30 Meals With 5 Ingredients or Less (That Actually Feel Like Dinner)

We've all been there; You need to get a meal on the table but you open the refrigerator and realize it's looking a little bare. Before heading to the store for an impromptu grocery run, consider what's possible with few ingredients. We have plenty of filling recipes that take advantage of pantry staples — and keep the ingredient list short. Most of these call for salt, pepper and some sort of cooking oil but, after that, all you need is 5 ingredients (or less!) to make them.

One of our go-tos? These salmon fillets that are packed with the perfect amount of sweet-and-smoky flavor thanks to two basics: brown sugar and chile powder. Serve them with a simple green salad or whatever frozen veggies you have on hand for an easy and satisfying weeknight meal.

This simple preparation is perfect for a weeknight — just shake and bake. All you have to do to make it a meal cook your favorite frozen veggie to serve alongside.

While it's true that you can add plenty of toppings to this chili, the base recipe only requires 5 ingredients: ground chuck, tomatoes, beans, onion and chili powder. And, while we'll be the first to load up our bowls with whatever we have on hand — we're just as likely to eat this chili as is, because it's truly that delicious and satisfying.

Ina’s classic fried chicken proves that the simplest recipes are often the best. It comes together with barely any ingredients and tastes great. Aside from the salt and pepper for seasoning and the oil for cooking, you only need three ingredients: buttermilk, flour and chicken.

Valerie says, "This sausage and pea pasta is so fast and comforting. It’s only five ingredients, but the sauce is so flavorful, it tastes like it’s been simmering all day!"

Who knew you could make a ricotta-and-oregano-topped pie that would rival the one sold at your favorite pizzeria with so few ingredients?! If you don't have a frozen pizza dough on hand, don't despair. You can make your own with just two ingredients: self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.

Ellie glazes pork chops with a blend of maple, orange and chipotle peppers for the perfect balance of flavor. Add a side of veggies and some cooked rice to these char-grilled chops for an easy, family-friendly meal.

Pasta, milk and cheese all cooked in a single pot may be mac and cheese at its most basic, but this streamlined 3-ingredient version doesn’t skimp on the creamy richness you expect from homemade — and it’s as quick to cook as packaged versions. We experimented with different combinations of dairy to land on our simple formula. For the creamiest results, we like the combination of evaporated milk and American cheese, but you can tweak the recipe by using half-and-half or whole milk if you prefer. Similarly, American cheese gave the dish the creamiest finish, but if you want to vary the flavor you can use half American cheese and half of another good melting cheese — mild Cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper jack, Colby, Havarti or fontina are all excellent.

This five-ingredient dinner is sure to please every member in the family! Don’t throw those carrot tops away, use them to make a quick gremolata to serve as a light and bright accompaniment to your meal.

When you want to create a flavorful meal with fewer ingredients, Italian sausage is always a great choice. Here, it’s removed from its casing and broken up into small pieces as it cooks — guaranteeing that every bite of pasta is equally satisfying.

Turkey burgers are totally transformed with just a few, simple ingredients. Ellie stuffs the patties with roasted red peppers and shredded mozzarella so that every bite has tons of flavor. Grab a bag of oven fries from your freezer and you’ve got dinner!

Although this soup is made with just five ingredients, the cooking technique packs the soup with flavor. You start by poaching bone-in chicken thighs in chicken broth, which amps up the flavor of the broth and leaves you with meat so tender, it practically falls off the bone. A swirl of pesto at the end delivers a cheesy, herby hit and turns the soup a vibrant green.

When you need a low-ingredient meal that's ready fast, look no further than carbonara. Sunny's version replaces the pancetta with crumbled spicy, Italian sausage for an even meatier, satisfying bite.

Ree’s super-quick recipe uses a few shortcuts (like store-bought teriyaki sauce and microwave jasmine rice) to put a complete meal on the table with just a handful of ingredients.

Ree was challenged by a friend to devise an easy dinner with just 3 ingredients. This sausage casserole was the result. The only thing you need to remember is to thaw the puff pastry the night before you want to make it.

This easy meal has it all: savory sausage and mushrooms, filling pasta and a nice pop of color from green peas. Top simply with freshly grated cheese for a simple meal you’ll make again and again.

Use only five ingredients to create this tasty meal! The creamy coconut milk and bold flavor from the red curry paste carry through to the steak and the rice.

This pasta salad is bright, savory and satisfying thanks to just a few thoughtfully chosen Italian ingredients. From the juicy tomatoes and marinated mozzarella balls to the salty bites of Genoa salami, the pasta shells hug all of the ingredients to make every forkful completely flavorful. Reserving the marinade from the mozzarella balls and using it as the dressing ties everything together and means you don’t have to mix up (or buy) a separate vinaigrette for the dish — an excellent bonus for a delicious salad!

When fresh wild Alaskan salmon is out of season, it's frozen salmon to the rescue. Since the texture of seafood changes from freezing, it's important to add moisture back in and cook it right. Cutting salmon into bite-size pieces, like those in this stir-fry, enhances the texture.

Paprika comes in a few different varieties (sweet, smoked and hot) so make sure you follow Trisha’s lead in this recipe. The smokiness is perfect for roasted chicken. Roast some potatoes or throw together a simple green salad and you’ve got a meal.

This shrimp risotto uses the shrimp shells and tails to create a flavorful stock that will infuse into the rice as it cooks. The bright lemon combined with the homemade stock and peppery arugula creates a taste that’s so bold, you’ll never believe it only took 5 ingredients to make!

These shortcut bagels call for just two ingredients and take less than an hour to come together (no yeast or rising time required, thanks to the use of self-rising flour). Slice your bagels and use them to sandwich a fried egg and a slice of cheese and you've got breakfast for dinner — with fewer than 5 ingredients.

If you're craving a juicy piece of meat from the grill but still desire a meal with a light finish, give pork tenderloin a try. Grilled peaches also pair well with chicken or can be enjoyed as a side dish for any barbecue.

Sweet Italian sausage and white beans work double duty here to keep the number of ingredients low. The sausage is filled with spices and aromatics that punch up the flavor of the soup, so you don't have to add any extra seasonings. Plus, the onion is sautéed in the sausage fat instead of an in extra ingredient like olive oil. The white beans not only infuse the dish with tons of satisfying protein — they become super creamy when they are pureed at the end, so no cream is necessary.

This tortellini pasta salad makes a perfect vegetarian meal, but you could easily add cooked chicken if you wanted to bulk it up.

Sunny turns a boneless pork shoulder into a mouthwatering filling for slider rolls with the help of cola and crushed pineapple. The result is juicy, flavorful pulled pork that has just a hint of sweetness — perfect for a Sunday dinner or meal prep alike.

Not only does this recipe get dinner on the table with just 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) but it relies on pantry staples: pasta, canned tuna and crushed red pepper flakes. If you don’t have the fresh mint skip it, or try a different take using fresh basil or even arugula, instead.

While this gluten-free salad is complete as is, it also serves as a canvas for other ingredients if you want to make a grain-and-vegetable bowl, a quick and easy lunchtime favorite. One tasty option includes serving it on top of a handful of fresh baby spinach and sprinkling with toasted sliced almonds or sesame seeds. If you have cooked-vegetable leftovers, toss those on, too, as well as any random garnishes you have on hand, like chopped scallions, fresh cilantro or fresh-squeezed lime.

You probably have all these ingredients for an impromptu breakfast for dinner in your kitchen already (And, no, store-bought mix isn't one of them.)