Get the recipes
Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Mushrooms
Sheet Pan Fish and Chips
One-Pot Pumpkin Pasta
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Pierogie and Kielbasa Casserole
Instant Pot® Mexican Chicken Soup
Sausage Tortellini Soup with Kale
Sheet Pan Chicken with Butternut Squash and Apples
Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Brussels Sprouts
Sheet Pan Apricot Chicken and Carrots
Between sports practice, dance class, homework, and everything in between, the new school year brings a lot to the calendar. So, when you’re short on prep time, dump dinners are a simple, helpful weeknight solution. If you’re unfamiliar with dump dinners, these are meals that come together in one cooking vessel. Whether that be a slow cooker, Instant Pot, sheet pan, or a single skillet, these meals let you “dump” the ingredients without much other work. That means far less cooking, cleaning, and tedious stirring is required. Just dump, let the cooking vessel do the work, and a delicious dinner will be waiting for you. Need some inspiration? Here are some of our easiest, most delicious dump dinner recipes the whole family will love.
Sausage Tortellini Soup with Kale
This satisfying fall soup is a nutritionally balanced bowl that cooks up in just one pot. Crispy browned sausage combines with quick-cooking tortellini and veggies, like kale, zucchini, and red bell pepper, right in the soup broth—no need for multiple pots and bowls. In just 30 minutes, you’ll have a warm, comforting dinner on the table with minimal cleanup at the end of the night.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Butternut Squash and Apples
Ready in just 35 minutes, this easy weeknight dinner is a fall dream. Fresh sliced apples and cubed butternut squash cook on one sheet pan alongside chicken thighs, and everything gets a healthy drizzle of honey, rosemary, and cinnamon for an extra touch of autumn sweetness. When the sheet pan comes out, you will have soft, sweet apples, tender squash, and juicy chicken thighs, with only one pan to clean.
Instant Pot® Mexican Chicken Soup
If you’re looking for an easy way to get in more veggies at dinnertime without sacrificing flavor, this simple chicken soup is for you. It’s packed with veggies like corn, carrots, zucchini, and more, with jarred salsa for a little extra flavor. It all comes together in the Instant Pot in just 28 minutes for a superfast meal everyone will slurp up.
Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole
Two traditional Polish favorites come together to create a deliciously cheesy casserole that’s a perfect hands-off dinner. Using frozen pierogis, pepper strips, and pre-cooked kielbasa cuts down prep time to just five minutes. Once all the ingredients are combined in a casserole dish, it bakes while you’re busy with other tasks until it’s time for a final cheesy topping before serving.
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Skip the takeout and make your own beef and broccoli at home with just 10 minutes of prep–all with the help of your slow cooker. Add sirloin strips, frozen broccoli, and the decadent sauce ingredients, like sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger, and cook on low. The slow cooker helps the sirloin strips and broccoli get super tender and soak up lots of extra flavors from the sauce.
One-Pot Pumpkin Pasta
Who says pumpkin is just for holiday pie? Make it your newest weeknight dinner winner with this one-pot pasta recipe. Spaghetti cooks right in a flavorful veggie broth and pumpkin puree mixture until it’s coated in a thick, creamy pumpkin sauce. Finish it off with some butter, cream, and Parmesan for a cheesy and delicious weeknight-ready meal.
Sheet Pan Fish and Chips
No need to head across the pond for fish and chips. This British classic gets a super crispy oven-baked twist, and it all cooks together on one sheet pan. The Panko breadcrumb and mayonnaise coating are the keys to crispy fish filets without frying, while frozen French fries or “chips” make the perfect companion. After five minutes of prep, slide the sheet pan in the oven, and dinner is ready to serve.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Mushrooms
Five ingredients are all you need for this super simple sheet pan dinner. Shelf-stable gnocchi, sliced red onion, and sliced baby Bella mushrooms are roasted on a sheet pan until caramelized and golden. Once the sheet pan comes out, be sure to add the burrata cheese while everything is still hot for an extra melty, cheesy bite.
Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Brussels Sprouts
Need dinner on the table in under 30 minutes with just five ingredients? This sheet pan meal is here to save the day. Sprinkle pork chops with lemon pepper seasoning and roast up alongside halved Brussels sprouts and lemon wedges. Finish it off with just a squeeze of juice and you’re ready to serve.
Sheet Pan Apricot Chicken and Carrots
Sweet and tangy apricot sauce is the star of this impressive, yet simple, sheet pan dinner. Chicken leg quarters are coated with an apricot glaze before heading into the oven with carrots for the chicken skin to crisp and the carrots to caramelize. Be sure to add more glaze on top of the chicken legs about halfway through so they turn out extra delicious.
Instant Pot Lemony Chicken and Potatoes
Roasting a whole chicken on a weeknight may not be realistic, but this Instant Pot hack brings you all the delicious flavors in just 35 minutes. Just dump everything into your Instant Pot and let it do all the work. The chicken comes out juicy and citrusy with creamy potatoes, perfect for serving up to picky eaters. Bonus: Use leftovers in lunch tomorrow for dinner.
