One Pot Polish Sausage and Cabbage with Potatoes

Fall has finally shown up (at least briefly), so it’s time for hearty comfort food.  This Polish sausage and cabbage with potatoes recipe is both easy to make and filling.  It’s a great meal for a chilly autumn day.  There are only a few basic, everyday ingredients, but it still manages to be packed with flavor from rich sausage,  braised cabbage, buttery Yukon Gold potato, and sweet carrot.

And, as a bonus, you get your entire dinner cooked while only using a single pot. As far as I’m concerned, less cleaning and washing up is always a good thing.

The technique is really simple, and there’s not a lot of fiddling.  Basically, all you have to do to get a delicious dinner is to slice up and brown the sausage, add the veggies and broth, and then let the whole thing simmer slowly in the pot.

It takes less than an hour to make and you don’t have to stand over a hot stove while your dinner cooks.  You can go do something else instead.  For instance, you can pour yourself a glass of red wine and unwind from a long day or make a mug of hot, spiced apple cider.

It’s not fancy, or fussy, just good plain hearty food.

I used a Yukon gold potato, because they have a richer, more buttery flavor.  However, an Eastern potato (or white potato) will work too.  Avoid Russet (Idaho) potatoes, as they are best for baking (OK, I avoid them anyway because I don’t like them; they’re too floury).




Polish Sausage and Cabbage with Potatoes Substitutions and Variations

  • Try using bacon instead of the sausage
  • Swap the sliced potatoes for 4 oz of egg noodles (cook them separately, then add them at the end and toss everything together)
  • Season the dish with some paprika
  • If you’re out of chicken broth, you can use water instead
  • Add some cut up bell pepper

More Sausage Recipes

kielbasa with sauerkraut and applesKielbasa with Sauerkraut and Apples

Sausage, sauerkraut, and apples complement each other beautifully and the honey mustard sauce adds a delightful sweet tangy flavor.  This is pantry-friendly and only requires one pot.

Brazilian chicken paprika stewBrazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

A Brazilian take on Hungarian chicken paprikash. This has lime, sausage, and beans. No sour cream in sight. Plenty of rich, slightly zippy, citrusy flavor though.


lentil bean sausage soupLentil Bean Sausage Soup

A chunky, hearty soup that’s great for colder weather. It’s packed with flavor from ham, sausage, beans, and lentils. Plus a secret ingredient borrowed from Italian grandmas. Simmered slowly to bring out the flavors.


creole cabbage and sausageQuick Creole Cabbage and Sausage

Dinner in minutes, in only a single pan.  Don’t worry about the “fancy” mustard and spice mix. They’re easy to make at home with ingredients you already have.

 




Leftover Roast Lamb Eggplant and Spinach Salad

Hot. Cold. Then hot again. Anyone else getting whiplash from this weather? The calendar says fall, but the thermometer reads summer.  To beat the heat, try a leftover roast lamb eggplant spinach salad.  You can use leftover lamb from my Greek lamb breast recipe, or just broil a lamb chop.

This salad is a festival of tastes, textures, and colors.  You get luscious lamb topped with tender golden-brown eggplant over earthy spinach, refreshing crisp cucumbers, and sweet tomatoes.  Then the whole thing is finished with a rich garlicky lemon mayonnaise.

I’ve sauteed the eggplant in a skillet (because I didn’t want to heat up the oven), but you can grill it if you prefer, or bake it in the oven (400 degrees for about 20 minutes).  Then just add spinach and your favorite salad ingredients.

I have adapted this from a Silver Palate cookbook recipe which called for pignoli nuts and olives.  I had neither, so I filled in with cucumber and tomato. You could also put in mushrooms, sprouts, experiment with different kinds of olives, or top it with toasted nuts.  See the “substitutions” section below for more ideas.

You can either make the mayonnaise from scratch (homemade mayonnaise is divine, just remember to use it up quickly), or just dress up some store-bought mayonnaise with a bit of garlic and lemon juice.  I like to “freshen” up commercially made mayo with lemon and olive oil whenever I use it.  It tastes more like homemade that way.

Have this for a quick dinner, or make it for lunch.  I think of it as an entree salad; it works for any time you want something filling without a lot of fussing (or waiting).




Leftover Roast Lamb Eggplant Spinach Salad Substitutions and Variations

 

  • Top with pignoli nuts, chopped almonds, or chopped walnuts
  • Add 1/4 C feta cheese and some mint
  • Add some sliced apples
  • Make some orzo and add that to the salad
  • Try different veggies like zucchini, bell pepper or squash

More Lamb Recipes for One Person

greek lamb breastGreek Lamb Breast Recipe

Marinate this overnight, then roast it slowly in a low oven to bring out the full flavor.

 

Moroccan lamb stew with almonds and raisinsMoroccan Lamb Stew with Almonds and Raisins

A Jewish-Moroccan recipe fit for a feast. The raisins add sweetness and complement the lamb beautifully.

 

lamb breast provencale with rosemaryOne Person Slow Roasted Lamb Breast Provencal Recipe

Cooked slowly and topped with a mixture of garlic, olive oil, rosemary and bread crumbs.

 

turkish lamb burgerTurkish Lamb Burgers

Meaty, rich lamb burgers stuffed with garlic and salty feta. Served with a cucumber yogurt sauce.  Make the burgers ahead and let the ingredients blend for full flavor.

 




Oven Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli

I know, broccoli is controversial (though not quite as much as brussels sprouts). Some love it, some hate it.  If you’re not a broccoli fan, this recipe for oven roasted lemon garlic broccoli might change your mind. Roasting helps reduce the bitterness and gives the broccoli a nutty flavor (from the caramelization).  It also makes the broccoli crispy outside, tender and sweet inside.

I have used frozen broccoli florets, because they cook more quickly (and I had a big bag of them). This is also more practical, since it’s tough for one person to eat an entire head of broccoli all at once!  This way I can take out just what I need and the rest can stay frozen until I want it for something else.

Plus, frozen vegetables often have more vitamins and better nutrition than fresh vegetables do.  That’s because the frozen version has been picked and then preserved (by freezing) immediately, while fresh produce may have traveled for days from some other state (or even country) before it gets to your supermarket.

If you have fresh broccoli (or a farmer’s market nearby), you can use that too.  Don’t toss out the stems, they are just as good as the florets.  They do cook faster (and better) if you remove the tough outer layer from the stems first. A vegetable peeler will work just fine for this.

You’ll also need to cook fresh broccoli a bit longer (since the frozen broccoli has been blanched first).  Roast the fresh broccoli for about 25 minutes. If you like it super-crispy, roast it for half an hour (turning it once).




Oven Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli Substitutions and Variations

  • Toast some breadcrumbs or panko and sprinkle them over the broccoli
  • Sprinkle some pine nuts or chopped walnuts over the broccoli
  • Make it a full meal by topping it with a fried egg or mixing the cooked broccoli with some pasta
  • Use the same roasting technique and change the seasoning to make it Asian with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil

More Broccoli Dishes

pasta with broccoli, mushrooms, and chicken sausagePasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Chicken Sausage

Easy, delicious, and adaptable. If you don’t have sausage, use bacon. No broccoli? Try asparagus instead.  It’s got all your veggies, your protein, and your starch in a single bowl.

Lmab keema with potatoes and broccoliLamb Keema with Potatoes and Broccoli

A sort of South Asian shepherd’s pie. Made with ground lamb, this isn’t overly spicy, and only needs one pot. Ready in about half an hour.

More Vegetable Side Dishes

honey mustard glazed carrotsHoney Mustard Glazed Carrots for One

Savory mustard, tender sweet carrots, and a little bit of honey. These carrots go great with roast chicken, pork, or a steak.

 

sauteed garlic parmesan spinachSautéed Garlic Parmesan Spinach

An Italian side dish that’s fairly pantry-friendly too. The original version was too much bother, so I simplified it. It’s now also time and effort friendly.  Great with some grilled fish.

 




Stovetop Coq au Vin Chicken with Red Wine Sauce

Coq au vin (or rooster in wine) is a classic French dish.  It’s flavorful, it’s rich, and it takes a lot of time and effort to prepare.  First, you season the chicken, let it sit overnight, then brown it, add vegetables, and braise it slowly.  Authentic coq au vin also requires lots of pots,  lardons, which are thick matchstick strips of bacon, glazed pearl onions, croutons, and finally toast points! It takes hours to prepare it properly.  It’s wonderful, but it’s also a major undertaking, and highly impractical for a weekday dinner.  In contrast, this stovetop coq au vin takes about half an hour to make.  Much better!

I have adapted this recipe from Pierre Franey’s 60 Minute Gourmet Cookbook. Being French he called it “Poulet Sauté au Brouilly” (or chicken sautéed in Brouilly wine). I say stovetop coq au vin or chicken with red wine sauce and mushrooms works just fine.

And, once you finish a bit of chopping and browning, stovetop coq au vin mostly cooks itself. You don’t have to fuss with it,  you don’t need to use half the pots in your kitchen, and you don’t have to clean them up either.  This version only requires a single skillet.

When choosing the red wine, look for one that’s fruity and flavorful, but not too tannic.  Wines such as Zinfandel, Brouilly, Beaujolais, or Merlot are fine (I used Merlot).  On the other hand, a Cabernet Sauvignon would be overpowering.




Stovetop Coq au Vin Substitutions and Variations

  • If you want, cook a few strips of bacon and add that to the chicken
  • Make it more colorful with some chopped carrots
  • Try different varieties of mushrooms, or a mixture
  • Use shallots instead of the onion/garlic
  • If you use the bacon, saute the onions/garlic/shallots in the bacon fat

More Chicken Recipes

crispy lemon chicken thighCrispy Lemon Chicken Thigh Recipe for One

Three kinds of lemon, and a smidge of brown sugar add lots of flavor to this chicken. It almost tastes like it’s fried (but it’s not).  Great hot or cold.

 

chicken mango stir fryQuick Chicken Mango Stir Fry Recipe

A freezer-friendly quick dinner. Use frozen mango if you have it. If not, pineapple will do too (since this cooks quickly). Toss in the chicken and veggies, make a quick sauce and you’re done.

homemade chicken shawarma

Homemade Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce

If you can’t get your favorite Mediterranean takeout, make it yourself.  You don’t need a rotisserie or special equipment either. Just make it right in your oven.

 

chicken with mushrooms and tarragonSingle Serving Chicken Recipe with Tarragon and Mushrooms

A fancy French meal without going out (or paying a lot).  It takes only 30 minutes to make and uses a single pan. I confess even I wanted to lighten up the original recipe (which called for copious amounts of butter and cream). However, this version retains every bit of flavor!




Easy One Serving Apple Crisp Recipe

It’s officially fall, so that means it’s also officially apple season! This easy one serving apple crisp recipe really satisfies that apple craving, while indulging your sweet tooth at the same time. I had a serious hankering for something sweet, but not too gooey, and this hits the spot.

Try to use apples that are large, crisp, and juicy, but not too sweet.  I am lucky enough to have access to a greenmarket with a farmer who grows 75 kinds of apples.  So, I used Esopus Spitzenberg (supposedly Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple).  If you don’t have 75 kinds of apples, Granny Smith or Mutsu or similar will do just fine.

The original recipe called for 2 cups of sugar (for 12 servings), which was waaay too much.  Every other recipe I saw used half that.  So, I followed suit and cut it in  half.  It’s still sweet and delicious, without endangering  your teeth.




Easy One Serving Apple Crisp Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • Give in to the pumpkin spice craze and add ground cloves and ginger
  • Try a splash of brandy (especially Calvados)
  • If you want your crisp more syrupy, add some apple cider
  • Serve with ice cream or whipped cream on top

Tools and Ingredients for Easy One Serving Apple Crisp

Black and Decker food chopper

Black and Decker mini food chopper

A mini chopper is essentially a food processor’s little cousin.  This is perfect for grinding up the oatmeal in this recipe.  And, it takes up a lot less space than a food processor.  It’s great for chopping nuts, dicing onions, making pesto, or even grinding a small batch of meat for meatballs.

Tools and Ingredients for One Serving Apple Crisp

porcelain au gratin dish
Porcelain Round Au Gratin Dish

My porcelain baking dish is no longer available, but this will do just fine. And, since it’s not fluted, it’s a lot easier to clean too!

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

cinnamon sugar apple breadSmall Batch Cinnamon Sugar Apple Bread

Crackly cinnamon sugar topping, lots of chopped apples, and a downscaled recipe that’s perfect for one person.

 

Peach Crumble Recipe for One

Sweet summer peaches, two little bowls, and one pan.  Soooo good. Make sure to top it with some vanilla ice cream. Because you deserve it.

 

poached pears with chocolate sauce and ice creamPoached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream

A classic French dessert that’s remarkably easy to make.  Poach the pears gently, then add chocolate and ice cream. Fancy huh?

 

caramelized pineapple chunksCaramelized Pineapple Chunks for One Person

Delicious, easy, and pantry-friendly. Hint: you can use canned pineapple! And it only takes a few minutes to make. Serve plain, topped with chopped nuts, or add other fruit too.




Single Loaf Challah Recipe for Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

Most recipes for challah make two loaves, which is way too many for one person. This one is different. It’s a single loaf challah recipe, made in the Kitchenaid.

If you’re not familiar with challah (pronounced like the “ch” in “loch”), it is a sweetened bread that is somewhat similar to a French brioche.  The difference is that challah is usually made with vegetable oil instead of butter (so that those keeping kosher can have it with a meat meal).  Incidentally, the leftovers make fantastic French toast.

Challah is traditionally served every Friday night as part of the Jewish Sabbath observance. The bread is usually braided, into three, six, or even twelve strands. I read recently that it might be to emphasize unity; another post suggested that the three strands represent truth, peace, and justice.  Poppy or sesame seeds are manna falling from heaven.

Usually, the braided loaves end up long and narrow (a bit like an Italian bread).  However, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we make them round, to symbolize unity (no beginning and no end), unending blessings, and maybe even “the circle of life.”

This particular recipe was originally by Joan Nathan, which made two loaves. That recipe was then adapted by Deb Perlman (of Smitten Kitchen). Deb’s version was then revised to a single loaf by Jenny at Cuban Reuben and slightly adapted again by me. It’s almost biblical, isn’t it: Joan’s recipe begat Deb’s, Deb’s begat Jenny’s, and Jenny’s begat mine!

I did make a few changes.  First, I used instant yeast instead of active dry yeast. And second, I found that I didn’t need four eggs, plus a yolk.  Three plus the yolk were plenty.




Single Loaf Challah Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • For an extra-sweet new year, mix 1 cup of raisins into the dough before you braid it.
  • Or, swap out the sugar and sweeten the recipe with honey instead
  • Top the challah with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or salt

Tools and Ingredients for this Recipe

Norpro bench scraper/chopper
Norpro Bench Scraper/Chopper

 

A bench scraper is especially helpful for challah. First, it makes it much easier to divide the dough into equal parts for braiding. Secondly, there are measurements printed right on the edge, so you can make sure you are cutting the pieces evenly.  Use this for challah, for chopping, or for transferring diced veggies from your cutting board to a pot.

NSAF Instant Yeast

Saf Instant Yeast, 1 Pound Pouch

Buying those individual yeast packets costs a fortune. This is much more budget-friendly. It’s an entire pound of instant yeast.  That means you can make dozens of loaves out of one package.  And, since it’s instant yeast, it starts to work right away. You don’t have to let it sit in warm water waiting for the yeast to activate.

More Kitchenaid Bread Recipes

single loaf bread recipe kitchenaidSingle Loaf Easy White Bread Recipe

New to making bread? This one is super-easy.  It has only five ingredients, and you don’t have to shape it.  Plus, there’s no need for a special pan. Just use a regular baking sheet (like for cookies).

 

kitcheanaid potato bread recipeKitchenaid Potato Bread Recipe

Adding potatoes ensures that this bread is moist and tender, like the bread you’d buy in a package. Except this has no preservatives or additives.  Plus, you get to enjoy the smell wafting through your home as it bakes.  Nothing like that fresh bread smell!

kitchenaid white bread recipeOne Loaf Kitchenaid Sandwich White Bread

Perfect for sandwiches, this bread is light, tender, but still sturdy enough to hold up to a pile of meat and cheese, chicken salad, or good old PB and J.

 

kitchenaid honey oat bread recipeKitchenaid Honey Oat Bread Recipe

A bit sweet, with oats mixed in and sprinkled on top. That makes it more nutritious and adds body to the bread. This is great for toast (especially cinnamon toast).

 

kitchenaid homemade breadKitchenaid Bread Recipes

Still want more?  Here’s a  whole page full of bread tips and recipes, including baguettes, Italian bread, and sandwich bread.

 




Chinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup for One Person

I’ve been fighting the creeping crud and nothing helps fight germs better than a big bowl of soup, preferably spicy soup.  This Chinese chicken noodle cabbage soup is perfect. The spicy broth clears the sinuses, the garlic, ginger and chili sauce have antibiotic qualities, and it tastes good too.

I adapted the recipe from a recipe I found on Epicurious.  It’s not just smaller quantities though. My version has less sugar, and is a bit spicier (I wanted the heat more than sweetness). Gotta fight those germs!  Also, since I didn’t have tahini handy (and wouldn’t want to buy it just for this), I ditched that and used peanut butter instead.  I didn’t have seasoned rice vinegar either, so I substituted the regular kind. Their recipe cooked the chicken by boiling it in the soup.  I decided I wanted more complex, caramelized flavor, so I cooked it with the cabbage.  And, since I didn’t have sherry I reasoned that since sherry was essentially fortified wine, that some red wine and a drizzle of honey would work just fine. It did!

This is enough for one generous serving, or two smaller ones, depending on how hungry you are.




Chinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup Substitutions and Variations

  • Add some sliced mushrooms, broccoli, or snow peas to the soup (when you cook the cabbage and scallions)
  • Substitute bok choy for the cabbage
  • Want it spicier? Drizzle the finished soup with some sriracha or more chili garlic sauce
  • Go with the original recipe and use the tahini instead of the peanut butter
  • Like it less spicy?  Use sriracha in the recipe instead of the chili garlic sauce

Chinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup Ingredients

huy fong chili garlic sauce

Huy Fong Sauce Chili Garlic

This is great for lots of recipes: put it in Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce, chili citrus chicken thighs, sesame noodles, or add a kick to scrambled eggs or meatloaf. Or, mix it into mayonnaise for chili aioli.

rice vinegar

Rice Vinegar

This is just about essential for Asian cooking. Use it in this recipe, or for an Asian cole slaw. Baste meat with it, or combine it with some soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and scallions for a quick dipping sauce.

sesame oil

Toasted Sesame Oil

Another essential for Asian cooking, great for salad dressings, shrimp, or teriyaki. Use it in Chinese cucumber salad, or saute it with some spinach.

 

More Asian Noodle and Soup Recipes

 

easy singapore noodles with chickenEasy Singapore Noodles with Chicken for One Person

Got leftovers? This easy, flavorful stir-fry dish with chicken, noodles, and veggies is a great way to use them up.

 

spicy sesame noodlesSpicy Sesame Noodles Recipe for One Person

Another takeout classic, which you can easily make yourself.  Some recipes call for non-standard household ingredients like tahini or sesame paste. Great, but not necessarily available everywhere. But, lots of us have peanut butter! Use that instead. Then slurp up the noodles.

spicy beef noodle soupSpicy Beef Noodle Soup for One

This is practically instant soup. Just dump, pour, heat, and eat. The whole thing takes 10 minutes if you have cooked leftover beef.

 

szechuan chili noodlesSzechuan Chili Noodles Recipe

Like dan dan noodles? This version is much simpler, with more readily available ingredients. Make the chili oil, make the noodles, toss in the veggies, and mix it all together.

 




Skin On Garlic Mashed Potatoes

It’s suddenly fall-like here in NY, with cooler weather and even a few leaves starting to turn.  So, time to start thinking about comfort food. And what better comfort food than skin on garlic mashed potatoes.

I’m posting this partly in honor of my sister-in-law, who loves mashed potatoes.  She practically thinks they are a food group. When she married my brother, I included a larger version of this recipe in a mini-cookbook we made for her.  Now, many years later, I make them slightly differently: not just mashed potatoes, but skin on garlic mashed potatoes.  It’s less work, less cleanup and more nutrition. Win win win!

The original recipe calls for milk, but I was feeling decadent, so I went with half and half here.  Use milk if you prefer.  Or, even a bit of cream.

Make sure to use thin skinned potatoes that are suitable for boiling and mashing.  I like to use either white potatoes, (sometimes called Eastern potatoes), or Yukon gold.  The skins on the white potatoes are thinner than Russets, which makes them better for a recipe that calls for leaving the skin on the potato.  Yukon gold are naturally more creamy and buttery tasting.  Also, I’ve never particularly liked Russets, they seem floury to me. They’re higher in starch, and don’t reheat well. They also don’t hold their shape (not an issue for mashing, but a problem for potato salad or soup).




Skin on Garlic Mashed Potatoes Substitutions and Variations

  • Top with some scallions
  • Add a few rosemary leaves
  • Try roasting the garlic, instead of boiling it with the potatoes
  • Stir in some freshly grated parmesan cheese

More Potato Recipes

dijon mustard vinaigrette potato saladFrench Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad

If you’d rather skip the mayo in your potato salad, this recipe is for you.  There isn’t any mayo. It’s got a mustard vinaigrette dressing instead.

 

roasted paprika potatoesRoasted Paprika Potatoes

One of my favorite comfort foods as a child, these are crispy outside and fluffy inside. No frying (but you might think they’re extra-tasty steak fries).

 

dill caper potato saladDill Caper Potato Salad

Sour/sweet capers, lemony dill, and a light hand on the dressing combined for an easy summer potato salad.

 

belgian potato salade liegoiseBelgian Potato Salade Liegoise

A potato salad that’s hearty enough for a meal all by itself.  Cook the potatoes, green beans, and bacon (or sausage), whip up a quick vinaigrette, and you’ve got lunch.

 




Moussaka Without Bechamel Sauce Recipe

I just love moussaka, but the traditional version is just too much work for one serving. I had a recipe for a Jewish Egyptian version of moussaka without bechamel, (or messa’aa) but the first try needed more tweaking. Back to the drawing board! This version uses more spices, has better flavor, and is much easier to put together.

There’s Middle Eastern flavor from spicy/warm cinnamon and nutmeg, the bite of garlic and onion, tender eggplant, and tomatoes. You can make this either with ground lamb or ground beef (whichever you prefer).

Many of the recipes I saw required first making a tomato sauce, then a meat mixture, then the eggplant, and finally assembling the entire thing together. Too much work and too many pots and pans to clean up.

My way is easier. First salt and fry the eggplant (or broil if you’d prefer), then cook the onion and garlic, add the meat, tomatoes, and seasoning, layer it all together and bake it. Instead of spending hours in the kitchen, you can have dinner ready in about an hour.

Or, make it all ahead of time, up to the point of putting it in the oven.  Then, put the baking dish in the fridge, and cook it when you’re ready. Just take the dish out about fifteen or twenty minutes in advance so that it isn’t ice cold when you put it in the oven. Make a quick salad or some rice and you have dinner.

This recipe is also a product of a bit of advance planning.  The trouble with cooking for one sometimes is that even if you make one serving you still have more ingredients left.  However, a little menu planning can go a long way toward fixing that problem.  You end up with several delicious meals,  a lot less waste, and it’s far more budget friendly too.

For example, this recipe uses the rest of the eggplant from rosemary olive oil broiled eggplant and the remaining crushed tomatoes from tomato artichoke pasta sauce recipe from two weeks ago. I’ve now used up the eggplant and the can of tomatoes. There are more recipes at the bottom of the post to help with the beef.




Moussaka Without Bechamel Sauce Substitutions and Variations

  • Pan fry some almonds in olive oil and add that to the meat mixture in the pan
  • Toss in some raisins
  • Top the moussaka with a mixture of yogurt, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and chopped cucumbers (sort of a tzatziki without the dill)
  • Substitute potatoes or zucchini for the eggplant
  • Add some chopped green pepper to the meat mixture

More Eggplant Recipes

eggplant parmesan for oneEggplant Parmesan Recipe for One

A classic Italian favorite featuring tender eggplant, a rich tomato sauce, and gooey, melted mozzarella. And, it’s a lot less work than you may think.

 

vegetarian eggplant sandwich

Vegetarian Eggplant Sandwich for One Person

Repurpose Israeli salad and turn it into a full meal. Just add eggplant, egg, and a pita. Voila!

 

pasta alla norma with eggplantPasta alla Norma with Eggplant

Quick, slightly spicy, and served with a classic caprese salad of tomato, mozzarella, and basil. This dish only takes about 20 minutes to make.

 

rosemary olive oil broiled eggplantRosemary Olive Oil Broiled Eggplant

Eggplant that’s so soft it practically melts in your mouth.  Sprinkled with rosemary and topped with melted parmesan. My cousin made this for me eons ago and I’ve been hooked ever since.

 




Tuna Cannellini Bean Salad Recipe for One

Tuna cannellini bean salad is a great meal for those days when you just don’t feel like “cooking.” Maybe you got home late from work, or you’ve been out running errands all day, or it’s just too hot to fuss.  This meal requires nothing more complicated than opening a few cans, sprinkling some seasonings, and a little bit of chopping. Easy.

Everything comes straight from your pantry.  The beans are canned, the tuna is canned, and the only fresh ingredient you need is some scallions, and maybe the lemon juice. Even that isn’t essential; if you don’t have scallions, use onion instead.  If you’re out of fresh lemons, the bottled juice will do just fine.

If you do have the time and energy, this is a bit better with freshly cooked beans. The canned beans tend to be slightly mushy, and sometimes they’re a little salty.   If you go the dried bean route, use my quick soak method to speed things up.  If not, no harm, no foul.

The recipe is enough for two lunches or one dinner (depending  how hungry you are).  I usually find that I eat a whole 5 oz. can of tuna for lunch if I just make ordinary tuna salad, but adding the beans stretches it enough for two meals.

I’ve adapted it slightly from one of  Pierre Franey’s Sixty Minute Gourmet cookbooks. I reduced the quantity and eliminated the parsley (never had any use for parsley). This is not only better than sixty minutes, it only takes about ten.

Serve with some fresh fruit and you have a fast lunch in under fifteen minutes.  Add crusty bread to that and you have dinner.




Tuna Cannellini Bean Salad Substitutions and Variations

  • add some capers
  • mix in some cherry tomatoes
  • try red onion instead of the scallions
  • serve over romaine lettuce
  • mix some greens (watercress, arugula, or one of those baby greens mixtures) right into the salad

 

More Cannellini Bean Recipes

white bean salad with sun-dried tomatoesWhite Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I saw this fancy salad at a store for about $10 a pound. I thought I can make that myself for a lot less. So I did.

 

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli Soup (Small Batch)

An Italian classic in a scaled-down version that’s perfect for single person cooking. And it’s nearly entirely pantry ingredients too (just the pancetta, but that will keep in the fridge).

Brazilian chicken paprika stew

Brazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

A Brazilian twist on Hungarian chicken paprikash. This version has beans and sausage, with no sour cream in sight. It’s comforting, filling, and only uses one pot.

 

pork chili verdePork Chili Verde for One

A taste of the Southwest, with a twist. This chili is green (not red), and has lots of green chilis, pork, and garlic.