How Much Cookware Do You Need

Do you cook in  a small kitchen? How much cookware do you need and when is it just enough? I have a love for kitchen utensils and cookware, so I most likely have just a few more items than I truly need.  It’s okay; really it’s okay……. the concept of  a minimalist kitchen is different for everyone and as long as your belongings don’t cause you frustration, stress or harm then it’s all good, right. Strive for just enough, if you have too many kitchen things they will never or rarely get used and you won’t have the opportunity to enjoy using them. You don’t want your beautiful utensils to go wasted and alone in the recesses of a drawer when they want to be stirring, chopping or scooping.

How I Organize My Small Kitchen

My kitchen is small, my cabinets are deep, so organization is key in keeping things from getting lost and forgotten. I have one lower cabinet for cookware and a hanging rack for my skillets, the cabinet over pantry holds my small appliances and paper goods. I also have four drawers for things like dish towels, utensils, and other supplies. The cabinet over my refrigerator holds all my holiday dishes and cookbook collection. I still haven’t found the right place for those darn cookbooks, but I won’t part with them, EVER. Each cookbook has a story, and when I peruse the pages, it brings back wonderful cooking memories.

Since my cabinet are so deep, I use slide out cabinet shelves I bought from the Container Store, they are easy to install are fairly inexpensive.  On the top shelf of the pantry I use an expandable shelf organizer.  Similar ones can be found on Amazon.

 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

 

Cookware: Pots, Pans, Skillets and a few common uses 

8-inch Non-Stick –Scanpan (Denmark) – Scrambled and fried eggs.

12-inch Nonstick -Tramontina (USA) – Pancakes and crisping up pizza crust and heating  tortillas

10 in Cast Iron Skillet-(vintage) – Lodge (USA) – Anything that needs a good sear (like steak). Sunday morning Bacon and eggs. You can also use it for shallow frying, sautéing, and baking cornbread. Most anything that starts on the stove top and is finished in the oven. Truly the workhorse of the kitchen.

12 Inch Stainless Steel Sauté Pan – All Clad (USA) – Browning and roasting meat, sautéing vegetables, pan sauces,spaghetti sauce.
Stock Pot 8qt – Boiling pasta , simmering beans, making stock, and stews.

Sauce pan 4qt – Boiling potatoes, soups and rice.

Le Crueset Oval Dutch Oven – Slow cooking one pot meals and stews, making chili, potatoes, soups and rice.

Ovenware and Bakeware for Roasting, Casseroles, and Desserts

9 x 12 Pyrex Casserole(vintage) (USA)

8 x 8 Emile Henry Casserole (France)

11 x 17 Roasting Pan All Clad (USA)

8 x 12 Roasting Pan Nordic Ware (USA)

Pyrex Pie Dish – 6 inches (USA)

Pie Dish – 9 inches (vintage Pyrex) (USA)

Cake pans (2) 6 inch No name (Germany)

Springform Pan 6 inch – Kaiser (Germany)

¼ sheet baking sheet – NordicWare (USA)

4 x 6 mini baking sheet – NordicWare (USA)

8 x 8 Brownie Pan – Williams & Sonoma (USA)

Aplico Ramekins – Williams & Sonoma (France)

The answer to the question how much cookware do you need depends on what you cook and how often you cook. I can whip up just about any meal or dessert with these simple tools in my kitchen.