26 Easy 5-Ingredient Dinners To Make on Repeat

These dinner recipes prove that just 5 ingredients can go a long way. From delicious pastas to hearty bowls and sheet pan meals, you're definitely going to find a few new favorites that are more than the sum of their parts.

Overhead view of a white platter of maple glazed chicken and squash next to a red cloth napkin — Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

These recipes prove that just because you use a small number of ingredients, you don't have to sacrifice flavor or quality. Every one of these 5-ingredient dinner recipes is a quick, easy, and economical answer to the question each one of us asks ourselves every night: "What's for dinner?"

Broccoli Pasta

Overhead shot of a bowl of rigatoni pasta with broccoli and parmesan cheese — Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

"I often serve this pasta on its own, but if I have a rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken on hand, I’ll toss that into the mix for a dose of protein." —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

Sheet Pan Salmon With Asparagus

sheet pan salmon topped with lemon and capers next to asparagus — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

"This sheet pan recipe is a complete dinner. You could cook some couscous, rice, or orzo to round the meal out. If I’m feeling lazy, I just bring some crusty bread and good olive oil to the table." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

Spinach White Bean Soup

Overhead view of a white bowl of white bean and spinach soup with a spoon next to a plate of bread and bowl of lemon slices — Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

"This incredibly simple soup is thick, rich but not heavy, and feels way fancier than you’d expect from the minimal amount of work involved. I mean, there is literally zero chopping!" —Alexandra Shytsman, Recipe Developer

Fresh Tomato Pasta

"The recipe comes together in around 15 minutes, since you make the sauce while the pasta is cooking and then toss everything together in the saucepan at the end. This is one of those riffable recipes that you can make your own, just don’t fuss over it too much; it should be nice and easy." —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer

10-Minute Creamy White Beans and Greens

Overhead view of a bowl of beans and greens with a chunk of bread all next to a spoon and resting on a blue cloth napkin — Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

"Two things set this recipe apart from the other beans and greens out there. First, some beans are mashed before they’re added, and second, I make use of an oft-discarded ingredient: the bean liquid, aka aquafaba. Both of these things lend a velvety body to the whole dish and give it a rich, creamy texture." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

Egg Roll in a Bowl

"I love this recipe because it uses four easy-to-find ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Ground meat, a bag of coleslaw mix, soy sauce, and ginger are pretty much all you need to make this dish." —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

Maple Glazed Chicken and Squash

"If I’m in a hurry, I limit the marinating window to the time it takes for the oven to preheat and the squash slices to par-bake (about 30 minutes). If I have more time (and forethought), I like to marinate the chicken in the maple syrup mixture overnight in the refrigerator so the meat is even more deeply flavored throughout." —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla

"Serve these quesadillas on game day, for lunch, for dinner, or maybe even for breakfast if you’re feeling adventurous. Just think, you’re only 20 minutes away from total bliss." —Liv Dansky, Recipe Developer

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Overhead view of a white bowl of cauliflower soup drizzled with paprika oil — Simply Recipes / Jazzmin Kaita

"This soup happens to be vegetarian and dairy-free, but it’s rich and creamy with that stick-to-the-ribs quality that all the best soups have. Given how few ingredients you need to make it, it’s remarkably flavorful thanks to the roasting process, which browns the cauliflower and onions." —Megan Scott, 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

"Seared in a hot skillet and coated in the easiest cream sauce, these humble potato dumplings will please even the pickiest of eaters!" —Sara Bir, Contributor

Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

Overhead view of a bowl of roast chicken and cubed sweet potatoes — Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

"My sheet pan chicken with sweet potatoes recipe is incredibly simple and endlessly adaptable. The marinade—lime juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper—transforms chicken thighs into juicy, caramelized perfection." —Shayma Saadat, Recipe Developer

Pan-Roasted Shrimp and Okra

"The Cajun seasoning is the secret—it adds tons of flavor to the tender shrimp, crisp okra, and juicy tomatoes. You’ll have a beautiful, delicious dish in under 20 minutes." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

Crab Pasta

Overhead shot of two bowls with a creamy crab fettuccine pasta, with a lemon wedge and chopped fresh tarragon as garnish — Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

"While it truly is the Cadillac of pasta, it’s also a snap to throw together (taking about 15 minutes start to finish). I can wear something fancy, sip a French 75 cocktail, and still get dinner on the table in no time flat." —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

Broccoli Cheddar Creamy Beans

"You just need five ingredients (plus a little oil) and 15 minutes to make this dish from start to finish. You’ve got protein from the beans and cheese and a nice dose of vegetables from the broccoli. Eat it as-is or pair it with a little crusty bread, and dinner is done in record time." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

Gingery, Garlicky Ground Beef

Ground Beef with Rice — Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn

"I keep whole ginger in the freezer and grate just what I need for cooking. Frozen ginger is easier and safer to grate than fresh because the fibers don't get stuck on the blades. You don't need to peel the ginger and can grate it right over the wok." —Myo Quinn, Contributor

Lemony Zucchini Pasta

5-ingredient zucchini pasta in a pot with a wooden spoon — Simply Recipes / Grace Elkus

"The recipe begins brilliantly: grate two pounds of zucchini, cook it down until it becomes wonderfully thick and spreadable, then toss it with a pound of pasta." —Grace Elkus, Recipe Developer

Easy Pasta Bake

My family's 5-ingredient pasta bake — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

"Since the pasta will be cooked twice, it’s better to slightly undercook it during its initial boil. Check it two minutes before you expect it to be done to determine texture. It should still be a little hard." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

Turkey Taco Bowls

Plate of 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, bowl of lime wedges, and a fork on a table napkin — Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

"For our vegetarian friends, we love draining extra-firm tofu, grating it on the large holes of a box grater, and sauteing it in a pan! The resulting texture is very similar to ground turkey." —Liv Danksy, Recipe Developer

Pesto Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes

"I like to toast up some very simple garlic bread while the shrimp are cooking, in order to make this a full meal." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

"Since easy is the name of the game for this skillet dinner, I like to use baby kale or spinach. Both come pre-washed and wilted in just a minute or two under the heat of the pasta. If you want to turn the volume up on the pepperiness even further, you can also try baby or regular arugula." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

Crispy Chicken With Zucchini and Shallots

crispy chicken thighs with zucchini and shallots in a dutch oven — Simply Recipes / Photo by Will Dickey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

"For incredibly crispy and delicious chicken thighs, don’t crank up the heat—medium is where it’s at. The long cook time helps to render out the fat more evenly, yielding crispy goodness." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

Linguine With Tuna and Capers

"I love the Tonnino tuna in jars. If you can find them, use them here! You may need to add less olive oil to the recipe, as the jars have more oil in them than cans do." —Julia Levy, Recipe Developer

Ravioli Lasagna

"So much of this dish’s flavor is built at the grocery store. My family loves Rao’s basic marinara but grab your favorite roasted garlic marinara or arrabbiata sauce. You could even shortcut this further with a jar of bolognese sauce." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

Upside-Down Chili Pie

"If using 5 ingredients isn't your main goal: add 1/2 cup of finely grated cheddar cheese and a strained 4-ounce can of canned chopped jalapeños to your cornbread batter. This will give your cornbread a fun color and bite of spice." —Malina Syvoravong, Recipe Developer

Midnight Pasta

"If you’re truly anchovy-averse or want to make this pasta vegetarian or vegan, swap the anchovies with a tablespoon of capers, a generous handful of pitted, chopped olives (buttery green Casteveltranos are especially nice), or some chopped marinated or canned artichokes. Use an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the recipe." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

Dumpling Salad

A bowl with the Trader Joe's Miso Crunch Chopped Salad Kit and dumplings — Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

"One of the best things about this “recipe” is how flexible it is. I’ve made it with all sorts of dumplings, from shrimp to pork and cabbage to vegetable to chicken—everything works. You can change it up to suit your mood and your diet." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director