5 Cookware Essentials Anyone Cooking for One Will Use Over and Over

Listen, there's a time and place for a 5-quart Dutch oven, but these smaller pieces are much more manageable for solo cooking.

By

Sara Tane

Published on April 7, 2022

8 inch skillet with bread on the stove — Photo: American Kitchen

Cooking for one and cooking for a family are two very different tasks, which means the tools you use should be different, too. Using pots, pans, and countertop appliances fit for the amount of food you're preparing makes a huge difference. Not only does the prep feel less daunting but also cleaning up is way easier, too. Here are the cookware pieces you should stock your kitchen with as a solo cook.

1. Small Cast Iron Skillet

8 inch cast iron skillet with biscuits on it — Lodge

Whether you're searing meat, sauteing veggies, baking cornbread, or pan-frying bacon, a seasoned cast iron skillet gets the job done. Cast iron is oven safe, making it a great option for recipes that finish in the oven, like chicken thighs or roasted potatoes. You can even use it for desserts, like a chocolate chip skillet cookie or a scaled-down fruit crisp.

In other words, there are few foods you can't cook in a cast iron skillet, and an 8-inch pan is an ideal size for one to two people. Not to mention, this size feels noticeably lighter than a 10- or 12-inch version and takes up less space.

2. Small Nonstick Skillet

American Kitchen 8 Inch Skillet on a wooden surface — American Kitchen

As with a sturdy cast iron pan, you'll reach for an 8-inch non-stick skillet time and again. Perfect for pancakes, eggs, fish fillets, quesadillas, and more, a nonstick pan keeps food from clinging, which means easier cleanup for you.

3. Small Saucepan

Calphalon Signature Non-Stick 1-qt. Saucepan with Lid on a gray countertop — Crate & Barrel

Forget the large sets of pots and pans. You can use a small, 1-quart saucepan to simmer pasta and rice, boil potatoes and eggs, blanch veggies, or whip up an easy sauce. Water will come to a boil faster in a saucepan of this size because there is less to heat up.

4. Small Baking Dish

Pyrex 8x8 Glass Baking Dish on a granite countertop — Williams Sonoma

The only time I use my 9x13 baking dish is when I'm making a sheet cake. Other than that, if I need to use a glass baking dish, you bet I'm looking at my humble 8x8 dish. It's just right for a scaled-down egg dish, braised fish, mac and cheese, pot pie, or baked rice dish. Plus, you can keep the leftovers right in the pan, wrap it up, and fit it in your fridge. Proof that cooking for one is easy!

5. Quarter Sheet Pan

Oiled asparagus on a quarter sheet pan — Getty Images

Know what can really clog up a dirty kitchen sink? Sheet pans. Show me a pile of dishes and then add on a filthy sheet pan and suddenly the task of cleaning it all up feels daunting. The beauty of quarter sheet pans is that they're much smaller and way less cumbersome to clean.

Pulling out a half sheet pan just to roast one potato or bake a couple of frozen cookie dough balls feels a bit excessive, which is why I love to assign smaller oven tasks to my trusted quarter sheet pan. They also serve as a great landing spot for fried food that needs to drain on paper towels. Plus, if you can't find a lid to your pots and pans, you can throw a quarter sheet pan on top to create some steam.

Bonus: Mini Food Processor

KitchenAid Matte Black 3.5 Cup Food Chopper with hummus inside — Crate & Barrel

No, it's not cookware, but we had to include this small but mighty appliance because of how perfect it is for anyone cooking for one or two people. A mini food processor (holding 3.5 to 4 cups) is just the right size for chopping veggies or blitzing together a quick sauce or dressing. It's an easy tool to clean and store, with all of the capacity you would likely need for small-scale recipes.

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