Creating a meal in the kitchen doesn’t have to be intimidating, and it certainly doesn’t require fancy appliances or an oven. Whether you’re home alone and starving or just want to get the hang of cooking, these no-oven recipes are perfect for beginners. This article will include recipe summaries for Vegetable Egg Fried Rice by The Kitchn, Garlic Noodles by Budget Bytes, Spam Musubi Bowls by KwokSpots, and Tuna Rice Balls by Carmyy.

Vegetable Egg Fried Rice

1. First, get a pan and set it to medium-high heat. Add oil and beaten eggs. Scramble your eggs in the pan, and once it take shape, move it to one side of the pan.
2. Add in cold rice (preferably day-old cooked rice) and mix it with the eggs.
3. Sweep your rice and egg mixture to the side of the pan and add oil to the empty side. 
4. Start adding in chopped vegetables like green onion, carrots, peas, and zucchini.
5. Season with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and ¾ teaspoon of sesame oil and enjoy.

To elevate this simple dish further, add hot sauces like chili oil or Sriracha to create some more heat. Additionally, you can top with more green onions or sesame seeds as a garnish.

“I love eating fried rice whenever I’m hungry. It’s such a simple but filling meal that’s quite easy to prepare,” said freshman Emily Kiang. “It’s quick and a perfect way for my family to get rid of leftovers.”

Garlic Noodles

1. Grab a bowl and mix together 2 tbsp of oyster sauce, 2 tsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of sugar, and 1 tsp of sesame oil.
2. Boil any kind of noodles according to their package directions.
3. As the noodles are cooking, chop up 2 to 4 garlic cloves into thick chunks and place them into a pan with butter.
4. Cook the garlic until it becomes translucent, then toss in your sauce and mix slowly.
5. Toss in your noodles and serve!

For more flavor, you can mix Parmesan cheese into the dish and garnish with some scallions and sesame seeds. 

“I typically don’t like garlic too much, but I really like how this recipe can have a subtle taste of garlic [and] still taste good,” said sophomore Nathan Geiger. “The taste of the sauce is a little sweet, but not [overly] sweet.”

Musubi Bowl

1. Open one can of Spam and cut it into equal-sized cubes. 
2. Cook the spam on medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned. 
3. Then, in the same pan, add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp of brown sugar, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, and ½ tsp of water. Continue stirring for one to two minutes or until the sauce thickens and coats the Spam well.
4. In a separate bowl, add rice and crushed seaweed together. Toss in the Spam and add any type of egg you desire, and enjoy.

This dish is simple, but it is very easy to customize based on your preferences. To add more pizazz to the dish, drizzle sauces like Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie) or Sriracha for more flavor. You can also add garnishes like green onions or crushed seaweed on top.

“A thing I like about Musbi is that it’s a super simple dish, but also really delicious,” said freshman Kyle Troung. “Using the same ingredients as a Musubi, but just putting it in a bowl, is such an easy meal for me to prep whenever I’m hungry. I honestly really like how easy it is to [customize] and add other ingredients that might not typically go on a Musubi.”

Rice Cooker Bulgogi Rice

1. In a rice cooker, add uncooked, washed rice and Trader Joe’s Beef Bulgogi (or any kind of marinated bulgogi).
2. For the sauce, combine 6 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp of minced garlic, 1 tbsp of sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, and chopped green onions.
3. Once the rice and bulgogi are cooked, serve them together with the sauce and enjoy!

An easy way to customize this dish is by adding a variety of vegetables. By adding vegetables, you can make this simple dish healthier and tastier. 

Tuna Rice Balls

1. In a bowl, combine cooked sushi rice, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, Kewpie, tuna, and crushed seaweed. Mix everything together until it’s fully combined.
2. Using gloves or clean hands, roll the rice mixture into balls.
3. Serve and enjoy.

A tuna rice ball is simple, but also filling and easy to customize. For example, if you prefer not to use Kewpie, Sriracha sauce or soy sauce is a great replacement that brings out the heat and more flavor. Garnishing the dish with katsuobushi (skipjack tuna), green onions, and sesame seeds can also enhance the taste of this dish. 

Cooking a meal shouldn’t be a daunting task. Though some meals are difficult to prepare, many are very simple and filling. Next time you step into a kitchen, hopefully, these beginner-friendly recipes will satisfy your hunger and save you time.