Food and Recipes Dinner Our 44 Easiest One-Pot Recipes of All Time By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree Nothing can get rid of the midweek blues better than a warm, comforting dinner. Well, what if that dinner happens to be incredibly easy to make and only uses one pot for the most minimal cleanup ever? Even better. We can't fight the alluring pull of a one-pot meal—much like its convenient cousin, the sheet-pan supper—and we gathered up our favorite one-pot recipes that are quick and easy to prepare to help kickstart your best dinner menu yet. A few of our favorite one-pot meals make use of ever-handy kitchen gadgets, like the Instant Pot. Our Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings develops big flavor in just 40 minutes; our Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs might just top mom's spaghetti. From no-brainer slow cooker recipes to hearty casserole bakes, these one-dish dinners help you get supper on the table without hassle and stress. These recipes are our favorite one-pot meals ever that can make any night deliciously easy. 01 of 44 Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Corn Slow-Cooker Chowder Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Corn Slow-Cooker Chowder This soup is filling and warm without being super heavy, making it a great option for a one-pot weeknight meal. A splash of heavy cream gives it the smooth texture we love, plus a dash of hot sauce adds just the right amount of heat. 02 of 44 Chicken Bog Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken Bog This old-fashioned recipe has been filling up Southerners for decades. Chicken and rice are equal power players in the dish, while vegetables and garlic add even more flavor. 03 of 44 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya You can make this Louisiana staple in your slow cooker on busy weeknights. Creole flavors season the ingredients, while chicken and Conecuh sausage ensure a hearty meal. 04 of 44 Soulful Chicken Soup Iain Bagwell Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup The only thing that could make this ultimate comfort dish even better is being able to throw everything in a slow cooker and walk away, only to return to this soothing, delicious soup! 05 of 44 Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup This recipe is sure to warm you up on chilly fall and winter nights. It can also be prepared in a Dutch oven, if you don't have a multi-cooker on hand. 06 of 44 Spaghetti Casserole Jennifer Davick Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole This slow-cooker version of our classic spaghetti casserole makes this dinner more satisfying and easier than ever before. 07 of 44 King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese Our favorite King Ranch casserole gets redone into this crowd-pleasing macaroni and cheese recipe that's even more indulgent. It's a quick family favorite and ready in less than an hour. 08 of 44 Smoky White Bean Soup Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton; Recipe: Smoky White Bean Soup This white bean soup will warm you up any night. Clove and thyme add bursts of flavor to the white beans and bacon. 09 of 44 Shrimp Boil Pasta Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay. E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Shrimp Boil Pasta This flavorful dish could be described as a Low Country Boil with pasta, and it's ready in less than 40 minutes. Complete with smoked sausage, fresh corn kernels, and Old Bay Seasoning, this hearty one-pot meal is far from boring. 10 of 44 Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions A tangy dijon mustard and bourbon sauace infuses the apples and serves as the perfect finishing sauce for the pork chops. 11 of 44 Loaded Potato Soup Photo: Johnny Autry Recipe: Loaded Potato Soup This delicious soup is so simple to make that we recommend going all in with the toppings. Kids will love tossing bacon and cheese on top, but you can also opt for roasted broccoli florets, sour cream, or diced fresh tomatoes. 12 of 44 Instant Pot Chicken Tacos Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Tacos We love a reliable pressure cooker because it will do all of the dinner prep for you. Simply pull out your chicken once its cooked and shred it while the sauce thickens for the easiest taco night you'll ever have. 13 of 44 Quick Beef Chili Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Quick Beef Chili Tender steak makes the base for this quick recipe that's packed with flavorful seasonings and chopped green chiles. A couple spoonfuls of cornmeal will help thicken it up perfectly! 14 of 44 Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs No need to have so many pots going on the stove at once, when you can cook your meatballs in the instant pot, then add in the sauce and pasta so that all their flavors soak together. 15 of 44 One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce This one-pot recipe is a wonder, but we aren't going to question it! You only need to throw it all together in a pot, then find a perfectly cooked pasta dish coated in a creamy tomato-basil sauce just 20 minutes later. 16 of 44 One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta This dish packs all the flavor of your typical fajita night, but with the bonus of also only using one-pot. The addition of pasta makes it a nutritious weeknight meal option. 17 of 44 Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto Photo: Greg Dupree Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto You can substitute storebought pesto if you're in a crunch, but we can't get enough of this homemade Arugula Pesto. This chicken gets perfectly crisp, dark-golden skin and juicy, tender meat (which paired with the one-pot ease, is too good to pass up). 18 of 44 Chicken-and-Collards Pilau Greg Dupree Recipe: Chicken-and-Collards Pilau This one-pot Lowcountry favorite is full of quick-cooking basmati rice, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, collard greens, and Cajun smoked sausage. 19 of 44 Spinach Ravioli Lasagna Van Chaplin Recipe: Spinach Ravioli Lasagna This top-rated lasagna uses convenient ingredients for your quickest, easiest one-pot dinner yet. Pesto, Alfredo sauce, Italian cheeses, and spinach join cheese-filled ravioli for a creamy, melty bake. 20 of 44 Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas Southern Living Recipe: Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas These enchiladas are so versatile, making them a go-to recipe year-round. You can substitute leftover roast beef or your favorite shredded barbecued pork as a tasty alternative to chicken. 21 of 44 Shepherd's Pie William Dickey Recipe: Shepherd's Pie This recipe takes your classic Shepherd's Pie recipe and makes it a little easier. You get to take a shortcut with the crust because the recipe calls for frozen mashed potatoes. 22 of 44 Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Let's face it – chicken and dumplings are the ultimate comfort food but they're nearly impossible to whip up on a weeknight. We've got you covered with a chicken and dumpling recipe that only takes 40 minutes thanks to the modern kitchen's favorite tool: the Instant Pot. 23 of 44 One-Pot Fresh Corn Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: One-Pot Fresh Corn Mac and Cheese You probably didn't know that you needed this dish in your summer supper repertoire, but one bite and you won't soon forget it. Pro Tip: Grate a block of cheese to ensure creaminess. Pre-grated cheese is covered in starch, which prevents that classic creamy mac-and-cheese texture we all love. 24 of 44 Thai Beef Stir-Fry Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Thai Beef Stir-Fry We let the bold ingredients do the talking in this beefy stir fry. Soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, and sriracha make a amazing marinade for the steak, while turnip greens add delicious heartiness. 25 of 44 Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas Victor Protasio Recipe: Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas Most people simply boil gnocchi and call it a day, but gnocchi is even more delicious when the pillowy bites are toasted in a skillet for an extra crispy bite. 26 of 44 Sloppy Joe Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole We always love an old-school classic with a twist, and this casserole has all of the sweet-savory blend and hearty ground beef of your childhood Sloppy Joe, but in a slightly more refined presentation. 27 of 44 One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Despite your every instinct, wait to cook your pasta in the delicious chicken stock that forms from cooking the chicken breasts. This will add a beautiful depth and richness to this creamy Cajun chicken alfredo. 28 of 44 Buffalo Ranch Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Buffalo Ranch Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Skip wing night and opt for this tangy casserole instead. You prepare everything in a skillet on the stove top before popping it in the oven. 29 of 44 Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Photographer: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Recipe: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili A chili recipe that's ready in 45 minutes? We'll take that any night of the week. 30 of 44 Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Recipe: Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Cheese-filled tortellini, crunchy pecan topping, and fresh broccoli make this one-dish pasta dinner anything but ordinary. It covers all of your bases, and the kids love it just as much as the adults! 31 of 44 Instant Pot Creamy Root Vegetable Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Instant Pot Creamy Root Vegetable Soup Look no further for the comfort of fall and winter flavor when you have this soup cooking in your instant pot. You can substitute any vegetables that you like, if you don't have a certain ingredient on hand. 32 of 44 Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes Jennifer Davick Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes You can skip hauling the family down to your favorite country store and cook this recipe instead. Prep your ingredients and throw them in the slow cooker before heading to work in the morning, and you'll have yourself an irresistible home-cooked meal in the evening. 33 of 44 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie You don't even need a rolling pin for this skillet pot pie since we fully support refrigerated pie crusts for this recipe. Slap the crust in a cast iron skillet and fill it up with the comforting chicken filling! 34 of 44 Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast This old-school casserole has a major upgrade with the addition of ranch seasoning to the mix. If you don't own a multi-cooker, this recipe also easily comes together in a slow cooker. 35 of 44 Mushroom and Thyme Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Mushroom and Thyme Chicken-Broccoli Casserole A natural pairing of fontina cheese, mushrooms, and thyme make this casserole light, yet still filling. It's great for leftovers later in the week. 36 of 44 Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Jennifer Davick Recipe: Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Craving barbecue for your weeknight meal but don't have time to hit up the local barbecue joint? Put the three ingredients for this barbecue pork in your slow cooker before heading out the door in the morning and be ready for all the goodness of a pulled pork sandwich in your kitchen. 37 of 44 Slow Cooker Green Minestrone Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Slow Cooker Green Minestrone Soup doesn't have to be full of proteins to be hearty and flavorful. This green minestrone is spring in a soup. With tons of fresh green veggies, you really can't go wrong with throwing this in the slow cooker and trusting the process. 38 of 44 Slow-Cooker Cheddar Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cheddar Soup This cheddar soup may take classic chicken noodle's spot in your soup ranking. Creamy, veggie-packed, and yes, cheesy, this soup is the ideal dinner for busy weeknights, or an even better appetizer at your next fall party. 39 of 44 Lightened-Up Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Lightened-Up Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Chicken and broccoli are a no-brainer pair. Put them together in a creamy casserole and you have a recipe guaranteed to induce the best kind of food coma. 40 of 44 Slow-Cooker Brisket Sliders Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Slow-Cooker Brisket Sliders Whether you're feeling burnt out by all the game day preparations, or really craving some brisket for a go-to weeknight meal, this recipe is for you. A few simple spices cover the beef brisket before it rests in the slow cooker. 41 of 44 Crispy Onions and Parmesan Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Crispy Onions and Parmesan Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Add a little bit of crunch to your typical chicken-broccoli casserole with this twist on the classic recipe. Parmesan cheese also adds just the right amount of bite and saltiness to this creamy go-to weeknight dish. 42 of 44 Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls This kid-approved classic dish just got a mom-approved, one-dish upgrade. 43 of 44 Chicken Tortilla Casserole Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Casserole We all know and love some variation of tortilla soup. Now you can enjoy all its comforts in casserole form. 44 of 44 Ham and Lima Bean Fried Rice Greg DuPree Recipe: Ham and Lima Bean Fried Rice This Southern twist on fried rice will quickly become a weeknight favorite in your family. The addition of ham and lima beans add just enough regional flavor to this classic dish. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit