• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
always use butter
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Resources
  • Subscribe!
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Resources
  • Subscribe!
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Air Fryer Resources
    • Subscribe!
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipe Roundups

    20 Dump-and-Bake Meals That Make Dinner a Breeze

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on February 10, 2025, updated February 7, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Dump-and-bake meals are a lifesaver for busy weeknights, allowing you to prepare a delicious dinner with minimal effort. Just toss your ingredients into a dish, pop it in the oven, and let it do the work for you. These 20 easy recipes are perfect for anyone looking to simplify their cooking routine while still enjoying a hearty meal.

    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.

    Save This Recipe Form

    Want to save this recipe?

    Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes from us each week!

    Get the recipe

    Roasted Gnocchi with Veggies

    Roasted gnocchi with veggies.
    Photo credit: FODMAP Everyday.

    This dish features gnocchi that’s roasted in the oven after being tossed in olive oil. It develops a crispy outside while staying soft and tender inside.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables

    A bowl of Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables.
    Photo Credit: Dancing Through the Rain.

    Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables is a quick and tasty dinner that comes together in under thirty minutes. Packed with mushrooms, leeks, kale, and other veggies, this one-pan meal is both easy to prepare and satisfying.

    Get the recipe

    Tuna Sushi Bake

    Tuna Sushi Bake on a white dish.
    Photo Credit: Piper Cooks.

    This easy sushi bake combines rice, canned tuna, slivered nori, and a spicy mayo drizzle. It's a simple casserole that's great for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or gatherings with friends.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    Chicken Fajita Casserole

    Chicken fajita casserole.
    Photo credit: Two Healthy Kitchens.

    This casserole combines the tasty flavors of chicken fajitas into an easy baked meal. It includes protein-rich black beans and quinoa, all mixed right in the baking dish without any pre-cooking.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    Vegan Pasta Bake

    Vegan Pasta Bake.
    Photo credit: Nourished by Nic.

    This dish is warm, cheesy, and entirely plant-based. It's perfect for a comforting meal that doesn't require much effort.

    Get the recipe

    Baked Tortellini

    20 Minute Baked Tortellini.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This Cheesy Tortellini Bake is quick and easy, taking just about 20 minutes to prepare with fewer than 10 ingredients. Everything cooks in one pan, making cleanup a breeze.

    Get the recipe

    Bacon Potato Casserole

    Bacon Potato Casserole.
    Photo credit: Cleverly Simple.

    This side dish is full of flavor with layers of bacon, potatoes, and cheese. It's an easy option for a special meal that everyone will enjoy.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    Cheesy Salsa Chicken

    CHEESY SALSA CHICKEN.
    Photo credit: A Taste of Madness.

    This simple dinner uses just a few ingredients and comes together quickly. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you want something easy to prepare.

    Get the recipe

    Garlic Parmesan Sheet Pan Drumsticks

    Garlic Parmesan Sheet Pan Chicken Drumsticks.
    Photo credit: xoxoBella.

    Oven baked chicken drumsticks are a tasty option for dinner, and using a sheet pan means less cleanup afterward. This recipe features the great flavors of garlic, parmesan, red pepper, and parsley.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Get the recipe

    No Boil Baked Ziti

    No Boil Baked Ziti
    Photo Credit: Cooking With Carlee.

    Enjoy all of the goodness of baked ziti with a fraction of the prep work! You don't have to boil the noodles or brown the meat, just layer it up and bake it to perfection.

    Get the recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

    • Lasagna.
      22 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Will Revolutionize Your Weeknight Meals
    • A veggie casserole.
      21 Vegetarian Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game
    • Instant Pot French Onion Soup.
      18 Elegant Lunch Ideas to Impress Mom This Mother’s Day
    • Cheesburger sliders.
      18 Cheap Ground Beef Recipes That Are Perfect for Spring

    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.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    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!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Sliced air fryer roast beef.
      Air Fryer Roast Beef
    • top down view of a tortellini casserole
      Cheesy Tortellini Casserole with Spinach
    • Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake [Dump and bake!]
    • sliced rib eye steak topped with salt
      How to Cook a Rib Eye Steak Without a Cast Iron Skillet (3 Methods)

    Popular Articles

    • Tortilla soup.
      21 Easy Crockpot Chicken Dinners for Busy Nights
    • Thai coconut skewers.
      22 Easy Recipes to Satisfy Your Takeout Cravings at Home
    • Irish beef stew.
      Set It and Forget It: 26 Easy Beef Dinners for Any Night
    • Walking taco casserole.
      23 Easy Dinner Casseroles That Are Perfect for Any Night

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    All affiliate links are always marked with "*" or "affiliate".

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    A collage of sites where always use butter content has been featured.

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosures
    • Editorial Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • info@alwaysusebutter.com
    • Pink Giraffe Ventures AB, Runstens Byväg 51, 147 91 Grödinge, Sweden
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2018-2025 Pink Giraffe Ventures AB