One-Pot & One-Pan Recipes: The Minimal Cleanup Collection
Kitchen Hacks1 min read·

One-Pot & One-Pan Recipes: The Minimal Cleanup Collection

Quick Answer

The best one-pot recipes for minimal cleanup are one-pot mac and cheese (pasta cooks in the sauce), one-pot chicken and rice, and slow cooker chili. For one-pan meals, try sheet pan fajitas or sausage and veggies — line with parchment for zero scrubbing.

👩‍🍳
Sarah Mitchell

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Every recipe here uses exactly one pot or one pan. Cook dinner and have almost nothing to clean up.

In This Article

The only thing better than a great dinner is a great dinner with almost no dishes to wash.

One-Pot Recipes

  • [[RECIPE: one-pot-mac-and-cheese]] — Pasta cooks IN the sauce
  • [[RECIPE: one-pot-chicken-rice]] — Complete meal, one pot
  • [[RECIPE: slow-cooker-chili]] — Everything dumps in

One-Pan Recipes

  • [[RECIPE: sheet-pan-fajitas]] — Sheet pan fajitas
  • [[RECIPE: sheet-pan-sausage-veggies]] — Sausage & veggies

Tips for Minimal Cleanup

  • Line sheet pans with parchment paper or foil
  • Use non-stick pots or enameled cast iron
  • Soak pots immediately after transferring food
  • Use the pot lid as a makeshift cutting surface in a pinch
    • Ready to Cook?

    Recipes from This Article

    Try these hand-picked recipes we recommend in this article.

    One-Pot Chicken and Rice
    Featured Recipe

    One-Pot Chicken and Rice

    A complete chicken and rice dinner cooked in one pot. The rice absorbs all the savory chicken juices.

    30 minEasy
    Get the Recipe
    Sheet Pan Fajitas
    25 minEasy

    Sheet Pan Fajitas

    Get the Recipe
    One-Pot Mac and Cheese
    15 minEasy

    One-Pot Mac and Cheese

    Get the Recipe
    Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
    30 minEasy

    Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

    Get the Recipe
    Slow Cooker Chili
    480 minEasy

    Slow Cooker Chili

    Get the Recipe

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    What's the best pot for one-pot cooking?

    An enameled cast iron Dutch oven (5-6 quart) is ideal — it distributes heat evenly and goes from stovetop to oven. Le Creuset and Lodge are popular options.

    How do I prevent food from sticking in one-pot recipes?

    Use enough oil or butter to coat the bottom, preheat the pot before adding ingredients, and deglaze with liquid (broth, wine, water) to lift any stuck bits — those add flavor.

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