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When it’s time to get a weeknight meal on the table, nothing beats a one-pot dinner. (There’s a reason the phrase “one and done” exists!) One-pot dinners are usually quick, budget-friendly, and ridiculously easy to clean up. So, with everyone getting back to busy this time of year, we asked a few busy moms to share their favorite one-pot meals. Prepare to be amazed at how quickly dinner can come together. And how little time you’ll have to spend doing dishes!
Spicy Shakshuka Eggs
Breakfast for dinner is always a winner. And this spicy shakshuka is as easy as it is delicious. To make it, just cook the veggies and the sauce in the same skillet, then drop in your eggs and you’re pretty much done. What kind of skillet? That’s up to you, but Lana, a mom-preneur (@lanasavoca ), uses her 17-year-old cast iron skillet. While you might have heard that you shouldn’t cook acidic, tomato-based dishes in cast iron, that’s a myth. As long as your pan is well seasoned, it will work like a dream. The good news: The best way to season your pan is to use it. “I use it to make stir-fries, fajitas, taco filling, a simple grilled cheese, and more,” adds Lana.
Kitchen pro and full-time mom, Suz (@kitchenpedals), picked this Asian-inspired recipe because sheet pan dinners are, well, brilliant. Just microwave the noodles and then cook everything together, right on the sheet pan. Sesame-teriyaki marinade adds umami and a touch of sweetness to meaty chicken thighs roasted with broccoli, carrots, and the ramen turns irresistibly crispy when baked.
Angel, a mom of twins (@massachusettsmama), agrees: The sheet pan is pretty wonderful. She loves the basic dump-and-roast technique and the fact that “you can get a large quantity of food on there.” She usually likes to line her sheet pan for super-easy cleanup and that’s part of why she loves this recipe. A parchment-lined sheet pan gets used to cook seasoned flank steak, peppers, and onions at the same time before piling on hoagie rolls with gooey cheese sauce from the microwave.
Suz also took a second to celebrate the Instant Pot: “It’s mess-free and contained, which is especially great for apartments and smaller spaces.” For a budget-friendly, speedy, and easy-to-clean-up dinner, allow us to suggest this recipe. The meat becomes fork-tender in less than 30 minutes. And the rice noodles, green beans, crunchy cashews, and coconut milk turn plain old meat and potatoes into a meal-in-one curry.
Christine, a busy mom (@misschriscash), also loves her Instant Pot and her air fryer. (“Almost any protein tastes great when cooked in the air fryer!”) When she’s not using either of those, she’s reaching for her Dutch oven to make this weeknight jambalaya, which features complex Cajun flavors and still comes together in just 25 minutes. Make it with spicy andouille sausage or sub in chorizo chicken sausage.
When it comes to one-pot cooking, Sara from Harrisburg, PA (@sarabozich) reaches for her Dutch oven the most. “It’s an heirloom tool and I can cook pretty much anything in it,” she says. She loves a good one-pot pasta recipe and this one doesn’t disappoint. The spaghetti cooks right in the sauce, and smoky bacon, canned tomatoes, and garlic add fast flavor.
