Whether you reach for a sheet pan, your trusty Dutch oven, a skillet, a slow cooker or a multi-cooker -- one-pan meals are among the easiest on the cook. No tending to multiple pots. No playing musical burners. No stress over how to keep one thing warm while the other finishes cooking. Aside from a little prep work -- dicing, slicing and measuring -- there's little effort to these cozy dinners. And cleanup could not be easier unless you had someone else do it for you.
Some of our favorite one-pan meals hardly require a recipe. For example:
Mississippi Roast. In a slow cooker layer 1 pound baby carrots, 1 ½ pounds small potatoes, 1 (3-to 5-pound) chuck roast, 1 envelope ranch dressing mix, 1 envelope au jus gravy mix and as many pepperonicini peppers as you like (we use about half a jar). Cook until roast is falling apart and vegetables are tender -- about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Pork and potatoes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add a pork tenderloin to one side; scatter some halved or quartered baby potatoes or sweet-potato wedges on the other. Drizzle everything with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees until vegetables are tender and pork reaches 150 degrees, adding a chopped bell pepper or handful of asparagus or green beans during the last 8 or so minutes.
Pork and peaches (or plums). Cut a pork tenderloin into thin slices. Quarter and pit 2 to 4 peaches (or plums) and a red onion. Heat oil in a large skillet until hot but not smoking. Season pork with salt and pepper. Add sliced pork to hot skillet and cook, turning pork slices frequently, until pork is lightly browned. Remove pork from skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low; add a knob of butter, swirling to melt. Add peaches or plums, red onion and a bag of frozen corn and saute until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in a splash of vinegar and honey and cook until bubbly. Return pork to pan and cook just until heated through.
Sausage and peppers. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Arrange 1 red or yellow onion (cut into wedges) and 1 red or yellow bell pepper (cut into ½- to 1-inch strips) on the baking sheet. Lightly drizzle vegetables with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Pierce 4 or 5 links Italian sausage in several places with the tines of a fork. Arrange sausages on top of the vegetables. Bake 15 minutes, turn sausages over and bake 15 minutes more or until sausages are cooked through and vegetables are very tender. If desired, serve in toasted hoagies with a smear of mustard.
TIPS
Lining a sheet pan with parchment paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil can make cleanup as easy as removing and disposing (or recycling) the paper. Cooking liners for slow cookers are also a great option if you don't mind cooking with plastic.
Dutch ovens are great for one-pot meals. The heavy, lidded pot can go from stovetop to oven to table. And the lid can even be inverted over the pot to create a baking sheet for biscuits or other-quick baking breads. Most Dutch ovens are made of cast iron that is either uncoated or enameled. We prefer enameled for its appearance, ease of cleaning and versatility.
Most skillets are oven-safe up to at least 350 degrees. All-metal construction skillets such as carbon steel and cast iron can be safely used at higher temperatures. Enameled cast-iron skillets are oven safe up to 500 degrees. Uncoated cast iron is safe up to 650 degrees. Teflon and other nonstick-coated skillets and those with wooden or plastic handles cannot withstand very high temperatures -- be sure to check the manufacturer's product information before placing one of these skillets in a hot oven.
Most slow-cooker recipes can be prepared in a Dutch oven and vice versa. To adjust the cooking time, consider the following rough guide: 2 to 3 hours in a 325-degree oven or simmering on the stove top is equal to about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low in a slow cooker. If converting a slow cooker recipe to a Dutch oven recipe, be sure to keep an eye on the liquid as there will be more evaporation in a Dutch oven than in a slow cooker.
Instead of dirtying two pots and a casserole dish, this recipe streamlines the process into a single pot that goes from stovetop to oven to table.
ONE-POT BAKED BEEFARONI
2 small onions, peeled and quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
2 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil or butter
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups chicken broth (lower sodium recommended)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pound uncooked macaroni
1 to 1 ½ cups freshly grated mozzarella
2 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
Minced fresh parsley, optional
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the onions, carrots, celery and garlic; pulse until finely chopped.
Heat the oil or butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the oregano, crushed red pepper and salt and cook 1 minute more. Add the beef and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until no longer pink. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and then add the tomato paste, broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, basil and macaroni. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until the pasta is almost al dente, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top and transfer the pot to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and the pasta is cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Recipe adapted from "Oven to Table: Over 100 One-Pot and One-Pan Recipes for Your Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven, and More" by Jan Scott
This chili can be prepared in a slow cooker or in the oven.
PORK AND POBLANO CHILI
2 fresh poblano peppers, halved and seeded
1 green or yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
3 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground pork
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 to 3 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern Beans, drained (see note)
2 cups salsa verde
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
Desired garnishes such as chopped cilantro, tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
To prepare in a slow cooker: In a food processor (or by hand if you don't have a food processor) finely chop the peppers, garlic and onion. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering; add the chopped pepper mixture and the pork and cook, breaking the pork into crumbles, until the pork is no longer pink. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the pork and pepper mixture to the cooking vessel. Add two cans of the beans, salsa and broth. Stir well and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve with desired garnishes.
To prepare in the oven: Heat oven to 325 degrees.
In a food processor (or by hand if you don't have a food processor) finely chop the peppers, garlic and onion. In a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering; add the chopped pepper mixture and the pork and cook, breaking the pork into crumbles, until the pork is no longer pink. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add two cans of the beans, the salsa and broth. Stir well and transfer to oven and bake for 2 hours. Serve with desired garnishes.
Makes about 6 servings.
Note: If you'd like a thicker soup, puree the remaining can of beans with a bit of the broth from the soup and then stir the mixture into the soup.
Recipe adapted from "Wonder Pot: One-Dish Meals From Slow Cookers, Dutch Ovens, Skillets, Pressure Cookers and Casseroles" from Better Homes and Gardens
Grab the biggest lidded skillet you have for this chicken and vegetables dish.
CHICKEN WITH FINGERLING POTATOES AND PEPPERS
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided use
½ pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise or small red or white potatoes, halved
Salt and ground black pepper
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
6 to 8 mini sweet peppers, halved (seedless preferred) OR 1 to 2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into wide strips
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook 12 minutes, stirring two or three times.
Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Push the potatoes to one side of the skillet and add the remaining oil to the empty side. Arrange the chicken in the empty side of the skillet. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn chicken breasts and add the sweet peppers to the skillet. Lay the lemon slices over the chicken breasts. Cover and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 12 minutes, flipping chicken and stirring potatoes and peppers occasionally.
Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
Makes 2 servings.
We weren't sure about this combination of ingredients, but after our second bite we were hooked. Rich and meaty with sweet pops of corn and sour bursts of dill pickle, this twist on shepherd's pie is packed with flavor.
CHEESEBURGER SHEPHERD'S PIE
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef, chicken or turkey
½ cup chopped bell pepper (green, red or yellow)
1 small onion, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Lawry's Signature Steakhouse marinade or other favorite burger seasoning
1 teaspoon to ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels
½ cup chopped dill pickles OR dill pickle relish, plus more for garnish
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded, divided use
1 (24-ounce) container refrigerated mashed potatoes OR 2 ½ cups leftover mashed potatoes
Sliced green onions, for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In an oven-safe pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, combine the ground meat, bell pepper, onion, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into crumbles, until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the steakhouse marinade, mustard and tomato paste. Fill the empty tomato paste can with water (about ¾ cup) and add it to the pot. Stir well and then add the corn and pickles. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in about half of the cheese. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with sliced green onion and additional chopped pickles.
Makes about 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens
This chicken and bean stew works with white- or dark-meat chicken
FRENCH-STYLE WHITE BEAN STEW FOR TWO
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed, divided use
2 to 3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into ½-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
½ to ¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
2 fully cooked link sausages such as bratwurst, garlic sausage or smoked chicken sausage, cut into chunks
1 onion, finely chopped
½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the bread and a generous pinch of salt; cook, stirring frequently, until bread is crisp and golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
To the now-empty skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the chicken and sausages. Cook until chicken and sausage are lightly browned, turning the pieces occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken and sausages to a plate.
Add the onion and tomatoes to the empty skillet; season with salt and pepper. If the skillet seems dry, add a tablespoon more oil (or butter). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 30 seconds more. Stir in broth and vermouth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. And then add the beans and stir to combine. Return the chicken and sausages to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more or until chicken and sausages reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the stew has thickened.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving topped with the toasted bread and parsley.
Makes 2 generous servings.
One-Pot Baked Beefaroni (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Pork and Poblano Chili (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Cheeseburger Shepherd's Pie (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
French-Style White Bean Stew for Two (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken With Fingerling Potatoes and Peppers (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)