Easy One Pot Meal Recipe Ideas

Whether it's an air fryer, rice cooker or multicooker, your favorite kitchen gadget can be a game-changer for tackling party prep and dinner deadlines. Here are some amazing Ranch recipes that can turn your go-to cooking device into a sidekick savior in the kitchen.

Multicooker Recipes
Rice Cooker Recipes
Pressure Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Recipes
Air Fryer Recipes

Multicooker Recipes

Here’s the honest truth — if you can only have one of these appliances, the multicooker should be it. The multi-cooker essentially does the work of everything else. Pressure cooker, sauté pan, rice cooker, slow cooker — this kitchen workhorse is the best way to get a one-pot meal to the table easily and efficiently. The multicooker is first and foremost a pressure cooker but it can certainly clear space on your kitchen shelves by taking over other tasks, like slow-cooking an all-day chili, making perfect hard-boiled eggs or tenderizing a holiday roast.

5 mins prep - 30 mins cook

Multicooker Tips

Check your liquid levels: It’s important to have at least a cup of liquid in the pot before you cook, which allows the steam pressure to build up.
Double up on sealing rings: The rubber sealing ring can absorb flavors from fragrant food, so it’s a good idea to have an extra on hand. If not, another trick: you can clean the ring with the "steam" function right inside the pot. Use water, vinegar and lemon to remove odors.
Get a head start with sauté: Though the instant pot is fast, it still takes some time to come up to pressure before the clock starts. Giving a quick sauté before sealing the pot can save some time on the back end.

Overhead view of broccoli cheddar soup on a yellow background

Rice Cooker Recipes

We know it will give you rice exactly as it should be — fluffy, slightly chewy or sushi-style sticky, depending on the setting. But did you know your rice cooker can also double as a vessel for creating full meals? Sure, the serving sizes aren’t huge, but anything from chicken and soup to other savory grains or oatmeal is possible with this trusty little cooker. One of our favorite ways to use it is to make a full protein and rice meal — like the Jambalaya-style smoked sausage and Ranch rice. Get creative!

5 mins prep - 30 mins cook

Rice Cooker BBQ Ranch Shredded Chicken Sliders

5 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Rice Cooker Ranch Garlic Shrimp Scampi

10 mins prep - 25 mins cook

Rice Cooker Smoked Sausage and Ranch Rice

5 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Rice Cooker Tomato Ranch Rice

Rice Cooker Tips

Rinse your rice: Even if the recipe doesn’t call for it, rinse whatever rice you’re putting in the cooker, which removes some of the starch and makes for a fluffier finished product.
Steam away: Don’t be afraid to nestle your metal steamer inside the rice cooker and add in vegetables on top – this is good for anything from broccoli or peppers to artichokes and sweet potatoes.
Lean on leftovers: The rice cooker works well to warm up or reheat food – most have a keep warm function that works for holding or warming up slowly, especially if you add a little liquid. The keep warm button also works to extend the life of your dish – so you can prep early and hold it.

Tomate Rice in a rice cooker, chicken skewers on a yellow platter, blue checked tablecloth background

Pressure Cooker Recipes

Stovetop pressure cookers were one of the earliest small appliances in convenience cooking, and they worked by allowing steam to build up to high pressure in a sealed pot, which cooked food quickly. Now, most people prefer electric pressure cookers, but either way, these small appliances are still one of the best ways to get dinner on the table when you’re in a rush. Cooking times can be up to 75% faster than traditional stovetop cooking and the method keeps flavors and most essential nutrients sealed in. From beans or risotto to our famous crack chicken, the pressure cooker is the way to go.

5 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Salsa Ranch Shredded Chicken Tacos

15 mins prep - 15 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Ranch Risotto with Corn

20 mins prep - 15 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Ranch Chicken and White Bean Chili

10 mins prep - 40 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Creamy Ranch White Beans with Rosemary & Garlic

10 mins prep - 12 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Ranch Queso

4.7

10 mins prep - 70 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Ranch Corned Beef and Cabbage

5 mins prep - 15 mins cook

Buffalo Chicken Dip

4.8

5 mins prep - 10 mins cook

Pressure Cooker Ranch Chicken Breasts

4.6

Pressure Cooker Tips

Don’t overfill: Not enough liquid is a no-no when it comes to the pressure cooker. But TOO much liquid is also a bad thing. When you’re working with mostly liquid recipes, like soups, make sure you don’t fill it up more than halfway…you might otherwise end up with a geyser.
Stay safe: Follow instructions very carefully when releasing the pressure — there are different ways to do it depending on the recipe, but never force the lid open to release too quickly.
Stock up: If you’re a fan of homemade stock or broth, the pressure cooker is the best way to make it. What would normally take hours and hours on the stove can be done in 45 minutes in the pressure cooker. The result is almost the same.

Assorted dishes with white bean chili and broccoli on a white marble background

Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow cookers, the best of all-time “set it and forget it” appliance is best for the busy household that is out working, schooling or sporting all day and still wants a hot meal at dinner time. The appliance works by simmering food at a low temperature over many hours, and typically produces evenly cooked or tenderized dishes with lots of flavor. The slow cooker is what we reach for when we want to make our favorite Mississippi Roast or BBQ pulled pork, but we also love it for simpler soups, dips and taco night.

10 mins prep - 360 mins cook

Slow Cooker Southern Loaded Cheddar Ranch Grits

5 mins prep - 480 mins cook

Slow Cooker Jalapeño Ranch Pulled Pork Shoulder

180 mins cook

Snack-Tastic Slow Cooker Hidden Valley Ranch Chow

4.8

5 mins prep - 120 mins cook

BBQ Meatballs

4.8

15 mins prep - 360 mins cook

Ranch Chicken Fajitas

4.9

5 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip (Baked or Slow Cooker)

4.9

5 mins prep - 375 mins cook

Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken

4.6

Slow Cooker Tips

Sear before the slow cook: Obviously the dump and leave method is the easiest, but adding the quick extra step of searing/browning meat before throwing it in the pot will yield a better flavor.
Wait a day: If you have time, slow cooker recipes often make for the best leftovers. Dishes like soups, stews and chilis — some of the slow cooker hits — benefit from some extra time in the fridge to let the flavors marry. So if you can plan a day in advance, you won’t be mad about the result.
Keep the lid closed: As tempting as it is to peek at, stir or mess with the contents of your cooker, you let steam release every time you remove the lid. Keep lid lifting to a minimum to lock in the heat.

Overhead shot of tray of pulled pork tacos, slow cooker filled with pulled pork, on a turquoise background

Air Fryer Recipe

Undoubtedly the most recent small-appliance darling of the kitchen, it’s hard not to fall for the air fryer. Though it basically does the same work as the convection oven by circulating hot air around the food, something about the small countertop appliance seems to produce even crispier french fries, more caramelized roasted vegetables and even juicier whole chickens and meat. Plus, it’s unbelievably fast, often cooking full meals in less time than it takes to preheat your regular oven.

5 mins prep - 12 mins cook

Air Fryer Twisted Ranch Bacon

10 mins prep - 12 mins cook

Air Fryer Smoky Ranch Corn Ribs

10 mins prep - 6 mins cook

Air Fryer Garlic Butter Ranch Steak Bites

10 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Air Fryer Cheesy Bacon Ranch French Fries

15 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Ranch Chicken Skewers

5 mins prep - 35 mins cook

Mississippi Chicken Thighs

4.6

10 mins prep - 20 mins cook

Parmesan Ranch Crispy Chicken Tenders

5.0

10 mins prep - 35 mins cook

Original Ranch Roasted Potatoes

4.9

15 mins prep - 15 mins cook

Ranch Potato Skins Appetizer

4.8

5 mins prep - 10 mins cook

Keto Ranch Cheddar Crisps

4.8

Air Fryer Tips

Don’t over oil: The best thing about air fryers is that they require very little oil or cooking spray. Adding too much won’t help the end result, but it will get messier.
Love those liners: If you can find parchment or foil liners to fit your air fryer, they are well worth using. The thin sheets don’t affect the outcome, but they make the appliance so much easier to clean at the end.
Use your eyes: Every air fryer is different, and so times and temperatures may not be totally accurate. Use presets and written recipes as guidelines when it comes to timing, but make sure you watch the food so it cooks to your liking.

Chicken skewers on plates and in an air fryer, on a yellow tile background

Easy One Pot Meal Recipe Ideas

Multicooker Ranch Chicken Taco Rice

Multicooker Lemon Ranch Spinach Artichoke Dip

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Ranch Soup

Multicooker Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Ranch Soup

Ranch Reuben sandwich

Multicooker Tips