One-pan meals are a saving grace on those busy nights when even thinking about cooking feels like just another job you didn’t apply for. Parents, you’ll love these 20 easy recipes that cut down on dishes and ramp up the flavor. Picture this: less time cleaning, more time kicking back — or, let’s be real, tackling that mountain of laundry. These recipes are great for those evenings when you’re juggling homework help, bedtime routines, and that elusive thing called ‘me time.’

Baked Ravioli

Busy parents, meet your new weeknight hero: Baked Ravioli. It’s like a quick version of lasagna that’s a cinch to put together. Grab some frozen cheese ravioli, layer it with marinara and cheese, and you’ve got a hearty meal that’s ready in an hour. It’s a perfect way to wrap up the day without spending all night in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Baked Ravioli

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is a great fix for those times when you just want to throw everything in a pot and be done with it. It’s as easy as tossing ingredients into the slow cooker and letting it work its magic. By the time you’re ready to wind down, you’ve got a comforting soup waiting to cap off a busy day.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

This casserole captures all the classic flavors of stuffed bell peppers without actually stuffing anything, perfect for overwhelmed parents. Ready in just 45 minutes and requiring only one pan, it combines bell peppers, ground beef, rice, tomato sauce, and chicken broth into a hearty, comforting meal. The dish is topped with shredded cheddar cheese and garnished with parsley. It’s a great option for a busy weeknight. It simplifies dinner and cleanup, allowing you more time to relax with your family or catch up on other tasks.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner

When energy is low, but you still want a nutritious meal, this sheet-pan dinner is a great solution. Simply spread sausage and a mix of vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers and zucchini on a sheet pan, season, and bake for 30 minutes. It’s a stress-free, minimal-cleanup meal, perfect for those nights when you want a good dinner on the table with little effort. This recipe will help you maintain a healthy diet even on your busiest days.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner

Green Chile Chicken

Green Chile Chicken is a quick and flavorful meal, ready in just 20 minutes. It combines precooked chicken, green chiles, onions, and a creamy sauce of cream cheese, heavy cream and cheddar. It’s a great choice for a fast weeknight dinner that doesn’t compromise on taste. This dish is especially perfect for parents needing a quick turnaround in the kitchen. It’s a savory and filling meal that lets you spend more time with your family and less time cooking.
Get the Recipe: Green Chile Chicken

Creamy Garlic Chicken

Creamy Garlic Chicken combines tender chicken breasts with a rich sauce made of garlic, chicken stock, Parmesan, and whipping cream. This dish comes together in just 30 minutes using one skillet, making it perfect for tired parents after a long day. It pairs beautifully with pasta or vegetables and delivers a comforting, creamy texture that is sure to be a hit at the dinner table. This meal is not only quick to make but also comforting and filling, making your dinner time stress-free and fun.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken

Cabbage and Sausage

Cabbage and Sausage is an easy, one-pan meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes. Brown the sausages until they’re crispy, then cook the cabbage with onions and spices in the same pan, adding everything back together to mix the flavors. Finish it off with a sprinkle of pepper and parsley. This dish is a straightforward answer to a filling dinner that keeps your evening relaxed. With this recipe, you’ll serve a hearty meal for your family while keeping the kitchen clean-up to a minimum.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage

Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

This Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is a cozy meal that comes together in under an hour, making it a stellar choice for a one-pan meal on busy nights. It’s easy on the wallet and can be prepared ahead of time, perfect for those evenings when time just isn’t on your side. The best part? Any leftovers can be frozen for another day, and it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser among both the young and the young at heart.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken Tortellini Soup is a heartwarming one-pot meal that can be on your table in just 40 minutes. It combines chicken, cheese tortellini, vegetables, and broth for a filling and nutritious dinner. This soup is particularly useful for busy parents who need to juggle multiple tasks in the evening, as it requires minimal hands-on time and cooks in one pot. It’s a great choice for feeding a hungry family quickly, making sure everyone goes to bed satisfied without adding stress to your evening.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortellini Soup

Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice

This skillet meal is a lifesaver on those exhausting days. It combines ground beef, cauliflower rice, cheddar cheese, and mushrooms in one skillet and is ready in just 30 minutes. It’s an easy meal option that is low on carbs and doesn’t sacrifice flavor or satisfaction. This meal is perfect for evenings when you need something quick and hearty but also want to keep your meal healthy and light. Plus, the one-pan approach means very little cleanup, lightening your load even further.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are a delicious, quick option for a busy evening. Ready in just 20 minutes, these chicken bites are seasoned and cooked and then tossed in a flavorful garlic butter sauce, making them irresistible. They’re a great pick for a last-minute meal that’s both easy to prepare and guaranteed to be a hit with the kids. This recipe is especially valuable on hectic activity-filled evenings when you need to serve a delicious meal in almost no time, keeping everyone happy and well-fed.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

Creamy Italian Sausage Soup combines sausage, cream cheese, tomatoes, and broth into a creamy, hearty soup that’s ready in just 30 minutes. This easy-to-make soup is perfect for a chilly evening when you crave something comforting and filling but don’t have the energy for complicated recipes. It’s a delicious meal that simplifies dinner preparation, cutting down on both time and dishes, which is crucial for any parent looking to minimize evening chores and maximize family time.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup delivers all the cozy flavors of a traditional pot pie without the crust, making it simpler and quicker. In just one hour and using only one pot, this soup brings together chicken, vegetables, and a creamy broth for a comforting meal. It’s a great choice for a filling dinner that feels like a hug in a bowl but doesn’t require you to spend the whole evening in the kitchen. This recipe is a great way to enjoy a classic dish with less work, helping you unwind at the end of a busy day.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

The Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup is a creamy, one-pot soup that combines the earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes with the exciting taste of red bell peppers. Its flavors are enhanced with spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic. Ready in about an hour with just one pot, it’s a straightforward recipe that yields a hearty and healthful meal, perfect for exhausted parents. This dish is particularly great for those evenings when you’re looking for something simple yet filling. It’s a nutritious dinner option that helps you relax after a long day without spending hours in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

Creamy Dijon Chicken

The Creamy Dijon Chicken dish is a quick and great option for a meal that only takes 30 minutes to prepare. It’s a one-pan recipe featuring chicken thighs drenched in a creamy Dijon mustard sauce with fresh spinach and crumbled bacon, adding a rich flavor and texture. It’s the perfect recipe to help exhausted parents get through a busy evening and serve a meal that’s sure to be a hit at the dinner table. It’s a practical choice for those nights when you want something a bit special but don’t have the time or energy for a complex recipe.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dijon Chicken

Chicken Corn Soup

Chicken Corn Soup is a delicious, wholesome meal that’s easy to prepare and cooks in less than an hour in one pot. This soup combines chicken, carrots, potatoes, corn and creamed corn, making it a hearty option for a family dinner. It’s a great solution for parents who need to whip up something quickly without compromising on taste or nutrition. This recipe is especially helpful on cooler evenings when you crave something comforting and delicious that won’t keep you busy in the kitchen for too long.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Corn Soup

Sausage Curry

Sausage Curry is a convenient one-pan dish that’s great for busy weeknights. It combines sausages and vegetables in a rich and creamy curry sauce, creating a flavorful and hearty meal. It’s ready in just one pan, perfect for those who enjoy quick and easy recipes that don’t compromise on taste or quality. It doesn’t require much effort or cleanup, either. This recipe is great for shaking up your dinner routine with something different while still keeping everything simple and manageable, even on your busiest nights.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Curry

Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Fried Cabbage with Bacon is a quick and hearty meal that combines the savory flavors of bacon with the crunch and comfort of cabbage. Ready in under 30 minutes and cooked in just one pan, this dish is a go-to for an easy and filling dinner. It’s perfect for those days when you need something filling but want to keep preparation and cleanup time to a minimum. This recipe will help keep your evening smooth, letting you enjoy more time with your family instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is an effortless and delicious dinner option. It features chicken thighs in a creamy, garlicky mushroom sauce. It’s ready in about 30 minutes and all in one pan, making it a perfect weeknight meal. This dish is designed to be a stress-free yet hearty dinner that the whole family is sure to enjoy. It’s a smart pick for overwhelmed parents who need a quick and easy meal solution that feels a bit indulgent but is straightforward to prepare.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

White Bean Soup

White Bean Soup is a simple, comforting meal that comes together in just 40 minutes using one pot. It is packed with white beans, carrots, celery, spinach and herbs for a fiber-rich and nutritious dinner. Half of the white beans are blended and then mixed back into the pot, thickening the soup. This recipe is straightforward and doesn’t require any special ingredients, so it might just become your go-to on busy nights. Perfect for busy parents, this recipe allows you to enjoy a stress-free evening with minimal cleanup.
Get the Recipe: White Bean Soup