When dinner needs to be quick, simple, and still worth looking forward to, one-pot recipes are the answer. These 23 meals skip the cleanup and keep the flavor, all without extra steps or unnecessary effort. Everything cooks in a single pot or pan, making weeknights easier without sacrificing what really matters—how it tastes. If fast, easy, and actually delicious sounds like your kind of dinner, this list has exactly what you’re looking for.
Middle Eastern Spiced Cauliflower Soup
Cauliflower simmers with spices into a creamy soup that’s more filling than it looks. It all happens in one pot, cutting down on cleanup while building real depth. It works well solo or with a slice of bread. This one proves you can keep things simple and still have something to look forward to.
Get the Recipe: Middle Eastern Spiced Cauliflower Soup
Ajiaco
Ajiaco simmers chicken, corn, and potatoes in one pot for a thick soup that eats like a meal. It builds layers of flavor while barely needing your attention. You don’t need sides or extra steps to make it work. This is the kind of one-pot recipe that feels slow-cooked without the effort.
Get the Recipe: Ajiaco
Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa
Tomato and white beans come together with harissa in a soup that’s easy to make and hard to forget. It cooks in one pot and brings bold flavor without any heavy lifting. There's no need for extras—just a spoon. It’s a one-pot dinner that keeps things fast but full.
Get the Recipe: Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa
1-Pot Pomegranate Chicken and Rice
Chicken and rice cook together with pomegranate and spices in a one-pot dinner that hits sweet, savory, and tangy notes. It takes on flavor while it simmers and comes out ready to plate. Despite the taste, it’s weeknight-friendly from start to finish. This is how you cook smart and still serve something bold.
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Instant Pot Chicken and Peppers
This Instant Pot chicken and peppers recipe is what easy, fast, and actually delicious looks like on a weeknight. Everything cooks together in one pot—no hovering, no multitasking, no pile of dishes. The peppers soften, the chicken stays juicy, and the sauce builds flavor while you barely lift a finger. It’s the kind of one-pot dinner that makes the rest of your night easier.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken and Peppers
Chicken Sancocho
Chicken Sancocho packs corn, yuca, and herbs into one pot and lets time do the work. It cooks low and slow, developing rich flavor with no need for extra dishes. It’s a full meal without a lot of effort. This is the kind of dinner that’s as easy as it is filling.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Sancocho
Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Soup
Creamy mushroom soup gets its depth from pressure cooking, bringing mushrooms and potatoes together in one pot. It’s rich, quick to make, and thick enough to count as dinner. You’ll have it on the table in under 30 minutes. It’s proof that one-pot doesn’t have to mean basic.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Soup
Creamy Citrus Chicken with Rosemary
Chicken cooks in a creamy citrus sauce with rosemary in one pan from start to finish. The flavors balance brightness and comfort without much effort. It comes together fast, making it perfect for weeknights. This is the kind of recipe that feels like a step up without the extra steps.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Citrus Chicken with Rosemary
Chicken Hash Brown Casserole
Chicken, hash browns, and cheese bake into a one-dish meal that works as dinner without needing anything else. It's fast to prep, feeds a group, and makes good use of frozen staples. No sides required—just scoop and serve. This is the shortcut dinner that still brings people to the table.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Hash Brown Casserole
Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
Chicken marinara simmers in the slow cooker with no prep beyond dumping everything in. The sauce builds flavor while you go about your day. When it’s done, just shred and serve. This one makes dinner easy without giving anything up.
Get the Recipe: Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
Authentic Rice and Lentils
Rice and lentils cook down with caramelized onions in one pot for a dish that holds its own. It’s low-cost, filling, and perfect for leftovers. You don’t need anything on the side—this is the full meal. It’s a quiet one-pot favorite that delivers every time.
Get the Recipe: Authentic Rice and Lentils
French Onion Chicken Skillet
Chicken and caramelized onions cook in the same skillet, bringing French onion soup flavor to the dinner table. No separate steps, no extra pots—everything happens in one pan. It’s rich, fast, and made for weeknights. This is how to get comfort without complication.
Get the Recipe: French Onion Chicken Skillet
Brown Sugar Veggies and Ham Steak Sheet Pan
Ham steaks, green beans, and sweet potatoes roast together on one sheet pan with brown sugar. It all cooks at the same time, caramelizing into something that tastes more involved than it is. No sauces, no stovetop. This is cleanup-friendly dinner at its best.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Veggies and Ham Steak Sheet Pan
Instant Pot Fish Soup
White fish, tomatoes, and potatoes cook together in an Instant Pot for a soup that’s ready fast and doesn’t hold back on flavor. There’s no need to simmer all day to get depth. Serve it with bread or as-is—it works either way. This is one-pot dinner with zero stress.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Fish Soup
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Chicken, carrots, and potatoes roast together on a single sheet pan until crispy and golden. There’s almost nothing to prep and even less to clean up. It looks like more work than it is. This one’s perfect for nights when you want less effort and more payoff.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Easy Beef Stew
Beef, carrots, and potatoes simmer in one pot for a stew that tastes like it took all day. But it’s hands-off, weeknight-friendly, and makes enough for leftovers. It thickens as it cooks, giving you big flavor with little work. This one keeps dinner hearty without dragging it out.
Get the Recipe: Easy Beef Stew
https://twocloveskitchen.com/salmon-and-veggies/
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
All the flavor of stuffed peppers with none of the stuffing—just mix and bake in one dish. Meat, rice, and vegetables come together fast and feed a full table. It’s a no-fuss option that still hits every comfort note. This is dinner that skips the hard part but keeps the best part.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Chicken
Chicken and root vegetables bake in one pan with a maple mustard sauce that crisps up as it cooks. It’s a hands-off meal that tastes like more effort than it took. You can prep it in minutes and clean it in less. Weeknight win from the oven to the plate.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Chicken
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken, vegetables, and broth cook into a creamy one-pot version of the classic comfort food. There’s no crust to worry about—just the cozy part in every spoonful. It comes together fast and fills up a bowl like it means it. This is how you make comfort quick.
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One-Pot Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes Casserole
Chicken and potatoes roast in buttermilk in one dish, soaking up flavor while they cook. It’s oven-friendly, prep-light, and built to feed everyone. There’s no extra cleanup or side dish needed. This one feels like Sunday dinner made easy.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes Casserole
Sheet Pan Maple Curry Chicken
Chicken and vegetables roast with curry spices and maple syrup in one pan for a bold-flavored dinner with no mess. It’s fast to throw together and cooks while you do anything else. No flipping, no babysitting. Just solid dinner straight off the tray.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Maple Curry Chicken
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Chicken simmers with garlic, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy sauce made in one pan. It’s fast, rich, and full of big flavor from start to finish. No extra pots, no complicated steps. It’s the recipe that makes one-pan cooking feel complete.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken
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