Cooking for one gets a bad reputation. People assume it means microwaved leftovers, half-used vegetables rotting in the fridge, or just giving up entirely and ordering takeout.
But here’s the thing: cooking solo is actually a gift. You make exactly what you want, when you want it. No compromises. No splitting the last portion. And with the right recipes, you’re not wasting ingredients or spending hours in the kitchen for a single plate of food. These seven vegetarian meals are built specifically for one person, with practical portions and minimal fridge guilt.
1. Crispy chickpea and avocado bowl
This one comes together in about fifteen minutes and hits all the right notes: creamy, crunchy, satisfying. The trick is getting those chickpeas properly crispy. Drain half a can (save the rest for tomorrow), pat them completely dry, then roast or pan-fry with a bit of oil until they’re golden and slightly shrunken.
Slice half an avocado over a base of whatever greens you have. Add the warm chickpeas, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and a generous drizzle of tahini thinned with lemon juice. The contrast between the hot chickpeas and cool avocado makes this feel like more than the sum of its parts.
Key ingredients: half a can of chickpeas, half an avocado, mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, tahini, lemon, olive oil, salt, cumin.
2. Single-serve shakshuka
Traditional shakshuka feeds a crowd, but scaling it down for one person is simple and honestly kind of perfect for a solo dinner. Use a small skillet, about six inches, and you’ll have the ideal ratio of sauce to egg.
Sauté a small diced onion with garlic, add a cup of crushed tomatoes, a pinch of cumin, paprika, and a tiny bit of cayenne if you like heat. Let it simmer until slightly thickened. Make a well in the center, crack in one or two eggs, cover, and cook until the whites set but the yolks stay runny.
Eat it straight from the pan with crusty bread for dipping. Fewer dishes, maximum flavor.
Key ingredients: crushed tomatoes, eggs, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, crusty bread.
3. Miso butter noodles
When I’m tired and hungry and want something comforting in under ten minutes, this is what I make. It sounds almost too simple to be good, but the combination of white miso and butter creates this savory, slightly sweet sauce that coats noodles perfectly.
Cook a single portion of udon, soba, or whatever noodles you have. While they boil, mix a tablespoon of white miso paste with a tablespoon of softened butter and a splash of the pasta water. Toss the drained noodles in this mixture, top with sliced scallions and a soft-boiled egg if you’re feeling fancy.
The whole thing takes maybe eight minutes and tastes like you put in way more effort.
Key ingredients: noodles of choice, white miso paste, butter, scallions, optional soft-boiled egg, sesame seeds.
4. Loaded sweet potato
A baked sweet potato is already a complete meal waiting to happen. You just need to think of it as a vehicle rather than a side dish. Microwave it for five to seven minutes if you’re impatient, or roast it for an hour if you’ve got time.
Split it open and load it up with black beans, a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream, pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. The natural sweetness of the potato against the tangy, spicy toppings creates something genuinely crave-worthy.
This is also endlessly adaptable. Swap the Tex-Mex toppings for curry-spiced chickpeas and a drizzle of raita. Or go Mediterranean with hummus, cucumber, and feta.
Key ingredients: one medium sweet potato, black beans, Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, lime, salt.
5. Fried rice for one
Fried rice is the ultimate fridge-cleaner, and making it for one person means you can customize it exactly to your taste. The secret is using cold, day-old rice. Fresh rice turns to mush.
Heat oil in a skillet until it’s almost smoking. Add whatever vegetables you need to use up: frozen peas, diced carrots, wilted scallions, that half bell pepper. Push them aside, scramble an egg in the empty space, then add about a cup of cold rice. Toss everything together with soy sauce and a tiny bit of sesame oil.
The high heat is crucial here. You want some of the rice to get slightly crispy on the bottom. That’s the good stuff.
Key ingredients: day-old rice, egg, mixed vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oil, neutral cooking oil, scallions.
6. Caprese quesadilla
This is what happens when you stop thinking of quesadillas as just a cheese-and-tortilla situation. Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil turn a simple quesadilla into something that feels almost elegant.
Layer sliced fresh mozzarella on one half of a flour tortilla. Add thin tomato slices, fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and a pinch of salt. Fold it over and cook in a dry skillet until the tortilla is golden and the cheese melts.
The key is slicing everything thin so it heats through properly. Thick tomato chunks will make the tortilla soggy before the cheese melts. Patience with the slicing pays off.
Key ingredients: flour tortilla, fresh mozzarella, ripe tomato, fresh basil, balsamic glaze, salt, black pepper.
7. Coconut curry lentils
Red lentils are perfect for cooking solo because they cook fast and don’t require soaking. This single-serving curry comes together in about twenty minutes and makes enough for dinner with maybe a small lunch portion left over.
Sauté diced onion and garlic, add a tablespoon of curry paste or powder, then pour in half a can of coconut milk and half a cup of water. Add a third cup of red lentils and simmer until they break down into a thick, creamy curry. Season with salt and a squeeze of lime at the end.
Serve over rice or with naan for scooping. This is the kind of meal that makes you wonder why you ever ordered takeout curry.
Key ingredients: red lentils, coconut milk, onion, garlic, curry paste or powder, lime, salt, rice or naan.
The bottom line
Cooking for one isn’t a limitation. It’s an opportunity to make exactly what you want without negotiation or compromise. These recipes are designed to minimize waste, maximize flavor, and get food on your plate without turning your kitchen into a disaster zone.
Start with whichever one matches what’s already in your fridge. That’s usually the best recipe anyway.
