Hodge Podge

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Hodge Podge sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Canadian traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 42 minutes in a single soup pot, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 11 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. First, cook your vegetables. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Par-cook carrots and potatoes for five minutes until carrots and potatoes are fork tender, then blanch the peas and beans for about a minute in the same pot. Strain vegetables and set aside.
2. Step 2. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat, add vegetables, and cook to warm through.
3. Step 3. Add milk and cream and bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and season with salt and pepper.
4. Step 4. Add dill and chives and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest soup pot you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with canadian roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 6-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Original recipe inspiration: source.