31 Comforting & Cozy One-Pot Dinners for Fall

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Published on September 2, 2020

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans

Make one of these easy one-pot dinner recipes and your kitchen will be full of warming aromas. Whether it's chili, soup or a pasta bake, these recipes are perfect for the cooling weather. You'll want to cozy up with a bowl (or two) and we'll be doing the same all season long. Recipes like Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans and Braised Chicken with Mushrooms & Leeks are hearty, flavorful and use one-pot for an easy clean up.

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Bean & Beef Taco Soup

This taco soup is filled with quintessential taco ingredients and flavors--from two types of hearty beans, to corn and ground beef--but it's the toppings that really make this soup stand out. Better yet, this healthy soup is easy to make and leftovers freeze beautifully for later. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2019

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One-Skillet Pastitsio

Pastitsio is a classic Greek baked pasta dish made with ground beef and bechamel. Our version has all the flavors and the comforting feel of the classic, but is made in one skillet (less cleanup!) and is healthier for you, using whole-grain pasta, lean meat and low-fat dairy. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Instant Pot Vegetarian White Chili

Parsnips lend a wonderful sweet and nutty flavor to this healthy white bean chili. Using an Instant Pot (or any other pressure cooker) means this hearty chili can be ready in under an hour, but it still tastes like it's simmered away for hours. Pureeing some of the chili gives the stew a nice creaminess, but feel free to skip that step to save time. Garnish the chili with cheese and sour cream for a richer meal, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Source: Eatingwell.com, July 2019

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Braised Chicken with Mushrooms & Leeks

The leeks get silky when they cook down in this luscious, tangy mustard sauce. Serve over mashed potatoes. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2020

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Vegetarian Gumbo

This flavorful vegan dinner is a veggie version of the Louisiana classic. It's chock-full of butternut squash, tomatoes, poblano peppers and okra, to name just a few. This vegetarian gumbo is a quick dinner packed with flavor and spice that's done in only 30 minutes. To make it a meal, serve it with cornbread drizzled with olive oil. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with Heirloom Tomato & Shallot Confit

Pair juicy, tender pork with a rich, flavorful tomato confit that tastes like melted tomatoes and sweet shallot preserves. We think this sweet and savory pork recipe is just as suitable for company as it is for Wednesday night dinner at home. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes

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Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans

Black beans and tender, sweet butternut squash make this healthy vegetarian chili truly satisfying. Load up bowls and top with Greek yogurt, cilantro and minced red onion for game night or a Meatless Monday meal. Or skip the yogurt and keep this healthy dinner vegan. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2019

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Potsticker & Vegetable Soup

Skip the frying pan and make a full meal out of store-bought dumplings with this quick and easy 30-minute soup. Shao Hsing (or Shaoxing) is a seasoned rice wine used in Chinese cooking. Look for it in Asian specialty markets or with other Asian ingredients in large supermarkets. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2018

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Chicken Tagine

This quick version of a traditional recipe can be made in about 30 minutes using a beloved kitchen hack: shredded rotisserie chicken! The shredded meat simmers briefly in a flavor-packed base that is rich with garlic and spices, sweetened with dates, and tangy from olives and preserved lemons. The addition of lentils and garbanzo beans makes this a hearty one-pot supper, though you can serve it with rice, couscous, or pita bread. Excerpted from THE FULL PLATE. Copyright (C) 2020 by Ayesha Curry. Photographs by Eva Kolenko. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2020

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Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta

This entire healthy pasta recipe cooks in one skillet, so there's only one pot to clean! Try it with any greens you have in the fridge, such as chard or spinach. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Slow-Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Apple

You'll never guess this crock pot butternut squash soup recipe is just dump-and-go simple. The boost of flavor from maple syrup, apple-cider vinegar and spices makes all the difference! Serve this light soup as an appetizer for a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast or with a salad and crusty bread for weeknight dinners. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2019

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Skillet Pork Chops with Peas, Carrots & Pearl Onions

This superfast one-dish dinner is full of classic flavor and is such a crowd pleaser that you'll want to work it into your regular weeknight dinner rotation. We call for bone-in pork chops to maximize flavor, but boneless pork chops are a fine substitution. To round out this meal a little more, serve with rice or mashed potatoes. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Chicken-&-Mushroom Marsala

For the best flavor in this classic one-pan chicken dinner recipe use real Marsala wine, not the cooking-wine kind. Serve with mashed potatoes. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce

This steak, broccoli rabe and pea dinner is a one-skillet meal that will be on your table in just 25 minutes! The pan drippings combine with mushroom, broth and grainy mustard to make a thick and delicious sauce. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Mexican Skillet Quinoa

mexican skillet quinoa

Spice-laced quinoa, beans and sweet potato give this one-pan vegetarian meal its substantial and hearty feel. While the dish is simmering, put together a crisp side salad or simply chop up some avocado for an easy and complete 30-minute meal. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup

A winter classic, this crock pot version of minestrone is heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta, keeping carbs in check while providing plenty of flavor. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Winter 2019

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Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole — Christine Ma

Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex chicken casserole gets speedier for an easy weeknight dinner when we mix everything together in a skillet, then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2019

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Southwestern Sweet Potato Stew

This hearty Southwestern-inspired stew may take a while in your slow cooker, but it's so worth it! Full of sweet potatoes, black beans, and hominy, it will satisfy your tastebuds and keep you full for hours. Source: Diabetic Livng Magazine

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Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions

Balsamic onions and raisins add a burst of sweet and savory flavor to pan-seared pork chops. Round out this healthy dinner recipe with sweet potatoes and green beans. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2019

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White Bean-Sausage Soup

Make this heart-healthy main-dish white bean and sausage soup with fresh onions. If you're really pressed for time, look for frozen chopped onions, which can be added to soups and stews in seconds. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

This rich and creamy chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

This healthy copycat recipe of the comfort food classic trades beans for some of the meat to bump up fiber by 7 grams. We also cut back on the sugar and ketchup in this Sloppy Joe recipe makeover to save you 12 grams of added sugar. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Skillet Chicken Parmesan

If you can't find cutlets for this easy chicken Parmesan recipe at your supermarket, place a boneless, skinless breast flat on a cutting board, hold it steady with your palm and, using a sharp knife, slice the breast horizontally into two thin pieces. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Cabbage Diet Soup

Loaded with cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, tomato and plenty of seasoning, this healthy vegetable soup packs in lots of flavor and is ultra-satisfying. This easy recipe makes a big batch for lunches or veggie-packed snacks all week. If you want to bump up the satisfaction factor even more, top with a little cheese or avocado. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

This one-pan chicken-and-broccoli recipe comes out of the oven all browned, cheesy and bubbling like a casserole, but is really prepared more like a skillet meal on the stovetop. Serve with a crunchy green salad. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Slow-Cooker Jambalaya

This hearty jambalaya is bursting with chicken, smoked turkey sausage, and shrimp. It takes just 25 minutes to prep in the morning and then your slow cooker will work its magic and deliver a tasty meal at the end of the day. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Turkey & Brown Rice Chili

This hearty turkey chili recipe takes just 35 minutes to prep. While it's cooking, you'll have time to throw together a green salad and warm up some crusty bread to complete the meal. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Pot Roast Soup

Plenty of veggies--and of course, meat and potatoes--guarantee that this ode to the classic Sunday supper will satisfy even the hungriest diners. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter--making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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