Quick Dinner Ideas: 20 Easy Dump and Go Meals

These savory ideas for dinner are sure to save you lots of time in the kitchen. And even though they don't take very long to make, they taste so good that it feels like it took hours of preparation.

Whether you're looking for a chicken casserole, a recipe with ham, or a pork chop casserole, you'll find something to love in our collection of quick dinner recipes.

When life gets busy it's helpful to have some easy dinner ideas on hand. These recipes call for 15 minutes of prep time, at most, which means they are a breeze to make.

Once your casserole has been prepared, just bake it in the oven and go about your day. These quick meals will help you enjoy a homemade meal with very little active cooking time.

The following recipes make excellent dump and go meals. All you have to do is dump the contents in your slow cooker, let it cook, and then you have a delicious, filling meal. It's just that easy.

These slow cooker casseroles are comforting, filling, and so easy to make. What more could you ask for?

Dessert sounds especially good when you've had a long, hectic day. These comforting dump cake recipes are perfect to make because they're super easy, quick and tasty.

Once you realize how easy it can be to make dinner, you'll definitely want to finish off the evening with a quick dessert.

1. Gather all of your ingredients before you start cooking anything. It is best to do tasks like opening cans, measuring out spices, rinsing beans, and chopping vegetables before you actually begin cooking. This will help keep you focused and will cut down on distractions. It can also keep your workspace cleaner! This culinary technique is known as mise en place, which translated from French means, “put in place.” It commonly seen on cooking shows and is used by professional chefs, but it is also great technique for any cook to use.

2. Cut or chop ingredients into smaller pieces. Ingredients like whole potatoes and carrots and meats such as whole chicken breasts and sausage can take a long time to cook. Cutting vegetables and meat into smaller, bite-sized pieces will help them cook faster and also make them easier to eat.

3. Line your casserole pans with foil. This step won’t make dinner cook any faster, but it will make clean-up a breeze! Lining your pans means you won’t have to wait for you casserole dishes to soak overnight. Once you’ve enjoyed your meal, just throw away the foil. And if the pan is lined well enough, you might only need to rinse out the pan rather than wash it.

4. Clean up the kitchen while your casserole is baking. Since all of the above recipes have quick prep times, you can utilize the baking time to wash dishes and put ingredients away. Then, after dinner, you don’t have to stress about cleaning up the kitchen.

5. Set aside time to prep ingredients. Although it takes a bit of time, prepping ingredients all at once will save you a ton of time during the week when you’re making a quick dinner. When it comes to prepping chicken, a great idea is to buy a large pack of chicken breasts (preferably when they are on sale) and cook them all at once. Then, you can freeze shredded or chopped cooked chicken in 1-cup amounts to use later. It can also save time to chop up vegetables all at once and right after you buy them. That way, you can easily use them in recipes throughout the week.

6. Plan your meals ahead of time. Taking the time to plan out the meals you want to make for the week will simplify your grocery shopping, cut down on food waste, and save you money. After deciding on the meals you’ll make for the week, head to your pantry to make sure you’re not buying something you already have and write down the ingredients you need to buy. For even more tips on meal planning, check out our guide, 8 Meal Planning Tips Everyone Should Know.