4 Healthy, Hearty One-Pot Recipes
These one-pot meals are chock full of goodness and flavor.
Winter begs us to slow down and savor bowls of comfort food. But that doesn’t mean tossing aside your healthy intentions.
What makes one-pot cooking so special? Layering ingredients means each flavor builds on the next. Plus, cooking vegetables and iron-rich meat or beans with the lid on and in their own broth means nutrients stick around—rather than evaporating away.
Recipes shown here can be made with an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker), slow cooker, or a Dutch oven (or any large pot).
Saucy Beans and Eggs Recipe
This simple but satisfying meal centers on fiber-filled beans and protein- rich eggs. Feeling fancy? Top it with a dollop of pesto or pistou (similar to pesto, but without the pine nuts). You’ll be firing up your pot for a repeat on this easy winner every week. Get the recipe here.
Quick Pork Bolognese Recipe For a Crowd
There’s no quicker way to satisfaction than a big, bold Bolognese over pasta. Most Bolognese is beef-forward, but a leaner ground-pork Bolognese, with a bit of ground beef, yields a rich and flavorful sauce. This one is loaded with fragrant vegetables, which lend flavor and vitamins. A dollop of creamy ricotta (a naturally lower-fat cheese) and the surprise of fresh mint are natural additions to this dish on a blustery night. Get the recipe here.
Double-the-Vegetables Pot Roast Recipe
Bring pot roast to this century by adding vegetables galore! They’re not only what gives the broth its potent flavor; they also make an irresistible side, so this recipe goes double on the carrots, plus just enough red or white potatoes, which cook to a creamy finish in the pressure cooker. On the stovetop, this is a long-braised meal (roughly 3 hours), but using a pressure cooker shaves the time to under an hour. Feel free to load this up with all the veggies you love. Don’t skip the flaky salt and fresh herbs at the finish, which makes the tender brisket truly shine. Get the recipe here.
Red Lentil Dal with Citrus and Herbs Recipe
Warm yourself with dal, a flavorful Indian stew made with lentils. Top with lemon slices, cilantro, mint, and crispy garlic chips. Or keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon or a dollop of plain low-fat yogurt. If you use a pressure cooker, your dal will be done in 30 minutes flat! Get the recipe here.
If you make any of these recipes, let us know what you think and tag us in your photos on social media! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more recipes and kitchen tips.
Photographer: Christopher Testani; Food Styling: Sarah Copeland and Chris Lanier
Reprinted with permission from Instant Family Meals by Sarah Copeland, copyright © 2020. Photographs by Christopher Testani. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
This article was originally published in the winter 2022 issue of Clover Living magazine. Want to see more articles like this? Subscribe to Clover Living magazine for free (if you aren’t already subscribed) here.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Kumar Dharmarajan.
Published 2/10/22
