Don’t be limited by a lack of ingredients! Each of these are just 5 ingredient recipes and don’t require a lengthy list of items to make. Breakfast, dinner, sides, or desserts—we have it all!
More collections: 3 Ingredient Recipes, Pantry Staple Recipes
SPare a Trip to the Store!
Don’t want a grocery list that’s a mile long? Better yet, you might even be able to skip a trip to the grocery store altogether!
I have collected some delicious 5 ingredient recipes, most of which are items and supplies that you probably already have in your pantry and are perfect for a weeknight dinner.
From breakfast to dinner to a late night treat, I know you’ll be able to find something delicious you can easily whip up.
Tips for these Recipes
Variations. Be sure to read the recipe notes. Many of these recipes include variations and substitutions that you can use. For example, you might come across a recipe for beef tacos, but instead of using ground beef you could easily substitute it with pork or chicken.
Substitutions. Maybe you have ingredients to make rice krispie treats, except for a box of rice krispies. Just use different cereal such as chex mix or lucky charms. Be creative with the supplies that you have and you’ll find you can make more recipes than you thought.
Storing tips. The posts have other helpful tips and storage information. I especially love when a recipe can be frozen for later. Since you’re already making the dish, it’s super cost and time efficient to double the recipe and have a meal for another day.
What can I make with what I have on hand?
Take a look at what supplies you have. You most likely have the needed ingredients to make easy and delicious meals.
Soups: For a basic soup all you need is a combination of broth, protein, vegetable and seasoning.
- Broth can be chicken, beef or vegetable. You can even make some using water and a bouillon cube
- Choose a protein such as chicken, beef, sausage, ham, beans
- Various Vegetables such as carrots, celery, onion, potato
- Seasoning like garlic, parsley, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning
Stir fry: The main ingredients for a stir fry include:
- Protein like chicken, beef tofu, pork, seafood, tempeh
- Any Vegetables you have on hand. Just cut them the same size
- Aromatics like ginger, shallot, garlic, green onion
- Stir fry sauce: You may have a premade sauce on hand or you can whip one up using ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and cornstarch
Casserole: Most casseroles have the following ingredient sin common:
- Protein: most often ground beef, but chicken sausage and beans can also be used
- Starch: a base of some type of potato, pasta, or rice. Breadcrumbs are often used as a topping for casseroles
- Vegetables of some sort such as broccoli or cauliflower florets, chopped asparagus, corn, peas, bell peppers
- Soups or Sauces: Cream based soups are widely used, as are tomato based sauces
Pastas:
- Any type of pasta can create a great dish
- Open a can of sauce or whip up your own white or red sauce
- Grilled chicken breast, seasoned ground beef oir slices of sausage are favorites to add
- Mix in some vegetables like mushrooms and shredded carrots or zucchini
Take the guesswork out of creating your own meal and pick one of our 5 ingredients recipes.
Disclaimer: some recipes may have more than 5 ingredients listed. Either the extra ingredients are optional and are not required in making a completed dish, or they are basic kitchen staples like salt and oil.
5 Ingredient Breakfast Recipes
Just because these recipes only have a handful of ingredients doesn’t mean they’re not hearty!
Every single one of these recipes either has eggs, breakfast meats, or other protein to make them filling enough to start your day off right.
Biscuit Egg Casserole – A delicious Biscuit Egg Casserole recipe filled with biscuits, cheese, eggs and sausage, and takes only minutes to throw together! This breakfast casserole is a family favorite for weekends and holidays!
Buttermilk Syrup – Pour this delicious homemade buttermilk syrup over pancakes, waffles, and crepes. It only takes 5 ingredients, and 5 minutes to make!
Biscuits And Gravy – This CLASSIC Biscuits and Gravy recipe is one everyone knows and loves! Delicious buttery biscuits smothered in a homemade sausage gravy! It only takes a few simple ingredients and is perfect for breakfast (dinner) or a holiday morning!
Breakfast Burrito – Delicious breakfast burritos are the perfect on-the-go breakfast! Load them with all your favorite fixings.
Protein Pancakes – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! These protein packed pancakes are your new favorite recipe. Fluffy, healthy, and incredibly delicious!
Breakfast Pizza – This Bacon Breakfast Pizza is a cheesy breakfast recipe topped with eggs, bacon and your favorite breakfast ingredients! It’s simple, quick and is easily customized based off of your favorite morning ingredients.
Breakfast Egg Cups – Deliciously cheesy Breakfast Egg Cups have a crispy crescent roll bottom layered with eggs, bacon and cheese on top!
Cheesy Breakfast Potato Casserole – This Cheesy Breakfast Potato Casserole takes minutes to make and is delicious!! This recipe will become a breakfast favorite.
German Pancakes – These light, fluffy, eggy German Pancakes have become a family favorite breakfast recipe! They’re EASY to make, requiring only 5 simple ingredients that are kitchen staples.
Breakfast Sandwich – Smooth morning with quick and simple breakfast sandwiches filled with egg, cheese, sausage, and bacon in a fluffy English muffin.
5 ingredient dinner recipes
The last thing you want to do after a long day is make a dinner that uses a laundry list full of ingredients. These recipes are filling, flavorful, and will leave your family plenty satisfied without a copious amount of work.
Easy Refried Beans – Get perfectly creamy restaurant style refried beans by adding just THREE extra ingredients to your canned beans! These refried beans are perfect served as a dip, side, or filling for burritos and tacos!
Bruschetta Chicken – Baked Bruschetta Chicken is marinated in Italian dressing and topped with cheese. It is simple and delicious!!
Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken – Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken – a simple and delicious chicken recipe that is perfect for salads, burritos, quesadillas and tacos!
Green Chili Chicken – Green chili chicken is easy and delicious. Topped with cheese and green chili sauce guarantees it will become a new favorite in no time!!
Flautas – Tortillas filled with meat and cheese and fried to perfection! Crispy, flavorful flautas are a delicious dinner for everyone!
Pot Roast – This Crock Pot Roast Recipe is one of our favorite Sunday dinners. It takes only 3 minutes of prep time and then the slow cooker does the rest! The chuck roast ends up being SO tender and full of flavor from the brown gravy, Italian, and ranch dressing mix!
Corn Dog Muffins – Mini corn dog muffins are yummy and kid friendly. These tasty bite-size snacks are ready in under 20 minutes!
Easy Pizza Casserole – Quick and delicious Easy Pizza Casserole – prepped in 5 minutes and only requires 5 ingredients. We call that a dinner win!
Pigs In A Blanket – A yummy lunch, dinner, or snack idea for the whole family! Homemade pigs in a blanket with delicious crescent dough and a sprinkling of sesame seeds on top!
Indian Fry Bread – Delicious Homemade Fry Bread—aka “Navajo Tacos” or “Indian Bread”—pillows of dough, fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Make it a meal by adding sweet or savory toppings!
Crescent Roll Chicken Bundles – Shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, Italian dressing mix, and cream of chicken rolled into buttery crescent dough! These flavorful Chicken Crescent Roll Bundles have become a family fave.
Sopa De Fideo – This quick, simple and delicious Sopa (soup) de Fideo is a family favorite. It’s also cheesy and flavorful! Just 5 Ingredients and you’ll have dinner in no time.
Baked Pesto Chicken – Chicken breast halves covered in basil pesto, baked with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. So easy, but SO delicious!
Lemon Pepper Chicken – Flavorful and tender Lemon Pepper Chicken is simple and requires just a few ingredients. Served on its own or over rice, this buttery chicken dish is perfect any night of the week for a simple, quick dinner idea.
Easy Ground Beef Tacos – One of our favorite versions of tacos – ground beef tacos!! They’re filled with meat and cheese, fried until golden and topped with lettuce and tomatoes.
5 Ingredient Side dishes
Sides should NOT be complicated, especially not more complicated than the main dish!
That’s why we love these side dishes specifically. Most are a vegetable with the addition of some seasonings or sauces to easily dress them up.
Candied Sweet Potatoes – Delicious Candied Sweet Potatoes – a simple and tasty side dish that will be a family favorite! Soft sweet potatoes mixed with butter, brown sugar, water, salt and pepper.
Homemade Croutons – Crunchy crispy homemade croutons for all your salad needs! Throw out that bag of store bought croutons and make your own at home! SO YUMMY!
Sheet Pan Oven Roasted Vegetables – Simple, flavorful, and healthy roasted vegetables that take less than 10 minutes of prep work! Nothing beats yummy veggies roasted in the oven!
Baked Beans – Easy Homemade Baked Beans is a must-have at all of our BBQ’s. Everyone who tries it agrees it’s the best baked beans recipe!
Buttermilk Biscuits – You only need FOUR ingredients to whip up a batch of these golden and flaky buttermilk biscuits. Enjoy them on their own, with a dollop of jam, or smothered in gravy!
Parmesan Potatoes – Simple and delicious baked parmesan potatoes are the perfect side dish, made from cubed potatoes coated in parmesan and a few simple seasonings.
Easy Yeast Rolls – These easy yeast rolls can be made in under an hour with just 4 ingredients! With how quick and simple they are, they will become your new go-to dinner rolls.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots – If you need a go-to side dish, these Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots are perfect for you! The tastiest candied carrots recipe!! Even better, it takes less than 10 minutes to make and only requires 4 ingredients!
Grilled Asparagus – Grilled asparagus is the best side dish alongside almost any dinner recipe! Sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a little parmesan cheese—this recipe is incredible!
Easy Bread Recipe – With 5 ingredients, make two delicious loaves of bread. Whether you’re a bread beginner or a pro baker, you’ll love this Easy Bread recipe!
5 ingredient Desserts
Maybe you have last minute company coming over, or maybe you’re craving a late night treat.
Either way, it’s not the time for a fancy dessert with a million random spices and the like. But don’t underestimate the sweet flavor these recipes contain regardless of their simplicity!
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies – Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies combine two cookie classics – No Bake Cookies + Peanut Butter Cookies. The combo of the two make a delicious, simple cookie recipe that is perfect for anyone who loves peanut butter treats.
Jello Poke Cake – Cake with Jello drizzles poked throughout, and topped with a smooth layer of whipped cream! This light and cool Jello Poke Cake recipe is always a crowd favorite.
Copycat Orange Julius – Refreshing & simple Copycat Orange Julius takes a minute to make and tastes just like the real thing. It is a favorite family treat!
Candied Pecans – Want your house to smell like a big holiday hug? Make these candied pecans and get ready for the tastiest smell to fill your home!
Puppy Chow Mix – Our Favorite Puppy Chow Recipe!! So easy to make-which includes chex cereal, powdered sugar, & yummy melted peanut butter and chocolate chips!!
Easy Buckeyes – This recipe is for all the peanut butter and chocolate lovers out there! These Easy Buckeyes consist of a delicious peanut butter mixture, frozen and dipped in melted chocolate. SO easy (only 5 ingredients!!) yet SO delicious!
Homemade Reese’s – Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! Made with peanut butter, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and chocolate candy quick, you’ll love this version made at home.
Flourless Chocolate Cake – The BEST Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe. This simple, smooth and fudgy cake is sure to get rave reviews and is a great cake to add to your favorite go-to desserts.
Caramel Apple Dip – The creamiest and most delicious Caramel Apple Dip you’ll ever find. Just a few ingredients are required, but dark brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk make this recipe a crowd pleaser at any get together.
Best Rice Krispie Treats – Ooey gooey Rice Krispies Treats that are so scrumptious you won’t be able to eat just one! Loaded with butter and melted marshmallows in every bite, this is our go-to recipe for making this classic treat!
the complete list
Here are the picture cards for all of the awesome 5 Ingredient Recipes listed above.
You will be impressed at how effortlessly these scrumptious dishes come together with just a few simple ingredients. You’ll want to make them again and again!
More Collections: Easy Breakfast Ideas, Easy Salad Recipes, Easy Dinner Ideas
Anna