20 One-Pot Dinners for When You Don’t Feel Like Doing the Dishes

published Jan 11, 2024

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Credit: Shelly Westerhausen
Creamy One-Pot Butternut Squash Pasta with White Beans and Kale

Dirty dishes are generally unavoidable when you’re cooking, but there is no rule that says you can’t use fewer dishes when life calls for it. And I would say life most definitely calls for it right now. My favorite solution is to grab my Dutch oven and lean hard on one-pot dinners, which promise easy cooking, easy cleanup, and a satisfying meal. There are a lot of great options that fit the bill, like saucy vegetable pastas, loaded pots of soup, creamy rice casseroles, and braised meats.

Here are 20 dinners that everyone will love and won’t keep you at the sink after dinner.

1 / 19

One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca

This certainly isn't your Italian grandmother's pasta puttanesca, but it is one of the easiest versions you'll find.

2 / 19

One-Pot Meatballs & Pasta Os

Make everyone around the table excited about dinner with this recipe for pasta and meatballs inspired by spaghettios.

3 / 19

One-Pot Weeknight Beef Stroganoff

Tender noodles, ground beef, and mushrooms are all cooked together in a creamy, comforting sauce.

4 / 19

One-Pot Creamy Cacio e Pepe Orzo

This creamy, comforting orzo, inspired by the classic Roman pasta dish, is loaded with salty Pecorino cheese and plenty of black pepper. Enjoy it as a side or dollop it with ricotta and call it the main affair.

5 / 19

One-Pot Eggplant Caponata Pasta

All the tangy, sweet, and savory elements of the classic Sicilian eggplant dish of tomatoes, olives, capers, and more come together in this flavor-packed one-pot pasta.

6 / 19

One Pot Italian Beef with Garlic-Butter Bread Bombs

Feast on this epic one pot meal: cheesy garlic bread "bombs" on top of a beef ragu, brushed with garlic butter, and baked into a complete dinner in the oven until the biscuits are golden-brown and stew is bubbly.

7 / 19

One-Pot Penne All'arrabbiata with Greens

This twist on the classic Italian pasta comes together easily in one pot and features wilted spinach for a feel-good hit of green.

8 / 19

One-Pot Cabbage & Sausage Pasta

There's hardly any effort required to make a pasta this good, and half of it is owed to the earthiness of cabbage and smoky sausage.

9 / 19

Easy One-Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Loaded with juicy chicken, hearty black beans, and sweet corn, this quick soup was made with weeknight dinners in mind.

10 / 19

Creamy One-Pot Butternut Squash Pasta with White Beans and Kale

This 30-minute vegetarian dinner is packed with protein, thanks to a can of white beans a dollop of Greek yogurt. It cooks all in one pot (sauce and all!), making for easy clean-up.

11 / 19

One-Pot Orzo with Peas and Parmesan

This one-pot dish cooks orzo pasta in flavorful stock and is finished with lemon, peas, and Parmesan for a lighter take on risotto.

12 / 19

One-Pot Braised Cabbage with Bacon

The South knows the best way to eat cabbage: braised with bacon, made in just one pot, and so satisfying to the body and soul.

13 / 19

One-Pot Pesto Tortellini with Broccoli

Here, a few smart cooking tricks elevate just 3 ingredients into a spectacular one-pot meal that really, truly wows.

14 / 19

Easy One-Pot Beef Goulash

From the sauce-slicked macaroni to the crumbles of ground beef and generous pockets of melted cheddar, one-pot beef goulash is as comforting as it is easy to get on the table.

15 / 19

Creamy Wild Mushroom One-Pot Pasta

In this fast and easy one-pot pasta recipe, you'll add linguine, chicken broth, and heavy cream directly to a pot with sautéed mushrooms, then boil until the noodles are al dente and the liquid has thickened into a silky sauce.

16 / 19

One-Pot BBQ Chicken Burrito Bowls

Burrito bowls filled with tender spiced rice, beans, corn, and tangy barbecue chicken.

17 / 19

French Onion Soup One-Pot Pasta

This one-pot pasta boasts all the classic flavors of French onion soup. Substituting beef broth and port for water during the pasta-cooking process adds richness to the sauce that forms in the pot, while a tangle of caramelized onions lends a hint of sweetness and familiarity of flavor to this bowl of comfort.

18 / 19

One-Pot Chicken Teriyaki with Vegetables & Rice

Chicken? Check. Vegetables? Check. All in one pot? Check check. This teriyaki one-pan meal is kid-friendly and easy — what more do you want?

19 / 19

Last Minute Spicy Coconut Wonton Soup

Simmer frozen dumplings in broth, coconut milk, and lime zest and dinner is done.

This post was originally published on The Kitchn. Read it there: 20 One-Pot Dinners for When You Don’t Feel Like Doing the Dishes