Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 20 Quick and Easy One-Pan Recipes For Nights When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking All you need is a single pan for these delicious recipes. By Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 14, 2024 Close Photo: Fred Hardy Making dinner every night can be a slog, but if you meal prep and have a few worthy hacks in your back pocket, the final meal of the day can come together easily and might even be enjoyable. One such hack involves the dishes you use (or don’t use) when whipping up some dinner. While it might sound unattainable, you can totally make a meal that’s delicious and satisfying using just one pan. This often translates to less prep and cleanup for you, and since multiple components of the dish frequently cook at the same time, you can typically have dinner on the table in under an hour. If you’re ready to simplify your dinner routine, take a look at this roundup of quick and easy one-pan recipes you’ll want to make over and over again. 86 Easy Dinner Ideas to Add to Your Weeknight Rotation 01 of 20 Tofu Fried Rice Fred Hardy This 25-minute vegetarian fried rice dish is full of bold flavor and hearty ingredients that will leave you and your table feeling satisfied. Raisins give a burst of sweet flavor, while lemon juice gives a zing to the mix. Drizzle with creamy yogurt just before serving. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 20 Chicken Orzo Skillet Jennifer Causey If you're feeling like having a lazy evening and you don't want to spend all your time in the kitchen, this chicken skillet dish may be just what you need. You'll only spend about 40 minutes cooking. Plus, it's warm and creamy, which makes it a comforting meal that's actually pretty healthy for you. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 20 Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Broccoli Jennifer Causey Grab your trusty sheet pan and get ready to make a dish that’s bound to become a new family favorite. For this recipe, which requires a mere 10 minutes of hands-on work, you’ll simply toss potato gnocchi on a rimmed baking sheet with broccoli florets, onions, and pesto, and then bake until everything's ready to go. It doesn’t get much easier than that. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 20 Sheet Pan Cheesesteak Sandwiches Victor Protasio Gone are the days when you need to travel to Philadelphia to satisfy a craving for a cheesesteak. As this recipe proves, you can make the loaded sandwich from the comfort of your own home in under an hour. The key here is to use a single sheet pan to cook everything, and layer in a baguette with cheese, and broil until toasty. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 20 Sheet Pan Salmon With Potatoes and Broccolini Victor Protasio Not a chicken fan? Try this similar sheet pan meal, which pairs salmon with potatoes and broccolini instead. Here, everything is flavored with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a bit of punchy Dijon mustard. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 20 Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Salmon and Broccolini Fred Hardy Since this meal sounds so impressive it’s hard to believe that it comes together in 25 minutes, but the clock doesn’t lie. Salmon is seasoned with butter, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic before being roasted alongside broccolini. To flavor the bright green vegetable, top it with a few squeezes of lemon juice and some grated Parmesan cheese once it’s out of the oven. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 20 Shawarma-Seasoned Cauliflower and Chickpea Pitas Fred Hardy This five-ingredient dinner is healthy, flavorful, and just so happens to be meat-free. Here, a pungent shawarma spice blend seasons roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, which are then served on top of pita with creamy yogurt, crisp cucumber, and zingy red onion. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 20 Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies CAITLIN BENSEL Sausage and peppers are an Italian classic, and thanks to a single sheet pan, this version of the beloved dish comes together in just 20 minutes. That’s because the Italian pork sausages, bell peppers, tomatoes, and shallots all head for a quick bake under the broiler at the same time. Serve with crusty bread (or on a roll) to sop up all of the flavorful juices. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 20 Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Greg DuPree The sheet pan strikes again! In this recipe, chicken legs are roasted alongside sweet potato pieces and smoky bacon bits. After about 25 minutes, the chicken comes out with delicious crispy skin, which pairs well with the crisp, salty bacon, as well as the crunchy, peppery watercress salad you can serve on the side. GET THE RECIPE 30+ Essential, Easy Chicken Recipes for Every Day of the Week 10 of 20 Cheesy Chicken Nachos With Avocado and Radish Greg DuPree Leftover rotisserie chicken in the refrigerator? It’s time to make this colorful and stacked nacho platter that’s ready in 20 minutes. Here, tortilla chips are topped with chicken and cheese and then baked. Once the chips are out of the oven, you can add even more toppings such as salsa, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeño slices. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 20 Sheet Pan Pork With Fennel and Apples Greg DuPree This weeknight dinner, which is perfect for a chilly fall night, is ready in about 40 minutes. For this tasty meal, pork tenderloin is roasted with apples and fennel, all of which get bathed in an orange-scented, honey-mustard glaze. To ensure a golden-brown crust on the pork, start by roasting everything, then crank it up to broil to seal the glaze. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 20 Grandma Pie With Pepperoni and Pink Sauce Greg DuPree As it turns out, you don’t need to leave the house or pick up the phone to get restaurant-quality pizza. To make this pie, stretch the pizza dough to the corners of a baking sheet and top with a homemade tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and onion slices. It’s pizza time! GET THE RECIPE 13 of 20 Sheet Pan Cod and Potatoes Caitlin Bensel It’s all about the timing with this bright and light fish dinner. You’ll begin by baking the creamy Yukon gold potatoes on a sheet pan. The cod comes next, then you’ll stir in chard leaves that wilt and char without turning limp. Once everything is cooked, dress it up with a quick olive salsa that adds richness, acidity, and a little kick. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 20 Sunny-Side-Up Sheet Pan Breakfast Greg DuPree Yes, this recipe is more than suitable for brunch, but because it’s packed with ingredients like crispy prosciutto, roasted potatoes and onions, spinach, and several eggs, it’s a stellar dinner option as well. Plus, since it all comes together in one sheet pan, you’ll have very few dishes to do once the meal is over. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 20 Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas ANTONIS ACHILLEOS This Mexican-inspired meal takes just 30 minutes and one sheet pan to make. The baking sheet will get a head start in the oven, so when the shrimp and veggies hit the pan, the shrimp will get a subtle sear. Once the main ingredients are done cooking, wrap them in warm tortillas and serve with all the fixings, such as sour cream, salsa, and sliced avocado. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 20 Sheet Pan Pierogies With Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, and Mustard Dressing In this sheet-pan dinner recipe, classic cheese and potato pierogies, which you can buy frozen, are the stars of the show. Shallots and Brussels sprouts roast alongside the dumplings to make a complete meal on one sheet pan, and the whole meal is topped with a zingy mustard dressing. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 20 Skillet Eggs in Enchilada Sauce Caitlin Bensel This saucy skillet meal takes inspiration from the Middle Eastern shakshuka and is made with healthy kale, aromatic onions, mild poblano peppers, and tangy tomatillos. Jarred enchilada sauce infuses each bite with tangy heat, while poached eggs add protein and round out this vegetarian meal. GET THE RECIPE 18 of 20 One-Pan Salmon With Roasted Cabbage and Olive Vinaigrette Cabbage isn’t the most exciting vegetable, but when you roast it (as is the case with this recipe) it gets sweeter and caramelizes and crisps in spots. Here, it’s paired with salmon and the whole thing is topped with a sweet and savory olive vinaigrette for a dinner that you can have on the table in 40 minutes. GET THE RECIPE 21 Healthiest Vegetables to Incorporate Into Your Diet, According to RDs 19 of 20 Roasted Potato and Egg Sheet Pan Brunch GRACE ELKUS This recipe gives a veggie-and-potato breakfast hash the sheet pan treatment, which is why it only requires 20 minutes of hands-on work. If you’re craving a bit more flavor once this dish is done cooking, top it with some shredded cheese and a drizzle of hot sauce. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 20 Skillet Steak and Radishes with Anchovy-Tarragon Butter Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Dust off your cast-iron skillet and prepare to make a unique steak dish that everyone will love. This one-pan meal uses radishes instead of potatoes and a delightful anchovy and tarragon-infused butter that melts overtop. A shower of lemon zest at the end brings some brightness and freshness to this one-pan wonder that you can make in just 30 minutes. GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit