Five One-Pot Wonders you can cook once, freeze and eat all week

There’s something deeply comforting about opening the freezer and knowing dinner is already sorted.

One-pot cooking is one of the smartest habits you can build into your week – especially if you’re cooking for one or two, keeping an eye on the grocery bill, or like being ready when family or friends drop by unexpectedly.

From an economic point of view, one-pot meals tick every box. They use cheaper cuts of meat, rely on pantry staples, save electricity by cooking everything together and dramatically cut down on washing up. Cook once, portion it out, freeze it flat, and you’ve got multiple meals ready to go – no takeaway temptation, no last-minute panic.

They’re also wonderfully flexible. Most one-pot dishes taste better the next day, freeze beautifully and can be stretched with rice, pasta, mash or crusty bread. Below are five reliable, freezer-friendly meals – including a gentle curried fish, a hearty vegetarian option and comforting chicken and beef dishes – that will see you through busy weeks with ease.

Gentle Coconut Curried Fish (Freezer-Friendly)
Serves: 4
Freezes well: Yes (freeze sauce separately if preferred)

Ingredients

600g firm white fish (cod, hoki or snapper), cut into chunks
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
1 cup frozen peas or spinach
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pot and soften onion and garlic.
Stir in curry powder and turmeric, cooking for 1 minute.
Add coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add fish and peas, cover and cook for 8–10 minutes until just tender.
Season and finish with lemon juice. Cool completely before freezing.

Serve with: Rice or naan bread.

Hearty Vegetable & Lentil Stew (Vegetarian)
Serves: 6
Freezes well: Yes

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup dried red lentils
1 x 400g tin tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Method

Heat oil and soften vegetables.
Add garlic and spices; cook briefly.
Add lentils, tomatoes and stock.
Simmer for 30–40 minutes until thick and tender.
Adjust seasoning and cool before freezing.

Serve with: Toast, rice or baked potatoes.

Classic One-Pot Chicken Casserole
Serves: 4–5
Freezes well: Yes

Ingredients

1 kg chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup mushrooms
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper

Method

Toss chicken in flour, salt and pepper.
Brown chicken in a large pot, remove and set aside.
Sauté vegetables in the same pot.
Return chicken, add stock and thyme.
Simmer covered for 45 minutes until tender.

Serve with: Mash, pasta or crusty bread.

Slow-Cooked Beef & Red Wine Stew
Serves: 6
Freezes well: Excellent

Ingredients

1 kg chuck steak, cubed
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 carrots, chopped
2 bay leaves

Method

Toss beef in flour, salt and pepper.
Brown in batches in a heavy pot.
Add onion and garlic; soften.
Pour in wine and stock, add carrots and bay leaves.
Simmer gently for 2 hours until meltingly tender.

Serve with: Polenta, mash or steamed greens.

One-Pot Chicken & Rice Bake
Serves: 4
Freezes well: Yes (portion before freezing)

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs
1 cup long-grain rice
1 onion, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano

Method

Brown chicken in a large ovenproof pot.
Add onion, rice and seasonings.
Pour in stock and stir gently.
Cover and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes until rice is tender.

Serve with: A simple green salad.