By trying out the one-pot meal principle, you can easily balance your vegetarian menus while saving time on preparation and washing up. Here are 6 ideas for one-pot veggie recipes. Requiring just a single pot and healthy ingredients that can be easily found, you can use these recipes over and over again.

Our Advice for a Successful One-Pot Meal

One-pot meals areready to eat as soon as they are cooked and do not require draining. You only have to wash a few dishes, which is a time-saver that you will definitely appreciate.

Start by frying onions, spices and herbs in oil, then add the dry ingredients and vegetables in a little water, which will evaporate while cooking on a low heat. Any delicate vegetables can be added at the end. The amount of water may vary depending on the chosen base. Here are some tips to get you started:

• For one-pot pasta, use short pasta for your first recipes. You can move on to spaghetti once you are more experienced!

• Don’t add salt to the cooking water if you are adding foods that are already salty, such as cheese.

• To cook lentils or legumes, start with cold water and do not add salt until the end. A little soaking beforehand can speed up the cooking process.

One-Pot Veggie Meals for Lunch

To optimise protein intake and make the most of plant proteins, it’s a good idea to use as many different sources as possible. The one-pot meal lends itself well to this, allowing for all sorts of variations from a simple base. Here are 3 delicious and well-balanced vegetarian recipes for lunch:

• One-pot pasta with courgettes, tofu and aubergine: tofu, made from fermented soybean paste, is one of the richest sources of vegetable protein. Fry a chopped onion, spices, diced tofu and oil. Add wholemeal pasta and a vegetable stock cube and simmer for a few minutes.

• One-pot rice and haricot beans: mix white beans (tinned beans cook faster than dried ones), rice, chopped tomatoes, carrots, cumin and turmeric powder, a vegetable stock cube, a dash of lime juice, garlic and onion. Add chopped coriander just before serving this quick and complete dish with a Moroccan twist!

• Indian one-pot meal with quinoa: It’s all about the subtlety of the spice mixes you choose with this simple to prepare, protein-rich dish. Cook quinoa with diced seasonal vegetables (spinach, peppers, tomatoes, aubergines, etc.) and garam masala, turmeric, curry or tandoori spices, depending on your mood.

One-Pot Veggie Meals for the Evening

Opt for a lighter meal in the evening so as not to delay falling asleep. Eating vegetarian meals isbeneficial because your meals are rich in fibre and do not include meat products, which take longer to digest. Here are 3 one-pot ideas to vary your veggie dinners:

• One-pot meal with an Italian touch: wholemeal linguine, chopped tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, parmesan and mozzarella cheese, which is added at the end of cooking when off the heat. This is a light, tasty and colourful dish, enhanced with a touch of basil.

• One-pot meal with wheat berries: wheat berries are a precious source of protein for vegetarians, as they are one of the only grains, along with quinoa, to contain all the essential amino acids. To prepare this gourmet one-pot meal, use wheat berries, olive oil, garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary, sage or a mixture of herbs, diced courgette, aubergine, pepper and chopped tomatoes.

• One-pot dish with lentils: you can make this recipe any way you want with the spices of your choice. Prepare the lentils (red lentils are the quickest to cook, and green lentils are the tastiest), with coconut milk, ginger, aromatic herbs and spices: turmeric, garam masala, curry, cumin or whatever seasonings you like. Add chopped vegetables if you wish, and you have a comforting and well-balanced vegetarian dinner.

As a bonus, find the recipe for one-pot pasta primavera on the iFit® blog, as well as many other easy-to-prepare vegetarian dish ideas among the videos and nutrition tips.

Check out our Health & Fitness page for more advice.