Drizzle over half the oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake the vegetables for 5 minutes to give the beans a head start.
4. Place the fish fillet on top or beside the vegetables.
5. Drizzle the remaining oil over the fish. Add a little lemon juice, salt, pepper and dried herbs if using.
6. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the fish.
7. Check that the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Serve with bread or a little rice to soak up the tomato and lemon juices.

Using frozen green beans is practical: no need to thaw them first! Just add them to the dish at the beginning and allow an extra few minutes if necessary.

3. Vegetable and Lentil Soup with Bread

Lentil soup is cheap, filling and made almost entirely from cupboard ingredients. Red lentils are particularly useful when you’re cooking for one because they finish quickly and don’t need soaking.

This makes one large bowl. Double it if you’d like some nice leftovers for lunch for the following day!

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon oil or butter
• ½ small onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 small celery stick, diced, optional
• 50g / 1.75 oz. red lentils, rinsed
• ½ tin chopped tomatoes, around 200g
• 250ml / 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 slice of bread, to serve
• Optional: a squeeze of lemon or a small handful of spinach

Method

1. Heat the oil or butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat.
2. Add the onion, carrot and celery, if using. Cook for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. Stir in the lentils, chopped tomatoes, stock and dried herbs.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan loosely.
5. Simmer for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and vegetables are soft.
6. Add a little extra water if the soup becomes thicker than you like.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach at the end, if using, and let it wilt for a minute.
8. Serve with bread and a squeeze of lemon if you have one.

What to do with the other half of the tomatoes to avoid food waste: Transfer them to a covered container and refrigerate them. Use them within a few days in scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, another soup or the beef stew below.

4. Cheese and Mushroom Omelette with Salad

An omelette is useful when you need dinner quickly but still want something more substantial than a sandwich. Mushrooms add bulk and flavour, so a small amount of cheese is enough.

A few salad leaves and some chopped tomato make an easy side. Frozen peas or broccoli are other good options.

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon milk, optional
• 1 teaspoon butter or oil
• 4–5 mushrooms, sliced
• 25g / 1 oz. grated cheese
• Salt and pepper
• A handful of salad leaves
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• Optional: dried herbs, chopped spring onion or a little mustard

Method

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the milk, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Beat with a fork until combined.
2. Heat half the butter or oil in a small non-stick frying pan.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and lightly browned.
4. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
5. Add the remaining butter or oil to the pan, followed by the eggs.
6. Cook over a medium-low heat. As the egg begins to set, gently draw the cooked edges towards the middle and allow the uncooked egg to run into the gaps.
7. Scatter the mushrooms and cheese over one half of the omelette.
8. When the underside is set but the top remains slightly soft, fold the empty half over the filling.
9. Cook for another minute, then slide the omelette onto a plate. Serve with the salad leaves and tomato.

Avoid a rubbery omelette: Take it off the heat while the centre still looks slightly soft. The residual heat will finish cooking the eggs.

5. Beef and Vegetable Stew for One

Traditional beef stew often appears in recipes big enough to feed an extended family. There’s no reason you can’t make a small portion though!

This version uses a modest amount of beef with plenty of carrots, onions and peas. It takes longer than the other recipes, but most of that time is hands-off simmering.

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 75–90 minutes

Ingredients

• 125–150g / 4.5 oz. stewing beef, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon oil
• ½ small onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 teaspoon plain flour
• 1 teaspoon tomato purée
• 250ml / 1 cup beef stock
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme or mixed herbs
• 1 small handful frozen peas
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, provided you use a pork-free brand
• Bread, rice or a small portion of mashed potato, to serve

Method

1. Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a small heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat.
3. Brown the beef for 4–5 minutes, turning the pieces so they colour on several sides.
4. Reduce the heat and add the onion and carrot. Cook for another 4 minutes.
5. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well so it coats the beef and vegetables.
6. Add the tomato purée, followed by the stock, herbs and Worcestershire sauce, if using.
7. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add a splash of water if the liquid reduces too quickly.
9. Stir in the frozen peas and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes.
10. Check that the beef is tender. Taste the gravy and add more salt or pepper if needed.
11. Serve with bread, rice or a small helping of mash.

Save energy when cooking a small stew: Use the smallest saucepan that holds everything comfortably. A wide pan exposes more liquid and can make the stew dry out too quickly.

6. Chicken and Vegetable Traybake

I love a traybake because it’s the sort of meal that looks after itself once it’s in the oven. A single chicken thigh works especially well because it stays moist while the vegetables roast.

Use the vegetables listed below or substitute whatever needs eating. Carrots, courgettes, onions, peppers and small potatoes all roast well.

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35–45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 chicken thigh, bone-in or boneless
• 1 small potato, cut into small chunks
• 1 small carrot, sliced
• ½ small courgette, cut into thick slices
• ½ small onion, cut into wedges
• 2 teaspoons oil
• ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 garlic clove or a squeeze of lemon

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C or 400°F.
2. Place the potato and carrot in a small roasting tin. Toss them with 1 teaspoon oil, a little salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 10 minutes.
4. Add the courgette and onion to the tin.
5. Rub the chicken with the remaining oil, herbs and paprika, if using. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place the chicken among the vegetables.
7. Roast for another 25–35 minutes. Boneless chicken will cook more quickly than a large bone-in thigh.
8. Stir the vegetables once during cooking so they brown evenly.
9. Check that the chicken is fully cooked and its juices run clear. Add a squeeze of lemon before serving if you like.

Keep the vegetables from going soggy: Use a roasting tin large enough to leave a little room around the ingredients. When everything is piled on top of itself, it steams rather than roasts.

7. Rice Pudding with Stewed Apple

Rice pudding is a proper old-fashioned dessert made from a few inexpensive ingredients. This small stovetop version is much quicker than baking a large dish in the oven.

The apple provides sweetness and means you only need a little added sugar. Compared to store-bought puddings and sweets, this is a much healthier dessert. I also love it as an afternoon snack in the autumn and winter!

Serves: 1
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

For the rice pudding

• 40g / 1.5 oz. pudding rice or short-grain rice
• 250ml / 1 cup milk
• 1–2 teaspoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
• A small pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg

For the apple

• 1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 tablespoon water
• A pinch of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sugar, optional

Method

1. Place the rice, milk and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring regularly so the milk doesn’t catch on the bottom.
3. Reduce the heat as low as possible and cook for 25–30 minutes.
4. Stir frequently, especially towards the end, until the rice is tender and the pudding is creamy. Add a splash more milk if it becomes too thick.
5. Meanwhile, place the chopped apple, water and cinnamon in another small pan.
6. Cover and cook over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the apple is soft. Add a little sugar if the apple is particularly sharp.
7. Stir the vanilla into the finished rice pudding, if using.
8. Spoon the stewed apple over the pudding and finish with a small pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Using leftover cooked rice: Replace the pudding rice with about 100g cooked rice. Use approximately 150ml milk and simmer for 10–15 minutes until creamy.

Keeping Normal Ingredients Useful When You Live Alone

The trickiest part of cooking for one often isn’t the cooking itself. It’s using the rest of what you bought!

Frozen vegetables help enormously because you can take out one handful at a time. Tinned ingredients are useful too, provided you have a plan for the remainder. Half a tin of tomatoes can go into soup one day and stew the next. Leftover rice can become rice pudding, fried rice or a side for baked fish.

The same small group of ingredients appears throughout these recipes for a reason. Onions, carrots, peas, tomatoes, eggs, rice and ordinary dried herbs can be combined in plenty of different ways without making every dinner taste the same.

There’s no need to keep buying something new for every recipe if you don’t want to. A sensible little collection of ingredients will take you a long way.