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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    18 Protein-Packed Dump-and-Cook Dinners to Fuel Your Body

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on June 15, 2024, updated August 26, 2024 - Leave a Comment

    Looking for easy and delicious dinner ideas that are high in protein and will help you stay energized and satisfied? Check out these simple dump-and-cook recipes that do just that! From hearty pasta bakes to flavorful slow cooker meals, these dishes are perfect for busy weeknights when you want a nutritious and filling dinner without spending hours in the kitchen.

    Slow Cooker Steak, Potatoes, and Corn

    Slow Cooker Steak, Potatoes, and Corn
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow cooker.

    Cook steak bites, potatoes, and corn together in a slow cooker with a tasty garlic butter sauce.

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    Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

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

    This easy tuna pasta bake is packed with flavor and creaminess, using canned tuna, mozzarella cheese, and other basic ingredients.

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    Pizza Baked Butter Beans

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

    Fuel your body with these easy pizza baked beans - a quick and cozy dinner made by mixing canned beans with pizza sauce, adding your favorite toppings, and baking, ready in just 30 minutes!

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    Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake

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

    This is a satisfying cheesy chicken and pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach for a hearty and simple meal.

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    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup

    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup
    Photo Credit: Add Salt and Serve.

    This cube steak is a tender and tasty dish with minimal prep required. Made with cube steak, cream of mushroom soup, Lipton onion soup mix, salt, pepper, and water, it's an easy way to serve up a delicious homemade meal.

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    Sausage Tray Bake

    Sausage tray bake.
    Photo credit: Gluten Free Tranquility.

    This simple sausage tray bake is packed with flavor and can be made in just one tray. It's loaded with veggies, potatoes, and gravy for a satisfying meal.

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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. Packed with buffalo sauce, spinach, and lots of cheese, it's a tasty and simple dish ideal for busy weeknights.

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    Red Pesto Salmon

    Red Pesto Salmon.
    Photo credit: Hungry Healthy Happy.

    This simple Baked Pesto Salmon is perfect for a quick and healthy dinner. Tender salmon fillets covered in tasty pesto, served with crispy potatoes, asparagus, and broccoli.

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    Easy Pot Roast

    Easy Pot Roast
    Photo Credit: The Art of Food and Wine.

    This delicious pot roast is so tender, made with beef, potatoes, carrots, and herbs. It's a comforting one-pot meal that's easy to prepare and cook in the oven.

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    Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Steak Tips

    Honey Bourbon Steak Tips (Crock-Pot)
    Photo Credit: Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons.

    Fuel your body with these easy Honey Bourbon Steak Tips cooked low and slow in the crockpot until tender and juicy, coated in a tasty sweet and savory sauce.

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    Instant Pot Bolognese

    A bowl of instant pot bolognese served over pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Instant Pot bolognese is a quick and easy way to make a delicious pasta sauce. It's packed with all the classic flavors you love, using simple ingredients you probably already have.

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    Bacon Wrapped Salmon with Garlic Butter

    Bacon wrapped salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These salmon filets are stuffed with garlic butter and wrapped in bacon for a tasty family dinner.

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    Crockpot Steak Bites with Mushrooms

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

    Make these easy Crockpot Steak Bites with mushrooms using beef broth, butter, onion, garlic, beef, and mushrooms. Simply toss everything in the slow cooker for a tasty meal!

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    Instant Pot Shrimp Boil

    A plate of shrimp boil.
    Photo credit: Corrie Cooks.

    Fuel your body with a hearty meal that combines seafood, meat, and veggies cooked together effortlessly in the instant pot.

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    One Pan Chicken & Potatoes

    Chicken and potatoes.
    Photo credit: Healthy Seasonal Recipes.

    This simple dinner features juicy roasted chicken thighs and drumsticks, tender potatoes, roasted garlic, and mushrooms all cooked on one sheet pan for easy cleanup. It only takes 15 minutes to prep before popping it in the oven.

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    Lemon Pepper Salmon

    Baked lemon pepper salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This salmon dish is made with only 3 simple ingredients, making it a delicious and easy meal option.

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    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This recipe is packed with chicken and broccoli, making it a hearty meal that will give you plenty of leftovers.

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    Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies

    Sheet pan sausage and veggies.
    Photo credit: Inquiring Chef.

    This easy sheet pan dinner is super tasty and straightforward! Just season with garlic and herbs, pop it in the oven, and it's ready in under 30 minutes.

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    More Recipe Roundups

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      22 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Will Revolutionize Your Weeknight Meals
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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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