50 Five-Ingredient Recipes That Aren't Overly Complicated But Still Taste Amazing (2024)

One word: burrata. Need I say more?

Recipe: Pappardelle With Burrata and Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Serve these crispy baked shrimp over orzo, rice, or your favorite grains for a satisfying meal.

Recipe: Lemon Panko Shrimp

Jazz up your basic bowl of soup with the help of mini grilled cheese croutons. All you'll need is your favorite store bought tomato soup, sliced bread, cheese (like sharp cheddar), and butter for frying.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Croutons

This might just be the easiest seafood dinner ever. Pan sear scallops for about two minutes per side in rich and zesty lemon butter sauce and enjoy.

Recipe: Lemon Butter Scallops

This is a one-pot pasta literally anyone can make. Just dump the ingredients into boiling water, give 'em a twirl, and you'll have dinner on the table about 10 minutes later.

Recipe: One-Pot Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta

These spaghetti squash boats are extra filling thanks to quinoa, but you can easily leave the grains out and add in whatever vegetables are in your fridge like spinach or broccoli.

Recipe: Pesto Spaghetti Squash Boats

Marinate a pork tenderloin in hot chili paste like sambal oelek or sriracha, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic, then give it a good sear in a sizzling hot pan until crispy. The longer you marinate, the better the flavor.

Recipe: Five-Ingredient Spicy Pork

Five-ingredient, creamy jumbo lump crab soup in under 30 minutes? It's possible, and this recipe is proof.

Recipe: Easy Crab Soup

Grab a box or orzo (or really any grain) and your go-to sausage and stir-fry it in garlic, chicken broth, and Parmesan. Bonus points if you add whatever leafy greens are sitting in your fridge.

Recipe: Chicken Sausage and Orzo Skillet

This chicken parm has a secret: it starts with frozen (or store bought) breaded chicken tenders.

Recipe: Chicken Parmesan

Garlic, almond milk, soaked cashews, kale, and pasta (plus olive oil, salt, and pepper) are the only ingredients you need to whip up this decadent dish with homemade sauce.

Recipe: Creamy Kale Pasta

Sometimes simple is best like in the case of this perfectly roast chicken featuring crispy, melt-in-your-mouth skin and tender meat. Plus, it feeds a whole family.

Recipe: Whole Roast Chicken With Carrots

This vegetarian pasta is super affordable yet it's bursting with flavor from juicy cherry tomatoes, salty capers, Castelvetrano olives, and savory parsley.

Recipe: One-Pot Puttanesca Pasta

Everyone needs a few great one-pot pasta recipes. Bookmark this one and make it on repeat.

Recipe: Bacon Asparagus Pasta

Throw some boneless skinless chicken breasts and a jar of salsa verde into your slow cooker and just wait for the magic to happen.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken

Pasta + cream + Dijon + extra sharp cheddar + Parmesan = a cheesy, carb-filled dream come true.

Recipe: Cheesy Pasta Gratin

Grab a bottle of ranch dressing and mix it with pasta, kale, cherry tomatoes, and lots of grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

This recipe calls for individual bone-in chicken pieces instead of the whole bird so you get all of the flavor or roasted chicken but in a fraction of the time.

Recipe: Faux Roast Chicken

This light and fresh family-friendly meal comes together with just chicken breasts, juicy sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar.

Recipe: Caprese Chicken

Start with your favorite store-bought pizza dough and top it with canned pumpkin purée, gouda, and caramelized onions cooked in olive oil until sweet and golden.

Recipe: Pumpkin and Gouda Pizza

Even picky eaters won't feel like they're eating vegetables thanks to these cheesy, Mexican-inspired spaghetti squash bowls. Garnish them with whatever extra ingredients are in your fridge like diced avocado, cilantro, or jalapeños.

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Bowls

This Panera Bread copycat recipe is guaranteed to impress. Make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week with some crispy bread for dunking.

Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Soup

This true dump dinner is made with boneless chicken breasts, your favorite store bought hot sauce, butter, and chicken broth. Serve it over rice, on top of a salad, as sliders, or in in a wrap sandwich.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken

This filling soup comes together with inexpensive pantry ingredients, making it a perfect option for nights when you're low on fresh groceries.

Recipe: Easy Bean Soup

Coconut milk gives this vegan-friendly soup its creaminess and a dash of curry powder makes it delightfully spicy.

Recipe: Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Before you order take-out tonight, consider this restaurant-quality chicken dish you can throw together with ingredients that are probably already in your fridge.

Recipe: Five-Ingredient Chicken Piccata

For game day (or any day) this easy, protein-packed white chicken chili is a clear winner.

Recipe: White Chicken Chili