Do you know about the current one pot trend that’s been seducing people for the last little while? This method of cooking consists of making a complete meal of several servings directly in one pot or pan. The possibilities really are endless and we’ll help you discover a few right here!
Why cook one pot meals?
As well as being simply delicious, one pot meals are really practical because all the ingredients cook in the same pot. Whether or not you have a dishwasher, the fact there are only a few dishes to wash will surely entice you. It’s quick and easy and you can cook several servings at the same time!
Our new line for express and personalized cooking
« Four products—South West Quinoa, Tuscan Pasta, Asian Stir-Fry and Pad Thai—were recently launched. Each bag can feed up to 4 people. »
To make it easy to recognize our product line, Arctic Gardens has named it One Pot. Four products—South West Quinoa, Tuscan Pasta, Asian Stir-Fry and Pad Thai—were recently launched. Each bag can feed up to 4 people. All you have to do is add a few ingredients, either liquid such as broth, coconut milk or depending on the desired result, something else like an additional protein, for example.
How to personalize a one pot meal
Our 4 One Pot products can be personalized any way you like – you’re the chef, you decide! You can enjoy them very simply if you pressed for time, but you can also be creative and add different ingredients to create new dishes. That’s the real strength of these products that allows you to cook at home and be a real cook, while making it so much easier. And without further ado, here are our favorite recipes.
One pot pasta – a pasta dish all in one pan
If you’re going to cook the pasta in a pot, might as well put everything in it to make a complete, delicious meal. With our Tuscan Pasta, we propose 3 recipes that you can make by varying the ingredients you add to what’s already in the bag, which is pasta, veggies and seasonings.
- Tomato basil pasta
- Tuscan pasta
- Parmesan and bacon pasta
If Asian dishes are your thing, our One Pot Asian Stir-Fry also gives you 3 delectable recipes. You can change them to make a Tonkinese soup or different stir-fries with citrus ginger notes.
- Teriyaki stir-fry
- Orange ginger stir-fry
- Ramen-style soup
Finally, our Pad Thai also gives you several options. We suggest three, but you can make your own version by adding shrimp or tofu, for example!
- Pad Thai style
- Curry and coconut milk style
- Tonkinese-style soup
One pot quinoa and other grain recipes
One pot pasta dishes are popular, but you can use this method with several other grains for a change from traditional pasta. With our bag of South West Quinoa, making a complete recipe is as easy as adding a little broth. After preparing it according to the package instructions, you can eat it straight from a bowl or go a little crazy and stuff peppers or fill wraps. This is a very versatile recipe.
- One pot southwest quinoa
- Quinoa burritos
- Peppers stuffed with quinoa
Other one pot pasta recipes
You can never have too many pasta recipes, right? So you can reinvent your one pot and never get bored of it, here are 4 other one pot recipes that combine different flavours with fabulous pasta.
- Creamy vegan one pot pasta asian style
- Lazy One Pot Pasta (veggies and tomato sauce)
- Vegan mac and cheese
- 20 minutes vegan alfredo
How to add lib a one pot pasta dish
If you’re someone who likes to improvise with leftovers, you should know that making one pot meals means having a few tricks up your sleeve so that cooking different ingredients turns out just right:
- Choosing your pasta
You can use any kind of pasta, but it’s important to remember that the cooking time varies for each. Short pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan as much. If you’re having trouble estimating how much pasta you need, calculate 100 grams per person.
- Choosing your veggies
You should pick veggies that cook quickly and that will take about the same time to cook. Avoid carrots and squash because the pasta will be done way before they are. Onion, peas, zucchini, tomatoes and broccoli are good choices. If you like certain vegetables, like zucchini, a little crunchier, wait a few minutes once you’ve started cooking before adding them to the mix.
- Adding protein
The only thing missing from this healthy meal is protein. Shrimp or cubes of tofu are perfect for one pot recipes. If you’d like to add legumes, choose cans or pre-cooked because otherwise, they’ll take a long time to cook. Add them to the pot at the last minute. As for meat, use small chunks, but not too thin like fondue meat, or they’ll overcook.
- Choosing spices
First, cooking the pasta in stock adds a lot more flavour to the dish than simply using water. Adding herbs and spices could make it more interesting. Be creative and make sure to taste to adjust the seasonings. Adding cheese once everything’s cooked can be a delicious way to thicken the sauce as well.
- Quantity and liquid
Make sure the liquid touches the ingredients without being completely covering them. (This isn’t the case with our products. You should follow package directions.) This may seem like not enough liquid, but the vegetables will shrink as they cook. If during cooking you notice that the pasta has absorbed all the liquid, add a small amount. It’s easier to add than to remove!
- Start cooking the pasta cold
You should start cooking the pasta cold, meaning you should plunge the pasta into water even before you start cooking. Otherwise, the pasta will soften too quickly and there will be too much water.
- Stir often
You must absolutely stir the pot often so things don’t stick to the bottom.
- Taste tips
- If you like roasted onions and garlic in oil, prepare them at the very beginning before adding the remaining ingredients. You’ll get a caramelized flavour that’s absolutely delish!
- You can add a variety of ingredients to your mix, like peanut butter and soy sauce or even curry and coconut milk. Try and go beyond just adding spices.
- If there are leftovers from your recipe, know that they won’t be as good reheated because the pasta will absorb a good part of the liquid. So before reheating, add a little liquid to bring it back to its original state. If you want something a little different, put the leftovers in an ovenproof dish and grate cheese on top before popping it into the oven.
Other one pot recipes with quinoa, barley or rice
Quinoa is full of fibre and protein which makes one pot recipes really nutritious. Here are other recipes with a quinoa base, as well as a few with rice and barley, other grains ideal for one pot recipes.
- Easiest vegan one pot quinoa
- One pot quinoa sweet potato salad
- One Pot Cheesy Pearl Barley with Tomato
- One Pot Curry Chicken and Rice
With all these new one pot recipes, your busy weeknight suppers will be filled with easy-to-make, nutritious meals. The only left to do is to experiment with new flavour combos. Show us just how gutsy you get with our one pot meals. What new recipe have you invented?
