19 One-Pot Meal Ideas for Everyone Who Dreads Cooking Dinner

Photo of author

| Published:

19 One-Pot Meal Ideas for Everyone Who Dreads Cooking Dinner

One-pot meal ideas are great for anyone who finds cooking dinner a chore. These 19 recipes are all about making your evening mealtime straightforward and stress-free. They’re perfect when you’re pressed for time or just want to avoid a big clean-up afterward. Each dish is designed to be easy to prepare, so you can enjoy a good meal without too much trouble.

A plate of stuffed bell pepper casserole with a spoon.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Creamy Garlic Chicken

A white dish with chicken breasts in a creamy garlic sauce.
Creamy Garlic Chicken. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This one-pan Creamy Garlic Chicken is ready in 30 minutes. It’s a great choice for a quick and easy dinner, combining chicken in a garlic and Parmesan sauce. Perfect with vegetables, pasta, or rice, this dish is a straightforward solution for a hearty meal.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken

Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice

A skillet full of meat and rice with a spoon.
Creamy Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice Skillet. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

In just 30 minutes, you can have a delicious meal with this Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice. It’s made in one pan, mixing ground beef, cauliflower rice, cheddar cheese, and mushrooms. Great for when you want a hearty dinner without much effort.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice

Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner

A baking sheet filled with vegetables and sausages.
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner is a perfect pick for an easy meal. Just toss sausage and vegetables on one sheet pan and bake and everything will come together in a total of 30 minutes. It’s great for busy times when you’re looking for something nutritious and straightforward.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

Stuffed bell pepper casserole in a pan with a wooden spoon.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole is a one-pot meal that comes together in 45 minutes. Easy enough for beginners, it’s a great choice for a flavorful and filling dinner on busy weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

A pot of soup with creamy parmesan cheese and parsley.
Creamy Italian Sausage Soup. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Ready in 30 minutes, the Creamy Italian Sausage Soup is perfect for a quick dinner. Made in one pot, it combines sausage, cream cheese, and tomatoes for a hearty meal, great for those evenings when you’re short on time.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken pot pie soup with peas and carrots in a bowl.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Try this Chicken Pot Pie Soup for a cozy meal that takes about an hour to prepare. This one-pot recipe is great for chilly evenings, providing a warm and hearty flavor everyone will enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Cabbage and Sausage

A plate of cabbage and sausages with a fork.
Cabbage and Sausage. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Cabbage and Sausage is a quick dinner option, ready in under 30 minutes. Cooked in one pan, this dish pairs filling sausage with simple cabbage for a straightforward and enjoyable meal.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

A bowl of Hungarian mushroom soup with a spoon.
Hungarian Mushroom Soup. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

In just 45 minutes, prepare a warming, flavorful Hungarian Mushroom Soup. This one-pot meal is a fantastic choice for both busy weeknights and leisurely weekends, suitable for cooks of all skill levels.
Get the Recipe: Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

A person is holding a wooden spoon full of chicken bites in a garlic butter sauce.
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

If you have 20 minutes, Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are a great choice. This simple recipe is cooked in a pan, with chicken in a garlic butter sauce, for a quick and easy dinner solution.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach

A pan with shrimp, tomatoes and spinach in it.
Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Make a simple and flavorful Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach in just 30 minutes. This one-pan meal mixes shrimp, spinach, and tomatoes, perfect for a quick dinner.
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

A skillet filled with chicken in a tomato sauce.
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken, ready in 30 minutes, is a convenient one-pan meal. It combines boneless chicken thighs with a sun-dried tomato sauce, making for a quick and enjoyable dinner.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

Sausage Curry

A skillet filled with carrots and sausages.
Sausage Curry. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Sausage Curry is a flavorful, fast, one-pan meal. Combine sausage, veggies, and a robust curry sauce for a great dinner on busy evenings. It’s a quick and easy meal that brings variety to your dinner routine.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Curry

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

A pot of sweet potato and red pepper soup with sour cream and parsley.
Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

For a warm, filling meal, make this Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup. This one-pot soup is ready in an hour and is a wonderful pick for a busy evening, easy to prepare and full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

Green Chile Chicken

A pan full of chicken in a sauce with a wooden spoon.
Green Chile Chicken. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Green Chile Chicken is a flavorful dish that’s ready in just 20 minutes. Use leftover chicken thighs or storebought rotisserie chicken for this simple one-skillet meal. The green chile adds a nice flavor, making it a great quick dinner choice.
Get the Recipe: Green Chile Chicken

Chicken Corn Soup

A bowl of chicken corn soup with carrots and parsley.
Chicken Corn Soup. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Chicken Corn Soup is a great pick for a quick and hearty dinner. Ready in less than an hour, this one-pot meal combines chicken, veggies, and broth in a straightforward and enjoyable way.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Corn Soup

Creamy Dijon Chicken

A pan with chicken, spinach and bacon in it.
Creamy Dijon Chicken. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Make and enjoy this Creamy Dijon Chicken in just 30 minutes. This one-pan meal is quick and easy, perfect for busy weeknights. The rich flavor of the Dijon mustard sauce adds a lovely touch to the chicken.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dijon Chicken

Fried Cabbage with Bacon

A pan with bacon and cabbage in it.
Fried Cabbage with Bacon. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Fried Cabbage with Bacon is a simple, 30-minute dish. It combines the hearty flavors of cabbage and bacon in an easy-to-cook skillet meal, great for a busy evening.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Chicken with creamy mushroom sauce in a skillet.
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce comes together surprisingly quickly and easily. This one-pan meal, ready in about 30 minutes, features chicken thighs in a rich mushroom sauce, making it a great choice for a weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts

A pan filled with chicken in a creamy sauce with artichoke hearts.
Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts is a good choice for a quick dinner. Ready in about 30 minutes in one pan, the artichoke hearts pair perfectly with the creamy sauce for a simple and delicious meal.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.