Jamie's One-Pan Wonders on Channel 4 is the perfect series for those of us wishing to save both time and money on cooking at home, but still being able to make delicious meals for all the family.
In his eight- part series, TV chef Jamie Oliver teaches us how to make his favourite one-pot dishes, all cooked in just one pan or tray. From speedy meals that can be made in 15 minutes or less to big-batch cooking, family favourites or recipes that can be left alone to cook slowly. Each one has just a few ingredients and, best still, there’s minimal washing up to do afterwards!
All Jamie's recipes have all been tried and tested on his own family and feature in his latest cookbook One: Simple One-Pan Wonders. He kicks off the eight-part series with a clever-twist on classic carbonara, a foolproof fish pie, and a roast lamb feast bursting with flavour.
So here's everything you need to know about Jamie's One-Pan Wonders on Channel 4, including an interview with Jamie himself to reveal much more on how to take the fuss out of cooking…
Jamie's One-Pan Wonders release date
Jamie's One-Pan Wonders is an eight-part series that starts on Channel 4 from Monday August 22 at 8.30pm. After the show's initial air date, episodes will become available weekly at the same time and on streaming service All4.
Interview: Jamie Oliver reveals the ideas behind Jamie's One-Pan Wonders, and more!
Can you explain the premise of your series Jamie's One-Pan Wonders?
Jamie says: "This is my ultimate homage to making life simpler. Everything is cooked in just one pan or tray, so it’s perfect for those days when you need convenient solutions to getting good food on the table fast. Think minimal ingredients, big flavour, and less washing up! Who doesn’t love that?"
Where did the idea come from?
"I came up with the idea in early 2021. The UK was back in lockdown and everything was feeling a bit bleak. Food can bring so much joy, but when you’re stuck in a rut going through the same motions every day, cooking can feel like a chore. I wanted to find a way to make putting together good food really easy, so if you’re busy or not feeling too motivated, you’re armed with simple, no-fuss options."
Do you think this is something that’s especially needed at the moment?
"For a lot of us returning to the daily chaos of life and work routines after being stuck at home for so long was a shock. Getting back into the groove of cooking around a busy schedule can take a bit of readjustment. I want to help fill your weekly plan with big-hitting dishes with no stress, whatever day of the week it is. You also don’t need a lot of equipment. Ultimately I hope it makes your life easier and more delicious!"
What are your favourite one-pan dishes?
"I’m most proud of the frying pan pasta recipes. Each recipe serves one so they’re perfect for all sorts of scenarios - a quick working-from-home lunch, a simple supper or, if you’ve got a chaotic houseful like mine, banging out portions to fit around after-school clubs and the whims of teenagers! My chicken and puff pie [in episode two] went down a treat with my lot. It looks impressive, but is actually really simple to put together."
How much cooking experience is needed?
"There’s something for everyone - delicious lunches that won’t break the bank, quick dinners the whole family will love, and easy meals for novice cooks. I really hope that everyone can take inspiration, because these recipes celebrate ease. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated!"
That said, was it difficult to come up with the recipes? Your homemade bread in a pan [episode 2] and your roasted rolled pork with risotto [episode 3] sound particularly inventive…
"To be honest, it challenged me to approach things in a different way. The focus was on reducing the amount of cooking vessels needed. I had to approach recipes with a one-pan lens and, frankly, some dishes that we all know and love didn’t make the one-pan cut. But there are many that did, like my upside-down fish pie. I’m really chuffed with the results and hope it brings some new recipes into people’s repertoires. I’ve even discovered some new styles of cooking, like the whole frying pan pasta recipes, which I’m very excited about."
How do you hope the recipes will be received?
"As with all my solution-based books, I’m trying to solve a problem. When my 5 Ingredients cookbook came out a few years back, I was surprised and delighted that it appealed to a really broad range of people - from students and total beginner cooks right through to experienced foodies, who just wanted easy inspiration midweek. I hope this has that same potential."
Are the recipes budget-friendly?
"I’m not going to pretend that every recipe will work for every household budget, but I’m confident that there’s a really broad range of options. Lots of the recipes come in at a really decent price per portion. Many work out at under £2 per serving, with a lot of other recipes well under that. I’ve tried to make sure that the majority of ingredients can be found in any supermarket."
Are you a fan of batch cooking?
"It’s a really budget-friendly way to cook - scaling up often works out a lot cheaper per portion and means you can stock the freezer with delicious home-cooked food, ready and waiting. In the book I've got a great little chapter on batch cooking. I’ve got a gorgeous sweet potato chilli [in episode 5] that we costed at just 66p a portion. You just know those leftovers are going to be good!"
What kitchen items can you not live without?
"A really good pan! Also a decent, sharp knife is essential when it comes to being safe and efficient in the kitchen. I’d also say a speed peeler for adding delicate texture to salads. And a pestle and mortar is key for adding big flavour - everything from bashing up fresh herbs, garlic and nuts for a beautiful pesto to making gorgeous rubs, marinades and flavoured salt and spice pastes."
Finally, who’s the chief washer upper in your family?
"That would be telling! All I can say is my missus, Jools, is not a washing-up fan. Which is one of the reasons I’ve dedicated the book to her!"
Jamie's One-Pan Wonders episode guide
Here's our guide to each episode of Jamie's One-Pan Wonders which we'll be adding to each week, so do check back for updates...
Episode 1 Monday August 22
Jamie gives us some wonderfully inventive twists on classics in the form of a family-sized fish pie (see pictured above), speedy single-portion mushroom carbonara, plus roast lamb with tear-and-share vibes.
Episode 2: Monday August 29
Jamie's cauliflower cheese pasta has taken a popular veg dish and teamed it with spaghetti. The resulting creamy, silky smooth pasta dish is then topped off with golden crunchy breadcrumbs. Reinventing another family favourite, Jamie rustles up a healthier twist on the classic Chicken Kiev. Stuffed with gorgeously garlicky butter that flavours the chicken from the inside out as it cooks, he then wraps the chicken in filo pastry instead of breadcrumbs, creating wonderfully light, crispy parcels.
Episodes 3: Monday September 5
Jamie cooks a foolproof traybaked salmon in a bag, super-easy tomato fritters that you can rattle out in a frying pan, and roasted rolled pork with a risotto that are both cooked in the same casserole pan.
Episode 4: Monday September 12
Jamie has a few more easy dishes for us to savour.
Episodes 5 to 8
We will update further episodes her when we can!
Is there a trailer for Jamie's One-Pan Wonders?
Channel 4 hasn't released a trailer for Jamie's One-Pan Wonders so we'll just have to watch as the series goes out and get our inspirations weekly.
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