12 Easy One Pot Meals for Unfussy Family Dinners

Kelly R:  This beans and rice skillet has quickly become one of my favorite easy one pot meals for fall and winter, and it turned my kids into kielbasa lovers! The rice tastes magical after simmering with the smoked sausage, and it's great as leftovers for lunch the next day.

Kelly R:  This is one of the easy one pot meals that shows up on our family dinner rotation frequently! It's so delicious, and much easier than most other homemade mac and cheese recipes because everything cooks together in one pan - including the pasta! I like to add chopped broccoli during the last couple minutes of simmering for a truly one-pot dinner. You can also let each person customize their bowl with toppings of their choice...green onions, bacon, etc! From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Kelly R:  This delicious and comforting chicken and dumplings is a well-rounded one pot dinner for families. I love making it in the fall and winter! Because it calls for cooked chicken, it's a great way to use up rotisserie chicken.

Shila:  Some of the best easy one pot meals are recipes that include simple pantry ingredients. In just one pot, combine dry fettuccine with milk, butter, and chicken stock, along with Parmesan cheese to make an easy and creamy pasta Alfredo. From Spoon Fork Bacon

Kelly R:  You only have to dirty one skillet to make this all-in-one chicken and veggie meal, with a delicious pan sauce that tastes decadent but is light and fresh. It's a great option if you want easy one pot meals that don't use pasta or rice as a base. The ingredients include a bit of white wine, but you can easily substitute chicken broth if you prefer - or if you want to make it a Whole 30 friendly recipe. From Skinnytaste

Shila:  Rice-shaped orzo pasta cooks up tender in a bath of chicken broth, buttery Portobello mushrooms and fresh garlic. Top it off with grated Parmesan cheese for a delicious, one pot vegetarian meal for the family. From Budget Bytes

Shila:  Italian Bolognese traditionally uses a combination of pork, veal, and/or beef, but you are free to use whatever protein you desire while making meat sauce. Saute your choice of meat in one pot, along with an aromatic mix of fresh vegetables, spices, and tomato paste. After these flavors marry, dry pasta is added to cook "al dente" within the sauce itself. From 12 Tomatoes

Alexandra F.:  I'd never heard of goulash before my dad requested it for a birthday dinner, and now this tasty and ridiculously easy one pot meal is in our regular rotation. Ground beef, tomato sauce, macaroni noodles and just a few more ingredients combine in a single pot on the stove to make a yummy, comforting meal our whole family loves. It's super easy to customize, too, if you have allergies to account for or want to sneak in some extra veggies. From Spend With Pennies

Shila:  Kids love Swedish meatballs with egg noodles; it's buttery yet light, creamy, and has an all-around familiar taste for them. Learn to make this easy one pot meal, fresh from scratch, with no seasoning packets required! These delicious meatballs start with a little counter prep by hand-rolling beef with spices and breadcrumbs. After browning the meat, egg noodles cook quickly in a simmer of broth and heavy cream. From Frugal Mom Eh!

Shila:  Combine the bold flavors of red tomato sauce with velvety cream cheese to create kid-pleasing "creamy tomato" or "pink pasta" that cooks up all in one pot! From Diethood

Shila:  You can brown a meat of your choice (sausage or chicken), saute crunchy cabbage, and cook diced potatoes for Irish-inspired easy one pot meals. Take this simply-flavored dish to the next level with this recipe that adds paprika and jalapeno slices. From Erin Lives Whole

Shila:  Chili mac is one of those easy one pot dinners that will please everyone in the family! Use your choice of ground beef or turkey for this recipe, plus beans, canned tomatoes, pasta and a parade of delicious spices. Your family will love this dinner, and it will be ready in less than 30 minutes too! From A Pinch of Healthy