onepan

Onepan, also written one-pan or onepan, is a cooking approach in which an entire meal is prepared in a single vessel, such as a skillet or baking sheet. The concept emphasizes minimal equipment and cleanup, and is popular for home cooking, weeknight meals, and meal-prep strategies. Recipes typically involve browning a protein, then adding vegetables and any starch (pasta, rice, or potatoes) that finishes cooking in the same pan, often with a flavored liquid that reduces into a sauce.

Common formats include skillet meals on the stovetop, sheet-pan dinners roasted in the oven, and one-pan pastas where pasta cooks together with broth or sauce. Techniques may include searing, deglazing to lift fond, layering ingredients by cooking time, and finishing with a brief simmer or bake to concentrate flavors. The approach can range from simple single-meat-and-vegetable dishes to more complex meals with multiple components designed to stay tender.

Equipment typically used includes cast iron skillets, stainless steel pans, nonstick sauté pans, and sheet pans. The method is valued for speed, reduced cleanup, and energy efficiency, and is adaptable to many cuisines and dietary needs. Limitations include crowded pan surfaces that hinder browning, uneven cooking when pan sizes are misaligned with ingredients, and potential limitations on sauce emulsions or browning when compared with multi-pot techniques.

The term is widely used in cookbooks, blogs, and television features as a general category of one-pan meals. Note that "onepan" may also appear as a brand or product name in unrelated contexts.