One-pan van meals.

Why one-pan van meals work

In a van, every pan you use is water you have to carry in, grey water you have to carry out, and space on a draining board the size of a tea tray. One-pan van meals cut all three. They also free a ring for the kettle and make it easy to cook on a single burner or a camping stove outside.

The trick is building flavour in layers in the same pan: fry the meat or onion first, add spices, then the liquid and the slower ingredients, and the quick ones last. Everything below serves two and is our own way of cooking it. If you want simpler pan recipes for a two-ring hob, see our two-ring hob recipes, which are mostly one pan too.

The right pan

A deep, wide frying pan or saute pan around 24 to 28 cm with a lid does nearly everything: frying, simmering, steaming eggs and cooking rice. Non-stick saves water at washing-up time. If you only buy one pan for the van, make it this one. Our kitchen essentials guide covers the rest of the kit.

Seven one-pan van meals

Sausage and bean hotpot

About 30 minutes. Warming on a cold night.

You need: 6 sausages, 1 onion, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 1 tin butter beans or cannellini beans, 1 tsp dried thyme, crusty bread.

1. Brown the sausages in a little oil for 8 minutes, turning. Push them to one side.
2. Soften the sliced onion in the same pan for 5 minutes, then stir in the paprika.
3. Add tomatoes, drained beans, thyme and a splash of water. Lid on, simmer 15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through.

One-pan chicken and rice

About 30 minutes. The rice cooks in the stock under the lid.

You need: 3 boneless chicken thighs, 1 onion, 1 pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 150 g long-grain rice, 1 stock cube in 400 ml hot water, a handful of frozen peas, 1 lemon.

1. Cut the chicken into chunks and brown in oil for 5 minutes. Add the onion and pepper for 5 more.
2. Stir in paprika and the rice, then pour in the stock. Bring to a simmer.
3. Lid on, lowest heat, 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Stir in peas, rest 3 minutes off the heat, and squeeze over lemon. Check the chicken is cooked through.

Spanish-style potato tortilla

About 30 minutes. Good hot for dinner and cold for lunch the next day.

You need: 400 g potatoes, 1 onion, 3 tbsp olive oil, 5 eggs, salt.

1. Slice the potatoes thinly and cook with the sliced onion in the oil, lid on, on a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft.
2. Beat the eggs with salt in a mug or bowl, pour over the potatoes and stir gently.
3. Lid on, low heat, 8 to 10 minutes until set on top. Slide onto a plate to cut.

Gnocchi with tomatoes and mozzarella

About 15 minutes. Shop-bought gnocchi fries straight from the packet.

You need: 500 g pack gnocchi, 1 clove garlic, 1 tin cherry or chopped tomatoes, a handful of spinach, 1 ball mozzarella, dried basil or oregano.

1. Fry the gnocchi in oil for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until golden.
2. Add garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomatoes, herbs and a splash of water. Simmer 4 minutes.
3. Stir in spinach, tear the mozzarella over the top, lid on for 2 minutes until it melts.

Veggie hash with fried eggs

About 25 minutes. Uses up leftover potatoes and whatever veg is rolling around the fridge.

You need: 300 g cooked or tinned potatoes, 1 onion, 1 pepper, a handful of mushrooms, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 to 4 eggs.

1. Dice the potatoes and fry in oil for 10 minutes until crisp at the edges.
2. Add the onion, pepper and mushrooms and cook 8 minutes. Stir in paprika.
3. Make hollows, crack in the eggs, lid on for 4 to 5 minutes until the whites set.

Egg-fried noodles

About 10 minutes, using straight-to-wok noodles so there is nothing to boil.

You need: 2 packs straight-to-wok noodles, 2 eggs, 2 spring onions, a handful of frozen peas or sweetcorn, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil (optional).

1. Fry the spring onions and peas in oil for 2 minutes.
2. Push to one side, scramble the eggs in the space, then mix everything together.
3. Add the noodles and soy sauce, toss for 3 minutes until hot. Finish with sesame oil.

Black bean quesadillas

About 15 minutes, cooked one at a time in a dry pan, so there is barely anything to wash.

You need: 1 tin black beans, 1 tsp ground cumin, 4 tortilla wraps, 100 g grated cheddar, a jar of salsa, a handful of sweetcorn (optional).

1. Drain the beans and roughly mash with cumin and salt.
2. Spread beans over half of each wrap, add cheese and sweetcorn, fold over.
3. Cook in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes a side until crisp and melted. Serve with salsa.

Washing up with less water

• Wipe the pan with kitchen roll while it is still warm. Most of the mess comes off before any water touches it.
• Pour a little hot water from the kettle into the pan and let it sit while you eat.
• Wash in one small bowl: cleanest things first, the pan last.
• Scrape food scraps into the bin, not the sink, so your grey tank smells less. More on that in our guide to water, waste and toilets.

In the Roam app, van recipes can be filtered by one pan, low water and low washing-up, and when you plan a few of them the ingredients go into one combined shopping list.

Questions

What is a good one-pan meal for camping in a van?

Sausage and bean hotpot, chicken and rice, or fried gnocchi with tomatoes are all filling, use a single pan and take 30 minutes or less.

What pan is best for one-pan cooking in a campervan?

A deep non-stick saute or frying pan with a lid, around 24 to 28 cm. It can fry, simmer and steam, and it fits on most van hobs.

Can I cook rice in one pan in a van?

Yes. Fry the other ingredients first, add the rice and roughly twice its volume of stock, then cook with the lid on, low heat, until it is absorbed. Ready-cooked pouch rice is even quicker.

How do I keep cooking smells out of the van?

Open a roof vent or window while you cook and for a while after, cook strong-smelling things outside when the weather allows, and wipe the hob down straight away.