7 easy holiday-rental dinners you can make with almost no kitchen equipment or cooking tools
Saturday 1 August 2026 12:00 - Juliette Hess
The best self-catering holiday meals are not about showing off. They are about choosing ingredients that forgive bad pans, basic knives and tired cooks. A holiday dinner should be flexible, quick to shop for and easy to adapt if the nearest supermarket is small or the rental kitchen is missing half the utensils you expected.
This guide is built around one simple rule: every dinner should be possible with a knife, two saucepans and a hob. A frying pan, tin opener, grater or oven is useful if you have one, but none of the core ideas should collapse without a perfect kitchen. These seven easy holiday dinners cover pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, curry and a clever leftovers meal, so you can cook all week without packing half your own kitchen.
The tiny kit that makes holiday cooking possible
Before you plan menus, assume the rental kitchen is more basic than the listing suggests. The most useful setup is one sharp knife, one chopping board, two pans, a hob and a wooden spoon. A plate can work as a lid. A mug can measure rice. A fork can whisk eggs. A cereal bowl can mix a quick sauce. If you are travelling by car, pack a small sharp knife, a tin opener and a compact grater; these three items can turn a frustrating kitchen into a workable one.
For caravan cooking or compact holiday apartments, avoid recipes that need a blender, food processor, multiple oven trays or precise baking temperatures. Instead, choose food that can be simmered, folded, fried, tossed or assembled. Pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, bread rolls, halloumi, tinned chickpeas, tinned tomatoes and seasonal vegetables are the backbone of a low-equipment holiday week.
For caravan cooking or compact holiday apartments, avoid recipes that need a blender, food processor, multiple oven trays or precise baking temperatures. Instead, choose food that can be simmered, folded, fried, tossed or assembled. Pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, bread rolls, halloumi, tinned chickpeas, tinned tomatoes and seasonal vegetables are the backbone of a low-equipment holiday week.
A shared shopping list for seven easy dinners
A common shopping list is the difference between relaxed holiday cooking and a fridge full of random leftovers. For these holiday rental recipes, buy pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, bread rolls or baps, ready-rolled pastry if your rental has an oven, tinned chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, courgettes, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, salad leaves, halloumi, hard cheese, curry paste or curry powder, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Add apricot jam or chutney for the halloumi baps, and keep one flexible extra such as yoghurt, lemon, herbs or bagged salad. This list lets ingredients repeat without meals feeling identical: courgettes go into pasta or curry, peppers work in rice or sandwiches, eggs turn potatoes into dinner, and leftover cheese becomes a tart or a quick topping.
Add apricot jam or chutney for the halloumi baps, and keep one flexible extra such as yoghurt, lemon, herbs or bagged salad. This list lets ingredients repeat without meals feeling identical: courgettes go into pasta or curry, peppers work in rice or sandwiches, eggs turn potatoes into dinner, and leftover cheese becomes a tart or a quick topping.
1. One-pan courgette carbonara
A courgette carbonara is the kind of dinner that feels generous without asking much from the kitchen. Slice courgettes into thin sticks or half-moons, fry them in oil until soft, then toss with hot pasta, beaten eggs, grated cheese and plenty of black pepper. The key is to remove the pan from the heat before adding the egg mixture, then loosen everything with a splash of pasta water so the sauce becomes glossy rather than scrambled.
This is one of the strongest one-pan holiday recipes because it uses simple ingredients available almost everywhere. If there is no grater, shave the cheese with a knife. If there is no frying pan, cook the pasta first, drain it into a bowl, then use the same saucepan for the courgettes before combining everything.
This is one of the strongest one-pan holiday recipes because it uses simple ingredients available almost everywhere. If there is no grater, shave the cheese with a knife. If there is no frying pan, cook the pasta first, drain it into a bowl, then use the same saucepan for the courgettes before combining everything.
Creamy zucchini and cherry tomato pasta with lemon
Creamy pasta with zucchini, cherry tomatoes and lemon is a fresh, colorful first course that’s perfect for summer. Zucchini bring sweetness and lightness, fresh cherry tomatoes add a juicy Mediterranean touch, and cream cheese creates a...
2. Bursting tomato pasta
Cherry tomatoes are ideal for a badly equipped kitchen because they do most of the work themselves. Put them in a pan with olive oil, salt and a little garlic or onion if you have it. Let them cook until they split and collapse into a quick sauce. Add pasta, black pepper and a little cheese. If you bought salad leaves, stir a handful into the hot pan at the end so they wilt into the sauce.
This dinner is fast, colourful and forgiving. It works even when the knife is terrible, because the tomatoes can go into the pan whole. To make it more filling, add chickpeas, tuna, prawns or cubes of halloumi. For a holiday rental, the important thing is that the sauce needs no blender, no oven and no complicated seasoning.
This dinner is fast, colourful and forgiving. It works even when the knife is terrible, because the tomatoes can go into the pan whole. To make it more filling, add chickpeas, tuna, prawns or cubes of halloumi. For a holiday rental, the important thing is that the sauce needs no blender, no oven and no complicated seasoning.
Pasta with cherry tomatoes and shrimps
Let's make the easiest pasta sauce with cherry tomatoes and shrimps, you'll love this meal and like us, you'll make it again and again !
3. Halloumi and apricot baps
When the kitchen is too small or too hot for a full meal, baps are the answer. Fry slices of halloumi until golden, then put them into bread rolls with apricot jam or chutney and something crunchy: lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers or bagged salad. The contrast of salty cheese and sweet fruit makes the meal feel more planned than it really is.
This is especially useful on the first night, when the bags are still unpacked and nobody wants to wash three pans. It is also perfect for caravan cooking, because the cooking time is short and the washing up is minimal. If you cannot find apricot jam, use mango chutney, onion relish, honey or any sweet condiment from the nearest shop.
This is especially useful on the first night, when the bags are still unpacked and nobody wants to wash three pans. It is also perfect for caravan cooking, because the cooking time is short and the washing up is minimal. If you cannot find apricot jam, use mango chutney, onion relish, honey or any sweet condiment from the nearest shop.
Gyros with halloumi, a vegetarian version of the greek sandwich!
Love gyros but looking for a vegetarian alternative ? Try halloumi gyros ! This Cypriot cheese will be absolutely perfect as an alternative to meat , as here it's pan-roasted with honey, for a sweet-savory combination that takes us on a journey...
4. Five-ingredient tortilla de patatas
A simple tortilla needs only potatoes, eggs, onion, oil and salt. Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible, cook them gently with onion until soft, then pour in beaten eggs. Cook slowly until the base sets. If you feel confident, flip it with a plate; if not, cover the pan and let the top set on low heat. In a difficult pan, it can become a rustic potato and egg scramble, which is still a very good dinner.
The advantage is that tortilla works hot, warm or cold. Serve it with salad for supper, then use leftovers in sandwiches for the beach or a long drive. It is cheap, filling and very practical when the rental kitchen has almost nothing beyond a hob.
The advantage is that tortilla works hot, warm or cold. Serve it with salad for supper, then use leftovers in sandwiches for the beach or a long drive. It is cheap, filling and very practical when the rental kitchen has almost nothing beyond a hob.
Cheese omelette, quick and easy!
Heat up your frying pan to prepare your best omelette in no time! Nothing is better and easier to make than an omelette for breakfast, brunch or just for lunch accompanied by a salad for a balanced meal ready in just a few minutes . And for even...
5. Chickpea and pepper rice
Rice is the backbone of many self-catering holiday meals because it is cheap, filling and easy to buy. Soften sliced peppers and onion in oil, stir in rice, add water and a drained tin of chickpeas, then simmer until tender. A teaspoon of curry powder, paprika or tomato paste adds flavour, but the dish still works with only salt, pepper and olive oil.
Use a mug as a measuring cup: one mug of rice to about two mugs of water is a useful starting point for many long-grain rice dishes. Keep the heat gentle and let the rice rest for five minutes before serving. Add cheese, yoghurt, lemon, herbs or salad leaves if you have them. This meal is designed for the kind of kitchen where measuring jugs and lids have vanished.
Use a mug as a measuring cup: one mug of rice to about two mugs of water is a useful starting point for many long-grain rice dishes. Keep the heat gentle and let the rice rest for five minutes before serving. Add cheese, yoghurt, lemon, herbs or salad leaves if you have them. This meal is designed for the kind of kitchen where measuring jugs and lids have vanished.
Wholegrain rice with broccoli and shrimp! easy and balanced
For a healthy, balanced and delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen, there's nothing like delicious brown rice with shrimps and broccoli ! Today we're presenting a classic version, but you can also add sauces to make this dish even...
6. Cheeseboard leftovers tart
If your holiday rental has an oven, ready-rolled pastry can turn leftovers into dinner. Lay the pastry on its paper, top it with small pieces of leftover cheese, sliced onion, tomatoes, peppers or chutney, then bake until crisp and golden. Serve with salad and call it intentional.
This idea is best near the end of the trip, when the fridge contains odds and ends from picnics: cheddar, brie, feta, goat’s cheese, soft herbs, half a jar of relish, a few tomatoes or the last corner of a bag of salad. Keep wet toppings light so the pastry does not collapse. No oven? Turn the same ingredients into toasties, quesadillas or a quick pan omelette instead.
This idea is best near the end of the trip, when the fridge contains odds and ends from picnics: cheddar, brie, feta, goat’s cheese, soft herbs, half a jar of relish, a few tomatoes or the last corner of a bag of salad. Keep wet toppings light so the pastry does not collapse. No oven? Turn the same ingredients into toasties, quesadillas or a quick pan omelette instead.
Shallot and feta tart tatin, the irresistible savory version!
When we talk about tarte tatin, we obviously think of the famous apple tarte tatin ! What if today we replaced the traditional apples with well-candied shallots for a savory version? To add even more deliciousness, feta will be your best ally in...
7. One-pot coconut vegetable curry
A one-pot coconut curry is the emergency dinner every holiday cook needs. Start with onion if you have it, add curry paste or powder, then stir in vegetables, chickpeas and coconut milk. Simmer until everything is tender. Serve with rice if you have a second pan, or add diced potatoes directly to the curry if you only have one.
The recipe is deliberately flexible. Courgettes, peppers, carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes and leftover cooked vegetables can all go in. Chickpeas make it filling without meat, while coconut milk gives body even when your spice selection is limited. This is one of the most reliable easy holiday dinners because it rescues odd vegetables and turns them into a proper meal.
The recipe is deliberately flexible. Courgettes, peppers, carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes and leftover cooked vegetables can all go in. Chickpeas make it filling without meat, while coconut milk gives body even when your spice selection is limited. This is one of the most reliable easy holiday dinners because it rescues odd vegetables and turns them into a proper meal.
Chickpea curry, the super gourmet vegan recipe
In the list of comforting dishes , we gladly ask for a chickpea curry ! Served with rice, this fragrant recipe will warm your stomach :-) You'll see how easy this recipe is with the steps explained below ↓
How to make a badly equipped kitchen feel easier
The best strategy is to cook in modules. Boil extra potatoes for tortilla and lunch boxes. Cook more rice than you need and turn the rest into a quick meal the next day. Fry extra peppers for baps, pasta or curry. Keep one shelf-stable backup dinner in the cupboard: pasta with tinned tomatoes, or rice with chickpeas and coconut milk.
Most importantly, lower the standard in the right way. Holiday food should be generous, simple and repeatable. It does not need restaurant plating or specialist equipment. With a knife, two pans and a hob, you can make pasta, rice, eggs, sandwiches, curry and a leftovers tart. That is enough structure to avoid mealtime panic, and enough freedom to enjoy the holiday.
Most importantly, lower the standard in the right way. Holiday food should be generous, simple and repeatable. It does not need restaurant plating or specialist equipment. With a knife, two pans and a hob, you can make pasta, rice, eggs, sandwiches, curry and a leftovers tart. That is enough structure to avoid mealtime panic, and enough freedom to enjoy the holiday.
Juliette HessI’ve been creating culinary content at Petitchef for over 7 years.
I love traveling and discovering new dishes, trying out new culinary trends, and exploring new restaurants.
I’m a pasta fan in all its forms ❤ from udon noodles to tagliatelle, I love cooking it and even making it homemade!
Right now, I’m preparing, filming, and photographing your next recipe, and I hope you’ll love it!
I love traveling and discovering new dishes, trying out new culinary trends, and exploring new restaurants.
I’m a pasta fan in all its forms ❤ from udon noodles to tagliatelle, I love cooking it and even making it homemade!
Right now, I’m preparing, filming, and photographing your next recipe, and I hope you’ll love it!
Comments