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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    18 Satisfying Dump-and-Bake Dinners for a Cozy Night In

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on February 1, 2025, updated January 31, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    When the weather turns chilly and you want a comforting meal without spending hours in the kitchen, dump-and-bake dinners are the perfect solution. These simple recipes allow you to toss everything into a dish and let the oven do the work, making dinner time a breeze. From hearty casseroles to flavorful one-pan meals, these 18 satisfying options will keep you cozy and full.

    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish is packed with chicken and broccoli, making it a hearty meal that will fill you up. It's perfect for busy nights and you'll likely have some leftovers to enjoy later.

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    Baked Chicken Drumsticks & Veggies

    Drumsticks and veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet-pan dinner is perfect for quick weeknight meals. With just a little chopping to begin, you end up with a delicious mix of chicken, veggies, and plenty of sauce all cooked together in one pan.

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    Mexican Ravioli Lasagna

    Easy Mexican Ravioli Lasagna
    Photo Credit: Two Healthy Kitchens.

    This simple Mexican Lasagna uses ravioli to create tasty layers. It's perfect for busy nights because you can just layer the ingredients without needing to thaw the ravioli first.

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    Baked Lamb Chops & Veggies

    Baked lamb chops with veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet pan meal is a simple way to enjoy lamb without the stress of overcooking it. The lamb chops cook in the flavorful juices from the vegetables, resulting in tender meat that is delicious.

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    Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

    Cheesy chicken and rice casserole dish.
    Photo Credit: Rose Bakes.

    This recipe is a simple, one-pan dish that uses canned soups and ready-made rice mixes. It's great for busy weeknights or when you want some comforting food without much effort.

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    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs

    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies.
    Photo Credit The Feathered Nester.

    This dish features tender chicken thighs and fresh vegetables all cooked together on one pan. It's a healthy and easy meal that's great for busy weeknights.

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    Baked BBQ Chicken

    Baked BBQ Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Gypsy Plate.

    This chicken dish is a great choice for a weeknight meal. Juicy chicken thighs are covered in a tasty glaze that everyone will enjoy.

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    Baked Cod in Foil

    A foil pack with cod and potatoes.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These baked cod packs are easy to prepare and full of flavor, taking just 5 minutes to get ready. With cod, tomatoes, potatoes, and lemon all cooked together, this is a simple and satisfying dinner.

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    One Pan Chicken & Potatoes

    Chicken and potatoes.
    Photo credit: Healthy Seasonal Recipes.

    This chicken and potatoes dish features juicy roasted chicken thighs and drumsticks, tender potatoes, whole cloves of garlic, and button mushrooms all cooked together on a single sheet pan. It’s a simple meal that takes just 15 minutes to prep before it goes into the oven.

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    No-Boil Ravioli Casserole

    This cheesy ravioli casserole is one of the simplest dishes you can make. With just four simple ingredients and store-bought shortcuts, you can prep this dish in 5 minutes, and eat in under 40!
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This dish is incredibly easy to prepare. With just four ingredients and some ready-made items, you can have it ready in 5 minutes and on the table in under 40.

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    Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake

    sun-dried tomato pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features cheesy chicken and pasta packed with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, creating a hearty comfort meal. It's simple to prepare and perfect for a satisfying dinner.

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    Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken

    Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken.
    Photo credit: Food Meanderings.

    This chicken dish is quick and easy, ready in under 30 minutes. It's a flavorful meal that everyone in the family will enjoy.

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    Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

    Buffalo chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is quick to prepare and ready in under an hour. It's packed with spicy buffalo sauce, hidden spinach, and plenty of cheese, making it a tasty option for a weeknight dinner.

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    Dump-and-Bake Mac & Cheese

    Mac and cheese.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Baked Mac and Cheese is super simple to prepare. In just 10 minutes of prep and 45 minutes in the oven, you can enjoy a delicious one-pan dish loaded with Cheddar and Gruyere cheese.

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    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Bacon & Mushrooms

    Gnocchi with bacon and mushrooms.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This easy meal comes together with just 8 ingredients, perfect for a tasty dinner any night. Featuring tender gnocchi, crispy bacon, hearty mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts, it's a dish that everyone will love.

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    Vegetarian Ravioli Bake

    Ravioli bake.
    Image credit: Sustainable Cooks.

    This dish is a family favorite that's both cheesy and delicious. It's perfect for cozy nights when you want something comforting without a lot of work.

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    Gorgonzola Mac and Cheese

    Gorgonzola mac and cheese.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This cheesy mac and cheese is made in just one dish, so there's no need to pre-cook anything. With mozzarella and gorgonzola, it’s a simple and comforting meal that everyone will love.

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    Cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake

    Pizza pasta bake.
    Photo credit: Two Healthy Kitchens.

    This incredibly quick and easy pizza pasta bake is an absolute lifesaver on busy nights! It’ll be in the oven in no time flat – you can even mix it all up right in the pan (and you don’t even have to precook the pasta)! So cheesy and full of great pizza flavors - your whole family will love it.

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    More Recipe Roundups

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      20 Dump-and-Cook Recipes for a Relaxed Memorial Day Feast
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      19 Easy Summer Salads Perfect for Picnics and BBQs
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      22 Easy Ideas for Spring Pasta Dinners
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      21 Lazy Dinners You Can Just Dump, Bake and Devour

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN  and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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