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18 One-Pot Meals That’ll Keep Dishwashing At An Absolute Minimum

This hands-off meal from Donna Hay is an easy anytime roast. Photo / Supplied
This hands-off meal from Donna Hay is an easy anytime roast. Photo / Supplied

A one-pot meal can be a lovely solution for dinner during busy weeks. There’s not too much effort required to serve up a flavourful spread and only one big dish to wash up.

With the right mix of spices and herbs, you can leave a pot to cook away on a stovetop or in the oven, without much interruption — it’s a meal that demands a restful evening.

Within this collection, there are flavourful vegetarian options, pork cooked until tender and savoury broths.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

One-pot potatoes, pork and butter beans

This juicy pork is best served with a hefty helping of parmesan cheese.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

One-pot chickpea and pumpkin satay

A coriander flourish tops this warm vegetarian bowl, which Angela Casley suggests serving with warm naan or rice.

Photo / Eleanor Ozich
Photo / Eleanor Ozich

Oven-baked chicken risotto

This dish bakes with spring onions, fennel and rosemary for an aromatic and easy dinner serving.

Photo / Todd Eyre
Photo / Todd Eyre

Caramelised pork clay pot

Nici Wickes of A Quiet Kitchen shares this recipe for a one-pot meal with “meltingly soft” pork in a rustic looking bowl.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

One-pot butter beans in vegetable herb sauce

A pinch of chilli flakes and a handful of fresh oregano add a punchier flavour to this simple stewed dish.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

Israeli couscous, chickpeas and bocconcini

Served with warm cheese and a loaf of crusty bread, this meal is luscious and shareable.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

Potato, lime and cherry tomato curry with raita

The big dollop of raita, made from yoghurt, cucumber and lime juice, introduces more creamy complexity to this hearty potato curry.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

Chicken and mushroom risotto

A good squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of zest add freshness to this cheesy risotto.

Photo / Babiche Martins
Photo / Babiche Martins

One-pot chicken noodle broth

Is there anything better than a bowl of salty chicken broth and chewy noodles?

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

Chorizo and fennel risotto

Enjoy the strong spices of chorizo sausage alongside a creamy, lemony risotto.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

One-pan pork fillet with apple, potato and red cabbage

This bright and cheery dish is cooked in orange juice and white wine.

Photo / Eleanor Ozich
Photo / Eleanor Ozich

Cannellini beans and kale with parmesan

You can add an extra sprinkle of cheese, thyme and a good squeeze of lemon to this serving of simple pasta.

Photo / Eleanor Ozich
Photo / Eleanor Ozich

Artichoke risotto with garlic and herb oil

Pops of cherry tomato and a drizzle of herby oil bring a fresh flavour to this vegetarian risotto.

Photo / Supplied
Photo / Supplied

Balsamic pot roast chicken

Parsnips, potatoes, garlic and oregano serve as lovely aromatics for this chicken, but you can also serve them up as comforting sides.

Photo / Issy Croker
Photo / Issy Croker

Persian noodle soup

Anna Jones shares this recipe from ‘One: Pot, Pan, Planet’, which luxuriates in pine nuts, lentils and handfuls of fresh herbs.

Photo / Babiche Martens
Photo / Babiche Martens

Eggplant and chickpea curry

This vegetarian curry is packed with spices and cooks the eggplant until it’s fall-apart tender.

Photo / Eleanor Ozich
Photo / Eleanor Ozich

Spaghetti with kale, butter beans and ricotta

This quick weeknight dinner pops from a combination of chilli flakes, sundried tomatoes and rich ricotta.

Photo / Eleanor Ozich
Photo / Eleanor Ozich

One-pot pasta with asparagus, lemon and basil

This pasta recipe from Petite Kitchen is stripped back and super-fresh. The asparagus can be swapped out for more appropriate seasonal greens, like courgettes or broccoli.