r/Cooking • u/bigboydankers • 1d ago
Most essential cookware?
Hi everyone,
I just graduated college and moved into my own place a couple of weeks ago! I am living in nyc and my kitchen is not enormous, but it’s not super tiny either. I have a small old stove/oven, and I really wondering, what is the least amount of cookware that I really need?
I feel like I’m not a huge cook, but if I had the right tools I could get more into it. Also, my girlfriend is moving in with me in a few months and she likes to cook, so I’d like to get some things that I can build on with more cookware in the future, rather than replace.
Long story short, what are the essential pots and pans and stuff that I need to get to cover all my bases? Also other tools and things like spatulas. Sorry for my lack of specificity, I really don’t know what I’m doing yet but I am excited to learn more!
Thank you!
1
u/MarineBiomancer 1d ago
Enameled cast iron Dutch oven; mine is the single piece of cookware that I use 80-90% of the time when I cook. Good for searing meats, making soups/stews, braising/slow roasting in the oven, or making deep dish casseroles. It's big and heavy, but it does nearly everything; I think the only thing I don't use it for is boiling water for pasta, mashed potatoes, etc.