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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    31 Dump-and-Cook Recipes That Make Winter Weeknights a Breeze

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on February 10, 2025, updated January 22, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Winter weeknights can be hectic, but with these 31 dump-and-cook recipes, dinner can be simple and satisfying. Just toss your ingredients into a pot or slow cooker, and let them do the work while you relax. These easy meals are perfect for cozy evenings, ensuring you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the season.

    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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    Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

    Crockpot chicken salsa topped with avocados.
    Photo Credit: Chew Out Loud.

    This recipe features healthy and tasty chicken that cooks perfectly in the Crock Pot. It's perfect for busy nights, gatherings, and preparing meals in advance.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

    Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes.
    Photo Credit: I Heart Eating.

    Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes are a simple and convenient dinner option. Ground beef and vegetables cook together in the slow cooker, making it a great choice for busy days.

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    Slow Cooker Chile Colorado

    Slow Cooker Chile Colorado.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Chile Colorado features tender beef cooked in a flavorful red chile sauce, paired with warm tortillas for a simple and hearty meal. It's perfect for cold weather when you want something comforting without much effort.

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    Chicken Parm Casserole

    Chicken Parm Casserole.
    Photo credit: Golden Grace Kitchen.

    This casserole combines the flavors of a classic Italian dinner into a simple meal. With tender chicken, rich marinara sauce, pasta, and gooey mozzarella, it's a great choice for any day of the week.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Beef Gyros

    Slow Cooker Beef Gyros.
    Photo Credit: Like Mother, Like Daughter.

    Slow cooker beef gyros feature tender beef that cooks up nicely in the slow cooker. They are served in warm pita bread with fresh veggies and tzatziki sauce.

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    Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Dip

    Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Dip.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Dip is a great choice for game day snacks. With just a few ingredients and your crock pot, this dip comes together easily and is sure to be a hit, so consider making a bit more to satisfy everyone.

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    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Bacon & Mushrooms

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

    This simple meal uses just 8 ingredients and is perfect for a cozy dinner any night. With tender gnocchi, crispy bacon, hearty mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts, it’s a dish that everyone will love.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

    Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Our Love Language is Food.

    This recipe is full of tropical flavor and is perfect for cold weather. It's an easy option that you can quickly add to your family's meal plan.

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    Slow Cooker Hobo Dinner

    Hobo Dinner in the Slow Cooker.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This recipe lets you prepare a full meal in one go, featuring a savory meatloaf paired with perfectly cooked sliced potatoes. It's a great option for a cozy weekend meal or a hearty lunch to take to work.

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    Crockpot Potato Soup

    Crockpot Potato Soup.
    Photo Credit: Living Chirpy.

    Crockpot Potato Soup is a warm and filling dish that's simple to prepare and packed with flavor. It includes all the tasty toppings of a baked potato, like bacon, cheese, and green onions.

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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 and mozzarella cheese along with a few other easy ingredients. It's a comforting dish that's perfect for chilly days.

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    Ground Turkey White Chili

    Ground Turkey White Chili.
    Photo Credit: The Perks of Being Us.

    This dinner dish is super easy to make in a slow cooker. Just a little prep in the morning means you can come home to a warm, comforting meal, perfect for a chilly winter night.

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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, garlicky sauce.

    Get the recipe

    Baked Chicken Drumsticks & Veggies

    Drumsticks and veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet-pan dinner is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something simple. With just a little chopping to begin, everything cooks together with chicken, veggies, and plenty of sauce for a delicious meal.

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    Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken

    Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken is a simple dinner option for busy nights. It puts a fun spin on regular chicken that everyone in the family will love.

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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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    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’s perfect for chilly days.

    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

    Crockpot Steak Bites with Mushrooms

    Crockpot Steak Bites with Mushrooms
    Photo Credit: Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons.

    Steak bites are packed with flavor, featuring beef broth, butter, onion, garlic, beef, and mushrooms. Simply toss everything into the slow cooker for an easy and tasty meal.

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    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 recipe that will impress everyone at the table.

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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 for a healthy, warm meal. Just mix everything together, bake it, and it's ready to serve.

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    Tortellini Bake

    Tortellini bake.
    Photo credit: Everyday Delicious.

    This tortellini bake is a delicious casserole made with store-bought tortellini, delicious meat tomato sauce with vegetables, all covered with melted gooey cheese. It´s so easy to make and you´ll have a tasty dinner for a couple of days!

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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 option.

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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, perfect for a cozy meal. It's a simple and satisfying option for chilly days.

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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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    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features plenty of chicken and broccoli, making it a hearty meal that will fill you up. It's perfect for cold weather and you'll likely have some leftovers to enjoy later.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Chili

    Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Chili.
    Photo Credit: Swirls of Flavor.,

    This recipe creates a flavorful sauce while it cooks in the slow cooker. It's a simple option for a cozy meal on a chilly day.

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    Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

    Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup.
    Photo Credit; Urban Farmie.

    This slow cooker black bean soup is thick and filling, perfect for chilly days. It's a simple dish that requires very little work, making it ideal for busy weeks.

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    Mexican Steak Bites

    Mexican Steak Bites
    Photo Credit: Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons.

    Steak adds a rich flavor to any meal, and these tasty steak bites take it up a notch. Seasoned like tacos and paired with a creamy queso sauce, this dish is perfect for a cozy night in.

    Get the recipe

    No-Boil Pasta Bake

    No-Boil Pasta Bake.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This vegetarian No-Boil Pasta Bake is simple to prepare and only takes a few minutes to mix together. It uses common ingredients like store-bought spaghetti sauce, dried spices, boxed noodles, and lots of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

    Get the recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

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      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.

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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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