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    Home » Dump and Go Meals

    21 Easy One-Pot Meals You Can Just Dump and Cook

    Published: Jul 28, 2025 by Emmeline Kemperyd · post_comments]

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    One-pot meals are a lifesaver for busy days, allowing you to prepare a delicious dinner with minimal cleanup. These 21 easy recipes let you simply dump your ingredients into one pot and let them cook together, creating hearty and satisfying dishes. Whether you're in the mood for pasta, rice, or a comforting stew, there's something here for everyone.

    Pork and Hatch Green Chile Stew

    Pork and Hatch Green Chile Stew
    Photo Credit: Beyond Mere Sustenance.

    This dish features tender pork cubes simmered in a spicy Hatch green chile sauce, perfect for serving over rice, polenta, or in tortillas. The Pork and Hatch Green Chile Stew is a simple meal that you can prepare and let cook on its own, bringing the vibrant flavors of New Mexico right to your table. It's a great option for busy nights when you want something hearty and delicious without spending too much time in the kitchen.

    Get the recipe

    Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

    Chicken and Gravy Recipe (Crockpot).
    Photo Credit: Little Chef Within.

    This Chicken and Gravy dish is a simple slow cooker meal that takes the stress out of dinner time. As it cooks, the cream of mushroom soup creates a delicious gravy all on its own. With just a few ingredients and your slow cooker, you'll have tender chicken in a rich sauce that's great over rice, potatoes, or even on a soft sandwich bun. It's an easy recipe that everyone in the family will enjoy!

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    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup

    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup.
    Photo Credit: Add Salt & Serve.

    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup is a simple and tasty dish that takes hardly any time to prepare. With just cube steak, cream of mushroom soup, Lipton onion soup mix, some salt and pepper, and water, you can easily create a satisfying meal. This recipe is perfect for busy nights when you want something hearty without spending hours in the kitchen.

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    Potato Soup

    Potato soup.
    Photo credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This potato soup is simple to prepare and packed with flavor, thanks to the slow cooker doing most of the work. It only takes about 10 minutes to get everything ready, making it perfect for a busy weeknight or a cozy Sunday dinner. Everyone in the family is sure to enjoy this comforting dish.

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    Slow Cooker No-Bean Chili

    Slow Cooker No-Bean Chili.
    Photo Credit: The Short Order Cook.

    This chili combines ground beef and crispy bacon, creating a hearty and satisfying dish. With a variety of tasty toppings, it's perfect for a cozy meal. It's a simple and comforting option that everyone will enjoy.

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    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Bacon & Mushrooms

    Gnocchi with bacon and mushrooms.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This simple meal comes together with just 8 ingredients, making it perfect for any night of the week. Featuring tender gnocchi, crispy bacon, hearty mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts, it offers a great mix of flavors and textures. It's an easy dish that you'll likely want to make again and again!

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    Easy Wonton Soup

    Wonton soup.
    Photo credit: Inquiring Chef.

    Frozen wontons and pre-chopped veggies make this Wonton Soup super quick to prepare. It's a simple meal that you can throw together in no time. Perfect for busy evenings, this soup is warm and satisfying.

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    Instant Pot Bolognese

    A bowl of instant pot bolognese served over pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Instant Pot bolognese is a great way to save time while still enjoying a delicious meal. It's a hearty pasta sauce that captures all the classic flavors, but you can whip it up quickly using just a few basic ingredients from your pantry. Perfect for busy nights, this dish lets you enjoy a comforting dinner without spending hours in the kitchen.

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    No-Boil Ravioli Casserole

    Ravioli casserole.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish is incredibly easy to prepare. With just four basic ingredients and some ready-made options, you can have it prepped in about 5 minutes and on the table in under 40 minutes. It's perfect for busy evenings when you want a quick and satisfying meal.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

    Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (Slow Cooker).
    Photo Credit: My Life Cookbook.

    This keto chicken bacon ranch casserole is a simple and tasty dinner option that you can prepare in a slow cooker. With just six ingredients, you can whip up a creamy chicken dish packed with the flavors of ranch, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Each serving has only 4.3g of net carbs, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a low-carb meal.

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    Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake

    sun-dried tomato pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features cheesy chicken and pasta combined with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, creating a hearty and satisfying meal. It's simple to prepare, making it perfect for a cozy dinner. With just a few ingredients, you can enjoy a comforting plate that everyone will love.

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    Baked Gnocchi with Frozen Vegetables

    Baked gnocchi with vegetables on a Dutch oven.
    Photo Credit: Happy Veggie Kitchen.

    A simple one pan, no chop gnocchi bake! Packed with frozen mixed vegetables and a comforting cheesy cream sauce, you will not believe how easy it is to create this comforting family meal.

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    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features plenty of chicken and broccoli, making it a hearty meal that will definitely provide some leftovers. It's simple to prepare, so you can enjoy a satisfying dinner without spending too much time in the kitchen. Perfect for busy evenings, this meal is both filling and easy to throw together.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Frito Chili

    Slow Cooker Chicken Frito Chili.
    Photo Credit: I heart Eating.

    Slow Cooker Chicken Frito Chili is a simple dish that you can throw together in your crock pot with minimal effort. It uses healthy ingredients and is perfect for a cozy meal. Just dump everything in, let it cook, and enjoy a hearty chili without spending much time in the kitchen.

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    Air Fryer Roast Beef

    Sliced roast beef.
    Photo credit: alwaysusebutter.com.

    Air Fryer Roast Beef is a quick and easy dinner option that everyone will love. In just 50 minutes, you can have a delicious meal on the table. The outside is coated with a tasty herb crust, while the inside stays juicy and tender, using only a handful of simple ingredients.

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    Sheet Pan Caprese Gnocchi

    Caprese gnocchi on a sheet pan.
    Photo Credit: The Savory Cipolla.

    This sheet pan dinner is a great option for summer. It's an easy and tasty way to feed a large family while keeping weeknight meals simple. With just a few ingredients, you can create a satisfying meal without spending too much time in the kitchen.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs.
    Photo Credit: The Dizzy Cook.

    BBQ chicken thighs are simple to prepare. Just toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker, and you'll have delicious chicken ready to enjoy. You can serve them whole or shred them for tasty BBQ chicken sandwiches. This is a great option for weeknight dinners!

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    Crockpot Chicken, Potatoes, and Green Beans

    Crockpot Chicken, Potatoes, and Green Beans.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker

    This one-pot meal of chicken, potatoes, and green beans is cooked in a Crockpot with a simple lemon garlic dressing that adds great flavor. It's a healthy option that's easy to prepare and perfect for busy evenings. You'll find yourself wanting to make this dish time and time again.

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    Slow Cooker Hamburger Potato Casserole

    Slow Cooker Hamburger Potato Casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This dish is simple and only needs five ingredients to create a filling meal with a rich beefy flavor and savory onion mix. The preparation is straightforward, and it cooks quickly, making it a great option for busy weeknights.

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    Baked Chicken Drumsticks & Veggies

    Drumsticks and veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet-pan dinner is perfect for busy weeknights. With just a little chopping at the beginning, you can let everything cook together and enjoy a delicious meal. It features chicken, veggies, and plenty of sauce, all in one pan for easy cleanup.

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    Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

    Buffalo chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is quick to prepare, taking less than 10 minutes, and it cooks in under an hour. Packed with spicy buffalo sauce and sneaky spinach, this dish is both cheesy and satisfying. It's a simple and tasty option for a weeknight dinner.

    Get the recipe

    More Dump and Go Meals

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      26 Simple Dump-and-Go Dinners Anyone Can Pull Together Fast
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      24 Dump-and-Cook Beef Dinners With Almost No Cleanup
    • Gorgonzola mac and cheese.
      23 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Take the Work Out of Weeknights
    • Lazy lasagna.
      22 Dump and Bake Dinners That Practically Make Themselves
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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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