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I’m a huge fan of one-pan meals. Nothing worse than getting done cooking and eating and then having a mountain of dishes to do.

Depending on the fare, I’ll try to do the dishes as I cook, but it just doesn’t always work that way.

Enter one-pot/pan meals. When you can create a full, hearty meal with one dish, it makes your life so much easier after the good stuff is done. So, here’s some of my favorite recipes that only call for one pot or pan.

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FRENCH ONION PASTA

5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced

5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 c. dry white wine

4 c. beef broth

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 lb. farfalle pasta

2 oz. cream cheese

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

5 oz. thinly sliced French bread (about 3 1/2 cups), torn in half 

1 c. shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. shredded gruyere cheese

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a wide braiser pan or a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft and a deeply golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and garlic and cook until the mushrooms begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Stir in the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Pour in the beef broth, 3 cups of water, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently until al dente, 10 to 11 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in the cream cheese and red wine vinegar.

Turn the broiler on high. Brush or drizzle the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Top the pasta with the bread and sprinkle with the mozzarella and gruyere cheese. Broil until the cheese is deeply golden, 2 to 5 minutes, keeping a close eye on the pasta. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with extra thyme sprinkled on top.

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ROASTED VEGGIE CAST IRON PIZZA

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

6 stalks asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste

1/4 c. garlic-infused olive oil

1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough, at room temperature 

2/3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 1/2 oz.)

1/3 c. grated asiago

Preheat the oven to 475°. Toss the eggplant and asparagus in a medium bowl with the extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Lay the eggplant flat in a single layer in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip and add the asparagus to the pan (reserve the bowl). Roast until the asparagus is tender and the eggplant is light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Return the vegetables to the bowl.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil into the skillet. Increase the oven temperature to 500°. Roll or stretch the pizza dough into a 14-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to the skillet.

Sprinkle the mozzarella and asiago on the dough, then top with the roasted vegetables. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil on top; sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper.

Put the skillet on the bottom oven rack and bake the pizza until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Crumble the goat cheese on top and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

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GREEN CHILE ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

2 Tbsp. salted butter

1 onion, diced

1 15-ounce can green enchilada sauce

1 7-ounce can chopped green chiles

1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles)

13 corn tortillas

4 c. freshly grated cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese

1 10-ounce package frozen corn, thawed and patted dry

1 15-ounce can refried beans

Pico de gallo and chopped fresh cilantro, for topping

Preheat the oven to 375˚. Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown, 8 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce, green chiles, and adobo sauce. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the sauce to a bowl and reserve.

Cover the sauce in the skillet with 4 tortillas so that they overlap slightly in the center and come up the sides a little.

Top the tortillas with 1¼ cups cheese and half of the corn. Dollop half of the refried beans on top and drizzle with ½ cup of the reserved green sauce. Add 4 more tortillas and repeat the layering process with 1¼ cups cheese, the remaining corn, the remaining beans, and ½ cup green sauce.

Top with the remaining 5 tortillas and the remaining green sauce and cheese. Cover the skillet with foil and bake until hot and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until set, another 10 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Top with pico de gallo and cilantro.

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IRISH NACHOS

3 lb. Yukon gold potatoes

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tsp. kosher salt

8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

2 c. shredded cheddar-jack cheese

Quick pickled onions (optional), sliced green onion, sour cream, and salsa, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°F. 

Wash the potatoes and pat dry thoroughly. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together the potatoes, oil, pepper, and garlic powder until well combined. Arrange them in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the pan from the oven. Flip the potatoes and return to the oven. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes more.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the salt. Let cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the bacon and cheese. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about five minutes more. Sprinkle with green onions top with salsa and sour cream.

TFD: “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” —Michael Jordan

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