The ‘Capsule Kitchen’ Method Makes Cooking Less Stressful—Here’s How to Use It

A capsule wardrobe isn’t the only way to streamline your life. The capsule kitchen is an approachable and even fun way to make daily cooking easier, and less of an arduous, mind-consuming task. And yes, that goes for the cleanup too. 

The struggle of what to eat every day (and how to make it) is real, and the capsule kitchen method can seriously help. That is, you’ll want to stock your kitchen with tools and cookware that you actually use—pieces that feel practical but not overwhelming. It’s a minimalist mentality with a little bit of room for personalization. Maybe you need 23 items to complete your kitchen capsule, maybe it’s just a few pots and wooden utensils. The interpretation is up to you, but the practice can help streamline everything. 

To start, take an inventory of items in your kitchen, rank them from most used to least used, and see if there are any items that do double or triple duty. Perhaps just one or two medium saucepans is all you need. If you cook everything in a cast-iron skillet, should your non-stick cookware move to the donation bin? If an item can do multiple things, consider how else you can use it. Think: A Dutch oven, chef’s knives, cutting boards, mixing bowls and more items that you may only need one of.  

“One kitchen essential I always recommend is a stand mixer,” says Jean-Baptiste Scordel, executive pastry chef at New York’s La Grande Boucherie and Olio e Piu. “It’s very versatile, whether you’re whipping cream, mixing batter, or kneading bread, it does the heavy lifting and helps everything come out more consistent. Especially for home bakers, it really makes the process easier and a lot less messy. Once you get comfortable with it, it really can elevate your baking to the next level.” Beyond the obvious uses, a stand mixer can also be used to shred chicken, or, with additional attachments, to peel vegetables, roll out pasta dough, grind meat, and so much more. 

Here’s why the capsule kitchen is important:

Precludes Dirty Cookware from Stacking Up 

Three sauté pans from three different meals stacked in your sink? Annoying! If you have one sauté pan that you use for everything, you’ll need to wash it as soon as meal time is over, and you’ll be ready for the next meal without adding to the stack.

Prevents You From Feeling Overwhelmed 

Deciding what to cook for dinner every night can be a real dilemma, but fewer options can sometimes be inspiring. The best creativity comes from desperation, right? Instead of choosing from a plethora of special-use tools and specific cookware, having the basics, like a sauté pan, saucepot, or air fryer can help narrow down how and what you want to cook. 

Allows You to Stick to Capsule Recipes

When you consider what to make for your next meal, knowing what you like to make and eat can be helpful, and having the go-to tools to prepare the dish easily removes some of the necessary mental energy from the task.

Helps You Save Space

Of course, having a capsule kitchen means you should be more organized, and can help reduce clutter in the kitchen by saving space for important things. One of my favorite items is my Braun Multiquick hand blender that uses the same engine with various attachments— it’s five appliances in one and all fits in a drawer, so I don’t need to store a separate immersion blender, food processor, or electric whisk in my small kitchen.

And Money

Before leaning into consumerism and buying a kitchen gadget because it’s on sale or looks practical, ask yourself if it has a purpose in your capsule kitchen. Does the avocado slicer replace your paring knife, definitely not and if so, do you actually need it? Will you use a cherry pitter more than once a year? Does that cute trivet do anything your current trivets don’t? 

Lets You Stay Sustainable

Purchasing items with the intention to keep them for the long haul is better for the environment, and your budget. Instead of a set of flimsy pans at the discount store, invest in a nice sheet pan that can potentially last for your entire life. This helps prevent landfill waste, and of course, should lead to better results when cooking. Items that are worth the splurge, like a good quality Dutch oven, can be used for so many purposes, from making a box of mac and cheese, to braising meats for a celebratory dinner, to baking sourdough—the cost per use can be minimal, and the piece can even be a family heirloom. Think of all the memories waiting for that one special piece of cookware.

Builds Community

Fun fact: You actually don’t need to own everything you use! If you only bake a cake once a year, perhaps there’s a friend or neighbor you can borrow the cake pans from? Maybe you can swap a paella pan for leftovers in a local buy nothing group? If you want to be thoughtful about adding a blender to your capsule, can you visit a friend and try theirs out first? Purchasing and owning with more intention can help you bond with humans on a level that clicking “add to cart” online just can’t. Some libraries and community centers also lend out specialized kitchen equipment or seasonal baking gear, so do some research first! 

Makes Your Kitchen Feel More Welcoming

While a chaotic kitchen may bring peace for some, a minimalist kitchen can benefit visitors and guests by making everything easily accessible. Rather than having to search high and low for a cutting board or spoon rest, having the essentials in obvious places makes everyone more comfortable and relaxed. 

Helps You Stay Creative

Having an easy solution to everything may not always be best for our brains. A capsule kitchen, while simplifying, can also help you think of new ways to use your favorite things. Can your quarter sheet pan double as a serving tray? Mine did, when I froze it with lemons and water to make an icy base to present shrimp cocktail. Can your spoon rest double as a bowl for olive pits, or is your favorite mixing spoon also a great serving spoon? Being resourceful is fun!