A practical guide for living the single/couple life.
Moving into your first place or living with a loved one with a small kitchen, or starting out with a limited supply of kitchen equipment as a start, often feels like a limitation. You can cover 95% of everyday cooking with only one pot, pan, and knife! It’s true.
You don’t need a drawer full of knives or six different pots and pans to cook tasty, comforting and nutritious food. The trick is efficiency: smart shopping, choosing the right tools that can tackle multiple tasks, cooking in a logical sequence, and of course, cleaning as you go. This guide shows you how to live and eat well with the absolute basics.
The non-negotiables
The “starter trio” is more than enough, even long-term. Extra tools and specialised cookware are nice-to-haves or make sense for specific cuisines you want to cook. But for daily cooking, one pot, one pan, and one knife cover almost everything.
- One pot: Perfect for cooking a range of foods like vegetables, grains, pastas, stews and soups. It also tackles a range of cooking techniques like searing, sauteíng, deep frying, boiling, broiling, and even steaming.
- One pan: Every cook needs a pan, whether you like a deep saucepan or a shallow frying pan. You will be able to cook almost all foods, from eggs to roasts, tackling basic cooking techniques like searing, shallow frying, sauteéing and toasting, with ease.
- One knife: A chef’s knife is really your best friend in the kitchen. It is big enough to chop, dice, and carve your way through anything, and small enough to help you prep the daintiest foods, too.
Maintenance tips to make the basics last
- One pot and pan: Use wooden spoons while cooking to avoid scratching the surface (which can attract rust); if you burn the pot, clean it as soon as you can (find our guide here), and store it in a dry, cool, and dark space.
- One knife: Never submerge a knife in boiling water. Wash with warm, soapy water, dry thoroughly before storing, and store it on its own, away from other cutlery that may damage the blade.
Smart shopping when tools are limited
Before popping your favourite foods in the trolley, consider what you’ll need to prepare them.
- Buy foods that have been pre-prepared, like prepared butternut or tinned beans (it means less prep, keeping your knife sharper for longer, and fewer pots needed for soaking and pre-cooking)
- Buy foods that cook in multiple ways, like potatoes, tinned beans, eggs, and rice
- Consider buying frozen veg bags instead of fresh for tiny kitchens (less prep, less waste)
- Buy flavour multipliers that don’t need special tools, like soy sauce, vinegar, chilli oil, onion powder, and stock cubes.
Build a one-pot rotation you’ll never get bored with
Use your pot to your advantage. Cooking one-pot meals is really a wonder. The leftovers of the meal you prepared on Monday can turn into something totally new on Tuesday with one extra step or ingredient.
- Monday’s tomato stew can easily become Tuesday’s chilli with minced meat or tinned beans.
- Wednesday’s bolognese can become Thursday’s topping for a whole boiled (or microwaved/air-fried) potato, served with crème fraîche and grated cheese.
- Friday’s macaroni and cheese can become Saturday’s lunch by rolling cold leftovers into balls and shallow frying until golden and crisp. Serve with your favourite dip.
Your pan is your secret weapon
One-pot wonders are great, but what if you’re craving something more? Your pan is capable of a lot more than people think:
- Craving a home roast? Use your pan instead of your oven; the pan sears proteins and veg beautifully, and those crispy bits double up as the tastiest base for gravy, too.
- Craving a toasted sarmie? Keep your pan on medium heat for the perfect crunchy toast and gooey cheese centre. And it doesn’t stop there. Griddle wraps, quesadillas and flatbreads.
- Intensify your spice rack with dry-frying or proper blooming in your pan.
Tiny clean-as-you-go rules that really help
Having access to only the basics can get frustrating at times. But these easy, clean-as-you-go rules are what will help ease your frustrations.
- Wash up in the lull: While your pot is boiling or simmering, or your pan is coming to temperature, wash up your prep station and knife, ready for the next step.
- Use one cutting board throughout the day. The secret: wipe and disinfect, not a full wash.
- Commit to a logical sequence: Read the recipe thoroughly and highlight steps you can do before cooking, like par-boiling or blanching veggies, or searing proteins first to add flavour.
Your food quality is not limited by how many gadgets you own. It’s all about smart shopping, choosing the right equipment for the job, and a little strategising.
