One-Pot Wonders: Simplifying Weeknight Dinners with an AGA Cooker

When you’ve had a busy day at work and you need something quick and easy to whip up for tea, a one-pot wonders meal is your midweek saviour. From stews and casseroles to tasty curries and pasta dishes, these one-pot wonders are ideal for busy families and will help simplify your mealtimes.

One-pot meals mean reducing food waste, saving energy and creating less washing-up, all of which we are happy to get onboard with!

By using the one-pot wonders method, you are eliminating the need to figure out what sides to cook with your main dish, because each recipes provides your protein, vegetables, and grains all in one dish.

Saving Money with One-Pot Meals

One-pot meals not only save time but are also a great way to stick to a budget. By planning and preparing your weekday meals, you can make delicious meals for all the family that won’t break the bank.

You can tailor your menu to use ingredients you already have in the kitchen. You can also plan to use leftovers that might be in the fridge to avoid waste.

There are lots of meal plans out there that you can follow to make your life easier. To give you some din-spiration, we have created a 5-day one-pot meal plan that will keep your midweek meals easy and fun.

Slow Cooked Beef Curry

Mexican Chicken and Rice

Pasta and Tomato Sauce

Sausage Tray Bake

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Remember these are just suggestions – try free styling and create your own meal plan with whatever takes your fancy!

One-Pot Recipes

Create yummy comfort food on a budget all in one delicious pot with these filling, easy one-pot recipes. Take a look at these one-pot wonders, designed to make midweek meals hassle-free.

Below you’ll find some gorgeous tried and tested one-pot Aga wonders that will simplify your weeknight dinners.

This recipe for chicken fillets with aubergine, ground walnuts and pomegranate takes its inspiration from Persia and is delicious. Just serve with a salad.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Aubergine, Walnuts and Pomegranate

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, chopped

1 aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes

1 large clove of garlic, grated

125g ground walnuts

250g Basmati rice

600ml chicken stock

50ml pomegranate molasses

1 orange, zest and juice

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Salt and ground black pepper

4 chicken fillets

Garnish:

Pomegranate seeds

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Pour the olive oil into the base of the Buffet Casserole and heat on the Simmering Plate then sauté the onions, aubergine and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the ground walnuts and cook for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the walnuts are toasted.

2. Add the rice, chicken stock, pomegranate molasses, zest and juice of the orange, tomato purée and parsley. Season. Slash the thick ends of the chicken fillets and arrange them on top of the rice mixture. Put on the Buffet Casserole lid.

3. Move to the Boiling Plate and bring the contents to the boil, cook for a couple of minutes then transfer the Buffet Casserole with lid to the Simmering Oven for 25-30 minutes to cook. Check seasoning.

4. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and the chopped parsley and serve with a salad.

Sausage Cassoulet

Filling, delicious and super-easy, as it can be cooked and served in one pan, this sausage cassoulet is one of our favourites for a comforting meal.

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients:

6 chunky sausages

2 onions, finely sliced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

3 peppers, any colour, deseeded and sliced

4 tbsp olive oil

70g tomato purée

4 tsp ground cumin

4 tsp paprika

3 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

4 tins or cartons of cooked beans and pulses – eg haricot beans, butter beans, cannelini beans, red kidney beans, black eyed beans, green lentils, drained and rinsed.

Ingredients:

First prepare the sausages by twisting in the middle and cutting in half to make 12 small pieces. Cook on a baking tray in the roasting oven (or oven on R8 setting) for 20 mins until brown.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Cast-Iron Pan on the boiling plate or hotplate on boiling setting and cook the onions for 5 mins or so over a moderate heat until softened and beginning to colour. Add the garlic and peppers and cook for a further 5 – 10 minutes until well softened.

Add the tomato purée then stir in the cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, salt, sugar and pepper until well mixed. Then add in the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.

Add all the beans and pulses and heat until bubbling. Transfer to the simmering plate or reduce to simmering setting for 15 – 20 mins then add the sausages, taste and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar if necessary then serve. Delicious with crusty bread and a green salad or just on its own.

Vegetarian One-Pot Recipe

 

One-Pot Mushroom, Coconut & White Wine Pasta

 

Ingredients:

2 Leek
2 cloves of garlic
450g Asparagus
350g Mushrooms
400g Spaghetti
1 Litre (4 1⁄2 cups) Vegetable Stock 1⁄3 cup White Wine
1⁄2 cup Coconut Cream
Bunch of Parsley
2 teaspoons freshly grated Lemon Zest Juice of 1⁄2 Lemon
Salt & Pepper to Season

Method:

1. Prepare your vegetables. Slicing the mushrooms, cutting the asparagus into 5cm lengths and chopping the leeks.

2. Add the stock to a pan with the spaghetti, leeks, mushrooms, asparagus and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and add a splash of white wine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place over a high heat and when it starts to bubble, set your stopwatch or timer for 7 minutes, leaving the mixture to cook at a gentle boil. Move the spaghetti around regularly at this time so they don’t get stuck together.

4. After 7 minutes, add the coconut cream, lemon zest and parsley. Let cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the pasta is tender and ready to eat. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before serving.

5. Serve up, and garnish with parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Tuck in!

One-Pan Spicy Rice Recipe

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 hot red chili, finely chopped

2.5cm (1 inch) fresh ginger, grated

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 large cloves of garlic, grated

1 tsp ground coriander

350g (12 oz) lean minced beef

480g (1 lb) fresh tomatoes, chopped

250g (9 oz) Basmati rice

500ml (18 fl oz) stock

1 tsp salt

Ground black pepper

Garnish: Fresh coriander

Method:

Heat the oil in the base of the 24cm AGA Stainless Steel Buffet Pan on the Simmering Plate and sauté; the onion until soft. (Alternatively you can start this on the Simmering Plate then move to the floor of the Simmering or Baking Oven until soft).

Add the chili, ginger, turmeric, cumin, garlic and coriander and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring all the ingredients together.

Add the meat and fry off on the Boiling Plate until browned, adding a little more oil if necessary. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes then pour in the rice and stir. Add the stock and bring the contents to the boil, stir and cover with the lid.

2, 3, 4 and 5 oven Aga Cookers: Transfer the pan to the floor of the Simmering Oven and cook for 30-45 minutes until the rice is tender and absorbed the liquid.

Garnish with a handful of fresh coriander.

Cooking One-Pot Meals with an Aga Cooker

Aga cookers offer versatility and functionality with means they lend themselves extremely well to one-pot meals. You can start your dish off on the hotplates and then move it into the simmering oven to keep cooking at a gentle temperature until all the flavours have developed.

Take a simple curry for example, you can fry your onion, meat and spices on the top, add in your coconut milk or chopped tomatoes, and then place the whole pan in the simmering oven to let the meat cook gently. If you are feeling adventuress, you can even try making your own chapatis and cook them directly on the simmering plate with the lid down.

Ready to make mealtimes easier? Explore our wide range of reconditioned Aga cookers today and find the perfect fit for your lifestyle!