9 Lazy Dinners You Can Make Without Dirtying More Than One Pan

There are times when all we want to do is look at a mound of dirty dishes. What is good news? You may still eat good without making a mess in the kitchen. These nine one-pan meals are easy, comforting, and great for times you don’t have much time or energy. Each one gives you the most flavor with the least amount of work to clean up afterward. After all, a wonderful meal shouldn’t involve an hour at the sink.

1. One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

This dinner almost makes itself. You put chicken thighs, baby potatoes, garlic, olive oil, and lemon slices on a sheet pan and let the oven handle the rest. The potatoes soak up the fluids, the chicken gets crispy, and the lemon makes every bite taste better. It’s well-balanced, filling, and easy to clean up. Dinner is ready in only one pan and one bake.

2. Skillet Veggie Fried Rice

Do you have rice left over? This is your hero for a night of doing nothing. If you want, you can add an egg to the rice, soy sauce, and sesame oil after you sauté some frozen or fresh vegetables in a skillet. In less than 15 minutes, everything comes together in one pan. It’s pleasant, adaptable, and can be changed in any way you want. This fried rice is great for when you want something quick and tasty, like when you need to clean out your fridge.

3. Sheet-Pan Sausage and Veggies

It’s not hard to make this meal: just cut up your favorite sausage, mix it with chopped bell peppers, onions, and zucchini, then roast it all on one sheet pan. The sausage turns a nice brown color, the veggies caramelize, and the meal is colorful and filling. If you’re a vegetarian, it’s just as good with plant-based sausage. You will enjoy how it tastes like effort, but it doesn’t need any.

4. One-Pot Creamy Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

This spaghetti meal seems elegant, but it’s easy to make. You cook the mushrooms, garlic, broth, and pasta all in one pot. The starch from the noodles makes a natural sauce. At the end, add spinach and a little cream or milk to make it richer. The end product is soft, earthy, and soothing. You only have to wash one pot for this dinner, which feels like comfort food in a bowl.

5. Sheet-Pan Salmon with Green Beans and Tomatoes

This sheet-pan dish is excellent for weeknights because it’s healthy, simple, and colorful. Put salmon fillets in a skillet with green beans and cherry tomatoes, pour olive oil, lemon, and garlic on top, and roast. The fish stays soft while the vegetables turn brown. It’s gorgeous, balanced, and takes less than 25 minutes to make. Cleaning up? Just one pan and maybe a spatula.

6. Skillet Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella

Store-bought pan-fryingBuying gnocchi gives it a crunchy, golden edge that is quite delicious. Put in some bottled tomato sauce, garlic, and some torn-up mozzarella. Let it bubble until it gets gooey. It tastes like it came from a restaurant, but it only takes 20 minutes to make. It’s a great lazy comfort food, and the greatest part is that you don’t even have to boil the gnocchi first.

7. One-Pot Lentil Stew

You can make this warm stew with lentils, carrots, onion, garlic, stock, and a few herbs that you probably already have in your kitchen. Everything cooks in one pot until it is soft and thick. It’s filling, good for you, and quite satisfying, especially with a slice of bread on the side. As the lentils break down, the texture becomes creamy, so you may have comfort food without the trouble.

8. Sheet-Pan Fajitas

Sheet-pan fajitas are the easiest (and most fun) dinner ever. Cut up peppers, onions, and chicken, shrimp, or tofu of your choice. Mix with oil, lime juice, and spices, and roast until sizzling. Serve with tortillas right off the pan. This dish is a favorite because it tastes great and cooks quickly. Plus, since everything cooks together, cleanup is almost nonexistent.

9. Skillet Shrimp Scampi

This classic dish cooks quickly and is great for weeknights when you’re sleepy. You can make this dish in one pan by sautéing shrimp with butter, garlic, and lemon. Then, toss it with spaghetti or serve it over rice. It’s quick, light, and tastes like something you’d have at a restaurant. What’s the best part? The buttery, garlicky sauce almost cleans the pan for you. A squeeze of lemon at the end makes everything come together wonderfully.