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Here are 30 Budget One Pan Dinner recipes that will help you ease through the weeknight rush or allow you to relax on the weekend. These easy family recipes are all made in one pan which will save you time and mean that clean up is a breeze! These delicious recipes will allow you to cut costs by bulk cooking, incorporating in season vegetables and buying inexpensive cuts of meat that can be slow-cooked to perfection.
Simple ingredients come together to form this one pan Ginger Shallot Chicken and Rice – A hassle-free recipe that delivers mouth-watering flavours with minimal effort. Tender chicken and fluffy flavour-filled rice are cooked together in the one pan, before being drizzled with an aromatic ginger and spring onion oil. This recipe is a great time-saving solution for busy weeknights, designed to save time and energy. Serve with your family’s favourite vegetables or any veggies you need to use up in the crisper!
This is the ultimate dinner for when you are time strapped on a busy weeknight. Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta. Tender chicken and al dente pasta all cooked in the one pan with a creamy, garlicky tomato sauce. I love that there is minimal prep with this one so that I can get dinner on the table fast. The vegetables can also be substituted to suit your family’s tastes (zucchini, silverbeet, peas or broccoli all work really well).
This is the ultimate comfort food, One Pan Gnocchi Bolognese! This delicious dish combines a rich, flavourful bolognese sauce with pillowy soft gnocchi. It’s all cooked in the one pan for ease of preparation and cleanup. Whether you are looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a comforting weekend indulgence, this One Pan Gnocchi Bolognese is sure to become a regular on your meal plan rotation!
This popular takeaway stir-fried noodle recipe is so easy to replicate at home, made with simple ingredients. Marinating the chicken in baking soda keeps the chicken incredibly soft and juicy, just like what you would find at your favourite local restaurant. Finished with a thick soy sauce, this is one to reserve for when you need a delicious dinner on the table quickly.
Traditional lasagna is one of my most loved foods, but with two little people, I often did not have the energy to make it come dinner time. This One Pot Lasagna recipe is the perfect solution for those nights when you want a comforting, delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen. This family-friendly recipe went viral soon after I shared it, and it is one of my most visited and most frequently made recipes.
Perfectly cooked layers of pasta are tucked between rich layers of tomato sauce, which is topped with stretchy, melty mozzarella. It’s easy to customise to your liking. You can add grated veggies or your favourite herbs to give it a personal touch. It’s easy, freezer friendly, made in one pan, and enough to serve between 6-8 adults.
There is nothing like a nourishing, baked meal, and this is one of the easiest dinners to prepare with maximum flavour. It is what I would call the ultimate tray bake. Do not be swayed by the cooking time after a few simple steps. The oven does all of the hard work for you. The chicken seasoning is simple, and it’s the cooking method in the same tray as the carrots, red onion and potatoes that makes this Chicken and Vegetable Tray Bake special. The vegetables caramelise, the juices seep into the potatoes, the chicken is cooked perfectly, and you are left with something truly delicious with minimal effort.
Treat yourself to this One Pan Pesto Chicken Pasta, the ultimate fuss-free dinner for busy weeknights. Tender chicken and perfectly cooked pasta come together with a garlicky creamy pesto sauce, all in the one pan! This recipe can be loaded with vegetables of your choice to suit your family’s tastes.
This one-pot meal features tender chicken that’s been infused with zesty lemon and garlic flavours, cooked to perfection on a bed of fluffy rice. Every bite is packed with flavour as the chicken juices seep into the rice. I like to serve it with crumbled feta on top for a creamy and tangy finish. This meal is delicious and easy to prepare, making it the perfect dinner option for a busy weeknight that your whole family will enjoy.
Shakshuka is a classic dish of poached eggs in a spiced tomato-based sauce. This is a mild, kid-friendly version that is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or relaxing weekend brunch. Add your favourite vegetables to the sauce (zucchini or spinach leaves work well) and top with avocado, feta and coriander or parsley for a nutritious, quick and easy meal that the whole family will love.
I love, love this simple recipe. It is adapted from RecipeTin Eats 12 Minute Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles and I’m sure I have made it at least 15 times. It comes together super quickly and I love that I can adapt it to suit the vegetables I have in the freezer. Using pork or chicken mince means there is little prep and having the noodles cook in the one pan is an added bonus too. The sauce is a creamy, red curry coconut peanut sauce which is mouth-wateringly delicious. The lime at the end cuts through the creaminess.
This Beef Casserole with potatoes and carrots is comfort food at its best, perfect to make ahead for busy weeknights or to indulge in during a cosy weekend. Tender beef is slow cooked in a rich gravy, requiring minimal effort and time – the stove does all the hard work. Serve it steaming hot with crusty bread and butter.
Although this is far from an authentic Spanish paella, it is a delicious weeknight alternative ready in under 25 minutes. Chicken, chorizo and creamy arborio rice come together to make this colourful signature dish packed with flavour. One pot is all you need, and the method is so simple.
Spinach and ricotta tortellini are made delicious with a simple garlic, cream and tomato-based sauce. The cook time is 7 minutes. 7 minutes! And with minimal prep! Definitely faster than any takeaway order. The tomato juices and chicken stock create an amazing flavour. Cream and lashings of parmesan top it off. The beauty of this recipe is that the tortellini does not need to be precooked. It is simply added to the sauce making this the perfect fast and easy, one-pot family dinner.
This family friendly, comforting Lemon Gnocchi Chicken is made in one pan and is on the dinner table in less than 15 minutes! There is no need to precook the gnocchi, they are pillowy soft, smothered in a creamy, tangy lemon sauce and topped with juicy chicken marinated in paprika and thyme. This is the perfect recipe for a quick, easy and cosy weeknight dinner.
If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love, you need to try this Mediterranean Chicken Tray Bake. The ingredients are so simple – you probably have many of them in your pantry already. The perfectly cooked, crispy chicken juices mingle with the red onions and the sweet, roasted tomatoes, while the potatoes soak up all of the flavour. This one-pan meal is not only delicious and healthy, but also easy to prepare and clean up. This is sure to become a new family dinner favourite on your meal plan rotation!
This is chicken risotto made easy and fast. Traditionally risotto is a dish cooked by adding broth to rice until it reaches a creamy consistency. But this quick, no-fuss, oven-baked method produces perfectly fluffy, garlic infused rice. Stir through spinach leaves and parmesan at the end for a simple, one pot dinner or use any of the vegetable alternatives listed below.
It’s hard to believe these Risoni Mozzarella Meatballs come together in less than 30 minutes. It’s a comforting, super family friendly recipe. Soft, mozzarella stuffed meatballs are cooked in a creamy tomato risoni, all in the one pan. Admittedly, rolling meatballs does take a little bit of time and effort, but the great thing about this recipe is that it can be made ahead of time. The notes include how to make the meatballs and freeze them for a later date to help make dinner time run that little bit more smoothly on busy weeknights.
Looking for a quick and easy dinner that’s bursting with flavour? Look no further than san choy bow, a delightful dish featuring lettuce cups filled with savoury and sweet mince. With just a few simple steps, you can create a meal that’s both delicious and nutritious. Plus, the recipe calls for a variety of veggies, making it a great way to use up leftovers from your fridge. Whether you prefer peas, carrots, bean sprouts, or something else, you can easily customise this dish to suit your family’s tastes.
Satisfy your cravings for comfort food with this creamy, cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a slow weekend meal, it’s a family-friendly dish that’s quick, easy and loaded with flavour. With tender chicken, broccoli, and a rich, cheesy sauce, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone at the table!
This Easy Curry Laksa is a quick weeknight dinner that you can whip up in less than 15 minutes when you are in the mood for something warm and comforting. With a rich, coconut milk based broth and a spicy curry kick, this recipe will quickly become a dinner favourite.
Are you looking for a delicious and easy midweek dinner idea? Look no further than this flavorful Mexican beef casserole recipe! With fragrant and perfectly cooked rice made in one pot, this hearty casserole is the perfect meal to satisfy your craving for a delicious Mexican fiesta. With all your favourite toppings included, this recipe will surely become a family favourite!
The perfect mid-week meal, hearty, tasty, easy to make and on the table in under 20 minutes. Skip the takeaway and enjoy homemade crispy chicken coated in a thick, sticky, soy and sesame glaze and served with simple fried rice. Two meals in one, you can serve the sesame chicken with noodles or steamed rice if you prefer, and the fried rice is the perfect accompaniment to your favourite stir-fries.
This Malaysian Chicken Curry is a delicous, comforting and warming recipe. The chicken melts off the bone and is simmered in a fragrant coconut curry broth, all while being made with the simplest of ingredients. It’s a great meal to prepare ahead of time to ease the pressure from busy weeknights. It intensifies in flavour as it sits in the fridge. Extra vegetables can be added in the final 15 minutes of cooking but I love serving this meal with cooling cucumber and yoghurt. The recipe notes include how to adjust the spice level to suit your family’s tastes.
This recipe proves that cooking perfectly juicy, tender meatballs in one pan is possible. This Meatball Bake starts with an easy and flavourful tomato and garlic sauce, and then it’s as simple as submerging the meatballs and allowing them to cook. A golden cheese crust finishes this dish, and it’s delicious, served with fresh bread to mop up the sauce or a bowl of pasta.
A classic flavour combination, my version of chicken with a creamy mushroom sauce is comforting and delicious. This recipe is easy-to-make and perfect for a weeknight dinner, but it is also impressive enough to whip together for a special occasion. You can customise this recipe with your choice of sides. I like to serve this dish with sweet potato mash and steamed broccolini.
Flavourful, fast and tasty homemade nachos are perfect for entertaining or a fun family dinner. Nestled on a bed of crispy corn chips, melted cheese, and a variety of flavorful toppings, this recipe will satisfy your Mexican cravings. And as a bonus – any leftover beef mixture can be refrigerated or frozen and used in other Mexican classics like burritos, tacos or quesadillas.
My Vietnamese pork bowls are on high rotation at our place. Bright, fresh and fun to eat – my kids love them. Thin rice noodles topped with sweet, sticky pork, served with fresh salads and crunchy spring rolls. All the ingredients are brought together with a delicious Vietnamese-inspired dressing. Seriously simple, fast and tasty.
The perfect dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes with minimal preparation and ease, all made in the one pan. Pillowy soft gnocchi is cooked in a creamy, rich pesto sauce and is topped with perfectly cooked chicken.
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