Sharing 40 easy one pot meals that will not only make cooking a breeze, but clean up as well! From pasta to rice to skillet and sheet pan recipes, there are a ton of easy dinner ideas to choose from.
When it comes to weeknight dinners, I look for something that will be ready in under 30 minutes, and the fewer dishes that it creates, the better! Enter these one pot meals.
I'm sharing easy one pot pasta, rice, skillet and sheet pan meals that will make everyone's dinner routine so much easier.
Benefits of choosing one pot meals
- the recipes are often simpler
- the clean up is easy
- often the pasta or rice will absorb extra flavor as it cooks
Let's check these meals out!
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
One Pot Pasta
One pot pasta is one of my favorite types of single pot meals for the simple reason that the pasta absorbs so much flavor as it cooks! After making one pot pasta, I don't think I can go back to cooking the pasta and sauce separately ever again.
Meal prep tip- If you find a 'no saute' one pot pasta, this may work to assemble ahead for meal prep (see the Black Bean Fajita Pasta below as an example). Keep your pasta separate until just before you serve.
1. One-Pot Shrimp Linguine With Spring Vegetables from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 2.ย One-Pot White Bean Pasta with Leeks and Asparagus from Sweet Peas and Saffron
3. Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea One Pot Pasta (Meal Prep) from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 4. One-Pot Spinach Pea Pasta from Savory Nothings
5. Skillet Butternut Squash, Sausage and Penne Pasta from Mel's Kitchen Cafe // 6. One-Pot Black Bean Fajita Pasta from Sweet Peas and Saffron
7. Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 8. Spicy Instant Pot Peanut Noodles from Sweet Peas and Saffron
9. One-Pot Chicken Chow Mein from The Recipe Rebel // 10. One Pan Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake (Freezer Meal) from Sweet Peas and Saffron
11. Easy One-Pot Shrimp Orzo Pasta from Foodness Gracious // 12. One-Pot Healthy Cajun Chicken Orzo from Sweet Peas and Saffron
One Pot Rice Recipes
Like pasta, rice can also absorb a lot of flavor while it cooks. These one pot rice recipes will simplify cooking, and also bring your rice to a whole other level, flavor-wise!
Meal Prep Tip- just like pasta, some of these one pot rice recipes may be assembled ahead before cooking. Keep the rice separate until you are ready to cook. Leftover rice also freezes really well.
13. Instant Pot Cajun Rice and Sausage from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 14. Instant Pot Fiesta Rice Bowls from Sweet Peas and Saffron
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15. One-Pot Caribbean Chicken and Rice from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 16. One-Pan Chicken Burrito Bowls from Number 2 Pencil
Stove Top Skillet or Pot Recipes
These one pot stove top recipes look absolutely delicious! From meat to plant-based recipes, there really is something for everyone.
Meal Prep Tip- check recipe cards of each post for meal prep specifics. Some of these may be assembled ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer while others may be cooked ahead and enjoyed as leftovers.
17. Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Skillet from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 18. Easy Red Lentil Dal from Sweet Peas and Saffron
19. Summer Vegetable with Sausage and Potatoes from Skinny Taste // 20. Healthy Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps from Tastes Lovely
21. Chili Lime Sweet Potato and Chicken Skillet from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 22. Mediterranean Stove Top Chicken Casserole from Scrummy Lane
23. Sweet Potato Quinoa Skillet with Kale and Sage from With Food and Love // 24. Winter One Pan Chicken and Veggies from Sweet Peas and Saffron
25. Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 26. Low Carb Indian Chicken Skillet from Sweet Peas and Saffron
Sheet Pan Meals
Sheet pan meals are my absolute favorite! Cooking your protein and vegetables together in the oven is so efficient and frees up your hands to do other things while it cooks.
Meal Prep Tip- some of these recipes can be assembled ahead, while others keep for leftovers. See the recipe card on each post for specifics.
27. Jamaican Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 28. Lemon Pepper Salmon Sheet Pan from Sweet Peas and Saffron
29. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 30. Lemon Chicken Baked Gnocchi from Sweet Peas and Saffron
31. One Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Root Vegetables from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 32. Easy Pesto Chicken Pita from Sweet Peas and Saffron
Soups & Stews
The 'classic' one pot recipe, right? Soups and stews are great for minimizing dishes and leftovers often keep really well for lunches through the week.
Meal prep tip- soups and stews often freeze well. Freeze in mason jars for individual portions, or in plastic freezer jars for larger portions. See my shop for my favorite freezer equipment!
33. Hearty Lentil Soup from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 34. Smoky White Bean and Kale Soup from Sweet Peas and Saffron
35. Smokey Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup from She Likes Food // 36. Quinoa Corn Chowder from The Recipe Rebel
37. Healthier Beef Barley Soup from Sweet Peas and Saffron // 38. Thai Coconut Curry Soup (Vegan) from Sweet Peas and Saffron
39. Chickpea and Potato Curry from Little Sunny Kitchen // 40. Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili from JZ Eats
Meg Vlach says
Thank you for these healthy one pot ideas!! We are a family of six living in an extended stay hotel during a move transition -- we ordered a hot plate from Amazon and will try to prepare some of these meals. Really very helpful!!
Denise says
Oh that sounds so awkward! I hope these recipes make your transition a little easier ๐
Flo says
Denise thank you so much for all these wonderful recipes. These last few weeks I've been doing meal prep and by far your recipes are delicious ๐ I keep coming back and finding more recipes to try.
Flo
Denise says
I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipes!
MIndy says
Love the recipes ~ wondering if there is an easy way to print them all out at once? thanks for the recipes!!
Denise says
Hi Mindy! I'm so glad you love the recipes! The authors of the recipes are bloggers who work very hard on their recipes and photos, so in order to get the recipe and print off, you have to visit their websites.
Kelly says
Thank you SO much Denise... I bought the ingredients and came back here and thought I was losing it... lil baby and lack of sleep ๐ I made the shrimp orzo tonight and it was delicious. Hubby loved it and was nice and easy. Thanks for putting this together! They all look delish.
Denise says
Oh I'm so glad you liked the pasta dish! So sorry to have confused you! Thanks, Kelly!
kelly says
Am I going crazy... or was there a sausage orzo soup here yesterday that is no longer? Was I on another site? ๐
Denise says
Hi Kelly! You totally busted me! I swapped it out for a one-pot meal that I made more recently because I thought it fit the 'one pot' theme a little better. Here is the link for the sausage white bean orzo soup ๐ It's really yummy, hope you like it! https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/2015/01/sausage-white-bean-and-orzo-soup-with-parmesan-kale-chip-dippers.html
Kelly says
I just made this too! So delicious. I'm loving this one pot post! Everything has been so great. I've sent it to all my busy girlfriends ๐
Denise says
Thanks so much for sharing the link, Kelly! Glad you liked the recipe! I need to try some of them!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
I've still got to try a 1 pot pasta dish, where everything cooks at once. Almost seems too good to be true! All these recipes look amazing Denise! Thanks for including my lettuce wraps friend : )
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
My stomach is growling at all of the delicious one pot recipes. I've never experimented with the one pot recipes despite their presence on Pinterest and Blogs alike. The lemon chicken with red potatoes and black bean soup with sweet potatoes will be my first trials! Thank you for the recipes. ๐
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
What a great collection of meals! One-pot meals are great for so many reasons....and one is clean up is so much easier!
marcie says
I love one pot meals and these all look so great! Now I have a ton to choose from! ๐
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for putting this together and including me! SO much awesome dinner inspiration! Pinned ๐
Krys says
I'm hooked on one-pot meals at the moment. Love this roundup - that shrimp orzo dish looks divine!
Annie @ The Garlic Diaries says
Mmm...one pot meals make me happy :). I love how it's less clean up, and it is also so satisfying to have your entire dinner baking, simmering, sauteing in one big pot!
Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel says
In love with the thai quinoa bowl. had to come back to this page to get the recipe! thanks again for the links.
geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen says
Very inspiring choices, Denise. Definitely going to have to try making a one pot wonder soon. Thanks for putting this roundup together!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
One pot meals are the best! I love that they are healthy too. I can't wait to add a few of these to my dinner menu soon.
Annie @Maebells says
Oh I am bookmarking this one! One pot meals make life SO MUCH EASIER sometimes! I love them when your tired, or need to get rid of all the odds and ends in your fridge, or when your almost out of dish washing detergent and don't want to go to the store! haha! They all look so amazing!
Denise says
Ha ha, so many good reasons to go for a one-pot meal! Your pork chops look delicious, Annie!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
I love easy one pot meals and this is such an awesome roundup! I've pinned a few to try soon. Thanks so much for including me!
Denise says
Your lasagna looks delicious, Kristine! Can't wait to try it!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
This is such a great collection of recipes, Denise! Each one looks fantastic! I definitely need to try your one pan pork tenderloin soon. I love the flavors! Pinning a bunch!
Denise says
Thanks, Gayle! I wanted to include your slowcooker chili but I decided to not do slowcooker recipes! I will be keeping it in mind for my next slow cooker round-up ๐
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
These all look delicious! I am SUCH a fan of one pot meals!!! We don't have a dishwasher so the less dishes the better LOL! Loving this round up, Denise!! Those pasta shells looks amazing!
Denise says
The whole reason we moved out of our last place was because I couldn't deal with not having a dishwasher anymore! So you can tell I don't enjoy the dishes ๐ Thanks, Ceara!
Nora says
Gah, so many delicious looking recipes! I haven't been very good at the one pot cooking thing lately, usually it looks like a blizzard has hit my kitchen when I'm done cooking ๐ Thanks for the inspiration and for including my dish Denise!
Denise says
I hear you on the 'blizzard'! It is so nice to have only a few things to wash up, especially after a long day at work! And your pasta dish looks like simple, delicious comfort food! Thanks, Nora!