Cozy Meals You Can Make in One Pot (Mostly) With Pantry Staples You Already Have!
"There is no love sincerer than the love of food." — George Bernard Shaw
Let’s be honest—there are nights when the idea of juggling four pans and cleaning a sink full of dishes feels... aggressive. You want warmth. You want flavor. You want something that makes your kitchen smell like a hug. So let's give you some ways to make those comforting meals that also won't overwhelm you to make!
Enter: Easy Comfort Food. The soft sweater of the cooking world.
Below are eight deeply satisfying, cozy meals that use pantry staples you probably already have—and they all come together in one pot (mostly). Fewer dishes, more flavor, and max comfort.
First, What Counts as a “Pantry Staple”?
Everyone’s pantry is a little different, but here’s a list of what I consider to be some staples and usually always have on hand:
- Pasta (any shape, but elbow, rotini, and linguine are what I usually have.)
- Rice (white, jasmine, or basmati)
- Lentils (red or green)
- Canned beans (chickpeas, black beans, white beans, etc.)
- Canned tomatoes (diced, crushed, and paste)
- Coconut milk
- Stock or broth (boxed or bouillon)
- Garlic , onions, and ginger
- Dried spices (think chili flakes, thyme, paprika, oregano, etc., etc.)
- Shelf-stable carbs (couscous, ramen, instant polenta)
- Butter, Olive Oil, high temp oil like Canola, Sunflower, Peanut, Grapeseed, etc.
Got some or most of that? You’re golden.
1. Creamy Tomato Garlic Orzo
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 2 generous servings
Ingredients:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced or sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 cups chicken broth (or veggie/beef broth)
- 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp sugar (helps balance acidity)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Optional: splash of cream, knob of butter, parmesan or pecorino, chopped parsley, ricotta cheese, any other veggies you'd like!
Instructions:
In a pan over medium heat, sauté the onion in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in orzo and toast for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden. Mix in tomato paste and cook briefly to remove the raw flavor. Deglaze with broth, then add crushed tomatoes, chili flakes, and sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender and sauce has thickened (10–12 minutes). Stir in cream, butter, and cheese if using. Top with fresh parsley and extra cheese. Cozy guaranteed.
2. Pantry Lentil Stew with Coconut & Lime
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1tsp ground coriander
- 1/4tsp ground clove
- 1tsp chili powder (can leave out no problem if not wanted)
- 1 can coconut milk (Some places in the world coconut milk and coconut cream are differentiated. You want the can that has the thick white coconut cream and the liquid – that thick white part is all the good creaminess!)
- 2 cups water or broth
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lime
- Optional: chili oil, chopped cilantro, chopped parsley if you hate cilantro like I do lol.
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic (season with salt – helps draw moisture our of the onions) until softened. Add turmeric and cumin, let spices “toast” in the oil for 20-30sec. Pour in lentils and stir around to coat with oil before adding coconut milk, and water/broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally – make sure you’re scraping the bottom when stirring to release anything that’s starting to stick! Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Serve with chili oil and herbs if you’ve got them and eat by itself or with your favorite flatbread (pita, naan, etc.) Cozy, creamy, and surprisingly complex.
3. One-Pot Chili Mac
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb ground beef or plant-based protein (feel free to use ground chicken or turkey as well!)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 small small pinch of ground cinnamon. Like, 1/8th tsp.
- 1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 can kidney beans, drained
- 1 cup macaroni
- 2 1/2 cups broth (beef, chicken, or veggie)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: shredded cheddar, chopped green onions, sour cream, diced red onion
Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic (season with salt) in olive oil over medium heat. Add ground meat and cook until browned (also season the meat). Add in the spices and stir around for 30sec or so, then add diced tomatoes, beans, macaroni, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure nothing is sticking, until pasta is el dente. Season to taste for the final time, then top with shredded cheese and green onions if you want to go all in. Also optional but delicious is to top with some sour cream and diced red onion!
4. Garlic Butter Rice with Chickpeas and Greens
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 cups broth or water
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you want some spice!)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 2 cups chopped kale, spinach, or swiss chard. (Can also use mustard greens, collard greens, or any dark green leafy veggie you’d like!)
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: extra butter, parmesan, parsley
Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil or butter over medium heat and make sure you season the onions. Add in spices rice and toast it for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Pour in broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15–18 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in chickpeas and greens, and cover for a few minutes until greens wilt. Taste and season again before finsihing lemon juice and zest. Bonus: finish with extra butter or parm because we’re doing cozy here and butter and cheese are definitely cozy!
5. Coconut Curry Ramen with Soft Eggs
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp curry powder (Japanese curry cubes are also great to use here!)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 ½ cup broth of choice
- 2 pack instant ramen (noodles only)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 2 eggs
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: chili crisp, green onions, any protein you have laying around such as leftover chicken or pork.
Instructions:
In a pot, heat oil and sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant. Stir in curry powder and toast for 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and broth, bringing it to a simmer. Drop in ramen noodles and cook for 2 minutes, stirring/breaking up the noodles when soft enough to do so. Crack in eggs and cover—let cook undisturbed for 3–5 minutes until whites are set and yolks are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning before adding in sesame seeds and sesame oil. Serve with lime, chili oil, or green onions. You can add a number of different veggies to this if you’d like too – this is a decent “use up what you have” dish as most things can be added!
6. Cheesy Polenta with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes (includes caramelizing time)
Yield: 1-2 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 3 cups water or broth
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, gouda, gruyere, Emmentaler, etc. – a medium firm full flavor cheese. Or, a mix!)
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp honey
- 4-5 button mushrooms
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a small pan, slowly caramelize onions in butter over medium-low heat (about 20 min). You want to salt the onions right after putting them in as this draws moisture out (as well as obviously adds flavor) helping them to caramelize In a pot, bring water or broth to a boil. Whisk in polenta and stir constantly until thick and creamy (5–7 min). Once onions are nice and dark golden in colour, add in sliced mushrooms and thyme then cook until mushrooms are soft – finish with the honey. You can add a splash of oil or more butter if needed. Add in some frozen peas if you’d like here as well! Adjust seasoning of veggie mix as well as polenta. Stir in cheese to the polenta and an extra knob of butter and stir to incorporate. To serve plate polenta and spoon caramelized onion/mushroom/peas over top – make sure to drizzle in any extra liquid in the pan! This dish will make you feel like it’s snowing outside and you’re curled up on the couch under a blanket. It’s so warm and gooey and rich and just decadent!
7. Warm Couscous with Spiced Veggies and Fried Egg
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups water or broth
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 can mixed veggies or corn
- 1 egg
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: hot sauce, parsley, lemon zest
Instructions:
Sauté garlic and onion in oil, season with salt before adding spices (includes oregano) and toast gently. Add water/broth and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, season with salt, then cover and turn off the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Check seasoning and adjust again, then stir in drained veggies. In a pan, fry an egg your way (crispy edges or soft yolk—your call). Serve the couscous topped with the fried egg, and hit it with a little hot sauce and lemon zest as well as more salt if needed. Some chopped parsley will also make it look pretty!
8. One-Pot Pasta with White Beans, Tomato, and Bacon
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 1-2 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh)
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1-3 strips of bacon, sliced into little strips
- 1 can white beans, drained
- 1/2 can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups broth
- 1 cup short pasta (penne, rigatoni, etc.)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: grated pecorino, chili flakes
Instructions:
In a cold pot, place bacon in and turn on heat to medium-low. You want to slowly begin to render the fat out of the bacon. When nicely crispy, toss in and cook garlic until lightly golden. Add dried herbs, beans, tomatoes, and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stir in pasta, and reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and sauce is slightly thickened (12–14 min). Season to taste and finish with cheese and chili flakes if using. It’s giving rustic bistro. It’s giving comfortcore. Eat with some crusty bread to soak up leftover juices or garlic bread if you’re willing to go the extra step!
Cozy Doesn’t Mean Complicated
You don’t need truffle oil or a $400 Dutch oven to make something that feels deeply comforting. All you need is a few pantry staples, a want for comfort food, and a little intention. These comfort food meals check every box: cozy, simple, practical, and most importantly – delicious. They’ll bring you back to warm cozy nights at home, which, I think we all want more of.
Try one this week and let it simmer while you breathe.
That’s comfortcore in action.
And if kitchen tools aren't up to snuff, are they really saving you time? Or just making it more frustrating to chop and slice? Check out the store for tools to enhance your cooking.
Feel free to check out these recipes as well – a little more complicated, but deep comfort flavors going on:
1. The Best Chicken Lasagna You'll Ever Make
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Thanks for reading everyone 😊