I love being able to cook my own meals, which allows us to try to make so many different things and taste some amazing flavors from around the world. The only problem is that it can sometimes be very time-consuming. When you’re looking for a delicious meal that doesn’t take up too much time, it can be hard to find something to make. One of the reasons is that it takes ages to clean up afterward – you make your dinner, then have to deal with multiple pots, pans, trays, etc.
Keeping that in mind, we’re going to look at a selection of delicious one-pot dinner recipes. All of these meals will need just one pot or pan to cook them in, keeping cleanup to a minimum. Check them out down below:
Instant Pot Spaghetti
Just a heads up on this one, you need an Instant Pot to make this. Well, you could technically use a large pot to do it, but the timings might change and I can’t guarantee it will turn out the same. But, you’re more than welcome to give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
Essentially, this is a spaghetti bolognese recipe using ground beef all in one pot. It’s a family favorite that the kids absolutely love, and using an Instant Pot pressure cooker makes the whole thing doable in under 30 minutes. You’ll need all the typical ingredients for a bolognese: ground beef, onion, seasoning, spaghetti, etc.
This is a recipe I’ve actually made and posted about before, so please feel free to click here to see it in all its glory. I’ve written step-by-step guidelines on what you need to do, so it’s very easy for anyone to follow along.
Butternut Squash Biryani
Biryani is basically a curry that’s made in one pot and baked in the oven. You can play around with loads of different flavors, but this is a veggie option that’s great and super nutritious.
You will need the following:
- 2 tomatoes
- A whole butternut squash
- Basmati rice
From here, you can add different seasonings depending on the taste you want to have. I recommend some fairly mild ones – like turmeric, curry powder, vegetable stock, and some garlic cloves. Add a bit of chili if you want some heat, then begin by sauteing the butternut squash and chopped tomatoes before adding in the garlic. Sprinkle in your spices and then add the veg stock with some water. Pour in the rice, cover the pot with a lid, then bake in the oven for around 20 minutes.
Slice the chili and add it to the top of the dish with some coconut yogurt and you’ve got yourself a lovely meal. You can find the full recipe with measurements here if you’re interested.
Cajun Seafood Boil
If you’re a fan of seafood and cajun cuisine, then this is a brilliant one-pot dinner idea to consider. It’s perhaps not the sort of thing you’d make for your kids, but it’s a great meal to have with some guests as it is a bit of a party pleaser.
Effectively, this is a very easy seafood boil with cajun seasoning. All you need is a selection of seafood, some potatoes, smoked sausage, onion, and seasonings. Sautee the onion in the pot, add the water and seasonings then boil to get a stock. Put the potatoes in after chopping them up, then add the seafood when the potatoes start getting tender. Cook until everything is hot and cooked through, and you’ve got dinner served up in around 35 minutes – how simple!
One-Pot Italian Chicken
Sticking with the Italian theme, this casserole is a wonderful one-pot dinner for any day of the week. The key is finding good-quality chicken for the recipe – breasts are recommended, but you could use other parts of the bird if you wish. It’s going to be cooked in a creamy liquid that’s composed of:
- Butter
- Cream
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- White wine
- Chicken stock
- Garlic
All of this is added to the pan after you have cooked the chicken on both sides for 5 minutes until just cooked through. You take out the breasts and leave them on the side while making the sauce. Once you’ve got your creamy sauce bubbling away, you can add the chicken back to the pan and simmer until it’s reduced down a bit. Add in some spinach for added greenery, then serve with crusty bread.
And there you have it; four wonderful one-pot dinners that are easy to make and present you with hardly anything to clean after. The beauty of these recipes is that they are all so tasty, yet so quick and simple that anyone can make them!