20 One-Pot Dinners For When You’re Fed Up With Dirty Dishes

Less washing up, more quality time eating good food with loved ones.

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht turned her home baking into a career in 2016 when she began working as the head baker at The Greenbean Coffeehouse in Seattle, WA. Afterwards, she started Baking with Rachel (her blog), began teaching kids' cooking classes, and recipe tested for the cookbook "Let's Stay In" by Ashley Rodriguez.
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Published October 02, 2023
Rachel Knecht
One-Pot Taco Pasta in a Pot, and in the Surroundings, a Bowl With Lime Wedges, a Bowl With Sliced Green Onions, a Bowl With Sour Cream, and a Mustard Colored Table Napkin

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

I love one-pot dinners. Although I get plenty of help loading and unloading the dishwasher, I’m the one in the family that regularly washes the pots and pans, so I’m thrilled whenever there's less dishes to do at the end of the night. Also, one-pot dinners are incredibly efficient. Why get out a stockpot and a skillet when a single Dutch oven will suffice? 

What exactly is a one-pot dinner? To me, a one-pot dinner is exactly that. It’s a recipe that uses a single pot (or skillet) to make the whole dinner. These meals don’t require me to make a separate pot of rice, boil pasta as a side, or to get out a slew of tortillas and toppings to be considered a meal. No. A one-pot meal is made in one pot and can be served as is. 

Without further ado, read on to find one-pot dinners that will make busy nights as easy as can be.

  • Skillet Chicken Thighs with Potatoes, Carrots, and Greens

    A grey non-stick skillet is full of the best crispy skillet chicken thighs with potatoes, carrots and greens. The skillet is on a marble background.
    Sally Vargas

    Braising doesn’t have to be an all day affair. This skillet version braises the chicken thighs and vegetables in the oven in 30 minutes. Feel free to swap out the swiss chard for baby spinach (no chopping required!) or kale.

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  • One-Pot Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Capers

    One-Pot Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Capers in a Bowl

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    Not only is this one-pot but it takes only one step! Put all the ingredients in the large skillet, simmer, and serve. The short ingredient list uses easy to find ingredients that sing when put together. Stir in a can of white beans for an extra-filling meal.

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  • Slow Cooker Cajun-Spiced Stuffed Peppers

    Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers
    Lisa Lin

    Stuffed peppers were always one of my favorite meals growing up. This one is especially delightful because you don’t have to pre-cook the filling. Nestle the stuffed peppers in a slow cooker and let it do the rest.

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  • One-Pot Taco Pasta

    One-Pot Taco Pasta in a Pot, and in the Surroundings, a Bowl With Lime Wedges, a Bowl With Sliced Green Onions, a Bowl With Sour Cream, Glasses With a Drink, and a Mustard Colored Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    Take the spices in chili and add ingredients similar to hamburger and macaroni and you get this delightful one-pot taco pasta. You can add toppings, like sour cream and additional shredded cheese, but it’s perfectly wonderful as is.

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    Continue to 5 of 20 below.

  • Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini

    Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    Still trying to use up all that zucchini? This is the perfect one-pot meal for you. Shredded zucchini is cooked down and then combined with tube-shaped pasta and cream cheese. Six ingredients never tasted so good. 

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  • Skillet Chicken and Rice

    stovetop chicken and rice recipe made in a skillet
    Nick Evans

    Chicken and rice was my favorite casserole but cooking it in a skillet makes it so much quicker. You can make this recipe your own by adding cheese, garlic, or change up the herbs. Remember to rinse the rice before adding it to the skillet so that the finished dish isn’t gummy.

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  • Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

    Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens in a Pot With a Serving Spoon, All on a White Kitchen Towel on the Counter, and Next to It, a Bowl of Cracked Pepper, a Glass of Water, and a Block of Pecorino Romani Cheese

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Being able to conserve water while speeding up dinner sounds like a dream combination. In this recipe, the water that cooks the tortellini also turns into a silky sauce. 25 minutes later and you’ll be sitting down to dinner.

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  • Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

    Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

    The Instant Pot turns a weekend meal into a quick and easy one-pot sensation. The chicken thighs are simmered along with the sauteed vegetables, spices, and beans. Once the pressure cooking cycle is complete, you can keep it on the warm setting for up to 10 hours before finishing the chili.

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    Continue to 9 of 20 below.

  • White Bean, Tomato, and Shrimp Skillet Dinner

    Shrimp and Vegetable Skillet Dinner - beans, fennel, tomato and shrimp skillet
    Sally Vargas

    If you haven’t tried fennel yet, now is the time. Sauteed fennel flavors the tomato sauce that the shrimp and white beans are cooked in and adds a touch of sweetness to the dish. It’s important to cook the shrimp gently to keep it from becoming rubbery.

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  • Shakshuka with Feta, Olives, and Peppers

    Best Shakshuka with a side of bread and topped with feta and olives.
    Sally Vargas

    Shake up the breakfast for dinner routine with a simmering pot of tomatoes, cheese, and eggs. Shakshuka is a versatile dish typically eaten for breakfast but makes a fantastic dinnerl. Use a skillet with a lid to steam the eggs.

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  • Creamy Skillet Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas

    Creamy Skillet Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas in a skillet with a spoon at a table setting with a stack of plates, a bowl of chopped chives, and a small plate of bacon pieces

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    Cooking ever-handy packaged gnocchi in a skillet may just become your default method after you try this easy-peasy dinner.

    Creamy Skillet Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas
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  • Tuscan Chicken Pasta Skillet

    Side view of a plate of one pot chicken pasta dinner. A large skillet is behind the plate of pasta and grape tomatoes, basil and seasoning are in the upper right.
    Jessica Gavin

    Quickly marinating the chicken in oil and Italian spices makes for a highly flavorful chicken dinner. The spaghetti noodles are cooked in the same skillet as the chicken but not at the same time. This keeps the chicken from losing its crisp exterior. You could substitute a Dutch oven for the large high-sided skillet.

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    Continue to 13 of 20 below.

  • Pork Asado de Carajay

    Pot of Pork Asado de Carajay

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    Potatoes, chickpeas, and veggies make this simple Filipino pork stew extra filling. The sweet and tangy tomato broth is excellent if you'd like to dirty a second dish in the microwave and nuke up some rice to sop it up.

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  • Easy Pork Fried Rice

    A black skillet with prepared pork fried rice recipe inside. Steam is coming up from the dish and a spatula is resting in the rice on the left side.
    Nick Evans | Art Banner Credit: Andy Christensen

    Fried rice is such a weeknight dinner staple that it's easy to take its one-pan status for granted. Bust this one out when you have leftover rice to blast through. Frozen veggies make the prep minimal.

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  • Chinese 5-Spice Skillet Chicken with Green Beans and Peppers

    Chinese Chicken Recipe in Skillet-chicken, green beans, and orange bell peppers in a silver skillet sitting on a white cloth with blue stripes
    Alison Bickle

    Not only is this a one-pot dinner but it can also be prepped ahead and stashed in the freezer, ready to save the day. A mortar and pestle can take the place of a spice grinder or you could use pre-ground spices and leave the bay leaf whole. Just remember to remove it when it’s time to serve.

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  • Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

    Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese serve the mac and cheese
    Nick Evans

    This one goes out to everyone that thinks making homemade mac and cheese is difficult. Pull out your slow cooker, dump all the ingredients in, and enjoy a creamy mac and cheese for dinner. 

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    Continue to 17 of 20 below.

  • One Pot Chicken and Orzo

    Skillet Chicken and Orzo
    Elise Bauer

    Though similar in size to rice, orzo is a small pasta. Bone-in chicken thighs are first browned in the skillet, leaving enough fat for the orzo to be toasted in before bringing it all back together. The meal is on the table in 35 minutes and can be adjusted easily to include more vegetables and spices.

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  • Curried Ground Turkey With Potatoes

    Curried Ground Turkey with Potatoes
    Elise Bauer

    This simple one-pot uses ground turkey, easy to find spices, and cubed potatoes to create a nourishing meal. Rice is optional here, unlike more traditional curries that have more liquid.

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  • Skillet Chicken with Cheesy Orzo and Zucchini

    Skillet Chicken Breast with Orzo and Zucchini
    Kerri Brewer

    You really can’t go wrong with cheesy pasta and chicken. Lean chicken breasts are a tasty counterpoint to the rich pasta. You can serve it right out of the skillet or chop the cooked chicken and stir it in before serving.

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  • One-Pot Macaroni and Cheese

    Plateful of one pot mac and cheese with a fork, and in the surroundings, a dutch oven with more, a glass of water, utensils, and a mustard kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    The stirring you do from time to time helps make this roux-free macaroni and cheese extra silky. The starch from the pasta slowly helps thicken the sauce. Less to wash, more to love.

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