One-Pot Recipes to Get My Dinner Mojo Back

Over the past few months my meal plan has been directed almost entirely by recipe testing — both for Kitchn and a cookbook I just finished writing on Buddha bowls. Now that I'm left to my own devices to choose dinner recipes, I'm both excited and slightly overwhelmed with decision fatigue. There are so many recipes I want to cook that it's been tough to decide where to start. I'm easing back in with five of my favorite one-pot dinners for my family of two.

Welcome to This Week's Meal Plan

Planning my weekly meals is a habit I enjoy. Since I'm frequently asked by friends and family what I'm cooking for dinner each week, I thought it'd be useful to share my weekly meal plan here. Whether you're just learning to meal plan and looking for a real-life example of how this works or you're an old pro on the hunt for inspiration, here's a peek at how I'm feeding my family of two this week.

Monday: Tomato-Braised Lentils with Broccoli Rabe

A touch of cream and butter added at the end of cooking gives this wholesome pantry supper a touch of indulgence. Since fresh tomatoes leave a lot to be desired right now, I'll stick with a can of diced tomatoes. I usually skip the broccoli brae topping on this recipe, and instead mix in a couple handfuls of baby spinach.

Tuesday: The Easiest Cheese and Vegetable Frittata

Tonight's dinner is all about using up the bits and bobs of vegetables and herbs in the fridge that are on their last leg. I'll also add some crumbled goat cheese and serve the fritter with a chunk of crusty bread.

Wednesday: Saucy Skillet Salmon

This skillet meal never fails to make me feel like a dinner rockstar. It's surprisingly quick and easy to pull together, yet feels way more fancy than the effort it requires. I'll serve our salmon fillets over the leftover lentils from Monday night with a simple green salad on the side.

Thursday: Lemony Tortellini Spinach Soup

I can't decide what I love about this soup more: the fact that it comes together in under 30 minutes or the fresh lemony tang that fills my bowl and makes me forget it's still below freezing outside. Since I can also count on having a bag of tortellini in the freezer, stock in the pantry, and a mess of vegetables hanging out in the crisper, this soup will be super satisfying and easy to pull together after a post-work yoga class.

Friday: Slow Cooker Salsa Pulled Chicken

Since it's likely I won't feel like cooking on Friday, I'm leaning on my slow cooker for this nearly hands-off one-pot dinner. My husband and I will make our own tacos with shredded cheese, avocado, and Greek yogurt for toppings.