At the end of a full day, the last thing you want to do is tackle a mountain of dishes. That’s why I love one pot / one pan meals! They’re easy to assemble, they require minimal clean-up, AND they eliminate the need to figure out a side dish because everything cooks in one pan! What’s not to love??
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You pour yourself into a full day’s work on the job or taking care of the kids (or both!). Then you spend the next hour or so cooking a delicious, nutritious dinner, serving it to your family, and playing the “dinnertime with kids” version of whack-a-mole.
By the time everyone’s been fed and the table has been cleared, the last thing you want to see in your kitchen sink is a mountain of dishes.
One pot meals to the rescue!
I absolutely love one pot / one pan meals. They’re easy to assemble, they require minimal cleanup, and they eliminate the need to figure out side dishes because everything cooks together in one pot (or pan)!
Here are 25 one pot meals for easy dinners and even easier clean-up!
25 One Pot Meals For Easy Dinners
1. Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies
2. Sheet Pan Kielbasa & Veggies
4. Skillet Smoked Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans
5. One Pot Sausage and Rice Skillet
6. Italian Beef & Rice Skillet
7. Sautéed meat + veggies — I don’t really have a “recipe” for this, but I do this all the time for a quick and easy meal. Basically, you just sauté any kind of meat, remove from the pan, sauté veggies of choice, then combine.
Pro tip: I slice a bunch of chicken or pork when it’s on sale and freeze in bags of marinade for just such occasions! Read more about my Marinated Meat Packs here.
8. One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet
10. Stir-fry – There are a million bajillion stir-fry recipes out there, but here’s a nice easy chicken stir-fry and a nice easy beef stir-fry.
11. Mexican Baked Eggs — Add diced bell peppers for more veggies (or slice and serve on the side).
15. Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers — I LOVE that you don’t have to brown the meat first – it all cooks together!
17. Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash
20. Chicken/Pork Fried Rice (with leftover rice) — Scramble an egg in a pan and remove to a plate. Sauté bite-sized pieces of chicken or pork and remove. Pour a little chicken stock into the pan to deglaze, then add your leftover rice and warm all the way through, adding more chicken stock as needed. Stir in some frozen peas and carrots, then return the meat and egg to the pan and combine until everything is heated through. Add a few tablespoons of soy sauce and season with garlic salt and ginger to taste.
Pro-tip: This is the perfect dish to use up leftover chicken and pork!
Related Post: 50 Ways to Repurpose Leftovers: Waste Less, Save More!
21. Easy Breakfast Skillet — What’s a list like this without a great “breakfast for dinner” option??
22. Italian Sausage and Zucchini Soup — Here are more of our favorite soup recipes!
23. One Pot Chicken & Rice Soup
24. Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
25. Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
- 7 Game-Changing Sheet Pan Recipes (That Might Surprise You!)
- 5 Simple Meals (To Save You Time & Energy)
- 50 Ways to Repurpose Leftovers: Waste Less, Save More
- 25 Family Favorite Dinners
Share your thoughts!