One-pan meals are our favorite culinary experiments for a few reasons: They’re (usually) simple to throw together, cleanup is minimal; and because the flavors in the pan generally have more time to get “comfortable” with each other, they usually wind up being delicious. If you’re constantly working or are always on the go, one-pan meals are a must-have page in your personal cookbook. Here are 8 of our favorites:
Potato & Chorizo Breakfast Hash
A good breakfast hash has everything you need to start your day—proteins, starches, carbohydrates, some veggies. This potato and chorizo breakfast hash is super simple to put together. It’ll take you 20-25 minutes from start to finish and is less than 500 calories a serving, making it the perfect breakfast. If you’re not a fan of the spicier chorizo, you can always substitute regular sausage or another meat of your choice. Recipe
Chilli Con Carne with Popping Kidney Beans
A good chilli con carne is the perfect example of what’s possible with a one-pan meal. This recipe has it all—pork and beef, kidney beans, garlic, coriander, cumin, and more chillies than you know what to do with. You’ll only need another pan to briefly roast some leftover cumin seeds, but that part is optional and you won’t lose out on any flavor by just tossing the seeds in the trash. It’s up to you. Recipe
Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl
Another one-pan spin on a Tex-Mex classic, this Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl takes less than two hours to prepare and cook, and about five minutes to devour completely. Poblano and jalapeno chillies give it some kick, and some cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, cilantro, and lime zest give it more flavor than you’ll know what to do with. It’s not exactly a “set it and forget it” kind of recipe, but prep is easy, cleanup is damn-near nonexistent, and the final result is a guaranteed hit. Recipe
Ancho Chile Flank Steak and Sweet Potato Tacos
A man’s meal if we’ve ever seen one—especially for the gym rats out there—this is nothing more than flank steak and sweet potatoes. BUT, the magic here is in the prep work. The marinade for the flank is delicious (lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cilantro, etc.), and the sweet potato mixture that slowly broils on the bottom of the pan is like nothing we’ve ever seen. Recipe
Bacon and Spinach with Parmesan
Listen… If you’re going to eat spinach, you might as well do it the only way it tastes good—with bacon. Clocking in at less than five bucks for the whole meal, this one is impressive. The pasta boiled in chicken broth adds a wonderful base to the meal, and the spinach, bacon, and parmesan bring it all together. Because the skillet is “primed” with cooked bacon fat, the smoky pork flavor becomes somewhat dominant and stays with you the whole way through. Easy to prep, easy to cook, and easy to eat, this pan’s a winner for us. Recipe
Skillet Cheeseburger Pasta
We know what you’re thinking right now—Hamburger Helper. We promise, though, that this one is actually probably the best recipe on this list. Simple, quick, and positively delicious, this one-pan Cheeseburger Pasta meal is the best of every world we could think of. A little ground beef, some sharp cheddar, a few shells, some onion, and some tomato sauce—that’s just about all you need for this one, and it tastes out of this world. And not for nothing, but it can be made in larger quantities. So if you’re one of those guys that would rather cook something to last you the whole week, this is definitely an excellent candidate. Recipe
Beef and Bean Taco Casserole
You can’t make a one-pan recipe list and not include a single casserole. We sifted through dozens of potential recipes for this pick because we didn’t want anyone hearing the word “casserole” and automatically defaulting to traumatic childhood memories of your mom’s gross-ass tuna slop. Although this one technically uses two “pans” (a skillet and a casserole dish), you don’t have to incorporate the casserole dish. You can just place everything back in the skillet and finish it like that. Either way, it’s goddamn delicious. Recipe
One-Pan Skillet Spaghetti
It was a long day on the job, and the last thing you want to come home to is a three-hour meal prep session. And the last-last thing you want to do is sort out a sink full of dishes. This recipe is simple and has but three steps: cook the beef, throw all the other shit in the pan and let it boil/simmer, then sprinkle cheese on top. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am. Recipe
