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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    20 Easy Dump-and-Bake Dinners for Stress-Free Cooking

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on January 21, 2025, updated January 16, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Cooking can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially on busy days. These 20 easy dump-and-bake dinners are perfect for those times when you want a delicious meal without the fuss. Just toss everything together, pop it in the oven, and enjoy a stress-free dinner with minimal cleanup.

    Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

    Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake.
    Photo credit: Rich and Delish.

    This tuna pasta bake is creamy and packed with flavor, using canned tuna and mozzarella cheese along with a few easy ingredients. It's a simple dish that comes together quickly, perfect for a satisfying meal.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Pasta

    Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Pasta.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This dish combines chicken, bacon, mushrooms, and spinach with pasta in a tasty tomato sauce. It's perfect for feeding a family or a big group and is sure to be a favorite in your home.

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    Baked Ranch Chicken

    Baked ranch chicken on a plate.
    Photo Credit: Quiche My Grits.

    This recipe creates a creamy sauce while it bakes. Enjoy tender, juicy chicken covered in a tasty gravy and topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs.

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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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    Ranch Chicken & Potato Casserole

    Ranch potato bake.
    Photo credit: The Food Blog.

    Ranch Chicken and Potato Casserole with broccoli, bacon, and cheese is a great comfort food option. It's easy to prepare in just one pan, making it a perfect choice for a quick weeknight dinner.

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    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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    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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    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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    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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    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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    Mediterranean Veggie Casserole

    Veggie casserole.
    Photo credit: The Fiery Vegetarian.

    This casserole is quick to prepare and goes straight into the oven. You'll end up with soft vegetables in a flavorful garlic sauce!

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    Vegetarian Gnocchi Bake

    Baked gnocchi.
    Image credit: Katie Trant.

    This is a simple and satisfying meal that you can throw together quickly. It's perfect for busy nights when you want something hearty without putting in a lot of effort.

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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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    Chicken Broccoli Casserole

    Chicken Broccoli Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Dutch Oven Daddy.

    This is a simple and satisfying meal that you can prepare in under 30 minutes. It combines the creamy goodness of mac and cheese with the flavors of broccoli and chicken alfredo.

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    Pizza Baked Butter Beans

    Baked butter beans in a bowl.
    Photo credit: Life as a Strawberry.

    Pizza baked beans are a quick and easy dinner option for busy weeknights. Just combine some canned beans with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings, then bake it all together for a cozy meal that pairs well with crusty bread.

    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.

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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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    One Pot Burrito Bowl

    One Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe
    Photo Credit: I Heart Nap Time.

    These Mexican burrito bowls are simple and tasty, all cooked in one pot in just 30 minutes. They’re great for busy nights when you want a quick meal and easy cleanup.

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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.

    Get the recipe

    Cheesy No-Boil Lasagna

    Cheesy No-Boil Lasagna.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    No-Boil Lasagna is super easy to prepare, taking only 10 minutes of your time. You can skip the step of boiling the noodles, making this a simple and quick dish to bake.

    Get the recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

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      Grill Like a Pro: 14 Marinades Every Chicken Lover Needs
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      25 Weeknight Crockpot Meals You Can Set and Forget
    • A bowl of hummus pasta.
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      10 Sweet and Simple Rhubarb Desserts 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.

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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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