41 One Pot Spring Dinners That Make Weeknights Super Easy

Name: 41 One Pot Spring Dinners That Make Weeknights Super Easy
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 30 Minutes
Yield: 3-6 People
Ingredients: Shrimp; linguine; peas; broccoli; bell pepper; carrots; butter; garlic; chicken broth; heavy cream; cheese

Sara Cagle

Sara is a food and lifestyle freelance writer in Los Angeles. She writes a weekly events column for the Los Angeles Times and loves writing food content for Brit + Co. After all, the English language's most fun adjectives are best applied to delicious foods. In her free time, she's a hip hop dancer, avid moviegoer, and thorough face-mask user.

Full Bio

and

Meredith Holser

Affiliate and Food Writer

Meredith Holser is B+C's resident affiliate writer. Meredith enjoys writing about a range of topics, but she's adopted e-commerce writing in all its many facets. Outside of work, you can catch Meredith hiking, trying new recipes, and dreaming about having a yummy little treat.

Full Bio

Mar 12, 2024

We appreciate the simplicity of a one-pot meal – fewer dishes, less hassle. But of course, it's the taste that matters! These delicious spring dinner ideas range from chicken plates to vegetarian rice dishes to vegan twistson traditional standbys. Take advantage of that bountiful seasonal produce without demanding your entire evening, and make each of these one pot spring meals this season! You'll be able to spend way less time washing dishes and more time doing everything else you love to do.

Gordon Ramsay’s Pan-Seared Chicken

This fragrant chicken and its savory sauce are made in a single pan, which helps massively with cleanup time post-dinner. If you don’t want to break out another tray for the roasted veggies, simply sauté them, then bake in the same pan as the chicken. When you follow Gordon Ramsay's tips to make your spring dinner ideas, you can't fail. (via Brit + Co)

Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Pasta

With a little more effort (and not that much more time), it’s possible to cook up a complete pasta meal (as in veg, protein, and carb) in one pot. Though this springy recipe calls for a lemony shrimp linguine with spinach, we provide guidelines so you can make you or your fam’s fave combinations to a tee. (via Brit + Co)

One Pot Roasted Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is one of the best spring dinner ideas because you can eat it with the best sammie of all time: grilled cheese! This one pot recipe guides you to delicious greatness using canned tomatoes, onion, broth, cream, spices, and fresh basil. (via Brit + Co)

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Photo via Gentl and Hyers

Dress spaghetti with a slew of pantry staples, including olive oil, garlic, anchovy, red pepper, and whatever herbs you have. (via Where Cooking Begins for Brit + Co)

Olive Garden-Inspired Spiralized Primavera Pasta

When you don’t want to commit to a whole bowl of zoodles for dinner, go halvsies using actual pasta with this one pot spring recipe. It's already packed with veggies, so you could go either way for a delish dish. (via Brit + Co)

One Pan Pizza-Topped Chicken

This spring dinner recipe entails hearty chicken topped with flavorful pizza sauce, gooey cheese, pepperoni, and crunchy veggies. Oh yes! Cooked all in one pot, this springtime meal makes a great throw-it-all-in weeknight dinner. Top it with your favorites: ham and pineapple, jalapeño and cheddar, or four cheese all work for this pizza-inspired dish. (via Brit + Co)

Instant Pot Carnitas

There's a lot of wiggle room in this spring dinner recipe if you feel like experimenting a little. Add some dried Mexican oregano, ground cumin, and pickled jalapeño juice for flavor. Serve the carnitas with your favorite taco setup or over some steamed white rice and black beans for an easy taco bowl. (via Brit + Co)

One Pot Lasagna Soup

For those colder spring nights, this one pot lasagna soup is a lifesaver that'll warm you up. The best part about this spring dinner idea is you can spice it up to your liking with the amount of red pepper flakes you use! (via Brit + Co)

Mini Slow-Cooker Lamb Tacos

Photo via Isabella Martinez-Funcke

Spring lamb makes an appearance in these beer-drenched tacos. (via Fiestas: Tidbits, Margaritas & More forBrit + Co)

Cheesy, Garlicky Weeknight Pasta

This one pot pasta provides a tasty blank canvas for adding your favorite spring produce! Sauté peas, spinach, and artichokes in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes, then toss 'em with the spaghetti, butter, and cheese for a complete spring dinner. (via Brit + Co)

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Honey-Lemon Pan Sauce

The tender meat and crispy skin on these 30-minute chicken thighs just might convert you to eating more dark meat. The honey-lemon sauce amps up the flavor for a totally addictive bite! (via Brit + Co)

Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta

Let's hear it for the Instant Pot! In this case, it helps you create a superbly creamy pasta dish with chicken that'll please the whole table. Serve with even more veggies to round out the meal. (via Brit + Co)

10-Minute Trader Joe’s Stir-Fry Dinner

Simply throw a bag of colorfully crunchy veggies on the stove, toss pre-cooked rice into the microwave, cut up delicious sriracha tofu to go on top, and your next spring dinner is served. And that's why we love Trader Joe's! (via Brit + Co)

Beef Chili Skillet Lasagna

This one pot spring dinner idea is done in a mere 30 minutes. Even better, it has Mexican flair with the addition of hot chilis, earthy spices, and kidney beans! You don’t need a béchamel sauce for this recipe — just pile up the chili with fresh lasagna sheets and top it with a mountain of cheese. Comfort food, made easy. (via Brit + Co)

One Pot Roasted Salmon Nicoise

Salmon dishes will never not feel elegant, and this dish is perfect for any spring dinner ideas coming your way. Serve with the veggies on the side plus a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and you're all set. (via Brit + Co)

Honey Mustard Chicken

We use chopped potatoes, carrots, and red onion in this easy spring dinner recipe, but you could easily replace 'em with baby potatoes, baby carrots, and shallots or scallions to skip the knife work altogether! (via Brit + Co)

Potato-Crust Quiche Lorraine

Voting breakfast for dinner? You’ll love this gluten-free quiche, which is cradled in a crispy hash brown crust and flecked with savory, salty bacon. To have a more complete spring dinner, serve this dish with veggies or a side salad. (via Brit + Co)

Minty Pea Soup

Let your blender do all the hard soup-making work for you. You'll toss each ingredient in the chopper and mix it up into a soup consistency before heating it up in one pot on the stove. (via Brit + Co)

Lamb Burger

Griddle up these cheese-stuffed lamb burgers in one pot (or pan), then serve them with traditional gyro fixings like red onion and a Greek yogurt sauce to get at the Mediterranean vibes. You might even whip up your own tzatziki sauce! (via Brit + Co)

Make-Ahead Sheet Pan Eggs

Eggs for dinner? Yes, please! If you’re cooking for a crowd, this spring dinner idea is an easy way to keep your get-togethers fun and stress-free. To make this protein-focused dish all the more seasonal, throw in any spring veggies you've got in the kitchen into the mix. (via Brit + Co)

Beet Hummus Bowl

Some may consider this spring meal idea as more of a snack, but when you're too lazy to even turn on the stove, this dip with crudité comes right to the rescue. (via Brit + Co)

One Pan Sage Butter Chicken + Orzo

For easy weeknight meals or as a dinner party staple, these lightly spiced chicken thighs are flavored with fresh sage and cooked with a buttery sage orzo. (via Pink Owl Kitchen)

One Pot Ham + Pea Pasta

Here's a way to use your seasonal peas and leftover ham in a quick and simple weeknight dinner – throw them together in this pasta dish that's just as tasty hot as it is cold. You'll have leftovers for days! (via Salt & Lavender)

One Pot Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

These teriyaki bowls are perfect for weeknight dinners. This one pot spring dinner can be pretty versatile, since you can just toss in any of your favorite spring veggies you've got on-hand! (via The Girl On Bloor)

One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, + Sausage Pasta

This spicy Italian sausage pasta is a great way to use up that springtime asparagus, all in 30 minutes! This is one of our favorite easy spring dinner ideas because it's also made hearty from the sausage. (via Half Baked Harvest)

One Pot Chicken + Rice

This classic dish is a great way to encourage the kids to eat their veggies. It provides a tasteful balance between the grains, the veg, and the meat. You can use any type of rice you like! (via Feel Good Foodie)

One Pot Spring Pasta Primavera

This has got to be one of the fanciest 30-minute spring meals we've seen. It looks sooo yum. Pasta primavera just screams springtime – it's creamy yet light, salty but zingy – plus, this one's packed with beneficial protein from the shrimp! (via Culinary Hill)

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup

This hearty cabbage soup is easy to make, freezer-friendly, and made with a good mix of ground beef, cabbage, rice, and tomato sauce. It's one of the best one pot spring meals you could make for a chillier spring evening.(via Give Recipe)

One Pot Spaghetti Carbonara

Made with fresh parmesan cheese (YUM!), bacon, and garlic, this one pot pasta is a creamy dish perfect for family dinner. Be prepared for leftovers that keep well in the fridge for lunch the next day! (via A Spicy Perspective)

Spicy Cajun Shrimp with Rice Pilaf

This flavorful Cajun dish has a kick of heat that keeps you coming back for more and more. The thick, creamy orzo concoction is laid before you pile on all the spicy shrimp! (via Cozy Cravings)

Instant Pot Risotto

Pack in your daily dose of plants with baby spinach and green peas that get added to this cheesy and fuss-free Instant Pot recipe. The IP makes making risotto a total breeze. (via Two Spoons)

One-Pot Shrimp Orzo with Harissa and Tahini

This one pot shrimp recipe is full of flavor with a medley of onion, bell pepper, white wine, harissa and tahini. It's gonna taste heavenly alongside a glass of white wine! (viaCilantro Parsley)

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa

For a spin on the traditional broccoli rice casserole, try this one pot stovetop version made with dairy-free cheddar for added creaminess (without the dairy). This pick will make a great companion as a side dish next to the other spring dinner recipes included in our list! (via This Wife Cooks)

Vegan Lentil and Sweet Potato Chili

This vegan chili is a great transitional meal for spring's cooler days. It's easy to make and packs a flavorful punch for the spice lovers out there. (viaGastroplant)

Chicken Pastina Soup

Here's a one pot dinner hack for ya: add some rotisserie chicken to this delightful kid-friendly soup to bulk it up with lean protein. The pastina pasta shape included in this recipe will be a delight to the eyes and tastebuds. (via Barley & Sage)

Chinese Clay Pot Chicken Rice

Go off for your next spring dinner by whipping up this deliciously marinated chicken, bok choy, and shiitake mushroom dish. Everything is then drenched in a tasty garlic oyster sauce and it's to die for. (via Takes Two Eggs)

One Pot Lasagna

This easy gluten-free lasagna is made with just 8 ingredients and one pot. Better yet, it's ready in under 30 minutes! 30-minute spring meals have never looked so decadent. (via Rachel Mansfield)

Easy Vegan Rosé Pasta

Whip up this one pot vegan pasta in just 25 minutes with some soy milk, tomatoes, artichokes, and healthy greens like arugula or spinach. Since there's a good mix of everything, you'll be left feeling totally satiated after eating. (via The Edgy Veg)