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When you’re a busy mom of 8, dinner has to be fast, affordable, and something everyone will actually eat. That’s why these Easy One pot Dinners are a lifesaver for busy families. With minimal prep, fewer dishes, and simple ingredients, these meals make weeknight cooking stress-free while still delivering comforting, homemade food your family will love.

If you’re juggling schedules, homework, activities, and tight grocery budgets, these one pot dinner recipes are designed to help you get a satisfying meal on the table without spending hours in the kitchen.

Three cooked chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet, topped with chopped herbs and nestled in a rich brown sauce, reminiscent of a Texas Roadhouse favorite.
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Feeding a big family every night isn’t easy — especially when time and money are tight. Over the years, I’ve learned that one pot dinners are one of the best ways to keep meals affordable, simple, and stress-free. These are the kinds of recipes I rely on during busy weeks because they save time, reduce cleanup, and keep everyone full and happy.

For even more family friendly recipes, make sure to check out our Comfort Food Dinners on a Budget Series!

Why One Pot Dinners Are Perfect for Busy Families

One pot meals are ideal when time and energy are limited.

  • Fewer dishes to wash
  • Simple, affordable ingredients
  • Easy cleanup
  • Perfect for large families
  • Great for leftovers and meal planning

For families on a budget, one pot dinners help stretch ingredients while still creating filling, hearty meals.

One Pot Spaghetti

Dinner doesn’t get easier than one pot spaghetti — simple ingredients, big flavor, and easy cleanup.

Spaghetti in a pot with a spoon.
Lazy Day One Pot Spaghetti Recipe
One Pot Spaghetti recipe is a delicious lazy day spaghetti recipe. One pot pasta recipes are so simple and easy. Learn how to make one pot spaghetti and get dinner on the table fast! The delicious sauce and extra cheese make this a recipe everyone will enjoy. Try this One Pot Pasta for a budget friendly and tasty meal!
Lazy Day One Pot Spaghetti Recipe

Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet

This Texas Roadhouse–inspired butter chicken brings bold, restaurant-style flavor right to your kitchen.

👉 Recipe coming soon – February 3

Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

👉 Recipe coming soon – February 8

Ramen Stir Fry

Ramen stir fry is a fast, budget-friendly dinner packed with flavor and perfect for busy nights. Loaded with tender noodles, fresh veggies all cooked in a homemade stir fry sauce.

A plate of Ramen Stir Fry noodles with snap peas, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and savory sauce, served with chopsticks on a white plate.
Ramen Stir Fry
This Easy Ramen Stir Fry is made with tender noodles, fresh veggies, and a savory homemade stir fry sauce. A quick, budget-friendly dinner that comes together in under 25 minutes!
Ramen Stir Fry

Lemon Chicken Orzo

👉 Recipe coming soon – February 17

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

👉 Recipe coming soon – February 22

Wendy’s Chili

This copycat Wendy’s chili is hearty, comforting, and perfect for a cozy family dinner.

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese, featuring beans and ground meat, reminiscent of Wendy's Chili Recipe, with saltine crackers and a sprig of parsley in the background. Two spoons rest beside the bowl.
Wendy’s Chili Recipe
This simple Wendy's Chili Recipe is easy to make and the best copycat recipe. The entire family will love this easy copycat chili recipe.
Wendy’s Chili Recipe

Cheesy Taco Pasta

Cheesy taco pasta combines bold taco flavor with creamy pasta for an easy one-pot meal everyone loves.

A wooden spoon scoops up pasta shells mixed with a rich, meaty tomato sauce, inspired by a beef taco pasta skillet recipe and garnished with a sprinkling of fresh herbs.
One Pot Beef Taco Pasta Skillet Recipe
Beef taco pasta skillet recipe is comfort food at its best. Try this easy taco pasta recipe. Taco pasta skillet is so quick. Try cheesy taco pasta recipe.
One Pot Beef Taco Pasta Skillet Recipe

Chicken Fried Rice

This chicken fried rice is quick, flavorful, and a great way to use simple pantry ingredients.

A bowl of chicken fried rice with peas, carrots, eggs, and green onions is presented in this easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe, served alongside black chopsticks.
Easy Chicken Fried Rice
No need to get take out when you can make this easy chicken fried rice recipe at home. In 15 minutes, your family can enjoy authentic chicken fried rice.
Easy Chicken Fried Rice

Skillet Lasagna

All the comfort of lasagna made faster and easier in one skillet. Tender noodles mixed with a homemade meat sauce makes for a delicious meal idea.

A close-up of a skillet lasagna recipe filled with cheesy, baked noodles, ground meat, tomato sauce, and melted cheese, with a wooden spoon lifting a serving.
Quick Easy Recipe Skillet Lasagna
Try this delicious skillet lasagna. Quick easy recipe skillet lasagna that you can make in a fraction of the time. Easy way to make lasagna
Quick Easy Recipe Skillet Lasagna

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet

Creamy, comforting, and filling — this cheesy chicken and rice skillet is weeknight perfection.

A close-up view of a Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe, featuring creamy chicken and rice blended with peas, carrots, and perfectly melted cheese.
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe is a delicious one pot meal idea. In just 30 minutes, this cheesy chicken dish can be on the table.
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe

Sloppy Joes

Classic sloppy joes made simple, affordable, and perfect for feeding a hungry family.

A close-up of a sloppy joe sandwich made with an easy sloppy joes recipe, featuring seasoned ground beef filling on a soft hamburger bun, served on a white plate.
Sloppy Joes Recipe
This Sloppy Joes is so easy to make and taste way better than sloppy joes in a can. How to make sloppy joes with ketchup and just two more ingredients.
Sloppy Joes Recipe

Taco Spaghetti

Taco spaghetti is a fun twist on pasta night with bold Tex-Mex flavor. We love serving this with feeding a crowd!

Close-up of Taco Spaghetti mixed with ground beef, diced red bell peppers, and fresh herbs, being stirred with a white spatula. The dish appears savory and colorful.
Taco Spaghetti
Taco Spaghetti combines my kids two favorite recipes, tacos and spaghetti. This recipe is easy to make, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Taco Spaghetti

Beef and Noodles

Tender beef and noodles make a cozy, filling dinner the whole family will love.

A white plate with Beef Tips and Noodles, garnished with chopped parsley, sits on a striped cloth napkin with a fork beside it. A small dish of extra parsley is in the background.
Beef Tips and Noodles
Try this easy dinner idea – Beef and Noodles. This recipe is a frugal take on the traditional dinner of beef and noodles.
Beef Tips and Noodles

Beef and Rice

This beef and rice recipe is simple, hearty, and perfect for busy weeknights. This is my kids favorite and is the ultimate comfort food.

A close-up of a skillet filled with a colorful Beef and Rice Recipe, featuring ground beef, rice, peas, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, melted cheddar cheese, and fresh parsley, with a serving spoon in the pan.
Beef and Rice Recipe
Beef and Rice Recipe makes dinnertime a breeze! This one pot meal is delicious, easy to make and is the perfect comfort food.
Beef and Rice Recipe

Beef Fried Rice

Beef fried rice is quick, flavorful, and better than takeout — made right at home! This cooks in about 20 minutes and always a family favorite.

A plate of Beef Fried Rice with eggs, peas, and carrots is served with chopsticks. Sesame seeds, green onions, and a striped napkin rest nearby on a white marble surface.
Beef Fried Rice
Make Beef Fried Rice that is full of juicy flank steak, crisp veggies, soy-sesame sauce stir-fried with rice for a 20-minute one-pan dinner that everyone will love!
Beef Fried Rice

Taco Salad

Fresh, flavorful taco salad is an easy dinner that comes together in no time. We love to setup a topping bar so everyone can make it their own.

A colorful taco salad with taco chips, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, sour cream, black olives, salsa, and lime wedges, garnished with cilantro. A striped cloth and lime wedges are beside the bowl.
Taco Salad
If you are needing a quick meal, make Taco Salad. Seasoned ground beef and cheese is layered on crisp lettuce and tortilla chips with your favorite toppings.
Taco Salad

Taco Rice Bowls

Taco rice bowls are customizable, filling, and perfect for quick family dinners. We love making this meal with our leftover taco meat.

A delicious taco bowl recipe featuring rice, ground meat, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, avocado, tortilla chips, and a lime wedge, surrounded by fresh lime slices, corn, and cilantro on a light surface.
Taco Rice Bowl Recipe
Taco bowl recipe only takes a few easy ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare. Make this taco rice and everyone can choose their favorite toppings!
Taco Rice Bowl Recipe

Mongolian Beef and Noodles

This Mongolian beef and noodles recipe brings takeout-style flavor to your table fast.

A close-up of Mongolian Beef and Noodles mixed with ground meat, garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, being lifted by a white spatula.
Mongolian Beef and Noodles
Mongolian Beef and Noodles combines the flavors of beef, rice noodles and a delicious Asian inspired sauce. Delicious and easy to make.
Mongolian Beef and Noodles

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Skillet chicken fajitas are sizzling, flavorful, and ready in minutes. Making fajitas at home saves me time and money!

A cast iron skillet filled with sizzling Skillet Chicken Fajitas showcases strips of chicken, red and green bell peppers, and onions all cooked to golden brown perfection. Warm tortillas await in the background, ready to wrap up this savory delight.
Skillet Fajitas
Try this quick and easy Skillet Chicken Fajitas Recipe. It is delicious and perfect for a simple weeknight dinner or a date night in!
Skillet Fajitas

Chicken Enchilada Skillet

All the bold enchilada flavor you love, made easy in one skillet. From the melty cheese, to the creamy chicken mixture makes this meal so filling.

A cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet casserole topped with chopped tomatoes, black olives, chives, and a dollop of sour cream, with a serving being lifted from the dish.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
If you are craving Enchiladas, then make this Chicken Enchilada Skillet Recipe. It is the perfect one pan dinner that is loaded with delicious flavors.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet

Chicken Alfredo

Creamy chicken alfredo is a classic comfort dinner that never disappoints! Serve this chicken alfredo with Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe for a complete meal idea.

A plate of Creamy Chicken Alfredo Recipe fettuccine is topped with grated cheese and parsley. A gold fork rests on the plate, with breadsticks visible in the background.
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Give this Creamy Chicken Alfredo Skillet Dinner a try for a quick and delicious meal. Chicken Alfredo Pasta is creamy and packed with flavor.
Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Paula Deens Goulash

This hearty goulash is pure comfort food and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Paula Deen’s Goulash
Paula Deen's Goulash is the ultimate comfort food to feed a large crowd. It is loaded with flavor and made with simple ingredients.
Paula Deen’s Goulash

Sausage Potato Soup

Warm, hearty sausage potato soup is the perfect cozy dinner for busy nights.

A black bowl filled with creamy sausage potato soup featuring gnocchi, ground sausage, grated cheese, and chopped parsley, served with a slice of bread on the side.
Sausage Potato Soup
Sausage Potato Soup is hearty, creamy and delicious. The soup is perfect cooked on the stovetop but you can easily cook in your slow cooker.
Sausage Potato Soup

Kielbasa Pasta

Kielbasa pasta is a quick, budget-friendly meal packed with smoky flavor.

A close-up of creamy Kielbasa Pasta with rotini, sliced sausage, diced tomatoes, and chopped green onions, served in a white bowl with a wooden spoon.
Kielbasa Pasta
Kielbasa Pasta is a one pot dish that is loaded with kielbasa, pasta, and cheese. Creamy, easy to make and the perfect weeknight dish.
Kielbasa Pasta

Chicken Risotto

Creamy chicken risotto is the perfect comfort dinner, made with simple ingredients and rich, cozy flavor that feels special without the extra work.

A pan of rice with a wooden spoon, perfect for preparing a delicious Chicken Risotto Recipe.
Chicken Risotto
You'll love this quick & easy chicken risotto recipe. This simple chicken parmesan risotto recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and the everyone loves it.
Chicken Risotto

When life is busy and budgets are tight, easy one pot dinners for busy families make mealtime manageable again. These simple, affordable, and family-friendly recipes help you get dinner on the table without stress — even when you’re feeding a crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Cookware works best for One Pot Meals?

Large skillets, Dutch ovens, slow cookers, and stock pots all work great.

Can One Pot Dinners be Made Ahead?

Many one pot meals can be prepped ahead or reheated easily for leftovers. Making them perfect for meal prepping for the week.

What are the Best Side Dishes to Serve with One Pot Meals?

We like to keep it simple with making these one pot meals. Most of these recipes can be served with a simple side salad, Homemade Crescent Rolls, Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Zucchini or Fruit Salad Recipe.

Check back as we add more One Pot Dinners that are perfect for busy families!

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie Barnard — a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families — without the stress.

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