One-Pot Meals Editors Rely On

Serious Eats editors have shared their favorite one-pot recipes for nights when they don't want to do dishes. The collection includes quick weeknight dinners and comforting soups, all designed for minimal cleanup.

These editors love complex cooking projects but often crave simplicity. Their recommended meals come together in a single pot, skillet, or sheet pan.

Editor-Recommended One-Pot Dinners

The editors' selections highlight adaptability and ease. Many recipes use pantry staples or allow for ingredient swaps.

Ashlee Redger, a writer, recommends Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe. She always has gnocchi on hand for busy weeknights. The dish is super adaptable for whatever veggies or protein are available.

Senior editor Grace Kelly favors an Easy Weeknight Chicken Pot Pie. She describes it as the equivalent of a food hug. Buttery, frozen puff pastry tops this simple, one-pot cast iron pie.

Associate editorial director Megan O. Steintrager is a self-proclaimed queen of beans and greens. She loves Daniel Gritzer's Neapolitan Escarole Bean Soup for its deep satisfaction from just a handful of ingredients.

Fast and Adaptable Meals

Several editors highlighted recipes that are both quick and flexible, perfect for using up leftovers.

Senior editor Genevieve Yam recommends a Channa Masala that takes just five minutes to prep. She notes it freezes well, too.

Senior editor Brenna Donovan turns to Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas) when her cupboards are bare. Everything cooks together in one pot, including the pasta, which is great for solo nights.

Megan O. Steintrager also endorsed a 30-Minute White Bean and Kale Soup with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes as another great beans and greens option.

Senior culinary editor Leah Colins often makes her own recipe for Chicken with Warm Bulgur Pilaf and Tomatoes. Everything comes together in one skillet in about 25 minutes. She loves that the bulgur soaks up all the chicken flavor and cooks in just five minutes.

Associate culinary editor Laila Ibrahim calls Crispy Kimchi Cheese Rice her favorite. It turns fridge staples into a wildly satisfying dinner. The rice gets crisp and chewy, the cheese melts into gooey pockets, and the kimchi brings funk, heat, and acidity.

Impressive Yet Simple Dishes

Some recipes deliver complex flavor with very little effort, making them suitable for both weeknights and entertaining.

Editor Rochelle Bilow recommends Sheet-Pan Harissa and Orange Chicken with Chickpeas. She says it tastes way more labor-intensive than it really is. It's absurdly easy for weeknights but impressive enough for a dinner party.

Editorial director Daniel Gritzer champions Chinese Scrambled Eggs with Tomato. He calls it a quicker, easier, tastier one-vessel meal. It's a classic of the Chinese home kitchen using scrambled eggs, canned tomatoes, and a handful of seasonings.

The full collection of these editor favorites can be saved for easy access on the Serious Eats platform.