20+ Weeknight Dinner Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less

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On May 16, 2025

Need a simple but satisfying meal for dinner? These easy recipes will do the trick! These delicious dishes come together easily with no more than five ingredients (excluding staples like salt, pepper and oil). You’ll love options like our Sheet-Pan Lemon-Pepper Chicken with Broccoli & Tomatoes and our Grilled Salmon with Sweet Peppers for a healthy dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

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Brie and Blackberry Jam Grilled Cheese

Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco

This sandwich pairs creamy Brie cheese with a sweet-and-savory blackberry jam spread for the perfect ultra-quick dinner option.

White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

Sheet-Pan Lemon-Pepper Chicken with Broccoli & Tomatoes

Ali Redmond

This sheet-pan lemon-pepper chicken with broccoli and tomatoes offers a blend of vitamin-rich vegetables, a healthy dose of fiber, and lean protein to fill your plate. Lemon pepper seasons the dish, adding brightness and spice.

Grilled Salmon with Sweet Peppers

It may seem counterintuitive to start the fish skin-side up. But when you flip it, the fish skin captures the juices as it finishes cooking for extra-flavorful results. Serve with chimichurri sauce (see Associated Recipe).

Teriyaki Edamame Sauté

Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeled less sodium or reduced sodium to cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor.

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

French Onion Grilled Cheese

Elizabeth Laseter

One of our favorite comfort foods—French onion soup—meets crowd-pleasing grilled cheese in a sandwich with the flavors of both dishes.

Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes

Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This easy ravioli dish is loaded with fresh flavors. Using grape tomatoes, prewashed spinach and prepared pesto eliminates prep work, making this 15-minute Caprese-inspired ravioli the ideal weeknight meal.

Chicken Tinga Baked Pasta

Jacob Fox

This spicy baked pasta features leftover chicken tinga, a dish hailing from Puebla, Mexico. The rich tomato-chipotle sauce adds heat and creaminess to the dish.

Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions

These 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Chickpeas

Carolyn A. Hodges, RD

Here, roasted red pepper soup is jazzed up with canned chickpeas and fresh baby spinach for a fast, comforting meal.

Tortellini with Sausage & Kale

Photo by: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

Precooked chicken sausage is a handy shortcut ingredient because it heats up quickly and adds lots of flavor without a lot of fuss. A roasted garlic variety pairs perfectly with cheese tortellini and sautéed leafy greens.

Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Whisking a beaten egg into simmering broth is a quick and easy way to add creaminess and protein to noodle soup mix. Add freshness with a handful of baby spinach at the end.

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Goat cheese is a luscious and creamy cheese that’s lower in calories, fat and sodium than other soft cheeses. Here, we combine it with fresh herbs and garlic, then stuff the mixture inside chicken breasts for a deliciously speedy weeknight dinner.

Spinach-Artichoke-Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Hearty and piquant, this quick cauliflower gnocchi dinner incorporates several healthy convenience ingredients, including turkey sausage and tender artichoke hearts, so dinner is on your table fast.

Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Hash with Chicken Sausage

Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Apple-flavored chicken sausage adds flavor and protein in this quick dinner hash that uses shaved Brussels sprouts and cubed sweet potatoes as its hearty, high-fiber base.

Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied.

Green Goddess White Bean Salad

Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Halloumi

Here, we enhance the flavor of boxed butternut squash soup with curry powder, then top it with irresistible halloumi cheese. Serve with warm whole-grain pita bread.

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto

Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD

Cauliflower gnocchi gets crisp in a sauté pan and is served with steamed asparagus. We finish with prepared basil pesto for a vibrant and flavorful meal.

Chicken Curry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Use convenience ingredients, like cooked chicken (leftover or purchased) and store-bought curry sauce to whip up these easy loaded baked potatoes. We call for cauliflower in this recipe, but feel free to sub in whatever veggies you have on hand for a quick and easy dinner. You can also swap the sweet potatoes for russets.