If you’re like me and you don’t spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen but still want to make an occasional meal for yourself, then you probably find yourself overwhelmed with the amount of recipes available online. It’s become hard for me to not hop on Instagram and start saving every decadent recipe that pops up on my feed, only for me to find later that the recipe calls for more ingredients than I have or takes more effort than I’m willing to give. However, after three years of college life, I’ve narrowed down my favorite recipes, so I know exactly what to get and how much of it.
These are my top five meals that I love to make over and over again. Feel free to adapt them as much as you like; I’ve learned the final result is up to you!
1. Orzo dump bake
This is one of the easiest and quickest recipes I’ve ever made. I discovered it over a year ago and have been making it ever since. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add pretty much whatever you want to it without it affecting the outcome too much.
Ingredients:
Orzo (or your preferred pasta)
Broth (or bouillon powder, chicken or beef)
Boursin Cheese (I’ve also used Ricotta)
Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Onions
Sausage
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a casserole dish, add your orzo, cheese, sliced sausage, and vegetables. Cover with broth or water, and cook for about 30 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir until the cheese and all the other ingredients are combined, and enjoy!
2. Tuna and Rice bowl
This is another recipe I picked up last year to satisfy my sushi craving. I make this typically on late nights when I’ve forgotten to eat and don’t want to cook something that’ll take longer than 30 minutes to make. And the best part is it can all be done in the microwave!
Ingredients:
Canned Tuna
Microwave Rice
Avocado (if available)
Fried Onions
Spicy Mayo
Instructions:
Follow the box instructions and cook the rice in the microwave for about 5 minutes or until the water is gone. Add your tuna, sliced avocado, fried onions, and spicy mayo on top. Stir and enjoy!
3. Hamburger soup
This is a recipe I recently came across and made for the first time only a few weeks ago. However, I think it’s one of the easiest soups I’ve made and comes just in time for the Fall season!
Ingredients:
1lb of Ground Beef
Onions, Carrots, Spinach, Potatoes
Heavy Cream
Cheddar cheese
Broth (or bouillon powder)
Instructions:
In a pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef. Add onions and carrots and cook till tender. Pour in broth or water, add potatoes, and bring to a boil. Let the soup simmer and add heavy cream, spinach, cheddar, and any spices you like till everything is combined. Potatoes and vegetables should be soft. Serve with a little extra cheese and enjoy!
4. RAmen and dumplings
I know, we’re all sick of ramen, yet every time we’re at the store we can’t help but buy it. It’s a cheap and easy fall-back meal when you’ve got nothing else, but it doesn’t have to be boring. I normally don’t have the best ramen soup because I never have any special sauces or those fancy Japanese broths, but if you use what you’ve got, it can still come out pretty great.
Ingredients:
Ramen packet (any flavor)
Onions, carrots, canned mushrooms, spinach, garlic (or whatever you want!)
Frozen dumplings (I’ve also used leftover sausage or frozen meatballs)
One egg
Cheese/Heavy Cream (if you’d like)
Soy Sauce (for extra flavor)
Instructions:
In a small pot, add oil, carrots, garlic, and onions and stir for a few minutes. Add seasoning from the ramen packet, then add water and noodles. When noodles are nearly cooked, add dumplings, other desired vegetables, and egg. Add soy sauce, cream, or cheese if you would like a creamy consistency. Serve and enjoy!
5. Marry Me Chicken in a Pan
This is a recipe I made up myself when trying to recreate something I had once on a camping trip. It uses canned chicken because I was never good at cooking fresh chicken the right way, but feel free to use fresh shredded or cubed chicken instead.
Ingredients:
Canned chicken
Canned cream of chicken soup
Spaghetti Noodles
Spinach, Onions, mushrooms (or whatever you like)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a casserole pan, add the noodles, chicken, and vegetables. Add the cream of chicken soup and cover with water. Bake for 30 minutes or until the noodles are done. Use tongs to combine everything. Serve with extra cheese and enjoy!
Again, feel free to adapt these recipes however you like with whatever ingredients you may have on hand. Cooking, especially in college, is about experimenting with new things and finding out what you like and what works for you. Stay healthy, and have fun!