Cooks of all skill levels know one basic equation: Starchy thing + red saucy thing + cheesy thing = quick, cheap, comforting meal. I started, as most college kids do, with dried spaghetti from a box and sauce from a jar. I still wouldn’t turn this down (pasta snob I am not), but over the years I’ve found many ways to make it so much better, and just about as cheap and easy.
First, the sauce. Like most packaged products, the jarred stuff doesn’t work for me as a solo cook. It’s too big and goes bad too quickly. The flavor also seems overwhelmingly sweet or dried herb-y or burnt tomato-y. Instead, I zhuzh (juj? juge?) up a can of crushed tomatoes with a couple pantry ingredients, just like Italians do.
There’s a wrench here though. A 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes is near impossible to find. For some reason, this style of tomato comes almost exclusively in 28-oz cans. If you can’t find a 15-oz can, you can blitz a can of whole tomatoes until just shy of a puree, using some but not all of the tomato liquid. You can also buy that 28-oz can, transfer the rest to an airtight container, and use in future pastas, soups, shakshukas, etc.
Next, the pasta. Dumplings are a fantastic upgrade from noodles, no fancy equipment required. This recipe comes from @the_pastaqueen. Nadia combines panko, ricotta, Parm and egg, forms into balls, and simmers in the sauce. They double in size and become feather-light as they cook—a cheesy cloud floating in a robust homemade tomato sauce. I’ve scaled down and streamlined her recipe here.
This dish does make enough for two servings, but it reheats like a dream for a late night snack or tomorrow’s lunch (I’ve had it both ways). Go easy on the black pepper here, as ricotta amplifies big flavors much more than you’d think.
Light-as-air ricotta dumplings cook right in a quick homemade sauce—no need for a second pan. Use a large skillet since they will double in size, and cover as they cook to keep the liquid from evaporating.
Prep Time 15minutes
Cook Time 20minutes
Total Time 35minutes
Servings 2people
Ingredients
Ricotta-Parmesan dumplings
1cupricotta cheese
¾cuppanko breadcrumbs
½cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2tbspfinely chopped Italian parsley
1egg
¼tspkosher salt
⅛tspblack pepper
Tomato sauce
2tbspolive oil
2garlic cloves, minced
½tspdried oregano
¼tspcrushed red pepper
115-oz can crushed tomatoes (about 1½ cups)
½cupchicken stock or water
Instructions
Combine ricotta, panko, Parmesan, parsley, egg, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook 1 minute or until the garlic just starts to sizzle and turn golden. Stir in oregano and crushed red pepper. Stir in crushed tomatoes and broth or water. (You’ll think there’s too much oil in the pan, but keep stirring to combine—it adds great flavor and texture to the sauce.) Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
While the sauce simmers, divide and shape the ricotta mixture into 12 (1-inch) balls. Add ricotta dumplings to the pan with sauce in a single layer. Cover the pan and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Gently turn the dumplings over with a large spoon, then cover again and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.
The best meals to come out of my kitchen usually happen when I have next to nothing in the fridge. Maybe it’s the necessity of invention. Maybe food just tastes better with the added satisfaction of using up the odds and ends of my fridge that never found a home. If I can get it done in under 20 minutes, I’ve hit the solo cooking trifecta: using up what I have, making something simple and satisfying, and getting it to the table fast. Added bonus if there’s only one pan to clean.
I always, always keep a can of cannellini beans in my pantry. They’re so mild and creamy, so endlessly versatile. I know as single cooks we’re supposed to fear that half-eaten can lest it get forgotten, but this never happens with cannellini beans. I’ll use half in a dinner tonight, then use the other in my next salad, random veggie sauté, or pasta toss. It’s the can that keeps on giving.
You might know of shakshuka as the tomato sauce-y, skillet-baked eggs found on many a brunch menu. I love the idea of a “white” version that’s a bit heartier. I had some droopy parsley, so in it went, along with the Swiss chard, crumbled feta, garlic, and crushed red pepper. I recommend serving with butter-slathered pita (I am so lucky to get mine fresh from a Middle Eastern restaurant across the street from me) and a glass of wine.
Other ways I’ve used that bunch of Swiss chard this week:
– Steamed with a sliced sweet potato and yellow squash as a side for roast chicken
– Shredded for a lunchtime wrap with turkey and white Cheddar
– Blended into a green smoothie with banana, pineapple, and almond milk
– A big veggie stir-fry over brown rice
A speedy beans and eggs skillet made a little heartier with Swiss chard. Use whatever greens you have on hand (spinach, kale, even a big handful of parsley).
Course Main Course
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 15minutes
Total Time 25minutes
Servings 1person
Ingredients
1tbspolive oil
2garlic cloves, minced
Pinchcrushed red pepper
¾cupcannellini beans, rinsed and drained(about ½ cup)
¾cupwater, chicken stock, or vegetable broth
1cupSwiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
3tbspfeta crumbles
2eggs
2tbspfinely chopped flat-leaf parsley(optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook about 30 seconds or until the garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in white beans and a pinch of salt and sauté about 2 minutes.
Turn down the heat to medium. Using a fork, mash about half the beans in the pan. Stir in water or stock and chard until the chard is wilted. Stir in half the feta crumbles. Spread bean mixture in a single layer in the skillet. If the beans look a little dry at this point, add another splash of water.
Make two pockets in the bean mixture with a spatula or the back of a large spoon and crack one egg into each. Cover the skillet and cook for 4 minutes or until the eggs are just set. Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the eggs. Sprinkle the parsley and remaining feta over top. Serve with toast or pita.
My Solo Kitchen
Is cooking really worth it, just for me? Yes, and it’s easier than you think. This is food and thoughts for the busy, social, single cook, with hacks and use-it-up strategies that make the most of everything you buy. It’s solo cooking designed for real life, and it’s never been more delicious.
Hi, I’m Hannah. I’m a food journalist, editor, and content strategist based in Nashville, TN. I’m also passionate about helping single cooks of all skill levels find confidence and joy in cooking for one. Learn more.
