One-pot and one-pan meals are one of my go-to mealtime hacks, especially during the busy work week. Nights after work with my kids go by so fast between picking them up, prepping dinner, and attempting to enjoy a family meal together. While I love cooking, sometimes, I’m tired of cooking when it falls in the mix of a busy schedule. Soon, we’re onto the bathtime and bedtime routine, so if I can spend more time hanging out with my kids and less time cleaning up, it’s a win for me.
This roundup of recipes includes one-pot and one-pan comfort foods, savory skillets, veggie-packed stir-fries, and delicious pasta creations—all made in one pan or one pot (even the veggies)! We also included a few tools of the trade if your kitchen is missing one of the essentials for one-pot and one-pan meals.
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One-Pot Soups
1. One-Pot Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
Pasta in soup is a two-in-one favorite. Garnish with parmesan cheese and basil, and pair it with a side of bread.
2. One-Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup
Make dinner night even easier with ready-made rotisserie chicken at the store. In this recipe, the biscuits are my favorite part, and if you have leftovers, quickly pop a new batch in the oven.
3. Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Rain or shine, chicken noodle soup sounds appetizing on any given day. Plus, if any little ones are sick in the family, this soup is a great option to get them back on their feet. This recipe can be ready in 20 minutes, so there’s no waiting around.
4. Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Everything you love about stuffed peppers—ground meat, rice, tomatoes—is included in this soup recipe, and it can be made using just your instant pot. It is also gluten free and dairy free!
5. Chicken Fajita Soup with Rice
Made in one pot and loaded with chicken, rice, beans, peppers, onions, and taco seasoning, this soup is filling and delicious—packed with all the protein your family needs. It’s also gluten free and dairy free, for any families dealing with intolerances and allergies.
One-Pot Pastas
6. Gnocchi Lasagna Bake
Skip the lasagna noodles and add the gnocchi. This “last-minute” dinner doesn’t taste like it’s last-minute. It’s quick, easy, and the perfect option if you’re craving lasagna but don’t have the time.
7. Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese
If mac and cheese is a repeat dish in your household, but you’re tired of the same old, same old, spruce it up and make this ‘fancy’ version.
8. Supreme Pizza Instant Pot Orzo
I love pizza, and this pasta version of it is creative and delicious. If you don’t have time to make dough, why not make this supreme pizza with orzo instead?
9. One-Pot Sausage Pasta
With the reviews alone, this one-pot pasta is worth trying. Top with fresh parmesan and basil. Bon appétit!
10. Feel Good Homemade Hamburger Helper
The perfect hearty comfort food. This homemade Hamburger Helper dupe definitely takes the box version up a notch. It’s healthy, yummy, and easy to clean-up.
11. One-Pot Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Bacon Pasta
You had me at bacon. This sun-dried tomato and bacon pasta is perfect if you’re wanting to have a date—with or without kids—night in.
12. One-Pot Veggie Pasta
If your kids love pasta but aren’t into veggies, this might be a good option for you to get their veggie intake in.
13. One-Pot Chicken Florentine Pasta
The author of this recipe made it with new moms in mind. If you just had a baby but are wanting to get back in the groove of making meals, this yummy one-pot Chicken Florentine Pasta is so easy to make.
14. One-Pan Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
Chicken pot pie is one of my all time favorite comfort foods, and all its best flavors are included in this one-pan pasta. The dish comes together in less than 45 minutes and is a great option for busy weeknights.
15. One-Pot Turkey Chili Mac
With elbow pasta and lots of cheese, this one-pot meal is bound to become a family favorite. The recipe blends the flavors of your favorite chili with a comfort food like mac & cheese—perfect for pickier kiddos.
One-Pot & One-Pan Seafood Meals
16. Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon
This sheet pan salmon flakes perfectly off the pan, and it’s topped with a garlic butter sauce that I recommend spreading on a side of toast.
17. One-Pot Orzo with Shrimp and Peas
This simple and flavorful one-pot pasta can be whipped together in under 30 minutes. The recipe calls for white wine, and I’m thinking any wine left over can pair well with this dish, too.
18. Honey Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli
This recipe serves as a great alternative to ordering takeout on a night when you just don’t feel like cooking. The shrimp and broccoli are made in one pan in under 30 minutes, but if you’re feeling fancy, you can also serve them over rice or pasta.
19. Slow Cooker Seafood Stew
Cooked in tomato broth, this seafood stew can be made with fresh or frozen shellfish. Then, add in whatever veggies you (and your kiddos) prefer.
20. Instant Pot Salmon (Fresh or Frozen)
This recipe prepares salmon in under 20 minutes, fresh or frozen. You can also add vegetables to the pot at the same time for a healthy meal that is quick and easy.
One-Pot & One-Pan Meals with Chicken or Beef
21. Mostly Veggie Steak Stir-Fry
The tangy all-purpose stir-fry sauce can literally go over anything. It marries so well with the beef and vegetables. The sauce alone will have you wanting to make this quick and delicious dinner.
22. 25-Minute Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
This stir fry is packed with protein, veggies, and it is easy when you’re looking for something quick and easy to prep for dinner. Bonus: did you know that sautéed cabbage is a great source of Vitamin C?
23. Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl
This recipe is “better than takeout.” I would have to say it’s quicker than takeout, too. Get a quick, easy to clean-up, and yummy burrito bowl without having to leave the house.
24. Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Vegetables
I’m always on the lookout for less mess when it comes to cooking after a busy day. Something like sheet pan pesto chicken and vegetables not only saves me clean-up, but it saves me time. Plus, my family loves veggies that are dressed in tasty herbs.
25. Honey Butter Chicken Bites
Add rice and veggies with this recipe, and you easily have a dinner bowl!
26. Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs with Veggies and Chickpeas
There are so many flavors packed into this one dish. You will have this recipe on repeat.
27. Ground Beef Enchilada Skillet
These enchiladas hit the spot, and they’re healthy, too. The recipe calls for ground beef, almond flour tortillas, enchilada sauce, butternut squash, onion, garlic, dairy-free cheese, and your favorite toppings.
28. Apple Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Skillet
This recipe is the perfect combo of sweet and savory. I can just smell the Honeycrisp apples!
29. Honey Garlic Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
I love sheet pan meals because they are so easy to throw together. Any meal that saves time and allows me to step away (while monitoring, of course) and spend time with my family is instantly worth making.
30. One-Pan Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Skillet
A recipe like this usually calls for multiple pots and pans. No, thank you. However, this recipe has you making everything in one pot. Make chicken broccoli and rice any night of the week, and enjoy the process, too.
31. One-Pan Baked Chicken and Potatoes
Crispy chicken and potatoes mixed in with garlic and thyme? Sign me up. Quickly pop the ingredients into the oven and fill your house with an herby aroma.
32. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Fajita night is a favorite in my household. With this recipe, it might just become a family favorite in your house, too. Why? It’s so easy, and the assembly part makes it fun. Fajita night Fridays, anyone?
33. Sheet Pan Harvest Chicken and Vegetables
This harvest chicken and vegetables recipe is a must-try. It calls for bacon, chicken, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, walnuts, and more.
34. Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya
Jambalaya usually takes 45 minutes to one hour to cook, but this recipe has it on your table in 20 minutes. Feeling hungry and wanting something filling and delicious? Make this Instant Pot Jambalaya.
35. Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs with Capers
Ready in less than an hour, these baked chicken thighs are packed with protein and flavor. Chicken thighs don’t always get the love they deserve, but trust—they are the star of the show in this recipe.
36. Instant Pot Beef Stew
Filled with tender pieces of beef, potatoes, and carrots in a rich and flavorful broth, this recipe is a twist on a classic comfort food your whole family will love. It’s also easily prepared in an instant pot, making for a simple cleanup.
One-Pot & One-Pan Vegetarian Meals
37. Vegetarian Cauliflower Fried Rice
Mix it up a little and use cauliflower instead of traditional rice for this delicious recipe.
38. Harissa Egglplant and Carrot Salad
Harissa has health benefits like lowering blood pressure, boosting immunity, and it also aids in digestion. Whip this up and throw it on a bed of greens.
39. Vegetarian Taco Skillet
This recipe uses mostly pantry supplies and is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is packed with plant-based protein and can be served with any toppings of your choosing.
40. Slow Cooker Mexican Rice Bowl
This vegetarian-friendly crockpot dish is packed full of flavor and has endless ways to customize. Just toss everything in, let it simmer, and come back to a completed dinner!
41. Vegetarian Pumpkin Sloppy Joes
Despite it not being fall anymore, you can never go wrong with pumpkin. These plant-based sandwiches come together in less than 30 minutes and have all the comfort flavors.
One-Pot Vegan Meals
42. Vegan Sheet Pan Quesadillas
Try this creative take on quesadillas. This dish is a time-saver and definitely crowd-worthy!
43. One-Pot Vegan Chili Mac
The pasta in this chili mac soaks up all the flavors in the pot. Make sure you make enough for leftovers, because I would imagine it would taste even better the next day.
44. Easy Vegan Burritos
Thanks to canned vegetables, this one-pot recipe couldn’t come together any easier. Plus, you can make lots of extra and freeze it for later.
45. Sheet Pan Chickpea Pesto Wraps
This recipe whips up a batch of ten chickpea wraps that can be frozen and easily reheated in the microwave. Not only is this a great quick dinner option, but it can also be packed in your kiddos’ lunches for the next day.
Shop Our Favorite Tools for One-Pot and One-Pan Meals
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
A mom of two, Kathy is passionately committed to sharing the honest, helpful—and often humorous—stories of motherhood, as she navigates her own everyday adventures of work, marriage, and parenting. She honed her creative and strategic skills at advertising agencies in Detroit and Chicago, before pivoting from marketing to editorial. Now instead of telling brand stories, she’s sharing her own, with articles published across popular parenting sites—including hundreds of stories on The Everymom.
Rebecca Smith, Editorial Intern
As editorial intern, Rebecca works with The Everymom team on updating existing content, photo sourcing, pitching original articles, and more. She’s passionate about creating authentic and diverse online content, and is thrilled to help women of all ages feel represented by contributing to The Everymom.
