You Can Cook Delicious Meals for One

Sometimes we get requests for classes that are a little too niche for our general audience at The Chopping Block. So, when my team discussed a recent request for a “cooking for one” class, I volunteered to write a blog post on the topic since I am the only single person on our management team.

What I failed to realize at the time is that although I live with only my dog to praise or critique my cooking, I’m never just cooking for one person. I entertain friends and share food with neighbors often. I don’t mind leftovers for a couple of days, so I rarely cook just one portion of a dish. But I also don’t want a week’s worth of leftovers unless I’m making gumbo. I can eat my Gumbo YaYa for days and not grow tired of it!

I typically cook two portions of each meal so that I’m cooking every other night which is totally doable for my lifestyle. But I also don’t want to spend hours cooking just for myself (I save that type of project cooking for the weekends when I entertain), but I want something healthy and flavorful and not always the boring protein, vegetable, and starch combination.

I also despise wasting food, so I think it’s important to know how to repurpose ingredients to use them in a different way so that you don’t get tired of them. That’s also why creating a meal plan for just yourself will not only save you money and your sanity but also reduce food waste.

The obvious perks of cooking for one person are that you don’t have to worry about catering to someone else’s dietary likes or dislikes, so you get to make what you want, when you want and how you want.

Cooking for One

Cookbooks on the topic of cooking for one saw a resurgence during the pandemic when we were all isolated (however I cannot recommend this one from 1999!). Chef and cookbook author Anita Lo published Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One in 2018. When Lo was interviewed by The Washington Post in 2021, she said, “Because our mental health is at risk at this point, it’s really important to take care of your body. Cooking a meal is something you can control.”

While we are no longer in lockdown mode, and there are plenty of online resources available for single portion recipes, I think Lo’s words still ring true, and I know that cooking is therapeutic for me. After all, just because you are single doesn’t mean you have to have the TikTok trend “girl dinner” of cheese and popcorn for dinner every night.

Here are ten ways to eat well even if you are cooking solo:

1. Always meal plan, or at least make a grocery list. If I don’t go into the store with a plan, I find myself getting distracted (usually by the BOGO products) and I don’t stick to the plan and either overbuy or underbuy. Spend a few minutes each week to meal plan for yourself and create a grocery list. It will make you a better cook, and you can balance and rotate your meals more frequently so you don't get bored with your meals!

2. Have a well-stocked pantry. I keep shelf-stable items such as quinoa, brown rice, lentils, and beans stocked so I can use them at any time. I also always have potatoes, onions, cheese and eggs on hand. Bulk bin items are typically less expensive than packaged items, and you can buy them in smaller quantities. I also decant my pantry staples so I can always see how much of an ingredient I have on hand.

3. There are two strategies for buying protein. You can go to your local butcher or fish monger and buy exactly the quantities that you need for one meal. But that can get expensive, so I think it’s worth the time to break down larger packages into smaller amounts. If you buy a package of four chicken breasts, wrap each one in plastic wrap and put in a freezer Ziploc bag, label them and pull them out of the freezer as you need them. A vacuum sealer would be even better for this job, but I don't have one.

4. Be intentional with your leftovers. That means cooking larger portions of ingredients that can be used in a multitude of ways. When I make quinoa to serve with sautéed spinach and a piece of fish on one night, I can use the leftovers in many other ways such as a quinoa salad with grilled vegetables, vegetarian burger or taco filling.

5. Store-bought rotisserie chicken and the salad bar are your friends. I use rotisserie chicken for a quick chicken noodle soup (sub green cabbage as the "noodles" for an extra healthy version) or chicken salad often in my cooking repertoire when I’m short on time. If you don’t want to open a whole can of chickpeas for a recipe, you can purchase a smaller portion from a salad bar. Just keep in mind that this will be more expensive. Instead, I typically use the leftovers in other ways like a healthy Buddha Bowl.

6. Utilize your freezer. Just like the gumbo I mentioned earlier, I love to make soups during cooler months, especially my competition-winning Chili Verde with Poblanos and Hominy. Sometimes it just makes sense to make a large batch of whatever soup I am craving and freeze it in smaller portions. If I make falafel or meatballs, I always make more than what I need for my recipe and freeze the cooked ones for later. Then you have a quick-to-defrost option for those nights when you really don’t feel like cooking.

7. Have some flavorful seasoning blends or your favorite sauces to spice up your food. I keep some Momofuko Chili Crunch on hand to toss with roasted vegetables (though you can make your own too). I always have Sarah’s Mediterranean Sea Salt from The Chopping Block in my pantry, and if you’ve read any of my blogs before, you know I am obsessed with Hatch chiles and always have some chile salt ready to use.

8. Purchase products that come in a tube for a longer lasting product such as tomato paste, anchovy paste and harissa sauce. You can only use a little without having the rest of an 8-ounce can go to waste.

9. Be careful with math. Recipes are often written for four servings so it’s simple to divide in half to make two portions. But when you try to divide into smaller amounts, you can sometimes run into trouble because the recipe may be too different from how it was originally developed. Keep in mind that you may also need to reduce cooking times and even the size of your equipment. A scale can come in handy for determining smaller portions like a quarter pound of pasta. For baking, I never try to scale down desserts. That’s when my happy neighbors get the extra sweets!

10. Give yourself a break. No one wants to cook for themselves all the time. If you have the budget, splurge on some takeout when you can or have a fun night out to dinner with friends.

If you are one of the nearly 47-percent of the U.S. population (over 117 million people) who are single, you do not have to be relegated to dinners such as cold cereal or crunchy ramen noodle packets. Do what you need to make cooking fun for yourself such as put on your favorite playlist, pour yourself a glass of wine or use a paper plate if you don’t feel like doing dishes. The more fun you have cooking, the more likely you are to do it!

Recipes to Try

I really love this Brussels Sprout Lentil Salad, so I often make the four servings portion and use the leftovers on top of some lettuce for lunch with the dressing or switch it up from chicken and serve it with a piece of fish or grilled shrimp on top for other varieties. The yogurt cilantro dressing is just as versatile. I’m including two versions of each recipe, one for a single serving and one for a larger serving so you can do you!

Sautéed Chicken Breast 

Yield: 1 serving (see note, below)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

1 chicken breast, boneless and skinless (see note, below)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Your favorite salt blend (again, Sara’s Mediterranean Sea Salt is my go to)

1. Lay the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound the breast until it’s a uniform thickness.

2. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

3. Season the chicken breast with your favorite salt blend to taste. Lay the chicken in the pan, presentation side down.

4. Cook the first side until it’s golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through at this point but check with a meat thermometer that is 165 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE:

• If you need to increase this recipe, simply purchase 1 breast per person. Keep in mind you may need to add a bit more olive oil to the pan.
• The chicken can also be grilled.

Brussels Sprout Lentil Salad

Yield: 1 serving as a side or appetizer

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes (includes lentil cook time)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 pound Brussels sprouts, root end removed, cut into thin slices lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated

1 shallot, small dice

1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground

1/8 teaspoon smoky paprika

1/2 cup lentils, cooked

1 tablespoon pitted green olives, quartered (or if you like olives like I do, add as much as you like)

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon mint, rough chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Tip for prepping Brussels: I like to use a mandoline to slice Brussels sprouts because it's fast and I can get even, thin slices easily. For the outer leaves that fall off as you slice, just pile them up and chiffonade them (cut into thin strips like you would basil). 

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Gently sauté the Brussels sprouts until lightly caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes.

2. Add the ginger, shallot, cumin and smoky paprika to the vegetables, and gently sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan (you could also use stock or wine). 

3.Stir in the precooked lentils and olives. Toss in the lemon zest and mint, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can use precooked lentils if you want, but if you prefer to cook your own lentils, place the lentils in a saucepan and cover with about 2-inches of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until they are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Check at the 15 minute mark as you do not want them to become mushy! Drain and use. You can alternatively let your lentils cool spread out on a plate and refrigerate them until later use.

Brussels Sprout Lentil Salad

Yield: 4 servings as a side or appetizer

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, root end removed, cut into thin slices lengthwise

1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated

2 shallots, small dice

1 teaspoon cumin, ground

1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika

1 cup lentils, cooked

1/4 cup pitted green olives, quartered

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon mint, rough chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Gently sauté the Brussels sprouts until lightly caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the ginger, shallot, cumin and smoky paprika to the vegetables, and gently sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
3. Stir in the lentils and olives. Cook until just heated through. Toss in the lemon zest and mint, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yogurt Cilantro Dressing

Yield: 1/3 cup

Prep time: 5 minutes

1/4 cup fat free Greek-style yogurt

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch smoky paprika

1 tablespoon cilantro, rough chopped

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix together all the ingredients.

Yogurt Cilantro Dressing

Yield: 1 1/4 cups

Prep time: 5 minutes

1 cup plain or Greek-style yogurt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika

2 tablespoons cilantro, rough chopped

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix together all the ingredients.

To turn these three dishes into one delicious dinner, add some Brussels sprout and lentil salad to a plate, top with the chicken breast and drizzle with the dressing. In keeping true to my routine of cooking every other day, I cooked two chicken breasts (one is so large it will actually be enough for a third portion) and a larger portion of the salad with a small amount of the dressing. Now, I am good to go for dinner tonight and tomorrow, as well as a few lunches that I will vary up this week.

I hope these tips help brighten your table for one. Being a well-rounded cook is the best way to keep your food interesting because the more techniques you have in your skillset, the less bored you will become with food. Our most comprehensive class, Culinary Boot Camp, will teach you what you need to know about cooking in just five days. You will become confident enough to make decisions about swapping flavors, scaling recipes, and creating meals that excite you again and again.