The fewer the ingredients, the less decision fatigue, less shopping, and less prep. These 5-ingredient dinners prove that simple cooking does not mean boring cooking. Each recipe uses exactly five main ingredients — pantry staples like salt, pepper, and oil do not count.
1. Garlic Butter Pasta
Ingredients: pasta, garlic, butter, parmesan, black pepper
Cook pasta, reserve a cup of pasta water. Melt butter in the same pan, add minced garlic, cook 1 minute. Add pasta, a splash of pasta water, and parmesan. Toss vigorously until creamy. Finish with black pepper. Ready in 15 minutes. This is the original 5-ingredient dinner.
2. Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients: bone-in chicken thighs, honey, soy sauce, garlic, lemon
Mix honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken thighs in a baking dish. Bake at 400F (200C) for 28 to 32 minutes, basting once halfway through. The sauce reduces to a sticky glaze. Serve over rice.
3. Tomato and Egg Shakshuka
Ingredients: canned crushed tomatoes, eggs, garlic, onion, cumin
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes and cumin, simmer 8 minutes. Make wells in the sauce and crack in eggs. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes until whites are set and yolks are still runny. Serve with bread for dipping. Ready in 25 minutes.
4. Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients: large shrimp, garlic, butter, lemon, parsley
Melt butter in a hot skillet. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Squeeze lemon over the top and scatter fresh parsley. Serve over pasta or rice. Ready in 12 minutes. See the full version: Lemon Garlic Shrimp.
5. Black Bean Quesadillas
Ingredients: flour tortillas, canned black beans, cheddar cheese, cumin, lime
Season drained black beans with cumin and lime juice. Layer beans and shredded cheddar between two tortillas. Cook in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden. Slice and serve with sour cream. Ready in 10 minutes.
6. Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients: pasta, pesto, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil
Cook pasta. Halve cherry tomatoes and blister in a hot pan for 3 minutes. Toss pasta with pesto, add tomatoes. Top with torn mozzarella and fresh basil. Ready in 18 minutes. No cooking beyond boiling pasta.
7. Teriyaki Salmon
Ingredients: salmon fillets, soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame seeds
Mix soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Marinate salmon for 10 minutes. Pan-sear or air-fry at 400F for 10 to 12 minutes. Glaze with remaining marinade. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Serve over rice. Ready in 25 minutes.
8. Caprese Chicken
Ingredients: chicken breast, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, balsamic glaze
Season chicken, pan-sear 6 to 7 minutes per side. Top with sliced mozzarella and tomato. Cover pan and heat 2 minutes until cheese melts. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and scatter fresh basil. Ready in 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I make for dinner with only 5 ingredients?
Garlic butter pasta, honey garlic chicken, lemon garlic shrimp, black bean quesadillas, and shakshuka are all genuinely delicious with exactly 5 main ingredients. The key is using high-flavor ingredients — garlic, soy sauce, honey, parmesan — that do a lot of work with very little volume.
What are the easiest 5-ingredient meals?
Black bean quesadillas (10 minutes), lemon garlic shrimp (12 minutes), and garlic butter pasta (15 minutes) are the three fastest options. All require basic cooking skills and common pantry ingredients.
For more simple dinner ideas, see the easy dinner ideas hub and air fryer dinner recipes.
Disclaimer: Pantry staples such as salt, pepper, and oil are not counted in the 5-ingredient limit.