21 One-Pot Dinner Recipes to Make Life (and Weeknights) Easier

We all have those days when we want a ridiculously delicious meal, but we don’t want to put much effort into it—especially when it comes to the clean up afterwards. There are plenty of dishes that come together in one pot or pan (either on the stove or in the oven), from soup, to rice bowls and pasta, to stir-fry. Below are some of our favorite one-pot dinner recipes that come together easily and efficiently, so you can enjoy a delicious meal without worry about all the dishes you’ll have to do later.

Channa Masala

Channa masala features plump chickpeas bathed in a spicy and tangy tomato sauce.

Creole-Style Red Jambalaya With Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp

This New Orleans classic is loaded with meat, seafood, and tomatoes.

Cajun Gumbo With Chicken and Andouille Sausage

Cajun gumbo is the tomato-free version of this legendary and completely customizable Louisiana stew.

Chinese Scrambled Eggs With Tomato

This recipe is a staple of the Chinese home kitchen that everyone should know.

Moroccan Egg Drop Harira (Vegetable and Legume Soup)

This version of harira features both lentils and chickpeas, and is finished with a drizzle of beaten egg.

3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese

How about a mac and cheese with fewer ingredients than the boxed version, but that comes together in the same amount of time?

Gyudon (Japanese Simmered Beef and Rice Bowls)

Steamed rice topped with beef and onions simmered in sake and soy sauce is a quick, easy meal.

Anda Bhurji (Spicy Indian Scrambled Eggs)

Tomatoes, onion, and fragrant spices transform plain scrambled eggs into a wonderfully flavorful meal, in a matter of minutes.

Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)

The Roman pasta dish cacio e pepe is as easy to make as it is delicious.

Khua Kling Gai (Southern Thai Dry Curry With Minced Chicken)

Khua kling gai is a fiery, aromatic stir-fry that’s quick and easy to make.

Shrimp Fried Rice

The key to good shrimp fried rice is doing more with less.

The Best Moules Marinières (Sailor-Style Mussels)

Inexpensive, elegant, and easy, these mussels are the ultimate one-pot meal.

Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon Fillets

Our recipe for pan-seared salmon shows you how to simultaneously achieve extra-crunchy skin and perfectly tender fish.

Butaniku no Shogayaki (Japanese Ginger Pork)

This Japanese pork stir-fry is incredibly easy and comes together in no time.

Crispy Kimchi Cheese Rice

Crispy-chewy rice, gooey cheese, crisped in an iron skillet—this recipe works for lunch, dinner, or any time in between.

Chinese-Style Layered Omelette

With just eggs, salt, scallions, and soy sauce, you can make a luxurious weeknight meal in about 15 minutes.

Ganach Lupia (Armenian Braised Green Beans)

Meltingly tender green beans and lamb braised in a tomato-based sauce is a luxuriously easy one-pot dinner.

Pressure Cooker Ribollita (Tuscan Bean and Vegetable Stew)

This Tuscan vegetable, bean, and bread stew typically takes many hours to cook from start to finish, but a pressure cooker reduces that cooking time significantly while producing perfect results.

Coconut- and Ají Amarillo–Braised Chicken

Aji amarillo paste and coconut milk transform a one-pot meal into a complex, flavorful dish.

Chicken Cacciatore With Red Peppers, Tomato, and Onion

Ready in little more than an hour, this chicken cacciatore has all the flavor and depth of a slow-cooked recipe.

Chicken Scarpariello (Braised Chicken With Sausage and Peppers)

The Italian-American dish of chicken braised with sausage and peppers in a sweet-and-sour sauce is the perfect weeknight meal.