Healthy Recipes Healthy Cooking Methods & Styles Healthy One-Pot Meals 19 One-Pot Dinners Ready in Three Steps or Less By Eleanor Chalstrom Eleanor Chalstrom Eleanor is EatingWell's editorial apprentice. She attends Iowa State University, where she is a junior studying journalism, political science and history. During her time at college, she has worked as an editor and reporter at the campus newspaper, the Iowa State Daily, where she wrote about culture and lifestyle. She is an editorial director at TREND Magazine, an on-campus fashion publication. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 2, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos These recipes are the definition of easy dinners. With one pot and three steps or less, you have the perfect equation for a simple dinner. These delicious dinners are perfect for nights when you're crunched for time, but still want a nutritious meal on the table. Recipes like our One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta and Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes are the perfect way to have a low-effort, flavorful meal. 01 of 19 Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry View Recipe To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end. 02 of 19 Vegetarian Gumbo View Recipe This flavorful vegan dinner is a veggie version of the Louisiana classic. It's chock-full of butternut squash, tomatoes, poblano peppers and okra, to name just a few. This vegetarian gumbo is a quick dinner packed with flavor and spice that's done in only 30 minutes. To make it a meal, serve it with cornbread drizzled with olive oil. 03 of 19 One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta View Recipe This one-pot pasta with tangy tomato-basil sauce is a simple, fast and easy weeknight dinner. All of your ingredients go into one pot, and with a bit of stirring and about 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy. 04 of 19 American Goulash View Recipe American goulash, also known as old-fashioned goulash, is the perfect economical family meal. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so this satisfying dish can cook in just one pot. 05 of 19 One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta View Recipe A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe. 06 of 19 One-Pot Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Shrimp View Recipe Brie Passano This quick one-pot shrimp and pasta dinner is cooked with asparagus in a lemony sauce. Feta cheese sprinkled over the top adds another savory layer, but feel free to skip it and add additional fresh herbs and a lemon slice instead. 07 of 19 Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes View Recipe Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter—making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking. 08 of 19 Baked Tomato & Feta Pasta View Recipe Jason Donnelly Tomatoes and briny feta cheese form the base of the sauce that coats the pasta in this easy one-pan meal. Enjoy on its own as a vegetarian dinner or top with grilled chicken for some extra protein. 09 of 19 One-Pot Lemon-Broccoli Pasta with Parmesan View Recipe This hearty pasta dish with bright, fresh flavor is ideal for busy weeknights. The Parmesan adds welcome saltiness and notes of umami and you get added texture from the slight crunch of broccoli and whole-wheat noodles. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or crispy chickpeas to punch up the protein. 10 of 19 Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta View Recipe Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results. 11 of 19 One-Pot Chicken & Cabbage Soup View Recipe Antonis Achilleos This simple, yet flavorful, chicken-cabbage soup is perfect for enjoying on a cold day. Sherry vinegar adds a touch of brightness and pairs well with the medley of vegetables. Serve with crusty bread. 12 of 19 One-Pot Pasta with Tuna View Recipe Joy Howard Use the one-pot pasta cooking method to make this tuna pasta recipe that calls for just 5 ingredients and is ready in just over half an hour. For extra crunch and a tuna noodle casserole feel, sprinkle this speedy pasta dish with toasted whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs. 13 of 19 Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Soup with Wild Rice View Recipe Marty Baldwin Packed with vegetables, this creamy soup comes together easily for a warming meal. Wild rice adds a boost of protein and fiber, but you could substitute another whole grain like brown rice or barley, if you prefer. 14 of 19 One-Pot Cheesy Tex-Mex Pasta View Recipe This comforting one-pot pasta dish has a Southwestern kick. Chili powder and pico de gallo flavor the dish, while melted Mexican cheese adds a creamy finish. Top it with your favorite fixings like scallions, cilantro and sour cream, and serve it alongside a crisp green salad for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love. 15 of 19 Red Lentil Soup with Saffron View Recipe Jacob Fox This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice. 16 of 19 One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan View Recipe Antonis Achilleos This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. If you avoid cheese made with rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which is made without it. 17 of 19 Italian-Style Turkey & Penne Skillet View Recipe This delicious one-skillet pasta meal-for-two is ready in just 35 minutes! Turkey--seasoned with a spicy Italian-seasoning blend--is served with tomato sauce and wilted spinach over multi-grain pasta. 18 of 19 Chicken Chili Verde View Recipe Prepared salsa verde adds tang to this fast weeknight chili recipe and pairs beautifully with the rich caramelized chicken and creamy beans. Don't shy away from the poblano peppers. They offer a mild heat but deliver a depth of flavor you can't find in regular green bell peppers. 19 of 19 Squash & Red Lentil Curry View Recipe This healthy red lentil curry recipe has a rich flavor and complexity that tastes like it takes hours to prepare. Butternut squash and coconut milk combine with the lentils to make a hearty vegetarian dish. Serve with brown rice or naan bread. Was this page helpful? 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