One-skillet Meals

While roasting pans, slow cookers, and durable pots have their place in most kitchens, the one piece of cookware that’s absolutely a must for busy cooks is a trusty skillet. Good for much more than making scrambled eggs, the right skillet can help you serve up a healthy meal quickly without the fuss of using multiple burners.

Even better, one-skillet dinners let you build up delicious flavours one step at a time and avoid a seemingly never-ending pile of grimy dishes at the end of it. Pare down your meal preparation with these warmly inviting and hassle-free speedy skillet recipes.

Tools of the trade

A skillet is an indispensable piece of cookware, but quality definitely pays off in the long run. Here’s how to choose one that will turn out to be a kitchen workhorse.

Shop small

Instead of purchasing a skillet from a big box outlet, consider taking your business to an independent kitchenware store. Here you’ll often experience better service by staff who are well versed in how different skillets perform. This will help you make the right purchase for your needs.

The big three

Generally, heavy-gauge bottom skillets made of stainless steel, infused anodized aluminum, and indestructible cast iron will give you good bang for your buck. Enamelled cast iron offers a few advantages over the original, such as being easier to clean and not reacting with tomatoes and other acidic ingredients.

Size matters

To prepare a meal large enough to feed a family or give you plenty of leftovers, you’ll need a skillet that is at least 10 in (25 cm).

Put a lid on it

For simmering items such as curries and to keep food hot once completed, it pays to invest in a skillet with a tight-fitting lid.

Hot stuff

If you want to make items such as frittatas, look for an ovenproof skillet that can safely go from stovetop to oven. This means it must have a handle that is heat resistant. Read: not cheap plastic.

Recipes

• Tofu Scramble
• Mussels in Smoky Tomato Broth
• Chickpea Kale Stir-Fry
• Sweet Potato Salmon Curry
• Swiss Chard Egg Skillet