1. Pork Chop with Cherry Tomatoes
For a quick and inexpensive meal (two key elements to cooking for one), a pork chop with cherry tomatoes is the ideal recipe—and a must-have in your favourites. Marinate the pork chop briefly in lemon, oregano and olive oil to tenderize it. Pan-fry it along with cherry tomatoes and diced zucchini. The meat will get juicy and flavoursome. An easy recipe to serve with pita bread and tzatziki.
2. Chicken Leg with Lime and Cilantro
Chicken can be cooked in 1,001 ways, starting with this one, in a marinade made of mayonnaise, lime and cilantro, which is also added during cooking. Using a single baking sheet, put a chicken thigh on one side and a mix of bell pepper and sweet potato on the other. Roast everything together gently in the oven. You also want to have lunch for the next day? The recipe can be doubled easily. A tasty way to cook chicken using very few dishes.
3. Chicken and Arugula Quesadilla
This croque monsieur type of sandwich is the ideal versatile recipe when you’re cooking for one. It allows you to use chicken leftovers (including pieces from our chicken recipe above) or any other meat, such as duck confit, ham or braised beef. In addition to the meat, the tortilla is stuffed with cheese, arugula and onion jam, which gives the dish a hint of sweetness. Just fold it in two and pan-fry it. A surprising dish that combines the best of French and Mexican cuisines.
30-MINUTE RECIPES
Chicken and Arugula Quesadilla
4. Mushroom and Almond Rigatoni
There’s nothing quite like pasta to make a satisfying meal with very little effort. This recipe uses a whole container of mushrooms, so there are no wasted vegetables slowly dying in the fridge. Brown them in a pan with onions, garlic and almonds for a generous garnish. White wine, pasta cooking water and Parmesan come together into a beautifully velvety sauce. You would never guess a dish this mouth-watering is vegetarian.
5. Seared Salmon with Ginger-Maple Sauce
As salmon fillets are sold individually, they’re ideal for a solo menu. Combine it with soy sauce and maple, and you’ll get a winner every time! Prepare a teriyaki-style sauce with rice vinegar and sesame oil. Want a little something extra? How about store-bought marinated ginger, a great shortcut in the kitchen? Cook bok choy in the pan along with the fish to save time and additional dishwashing. Serve this easy-peasy dish with rice or rice vermicelli. It’ll become one of your favourites in no time.
According to Statistics Canada, single-person households represent 29.3% of all households in the country. Many people in this group find cooking for themselves challenging. Here are a few tips for preparing a delicious meal that goes beyond peanut butter on toast or canned soup.
- Prepare your ingredients in advance by meal prepping. You don’t need to tackle a huge kitchen project, but cooking some rice ahead of time, chopping vegetables or marinating a piece of meat can make preparing dinner quicker and easier, and make you less tempted to order takeout.
- Cook meals made for four people and freeze the leftovers in individual portions. We recommend eating them within three months, as taste and texture may change over time.
- Check your fridge and build a meal around ingredients that are starting to wilt or need to be used soon. Soups, salads and gratins are all great ways to reinvent leftovers. Simply enter your ingredients into our search bar for ideas.
- Equip yourself with a practical small appliance, like the air fryer. It uses less energy than a traditional oven and it cooks food faster. You can prepare a vegetable side dish in under 10 minutes, and a complete meal in under 20!
With these five wonderful recipe ideas, there’s much to be inspired when cooking for one.