22 Dump Dinners That Practically Make Themselves

Grab the ingredients and hit Go.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published August 27, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
A bowl of taco soup topped with sour cream tortilla chips diced onions and a lime wedge
Lisa Lin

If you've never tried a dump dinner, or maybe didn’t know you were making one, I’m happy you're here so I can introduce you. A dump dinner is a super easy recipe that requires very little prep. You basically just dump the ingredients together and cook them, relatively unattended, until the dish is ready to serve. Sounds pretty great, right?

Now that you're on a first name basis with this grand idea, let’s dive into over 20 of our best that come together on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the oven. No matter the method, these are keepers for anytime you need an effortless weeknight meal.

  • Easy Chicken Cobbler

    Overhead view of a green baking dish of chicken cobbler and serving spoon on a speckled countertop

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "Rather than cooking chicken from scratch, you can use whatever leftover cooked chicken you have on hand (white or dark meat or a mix is all fine!), or grab a rotisserie chicken and shred it up."—Afton Cyrus, Senior Editor

  • 2-Ingredient Creamy Pesto Beans

    bowl of creamy pesto beans

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Baby lima beans are the pièce de résistance of creamy white beans if you ask me, but aren’t always the easiest to find, especially canned. Any white beans will do, whether cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

    4-ingredient ravlioli lasagna in a casserole dish

    Simply Recipes / Meghan Splawn

    "The ravioli cooks as the whole dish bakes in the oven (no need to boil) so most of the cooking is hands-off. The result is a casserole that has all the flavors of slow-cooked Sunday lasagna but with a time commitment that makes it realistic for a Wednesday during the school year."—Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • Stovetop Taco Soup

    Bowl of Stovetop Taco Soup Topped with Avocado Slices, Cotija Cheese, and Cilantro and Surrounded by Bowls of Toppings

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

    "Fresh or frozen corn, tomatoes, and beans can be used in place of the canned varieties. Use equal weights for all the ingredients. Be sure to thaw and drain any frozen veggies or legumes in the fridge before adding."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 22 below

  • Roasted Chickpeas and Artichokes with Lemon and Feta

    roasted chickpeas, artichokes, and feta

    Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

    "There are no rules for serving this delicious one-pan dinner, but some of my favorites are over a bed of rice or with a crusty baguette to absorb all the lemony olive oil. The next day, I like to eat it cold from the fridge over greens."—Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • Creamed Tacos

    creamed tacos in bowl with chips, lettuce and tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Save time: As the meat browns, you can use the time to prep the lettuce and fresh tomato."—Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

    Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chili Chicken Chili in the crockpot

    Simply Recipes/ Emma Christensen

    "Don't love a tomato-y chili? Reduce the amount of tomatoes to one can and add extra broth to compensate."—Emma Christensen, Former General Manager

  • Mississippi Chicken

    Overhead view of a blue platter and a serving spoon with shredded chicken and pepperoncini

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "If you don’t have chicken stock base, you can swap for two teaspoons of chicken bouillon granules."—Liz Mervosh, Recipe Tester and Developer

    Continue to 9 of 22 below

  • Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Bell Peppers

    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Bell Peppers

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "This recipe calls for zuchinni noodles (or “zoodles”), which are often available in the refrigerated section of markets and cut down on the dish’s prep time. If your market doesn’t carry them, you can make your own using a spiralizer or a mandoline with a shredding blade, or just cut your squash into ½-inch cubes instead."—Georgia Freedman, Recipe Developer

  • Upside-Down Chili Pie

    slice of upside down chili pie on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "If you want, add 1/2 cup of finely grated cheddar cheese and a strained 4-ounce can of canned chopped jalapeños to your cornbread batter. This will give your cornbread a fun color and bite of spice."—Malina Syvoravong, Recipe Developer

  • No-Peek Chicken

    no-peek chicken in a casserole dish at a table setting with a serving on a plate, a glass of water, glasses, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "Frozen veggies make this dish super convenient, but you can swap them for small-diced fresh carrots and fresh peas or even diced broccoli."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

    Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole in a Casserole Dish Next to a Bowl with Chopped Onions and Sliced Jalapenos

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

    "This casserole isn't entirely a dump dinner, as you do have to layer up the tortillas and filling, but the little bit of extra effort is definitely worth it!"—Devan Grimsrud, Writer

    Continue to 13 of 22 below

  • Salsa Verde Chicken Bake

    Salsa Verde Chicken Bake

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Try this with chicken tenders, which will bake up more quickly. Or, use skinless chicken thighs, which will take a little longer to bake but have even more flavor."—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Crockpot Corned Beef - drizzling mustard on sliced corned beef

    Simply Recipes. /Marta Rivera

    "For this recipe, a 3-pound brisket is ideal as it will shrink during cooking. If you plan to feed more than 6 people, choose a larger brisket."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Chickpea Curry

    Easy Chickpea Curry in a bowl with a spoon, naan on the side

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "If you’re out of fresh spinach, don’t hesitate to use frozen—just use one cup in place of two packed cups of fresh."—Shayma Saadat, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Ranch Pot Roast

    A plate of pot roast, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes

    "The two best cuts of beef for pot roast are chuck and bottom round. Chuck is a little fattier and falls apart (in a good way) when you slice it. Bottom round is a leaner cut, but still becomes tender in the pot."—Sara Bir, Contributor

    Continue to 17 of 22 below

  • Paprika Chicken with Chickpeas

    A baking dish with chickpeas and chicken

    Simply Recipes/ Elise Bauer

    "Feel free to add other spices if you have them on hand, like ground cumin, coriander, even a pinch of cinnamon."—Elise

  • Honey Mustard Chicken

    Overhead view of Honey Mustard Chicken baked in a casserole dish.

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    "If you don't want to eat skin-on chicken, still cook the dish with the skin on, even if you don't eat it. The skin will protect the meat from drying out."—Elise

  • Buffalo Chicken Chili

    A bowl of buffalo chicken chili, dug into and ready for more

    Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

    "The ingredients that give this chili a lot of flavor (even though it cooks quickly) are the fire-roasted tomatoes and green chiles, so be sure you look for “fire-roasted” on the label for both of them."—Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

  • Quick and Easy Potato Soup

    Closeup view of a bowl of potato soup topped with bacon, shredded cheese and green onions next to a bowls of bacon, green onions and shredded cheese

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "By using a bag of frozen hashbrowns (both shredded and cubed work here), I eliminated the need for peeling and chopping, a nice bonus. You can blend the soup for a super creamy result or leave it for a heartier texture."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 21 of 22 below

  • Salsa Chicken

    plate of salsa verde chicken over a bed of rice at a table setting with more chicken in a dutch oven, utensils on a table napkin, and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "Feel free to swap the salsa verde for a thick tomato-based salsa."—Julia Levy, Recipe Developer and Tester

  • Slow Cooker Taco Soup

    A bowl of taco soup with all the toppings, ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

    " Make this soup more (or less!) spicy by adjusting the amount of chili powder. Start with an extra 1/2 teaspoon and work from there. You can also add a minced jalapeño or other spicy fresh chili."—Lisa Lin, Recipe Developer

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