© Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser11 recipes to make in the Always Pan
- Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.Love it or hate it, the Instagram-famous Always Pan seems like it's here to stay. Some users argue its looks won't last forever, but others say it's the perfect kitchen tool. For folks with limited kitchen space who are looking for creative ways to cook more, the Always Pan seems to fit the bill. My verdict? While it'll never replace my cast iron skillet or an entire cookware set, I really enjoy cooking in this aesthetically pleasing pan.
Since my initial testing in 2020, Our Place (the brand behind the Always Pan) has updated the bottom with a stronger metal material, making it more scratch resistant. I've used this pan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner-here are some popular dishes I've found success with in this versatile cooking vessel.
What to cook for breakfast
© Reviewed / Betsey GoldwasserThe PFOA-free nonstick surface is safe for all types of cooking.
1. Eggs
Regardless of your egg preferences, the Always Pan will deliver. Don't get me wrong-I still adore my cast iron skillet and copper cookware for many kitchen tasks, but on hectic mornings, the Always Pan is the only pan I use for fluffy scrambled eggs or perfect fried eggs because clean-up is so easy.
2. Pancakes
Compared to the other pans that I've used, this pan's smooth ceramic surface makes cooking pancakes a breeze. The Always Pan produced evenly cooked pancakes during our testing. The pan comes with a beechwood spatula that can help you gently flip the pancakes. If you're feeling extra ambitious, you may also want to give these jiggly Japanese pancakes a try.
3. Frittata
We've talked about the Nowruz Collection platter that can help make delightfully crunchy tahdig, but did you know it's also great for frittata over the stovetop? Not only does frittata have an amazingly custardy and creamy texture, but it also helps you get more delicious vegetables into your diet.
4. French toast
If you're looking for a way to use stale bread, try your hand at French toast. The Always Pan is a convenient tool to make this dish, as its shape offers a wide and deep opening for pan-frying the toast to perfection.
What to cook for dinner
© Our PlaceAlways Pan makes cooking much easier and less time-consuming.
5. One-pan pasta
While I enjoy cooking, I sometimes struggle to put multiple dishes on the table on busy nights. One-pan meals are great for such occasions because they leave me less mess to clean up afterwards. I like using the Always Pan for my one-pan meals because it's nonstick and heats up quickly, so I spend less time cooking and cleaning. Recently, I made the feta pasta that went viral on Tik Tok-and let me tell you, it's definitely a trend that works.
6. Steamed vegetables
Steaming as a cooking method has definitely grown in popularity lately. The stainless steel nesting steamer, included with the Always Pan, is a handy tool to steam or blanch vegetables quickly. The steamer has two metal handles on the sides to help you lift it when the cooking is complete.
7. Chili, stew, and soup
This spacious pan is useful for making small batches of soup, curry, or stew for two or three people. Aluminum is sensitive to fluctuation in temperature, which makes this pan desirable when I cook stews or soup that require me to regularly change the temperature throughout cooking. The two spouts on opposite sides are thoughtfully designed to help pour liquids with ease.
8. Reheating leftovers
If you aren't a huge fan of microwave cooking, you can use this pan to reheat leftovers or frozen dinners. Its aluminum construction conducts heat quickly, as I found out when I tested it. Plus, it heats evenly across the pan so you don't have to worry about hot spots and uneven cooking.
9. Deep-fried eggrolls
On special occasions and holidays, I make fried eggrolls (spring rolls) from scratch. As my homemade rolls are much softer than the frozen version, it's difficult to cook them in the oven or in an air fryer. The Always Pan is a great tool for deep frying, as the deep pot allows me to fry a large amount of food at once. I also appreciate the metal steamer as it doubles as an oil strainer when I deep fry foods.
10. Stir fry everything
Whether you're making fried rice or throwing a bunch of vegetables together before they go bad, this pan is lightweight enough to meet most of your stir fry needs. It's also deep and wide enough to accommodate a large amount of ingredients at once.
11. Steamed dumplings
© Our PlaceYou'll need to purchase the steamer separately.
As someone who keeps an emergency dumpling stockpile in the freezer, I can't tell you how excited I was when I found out about the bamboo steamer attachment that fits snugly over the Always Pan. When I moved to Boston, I struggled to find a quality bamboo steamer that would fit on top of my existing pots. Our Place's spruce steamer is well-made and easy-to-clean-I've been using it over and over again with the Always Pan.
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