20 Simple Recipes That Only Need 5 Ingredients
Simple, Budget-Friendly, and Delicious
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The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
Who says dinner needs to be complicated to be delicious? These recipes with five ingredients or less come together quickly but taste like you put loads of time and effort into them. Each needs only a handful of ingredients (plus salt, pepper, and cooking oil in some cases), so they won't strain your family budget. You'll find easy recipes here for satisfying weeknight meals plus side dishes, mains, and desserts that you can feel proud to serve when entertaining guests or just having a night at home.
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Grilled Salmon in 7 Easy Steps
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Perfectly grilled salmon is worthy of center stage on your dinner plate. Served with a simple salad and/or a grain like rice or couscous, it's a simply delicious dish. You can also use grilled salmon in pasta dishes or for a tasty sandwich.
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Homemade Baked Chicken and Potatoes
The Spruce
Baked chicken and potatoes, ready in 30 minutes, is a weeknight savior. Add a tossed salad or a green vegetable for a complete family meal. Use chicken thighs or breasts, and feel free to swap the garlic powder for dried rosemary or thyme.
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Spinach Casserole
The Spruce
Using frozen spinach and just a few other common ingredients, this spinach casserole is a tasty last-minute side dish. Serve it with roasted chicken, fish, or a steak dinner. There are plenty of variations included in the recipe in case you want to mix things up.
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Easy Classic Fettuccine Alfredo With Variations
The Spruce
Creamy, silky fettuccine Alfredo is one of the most delicious pasta recipes ever invented and a snap to prepare in about 15 minutes. Cook the pasta and stir the white sauce together at the same time for a quick meal. Top with cooked broccoli or chicken if you like.
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Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
The Spruce / Pete Scherer
Sliced thick, seasoned, and roasted, cauliflower has an almost meaty texture. Serve cauliflower steaks with pesto, chimichurri, or romanesco sauce, or coat in a spice rub much like actual beef.
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Cornflake-Crusted Baked Cod
The Spruce
This five-ingredient recipe for cornflake-crusted cod will please even picky eaters. It tastes enough like fish sticks that kids won't hesitate to gobble their dinner, but it's free of added preservatives that the pre-made, frozen fish sticks can have. Make it with any firm-fleshed white fish, such as cod, halibut, or haddock.
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5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Beans With Bacon
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
After frying some bacon, all this recipe requires is adding a few ingredients to the slow cooker and leaving it to cook until hot and flavorful. Serve the slow-cooker beans with burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, or anything from the grill.
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30-Minute Mexican Enchiladas
The Spruce
Mexican-style enchiladas are an easy, cheesy family meal that requires only a handful of ingredients. They bake up quickly in your oven, and you can easily spruce them up with a little bit of beef or chicken if you prefer a meatier casserole. The dish freezes well for up to three months.
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Make-Ahead Cheesy Scrambled Eggs
The Spruce
Super easy, delicious, make-ahead scrambled eggs is a wonderful time-saver. Heavy cream, sour cream, and cheddar make them extra creamy. Prepare them the night before, store in the fridge, and simply reheat at breakfast time.
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3-Ingredient Crockpot Turkey
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Main dishes don't get any easier than this 3-ingredient crockpot turkey. Your slow cooker does all the work of transforming a frozen turkey breast, canned cranberry sauce, and onion soup mix into a wonderful dinner.
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5-Ingredient Vegetarian Oven-Baked Pasta
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
Always a crowd-pleaser, this vegetarian pasta bake takes just 15 minutes to put together and can easily be customized. If you're a meat eater, add some cooked ground beef or sausage. Or add sautéed spinach or zucchini to make it a complete meal.
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Easy 4-Ingredient Pork Roast
The Spruce
Fresh garlic and seasoned salt are all you need to season this juicy pork roast. It's a simply delicious centerpiece for your next dinner, and leftovers can be turned into sandwiches. Use a meat thermometer to ensure you don't overcook your pork.
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4-Ingredient No-Bake Key Lime Pie
The Spruce
Even if you don't feel like turning on the oven, you can make a picture-perfect pie. This classic, custardy key lime pie needs only four ingredients, including the premade graham cracker crust. As it chills in your fridge, the acid from the lime juice cooks the egg yolks instead of baking.
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Slow-Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs
The Spruce
This fabulous recipe for slow-cooker spaghetti and meatballs tastes like it came straight out of the kitchen of an Italian restaurant. Frozen cooked meatballs are an easy shortcut that makes this mostly hands-free recipe even easier.
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Easy 3-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons
The Spruce Coconut macaroons couldn't be simpler. With just three ingredients, they're also vegan and gluten-free. To make them extra special, once the macaroons are cool, dip them partway in melted chocolate.
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Beef and Vegetables Stir-Fry
Jjpoole / E+ / Getty Images
Have leftover steak or roast beef in the fridge? Skip delivery and make this tasty, nutritious, filling beef and vegetable stir-fry. It's super quick to make with store-bought sauce and packaged frozen mixed vegetables. Serve with cooked rice or noodles for a kid-friendly dinner.
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Grilled Rosemary Garlic Shrimp
Robert Ingelhart / Getty Images
For an easy, delicious appetizer, you'll love these plump, juicy, grilled skewered shrimp. They only require a few ingredients and take just a few minutes to cook on the barbecue. To avoid skewers burning, soak them in warm water for half an hour before using.
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Indian SpiceRoasted Cauliflower
The Spruce / Ana Zelic
Roasted cauliflower cooked with Indian spices makes a flavorful side dish for roast chicken or pork. Curry powder is a combination of several spices, making it a quick and easy flavor booster for veggies and meat dishes.
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Stuffed Baked Potatoes
The Spruce / Loren Runion
If you're a fan of pub-style twice-baked potatoes, you'll love these cheesy stuffed potatoes. They go great with chili or a meaty main dish. To ensure the shells hold together, be sure to let the potatoes cool before slicing them open.
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Fastest Cheesecake
The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf
If you think cheesecake has to be challenging or time consuming, think again. You only need about an hour and four ingredients to whip up a perfectly light and fluffy cheesecake. For an elegant presentation, scatter fresh berries over the top or drizzle with chocolate ganache.