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Pro Tip: For all meals, use these pantry staples:
Eggs, bread, butter, salt, pepper, canned tuna, instant noodles, chicken sausages, and frozen veggies.
Ever stare into your fridge at 6 p.m. and wonder, what is the easiest thing to cook? You’re tired. The kids are hungry. The takeout app is open. But you don’t want to spend money or time. The truth? The easiest thing to cook isn’t complicated. It’s not fancy. It’s usually something you already have in your pantry.
Scrambled eggs with toast
It’s not glamorous, but scrambled eggs with buttered toast is the most reliable meal on the planet. You need eggs, salt, a pan, butter, and bread. That’s it. Crack two or three eggs into a bowl, give them a quick whisk with a fork, pour them into a hot pan with a teaspoon of butter, and stir gently until they’re just set. No need to overcook them-they’ll keep cooking off the heat. While they cook, pop two slices of bread into the toaster. Spread on butter, maybe a sprinkle of black pepper. Done in seven minutes. This works whether you’re alone, feeding a toddler, or recovering from a long day. It’s the meal that never fails.
Grilled cheese sandwich
Same energy as scrambled eggs, but with cheese. Use a good cheddar or mozzarella. Butter both sides of thick white bread. Put it in a cold pan, turn the heat to medium-low, and let it melt slowly. Press down gently with a spatula. Flip when golden. Add a slice of cheese on each side before flipping. Cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds to help the cheese melt. You’ll get a crisp crust and gooey center. No oven. No cleanup. Just bread, butter, cheese, and a pan. Four ingredients. Ten minutes max.
Instant noodles with an egg
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it right. Buy a decent brand-ramen with real broth powder, not just flavor packets. Boil water. Add noodles. Cook for three minutes. While they’re cooking, crack an egg into a small bowl. When the noodles are almost done, stir the egg in. The hot broth will cook the egg into soft ribbons. Add a splash of soy sauce, a sprinkle of sesame seeds if you have them, and maybe a handful of spinach from the fridge. It’s warm, filling, and tastes better than most takeout. You can make this in seven minutes flat.
Canned tuna salad
Open a can of tuna in water. Drain it. Mix it with a spoonful of mayo or Greek yogurt. Add chopped celery or onion if you’ve got them. A squeeze of lemon. Salt and pepper. Serve it on whole grain bread, in a lettuce wrap, or just eat it with a spoon. No cooking required. No heat. Just a bowl and a fork. It’s protein-rich, filling, and tastes great cold. Keep a few cans in your pantry and you’ll never be stuck again. This is the meal that saved me during a week of back-to-back night shifts last year.
One-pan roasted vegetables and chicken sausages
Here’s the trick: you don’t need to cook them separately. Preheat your oven to 200°C. Chop two or three veggies-potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini-into chunks. Toss them in olive oil, salt, and a pinch of paprika. Lay chicken sausages (the kind that cook through in 15 minutes) on the same tray. Put it in the oven. Walk away. In 20 minutes, you’ve got roasted veggies with caramelized edges and juicy sausages. No stirring. No monitoring. Just grab a fork and dig in. It’s the kind of meal that feels like a win without any effort. I make this every Sunday night. It lasts for two meals.
Why these meals work
These five meals share a pattern: they use few ingredients, require minimal tools, and don’t need precise timing. They’re forgiving. If you overcook the eggs? Still edible. If the cheese doesn’t melt fully? Still tasty. If you forget the lemon? It’s still good. That’s the secret to the easiest thing to cook-it doesn’t demand perfection.
They also use what’s already in your kitchen. You don’t need to run to the store. You don’t need a recipe app. You don’t need to follow steps in order. You just need to start. The magic isn’t in the ingredients. It’s in the mindset: do something simple, not nothing.
What to keep on hand
You don’t need a full pantry to make easy meals. Here’s the bare minimum:
- Eggs (lasts weeks in the fridge)
- Bread (frozen slices work too)
- Butter or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Canned tuna or beans
- Instant noodles or rice
- Chicken sausages or frozen veggie patties
- Pre-chopped frozen veggies (they’re fine!)
- Cheese (block or pre-sliced)
That’s it. With those ten things, you can make 20+ meals without shopping. No fancy tools. No special skills. Just heat, time, and a little patience.
Myth: You need recipes
Most people think cooking means following a recipe. It doesn’t. Recipes are for when you want to impress. The easiest thing to cook is born from habit, not instruction. It’s the meal you make without thinking. It’s what you fall back on when you’re exhausted. That’s why scrambled eggs beat sous-vide salmon every time. You don’t need to be a chef. You just need to be willing to turn on the stove.
Start tonight
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t wait until you have more time. Don’t wait until you feel inspired. Tonight, pick one of these five meals. Make it. Eat it. Feel the relief. That’s the real win-not the food, but the peace that comes from knowing you can feed yourself, simply and well, no matter what.
What is the easiest thing to cook for beginners?
The easiest thing to cook for beginners is scrambled eggs with toast. It needs only four ingredients-eggs, butter, bread, salt-and one pan. There’s no timing pressure, no special technique, and it’s hard to mess up. If you can crack an egg and turn on a stove, you can make this meal. It’s the foundation of every beginner cook’s kitchen.
Can you cook something in under 5 minutes?
Yes, but only if you use pre-cooked or no-cook ingredients. A bowl of canned beans with salsa and tortilla chips takes less than 5 minutes. A slice of cheese on whole grain bread with a banana? Also under 5. A microwave mug of oatmeal with honey and cinnamon? Done in 3. These aren’t “cooked” in the traditional sense, but they’re hot, satisfying, and require zero effort. The key is having staples ready to go.
What’s the healthiest easy thing to cook?
One-pan roasted vegetables with canned chickpeas and a drizzle of olive oil is one of the healthiest easy meals. No added sugar, no processed meat, no oil overload. Just toss pre-chopped veggies and rinsed chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and cumin. Roast at 200°C for 20 minutes. You get fiber, protein, and vitamins without cooking from scratch. It’s clean, simple, and keeps well in the fridge.
Is instant ramen a real meal?
Yes-if you upgrade it. Plain ramen from a packet is mostly carbs and sodium. But add an egg, a handful of frozen peas, a spoonful of peanut butter, and a splash of soy sauce, and it becomes a balanced meal. The broth warms you, the egg adds protein, and the veggies add crunch. It’s not gourmet, but it’s real food. Millions of people rely on it every day. It’s not the healthiest, but it’s one of the fastest.
Why do people think cooking is hard?
Because they’ve been sold a lie: that cooking means following complicated recipes, buying special ingredients, or having perfect timing. TV shows make it look like a competition. Social media makes it look like art. Real cooking? It’s just putting food on heat. The easiest thing to cook doesn’t need a tutorial. It needs a hungry person and a willingness to try. You don’t need to be good. You just need to start.
