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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    22 Quick and Easy Dump-and-Bake Dinners for the Whole Family

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on May 17, 2025, updated April 22, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Finding quick and easy dinner ideas can be a challenge, especially for busy families. These 22 dump-and-bake recipes make mealtime a breeze, allowing you to prepare delicious dishes with minimal effort. Just toss the ingredients together, pop them in the oven, and enjoy a satisfying meal without the fuss.

    Sheet Pan Chicken Stir Fry

    Sheet Pan Chicken Stir Fry.
    Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

    Sheet Pan Chicken Stir Fry is a simple and fast dinner that everyone in the family will enjoy. Using a sheet pan means you can prepare it with minimal effort and no need to stir while it cooks.

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    Ranch Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies

    Sheet pan with chicken and veggies.
    Photo credit: Budget Delicious.

    This easy sheet pan chicken dinner with vegetables is great for busy families looking to enjoy a healthy meal. Just mix everything together, bake it, and serve—it's really that simple!

    Get the recipe

    Gorgonzola Mac and Cheese

    Gorgonzola mac and cheese.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This mac and cheese is made in one dish, so there's no need to pre-cook anything. With mozzarella and gorgonzola, it’s incredibly cheesy and simple to prepare.

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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, this dish is sure to be a hit.

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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’s delicious.

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    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs & Sweet Potatoes

    Sheet pan chicken thighs.
    Photo credit: Recipes from a Pantry.

    This comforting and filling dish is simple to prepare and packed with flavor. Using common pantry ingredients, it comes together in just 30 minutes.

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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.

    Get the recipe

    Roasted Gnocchi with Mushrooms & Broccoli

    Roasted Gnocchi with Mushrooms & Broccoli
    Photo Credit: Happy Veggie Kitchen.

    This vegetarian sheet pan gnocchi is a quick and healthy dinner option. With just a few ingredients, you can have a delicious meal ready in 30 minutes, and you'll only need to clean one pan afterwards!

    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

    Baked Chicken & Potatoes

    Baked chicken and potatoes.
    Photo credit: Little Sunny Kitchen.

    This one-pan meal combines juicy chicken with crispy potatoes and tasty broccoli, all baked together in a flavorful lemon garlic butter sauce. It's a simple and wholesome dinner option that doesn't require much work and is sure to please everyone.

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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 Drumsticks & Potatoes

    Baked drumsticks.
    Photo credit: Go Healthy Ever After.

    Sheet pan chicken drumsticks and potatoes are simple to prepare and really tasty. The lemon garlic seasoning adds a nice flavor, making this a great option for busy weeknights.

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    Maple Mustard Salmon

    Maple Mustard Salmon - Sheet Pan Dinner
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Maple mustard salmon is a super easy weeknight dinner that takes only 40 minutes to prepare, with most of that time spent letting everything roast in the oven. The sweet and tangy maple Dijon sauce brings together cubed sweet potatoes, crunchy Brussels sprouts, and fresh salmon fillets for a tasty and satisfying 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.

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    Meatball Pasta Bake

    Meatball Pasta Bake.
    Photo credit: Beyond the Chicken Coop.

    This easy-to-make Meatball Pasta Bake is entirely cooked in the oven, including the pasta! Make with frozen meatballs, mozzarella cheese, penne pasta, and your favorite marinara sauce.

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    Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

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

    This creamy tuna pasta bake is packed with flavor and made using canned tuna, mozzarella cheese, and a few easy ingredients. It's a simple and satisfying dish that fits perfectly into your weeknight meals.

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    Baked BBQ Chicken

    Baked BBQ Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Gypsy Plate.

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

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    Enchilada Bake

    Enchilada bake.
    Photo credit: Dizzy Busy and Hungry.

    This Enchilada Bake is simple to make with ingredients you probably already have at home, and it's delicious enough to be a family favorite. You won't even need to use your oven, as this dish is made in a slow cooker.

    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 dish is a simple and satisfying dinner option.

    Get the recipe

    Cheesy No-Boil Lasagna

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

    This 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 it a quick and simple dinner option.

    Get the recipe

    Baked Ranch Chicken

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

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

    Get the recipe

    Baked Chicken Drumsticks

    Healthy Baked Chicken Drumsticks.
    Photo Credit: My Chef's Apron.

    This healthy chicken drumsticks recipe is a simple sheet pan dinner that delivers a tasty meal in about 40 minutes. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you want something quick and satisfying.

    Get the Recipe

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years 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, 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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