20 Quick Skillet Meals You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

From Easy Chicken Skillet Enchiladas to One-Pan Orzo alla Vodka, these recipes will help get dinner on the table in no time.

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published January 08, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
Cheesy spinach and artichoke ravioli cooked in a pan with a wooden spoon

Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shystman

There’s nothing better than a skillet meal—especially when that meal can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. With the help of a trusty skillet and a few pantry staples, you’ll have a tasty dinner ready in no time. To top it all off, cleanup is a breeze! If this sounds like your ideal dinner, then dive into this collection of quick skillet recipes. From Easy Chicken Skillet Enchiladas to One-Pan Orzo alla Vodka, you can’t go wrong.

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  • Kielbasa, Potato, and Broccoli Skillet

    Overhead view of a red and white cast iron skillet of Kielbasa, Potato, and Broccoli Skillet with a serving spoon next to slices of bread on a cutting board, two drinking glasses and a blue fabric napkin

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    “My mom called this one-pan dish ‘scraping the sides of the refrigerator’ for our large brood. She would throw in whatever she had left at the end of a long week.” —Jessica Greathouse, Winner of The 2024 Family Dinner Recipe Contest

  • Creamy Skillet Shrimp with Corn, Pancetta, and Tomatoes

    Plate of creamy skillet shrimp with corn, pancetta, and tomatoes at a table setting with another serving on a plate, a glass of water, utensils and a white and red table napkin on the counter, and a bowl of basil

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    “While fresh corn is unparalleled in the summer, frozen is quicker, easier, and honestly still pretty darn delicious. The frozen corn doesn’t have to be thawed for this recipe–just throw it in straight from the freezer and let the ice evaporate immediately.” —Sara Bir, former Senior Editor

  • Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

    Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens on a Plate With a Fork, and in the Surroundings, a Bowl of Cracked Pepper, a Kitchen Towel, and a Cheese Board

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “I like to use cheese tortellini here because it’s the most accessible, and I’ll never refuse more cheese. However, fresh or frozen tortellini with any filling, whether it's sausage, spinach, ground beef, mushrooms, or otherwise will work just as well.” —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Dolma and Ground Beef Skillet

    A skillet with dolmas cooked in tomato sauce and ground beef, served with pita bread and yogurt

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “You can serve it as-is, but I recommend something starchy on the side to soak up all the good juices—I served mine with pita, but any reasonably sturdy bread would be delicious—or spoon it over white rice. Big spoonfuls of Greek yogurt on the side help tame the acidity of the dolmas and tomatoes. If you have fresh herbs, this is a good time for dill or parsley, but cilantro would be delicious as well.” —Megan Scott, former Senior Editor

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • Vegetable and Couscous Skillet

    A skillet containing couscous, arugula, roasted vegetables, and cheese crumbles, with a serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

    “The secret ingredient is couscous, which has the superpower of only needing five minutes in hot liquid to become tender and plump. If you are unfamiliar with couscous, it’s easy to think it’s a kind of whole grain, like quinoa or rice. It’s actually a tiny pasta made from semolina wheat.” —Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Chicken Skillet Enchiladas

    Easy chicken enchilada recipe
    Alison Bickle

    “Not into chicken? Feel free to add a little chili powder to leftover ground beef, steak, or beans. Have loads of leftover roasted vegetables? Add them to the chicken, or make the meal vegetarian and replace all the meat.” —Summer Miller, former Senior Editor

  • Creamy Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas

    Creamy Skillet Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas in a skillet with a spoon at a table setting with a stack of plates, a bowl of chopped chives, and a small plate of bacon pieces

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    “While potato gnocchi is the most traditional, you’ll also encounter cauliflower gnocchi in some grocery stores. Choose whichever type you like, but if the gnocchi is frozen, follow the cooking instructions on each package, as they can vary quite a bit. This recipe calls for “skillet gnocchi,” which was developed to skip the boiling step and get a nice sear. Honestly, even boiled gnocchi gets a nice enough sear and can be used in this recipe.” —Sara Bir, former Senior Editor

  • Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet

    A top view of a skillet with the Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “This dish really is best with small shells, but other short, dried pasta works as well. Macaroni elbows are a great second choice. If you use fusilli, orecchiette, or cavatappi noodles, they take a few extra minutes to cook.” —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 20 below

  • Skillet Shrimp Fajitas

    Shrimp Fajitas Recipe
    Nick Evans

    “For fajitas, I like large shrimp, which usually come 31 to 35 shrimp per pound. Ultimately you want three to four shrimp per fajita serving, and not just one huge shrimp in each tortilla.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Enchilada Skillet

    Beef enchilada skillet topped with melted cheese, chopped tomatoes, and jalapenos

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

    “I love to change things up by substituting ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. This makes for a lighter-tasting but just as satisfying meal. For a vegetarian version, I like to use one can of drained black beans and one can of drained pinto beans. The pinto beans create a nice, thick texture while the black beans add a more authentic Tex-Mex flavor.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • One-Pan Ravioli With Sausage

    One-Pan Ravioli in a pan with a large spoon

    Simply Recipes

    “I chose straightforward cheese-filled ravioli for this recipe, but the beauty is that it’s versatile and customizable. If you want to switch up the flavor of the ravioli, go ahead. Both fresh and frozen will work, so choose whatever brand or type you normally buy. Or swap for tortellini.” —Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer

  • Enfrijoladas With Black Beans

    Mexican Enfrijoladas topped with avocado and cotija.
    Sally Vargas

    “Think of enfrijoladas as the distant cousin to enchiladas. The difference? The sauce is made from beans instead of tomatoes or tomatillos. And unlike enchiladas, which are routinely rolled up snug with the fillings inside, enfrijoladas are often folded in half with the fixings either inside, on top, or both.” —Katie Morford, Recipe Developer

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  • Orzo all Vodka

    A skillet containing orzo pasta mixed with a creamy vodkabased sauce stirred with a wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    “This dish goes with just about any protein or veggie side. I served it with sautéed ground chicken sausage, but it would be fabulous with meatballs, leftover roast chicken, or baked fish. To make it more filling on its own, you can stir in some white beans, too. For greens on the side, I love steamed broccoli, a kale salad, or easy broiled green beans.” —Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Baked Taco Skillet

    Cheesy Baked Taco Skillet

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “This dinner is the main dish and sides put together, so why not go big? If you have cooked leftover vegetables or even a bag of frozen vegetables, stir them in when you add the rice. If you’re using frozen veggies, cook them for a few minutes longer to thaw and cook off some of the liquid.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Unstuffed Peppers

    spoonful of unstuffed pepper lifted from skillet with more

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    “You can use any color of bell peppers to make unstuffed peppers, and it’s fun to use a mix for a colorful dish. For a bit of peppery warmth, add a poblano to the mix, or amp things up with a diced jalapeño. Crushed red pepper flakes add a nice dose of heat, as does hot sauce.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Tuscan-Style Beans

    Overhead shot of Tuscan butter beans in a skillet topped with dollops of ricotta toasted bread on the side

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    “If you’re not a huge fan of butter beans, feel free to swap them for another white bean, like cannellini or navy beans. The flavor will be a little different but still delicious.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

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  • Easy Ground Beef Taco Casserole

    easy taco casserol in a pot at a table setting with bowls of toppings, chips on a platter, and a bottle of beer

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    “This taco casserole comes together in no time, but you can break up the prep to make dinnertime even quicker. Make the ground beef mixture ahead of time, storing it in the fridge for up to three days. Just don’t add the chips until you’re ready to bake so they don’t get soggy.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

    Cast iron pizza with parmesan and basil.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    “A note about store-bought pizza dough: Feel free to use regular or whole-wheat, refrigerated, or frozen. You’ll want to transfer frozen dough from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before to allow it to thaw. Let refrigerated dough sit on the kitchen counter for 20 minutes or so to let it come to room temperature. It’ll be easier to stretch.” —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • One-Pot Sausage and Orzo

    Angled view of a wooden spoon in a skillet of orzo, italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “I like to use chicken broth for this recipe, but vegetable broth is also a nice option. Both provide flavor that water just can’t. That being said, if you’re in a pinch, use water and consider adding a touch of onion powder, thyme, and oregano for a little more flavor.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Recipe

    Cheesy spinach and artichoke ravioli cooked in a pan with a wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shystman

    “I like to use cheese ravioli in this recipe—the more cheese the better, am I right?—but you could use any fresh packaged ravioli you like. Swap in a meat-filled ravioli if you have meat lovers in your house or just want a bit of protein. Use the fresh kind from the refrigerated section at the grocery store for best results.” —Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer

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