12 Easy One-Pot Dinners You Can Make in Under 30 Minutes
It makes cleanup so much faster, too.
When life gets busy (so like, practically every day), getting dinner on the table is a challenge. Between work and after-school activities, the last thing you want to think about is cooking. And the kids want to eat right now all of a sudden, and ordering takeout seems like the best option just to make sure they’re fed. But wait! You’ve got a whole host of 30-minute meals to choose from right here.
Even better? These are one-pot dinners that you can make in 30 minutes or less, too. That means fewer dishes to clean after you’ve chowed down. It’s a weeknight miracle! Make that 12 weeknight miracles, including easy chicken dinners and a few stir-fry ideas that are way better than takeout. Even the creamy pasta dinners here don’t require a separate pot to boil water. You can cook everything—meat, veggies, pasta—all in one vessel.
And just because some of these lazy dinner ideas take shortcuts like refrigerated pasta or leftover rice doesn’t mean they lack in flavor or freshness. Ree’s ravioli soup is loaded with hearty sausage and nutritious kale, plus jarred pesto does so much of the heavy lifting for you. So close that delivery app and go check out what you’ve got in your fridge and freezer. There’s probably at least one or two ideas you can make without having to run to the store. As long as you’ve got one pot and 30 minutes, you can put dinner on the table.
Caprese Chicken
Combining tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, jarred pesto, and store-bought balsamic reduction is a great way to jazz up basic chicken cutlets. All you need is a big hunk of bread to sop up all the juices.
Get Ree’s Caprese Chicken recipe.
Shrimp Fried Rice
Fried rice is one of the best ways to use leftovers in your fridge. You can make it with chicken or pork, too, but shrimp cooks up even faster. They only need two minutes per side!
Get Ree’s Shrimp Fried Rice recipe.
Chili Mac and Cheese
Why choose between chili and mac and cheese when you can have both in one bite? They’re both made from scratch too, not a can or box in sight. No extra pot for boiling either.
Get Ree’s Chili Mac and Cheese recipe.
Lemon Pasta
If all you can seem to muster is a pot of buttered noodles, try this instead. All you need is a little lemon, chopped garlic, some parmesan, and a sprinkle of fresh basil. It’s an easy upgrade that you’ll thank yourself for trying.
Get the Lemon Pasta recipe.
Smothered Pork Chops
Pan-fried pork chops, a creamy gravy, and slices of bell pepper all come together in a single skillet. Now, if you want to grab another pot or pan, you can make some potatoes. Or, just serve with some bread for the drippings!
Get Ree’s Smothered Pork Chops recipe.
Ravioli Soup
Skip simmering for hours! With refrigerated or frozen ravioli, a jar of pesto, plus some Italian sausage and kale, you’ll be amazed that it’ll be done in just 30 minutes.
Get Ree’s Ravioli Soup recipe.
Pepper Steak
Do you love ordering pepper steak for takeout? Well, did you know it’s just as easy to make it yourself? It’s true! If you’re wondering about the rice, just microwave one of those packets and you don’t have to dirty another pot.
Get the Pepper Steak recipe.
Gnocchi Primavera
Refrigerated gnocchi to the rescue! There’s so much fresh spring flavor thanks to the broccoli, asparagus, and green beans. Everything is blanched in the same water to make prep time just 20 minutes.
Get Ree’s Gnocchi Primavera recipe.
Chili Verde
Wait, you can make chili in just 30 minutes? Yes! You just need some cans of green enchilada sauce, salsa verde, and sliced green chilis. They turn spicy sausage into dinner in no time!
Get Ree’s Chili Verde recipe.
7-Can Soup
Ree asks, “What if I told you that you could throw together seven canned goods and make one of the best—not to mention easiest—soup recipes on the planet?” It’s true! Add in some Velveeta for extra creaminess.
Get Ree’s 7-Can Soup recipe.
Garlic Shrimp
Get that bread ready to sop up some delicious garlic, buttery goodness! It takes just 15 minutes to make this whole dish, and you’ll put it on a constant dinner rotation once you taste it.
Get the Garlic Shrimp recipe.
Dumpling Soup
Frozen dumplings are the hero of this easy dinner. With a creamy miso broth and lots of veggies mixed in, everyone will be asking for seconds. It only takes 15 minutes from start to finish, too.
Get the Dumpling Soup recipe.
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