36 Big Flavor Recipes With Just A Handful Of 5 Ingredients or Less
Published Apr 03, 2026
This collection of 36 recipes uses five ingredients or less and includes easy breakfasts, dinners, chicken recipes, snacks, and desserts.
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I love a recipe with a short ingredient list, like under 5. Not because I only ever cook that way, but because some days I just want to make something without needing a huge grocery run or pulling half the pantry out. Fewer ingredients usually means less prep, less mess, and less time standing in the kitchen figuring out what I forgot.
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36 of my Fav Go-To 5 Ingredient Recipes
This collection has 36 recipes with 5 ingredients or less (excluding salt and pepper as ingredients since they are such cooking staples), and there’s a good mix in here. You’ll find breakfasts, dinners, chicken recipes, snacks, desserts, and a few high-protein options, too. Some are super basic in the best way, and some are the kind of recipes you end up making again because they’re just easy to keep in rotation.
Breakfast Recipes with 5 Ingredients
Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese Recipe
This scrambled eggs with cottage cheese recipe has 17g of protein per serving (2 eggs) and is really like making regular scrambled eggs with just an add-in.
10 minutes
Breakfast
Chocolate Protein Pancakes
Chocolate Protein Pancakes are a gluten-free breakfast recipe made with 5 ingredients or less, using oats and protein powder instead of flour. Each serving has 15g of protein.
17 minutes
Breakfast
Avocado Toast with Egg
Check out my method for how to make Avocado Toast with Egg 4 ways – fried, scrambled, boiled and poached with all my tips and fun variations to try!
10 minutes
Breakfast, Brunch, Sandwich
Smoked Salmon Bagel
Quick and easy to make this cream cheese and smoked salmon bagel is the perfect brunch recipe. Full of fresh flavors, every bite is delicious!
10 minutes
Breakfast, Brunch
Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash Recipe
This easy sweet potato breakfast hash is made with 5 ingredients or less, including sweet potato, kale, and eggs, and it cooks in one skillet on the stove.
35 minutes
Breakfast, Lunch
Inside Out Omelette
Try out the newest trending viral Tik Tok recipe, the inside out omelette! It's a perfectly cheesy, quick to make and low carb breakfast idea!
7 minutes
5-Ingredient Healthy’ish Dinners
Main Course
Mujadara Hamra Recipe
Authentic Mujadara Hamra is a simple Lebanese recipe made with fewer than five ingredients, including lentils, bulgur, and caramelized onions cooked together.
1 hour 30 minutes
Entree, Main Dish
Grilled Lamb Chops
This simple grilled lamb chops recipe features a zesty mint and lemon marinade and is ready to take off the grill in just 8 minutes!
1 hour 13 minutes
Main Course
One Pan Chicken and Potatoes Recipe
This baked chicken and potatoes recipe is made in one pan and comes together with under five ingredients, including chicken, potatoes, and a simple sauce.
1 hour 5 minutes
Entree
Honey Lemon Salmon Recipe
Honey lemon salmon cooked in a skillet with a simple glaze made from honey, fresh lemon, soy sauce, and garlic.
20 minutes
Entree, Main Dish
Air Fryer Steak Recipe
Air fryer steak is best made with NY Strip or Ribeye steak with simple seasonings, a quick salt and rest and just a few minutes to cook in the air fryer.
46 minutes
Pastas, Side Dish
Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e Pepe is a simple pasta dish made with fewer than five ingredients, combining Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh cracked black pepper, and it’s ready in 20 minutes.
25 minutes
Chicken Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less
Main Course
Sautéed Chicken with Mushrooms
This easy one pan 30 minute meal is perfect for a weeknight family meal. Sautéed chicken and mushroom is made with simple ingredients and loaded with flavor.
25 minutes
Main Course
Dijon Grilled Chicken
Made with four ingredients, this simple dijon grilled chicken is quick to cook and full on flavor. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
20 minutes
Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cilantro Chicken
Try my flavorful Lebanese Cilantro Chicken with a garlic and lemon marinade. It's an easy way to cook chicken breast and great for quick dinners, and freezer and meal prep friendly!
1 hour 20 minutes
Dinner, Entree, Main Dish
Roasted Za’atar Chicken
Za’atar chicken is a Middle Eastern–inspired oven-baked chicken recipe made with five ingredients or less, including chicken thighs or legs and a simple za’atar seasoning blend.
50 minutes
Entree, Main Course, Sandwich
Chicken Gyro Recipe
Simple stovetop Chicken Gyro recipe. Made with marinated chicken thighs served with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, and red onions in a pita!
1 hour
Main Course
Hummus Crusted Chicken Recipe
This hummus crusted chicken uses under five ingredients, with a layer of hummus on top that browns in the oven and keeps the chicken flavorful.
20 minutes
5-Ingredient Dessert Recipes
Dessert
Vegan Vanilla Pudding
This egg-free, dairy-free homemade recipe for vegan pudding is lighter than store-bought instant-pudding & made with only 5 easy ingredients
7 minutes
Dessert
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
Chocolate peanut butter bars with a no-bake peanut butter base, maple syrup for sweetness, and a chocolate peanut butter topping all made with fewer than five ingredients.
2 hours 20 minutes
Breakfast
One Bowl Banana Bread
This one-bowl banana bread is a delicious way to use up ripe bananas, creating a moist loaf that’s perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
1 hour
Dessert, Snack
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Recipe
Base recipe for cottage cheese ice cream with only two ingredients, cottage cheese and honey. Add in frozen fruit, nut butters, chocolate or anything else you like.
4 hours 10 minutes
Dessert
Watermelon Fruit Pizza Recipe
Watermelon Fruit Pizza with a ricotta and cream cheese icing sweetened with honey and topped with fresh fruit! Takes all of 15 minutes to make.
15 minutes
Snacks with 5 Ingredients or Less
Breakfast, Snack
3-Ingredient Chia Pudding
This 3-Ingredient Chia Pudding is made with almond milk, chia seeds & sweetener of choice; it’s a healthy snack loaded with protein, fiber and healthy fats!
2 hours 5 minutes
Snack
Roasted Chickpea Recipe
Crunchy roasted chickpeas made with simple pantry spices and baked or air-fried until crisp. Great for snacking or adding to salads and bowls.
40 minutes
Appetizer, Snack
Stuffed Date Recipe – 4 Flavor Variations
Stuffed dates are easy to make and come together with five ingredients or less, with endless filling options like goat cheese pistachio, peanut butter, cashew cream, or ricotta.
15 minutes
Dessert, Snack
Viral Japanese Cheesecake Recipe
Japanese cheesecake recipe made viral on TikTok and Instagram with 2 ingredients, Greek yogurt and cookies, chilled overnight for a cheesecake-like dessert.
5 minutes
Appetizer, Snack
Cottage Cheese Queso Recipe
This cottage cheese queso recipe blends cottage cheese and cheddar into a smooth, creamy queso made on the stovetop.
9 minutes
The Best High Protein Recipes with Under 5 Ingredients
Entree
Baked Salmon Recipe
Baked salmon fillets coated in a lemon, garlic, and Dijon marinade, baked until flaky, and served with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
25 minutes
Appetizer
Crispy Cheese Rolls
Crispy cheese rolls (Rakakat) is the perfect crunchy, ooey-gooey appetizer to make with just a few ingredients. This Lebanese recipe is perfect for Ramadan!
40 minutes
Side
Cottage Cheese Bread
Cottage Cheese makes some great bread! All you need are rolled oats, full fat cottage cheese, a few eggs and baking powder for this base recipe. You can add in all types of good stuff along the way!
1 hour 10 minutes
Beverages
Strawberry Protein Smoothie
This Strawberry Protein Smoothie is creamy and rich with a natural sweetness from the fruit and loaded with protein to give you energy & fuel!
10 minutes
Appetizer, Main Course
Tortilla Pizza Recipe
This tortilla pizza recipe takes all of 5 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to crisp up in the oven. Sauce, cheese, and toppings with large, 10inch tortillas is all you need.
10 minutes
Appetizer
Air Fryer Cauliflower Tots Recipe
These cauliflower tots are made in the Air Fryer with five ingredients or less, including homemade riced cauliflower, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and simple seasoning, then cooked until crispy.
40 minutes
Tips for Making 5-Ingredient Recipes
- Use good quality ingredients. These simple recipes only require a small amount of ingredients, so make sure they are good quality. Use organic ingredients whenever possible and the freshest available.
- Gather the ingredients before you start. These recipes are quick and easy to make, I always find it so much easier to grab your ingredients before you start cooking so everything you need is ready. It also makes you feel more confident while cooking by having ingredients prepped.
- Read the recipe twice before you start cooking. This will get you familiar with the steps, so you know the process and what to expect next.
- Clean as you go. I always find it best to take breaks in between prepping and cooking to clean up around me. This is especially great when you’re waiting for water to boil or something to simmer. It will save time and stress later.
I love everything about your site and now these 5 ingredient recipes just makes it even better! Can’t wait to go through them and lots more that you have so thank you! 🤗
Thank you so much, Jabin!