Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinners 70 Easy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes To Keep On Repeat By Brennan Long Brennan Long Brennan is the senior social media editor at Southern Living. For the past eight years, she's collaborated with print and digital editors to shape the brand's voice across social platforms. Today Southern Living hosts a passionate audience of millions on Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 4, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Who says weeknight meals have to be boring? Browse our selection of mouth-watering 5-ingredient dinner recipes, and you will realize that quick and easy meals can also be innovative and delicious dinners. With the addition of a few extra ingredients to regular pantry staples like salt, pepper, butter, and oil, you have what it takes for a tasty quick dinner. Some of these recipes ask for even fewer than five ingredients—we figured you wouldn't mind. In our recipe for Potato-Crusted Pizza, a package of frozen shredded potatoes is the base for a yummy pizza that both kids and parents will approve of. Jarred sauces, seasoned breadcrumbs, or crushed cereal flakes help bump up the wow-factor for oven-fried chicken, fish, or pork chops. Add crusty bread, green salad, or fruit to any of these 5-ingredient meals for a quick and easy weeknight meal. 01 of 70 Easy Cauliflower Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer An impressive side dish, this cauliflower casserole needs only a simple side like grilled chicken to be complete. Fresh parsley is optional, but if you have any, the hint of freshness really elevates this dish. If you want to add a few more ingredients to your list, try this loaded cauliflower casserole instead. 02 of 70 Easy Steak Fajitas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Pick up a container of freshly sliced onions and bell peppers at the grocery store to save time (and tears) when preparing the fajitas. We prefer fresh over frozen vegetables in this recipe; they stay firmer when cooked. Let everyone customize their fajitas by setting out an assortment of toppings such as fresh cilantro, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. 03 of 70 Lemon Roast Chicken With Rainbow Carrots Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely For such a highly impressive dinner, it doesn't call on dozens of ingredients. Keep things simple and honest—the dish will shine on its own. 04 of 70 Loaded Potato Soup Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen The soup itself is just four ingredients; the toppings, which are totally up to you, add a few more. 05 of 70 Classic Southern BLT Monica Farber/Southern Living We prefer thick-cut bacon because it won't crumble in the sandwich. Make sure to use this garlicky mayo spread generously. 06 of 70 Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Instead of buying jarred, shelf-stable pesto, choose the kind found in the refrigerator case. It tastes fresher and more like homemade. 07 of 70 Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke When you find out how moist and tender chicken thighs are, you'll never want a chicken breast again. Simple pantry staples make for a quick seasoning, so you can make this any night when you just can't think of anything else to make. 08 of 70 Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Jennifer Davick This is as close to a true "dump dinner" as there is. To a slow-cooker crock, you'll add Boston butt, barbecue sauce, and a can of cola. A few hours later, you have juicy, tender barbecue pork. 09 of 70 Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Cutlets With Haricots Verts Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Pantry staples go a long way with this impressive dinner. It's so easy you'll be upset you didn't make this before. But it's so nice, you'll be serving it for guests from now on. 10 of 70 Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs Photographer: Will Dickey You don't need a deep fryer to get crispy chicken, and this recipe is proof of that. A simple breading turns quick-cooking chicken thighs into a crispy dinner centerpiece. Add sides like roasted asparagus and creamed corn. 11 of 70 Easy Grilled Shrimp Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Don't let ingredients or time stand between you and succulent grilled shrimp. High-impact ingredients like Creole seasoning and soy sauce cut down on the ingredient list but still impart a lot of flavor in these quick-to-cook shrimp. 12 of 70 Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Meaty beefsteak tomatoes can hold enough chicken salad to make a satisfying meal. It's okay if the tomatoes aren't perfectly round as long as they are large and flat-bottomed. 13 of 70 Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak Photo: Hector Sanchez There's no need to giddy-up and go when you can have the great tastes of the ranch right around your own family dinner table. There's a special secret to getting great flavor to your favorite cut of meat. And, even better, this is the best way to cook a thick, juicy bone-in steak restaurant-style without smoking up the house. Use your grill to heat the cast-iron skillet; the skillet surface area promotes a more assertive flavor and better sear than grill grates. This will yield a sizzling-hot steak with the proper steak house crust. Season it with butter, herbs, and garlic for a perfect, melt-in-your-mouth flavor. 14 of 70 Easy Squash Casserole Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Sarah-Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Julia Levy Creamy, tender squash casserole is a welcome dinner dish any time of the year, but especially in the summer when yellow squash is plentiful. It's primarily served as a side dish, so to make a complete meal, serve this casserole with rotisserie chicken or leftover meat from the previous nights. 15 of 70 Scallops with Pesto, Corn, and Tomatoes Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Succulent scallops are the perfect protein pair to summer-ripe corn and tomatoes. Bacon provides the flavor to tie this five-ingredient dinner together. If you have it, add fresh basil for a bright herby flavor. 16 of 70 Top-Shelf Chicken Under a Brick Photo: Hector Sanchez The "top-shelf" in this recipe speaks to the crispy skin, superior flavor, and juiciness of the bird. After you have your first bite, you'll be calling this recipe top-notch. It also refers to a novel new technique: cooking your potatoes in the heavy cast-iron skillet that's used as a weight on the chicken. The weight presses the chicken flat against the grill grates, cutting the cooking time in half. Plus you'll be cooking your side dish at the same time. You'll marvel at the look of the chicken when it comes off the grates, but the flavor will be even more sensational. 17 of 70 Shrimp And Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Fast-cooking shrimp makes this dinner easy enough for a weeknight, and cherry tomatoes that burst open to reveal their juices make a quick pasta you're bound to want to repeat again and again. 18 of 70 Grilled Pork Chops Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Don't be fooled by the simple marinade ingredients. Together, they're highly impressive as a quick and easy marinade for grilled pork chops. 19 of 70 Chipotle Chicken Tacos Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Taco Tuesday has never tasted so good. This weeknight dinner with jarred salsa is so tasty, we'll have it any day of the week, please. 20 of 70 Fig Flatbread Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Store-bought fresh pizza dough forms the base for this elegant flatbread. It's easy as pie (pizza pie, that is), but arugula and figs amp up this meal's elegance. The cheese puts you over the five-ingredient threshold, but if you can swing it, it's worth it. 21 of 70 Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Caitlin Bensel For game day dinners or just easy and fun weeknight ones, these air fryer wings are super easy. Serve with fries or carrots and dip for a complete meal. 22 of 70 Garlic Butter Shrimp Will Dickey Grab a loaf of crusty bread; you'll want it to sop up the leftover garlic-butter sauce when the shrimp are all gone. 23 of 70 BLT Panzanella with Quick-Pickled Shallots Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis How do you improve on a classic sandwich? Turn it into a salad. With thick-cut bacon, white bread croutons and hearty vegetables, this salad stands on its own as a satisfying main course. 24 of 70 Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham This simple recipe combines all the elements you need to make a great, hearty supper. Who would have thought that melt-in-your-mouth tender meat could be this tasty with so little fuss? 25 of 70 Lemon-Dill Chicken Skillet Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Five ingredients, 40 minutes, and a company-worthy dinner is served. The trick to delicious dinner in a skillet is not to mess with the drippings; Leave them be when you pop the pan in the oven. 26 of 70 Bourbon- And Cola-Glazed Steak Kebabs Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely A surprisingly easy marinade, made with a handful of pantry staples, turns steak pieces into tender, melt-in-your-mouth kebab bites. Serve with another simple side: Smashed-Cucumber Salad. 27 of 70 Sweet-And-Smoky Grilled Pork Tenderloins Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Pork tenderloin is a weeknight staple for many cooks, as it can marinate for hours and be cooked in less than an hour when you get home. It takes about 20 minutes to grill, which is enough time to make this Corn-and-Tomato Salad. 28 of 70 Pasta with Pancetta, Artichokes, and Roasted Red Peppers Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Take advantage of two high-flavor convenience products to make this company-worthy five-ingredient pasta dinner. Marinated artichoke hearts and roasted bell peppers deliver bright and tangy flavors in this summer-perfect pasta dish. 29 of 70 Eggplant Rollups Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele This healthier dinner option is low in carbs and packs in the veggies (along with tasty herbed ricotta and fan-favorite marinara). Bake this lighter take on lasagna until tender and noodle-like. 30 of 70 Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Caitlin Bensel In our books, this recipe is as good as it gets. It requires only 5 ingredients, tastes great, and cooks in the slow cooker. 31 of 70 Easy Grilled Salmon Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford When planning your dinner lineup, don't forget about the underrated weeknight dinner contender: salmon. Tonight's simple seafood supper will be served al fresco. 32 of 70 Lemon Pepper-Salmon Kebabs Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry One of our favorite simple dinner formulas involves skewering our protein and veggies and tossing it all on the grill. Repurpose this marinade and method for many easy meals to come. 33 of 70 Creamed Chipped Beef And Toast Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Who remembers this nostalgic dish? Shelf-stable dried beef keeps in the pantry and is ready for its spotlight in this comfort food favorite. 34 of 70 Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks Antonis Achilleos Ditch the bucket of fried chicken. These Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks are just as easy to make as it is to get in your car and drive to get your takeout. 35 of 70 Chicken with 40 Leaves of Basil Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely This ingredient list is so short because basil does most of the work in seasoning the chicken. Before you know it, you kitchen will be basked in the soothing smell of basil from the whole chicken in your oven. 36 of 70 Bacon-and-Egg Tarts with Goat Cheese Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Puff pastry makes quick work of these egg tarts. Parsley, a sixth ingredient, is entirely optional, but it provides a nice herby contrast to the rich bacon and eggs. 37 of 70 Lemon-Barbecue Chicken Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke This flavorful recipe for Lemon-Barbecue Chicken will have you feeling like a pitmaster in no time. Crispy skin and bold flavors or surprisingly quick and easy to achieve. Bon appetit! 38 of 70 Goat Cheese-and-Summer Squash Pizza Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Goat cheese and summer squash lighten up the barbecue spread on this grilled pizza. It's so much better than ordering pizza in... and probably quicker than the delivery. 39 of 70 Chicken Parmesan Pizza This quick-and-easy take on an Italian dinner classic begins with frozen garlic bread. Pull out that bread from your freezer and transform it into a pizza that kids and adults alike will love. Crisp it up in the oven, then top the bread with deli-fried chicken strips, pizza sauce, cheese, and basil. Or, use any leftover meat on hand, such as chopped chicken breasts or Italian sausage. You can also have a quick-fix side salad with some romaine lettuce, cracked pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Top it with your favorite Caesar dressing and your simple Italian dinner is ready to go. 40 of 70 Turkey Scaloppine Beth Dreiling Hontzas Weeknight meals can't get much easier than this. Simply dredge turkey or chicken cutlets in a flour mixture, and cook it for a few minutes until done. Serve this with a white wine reduction that will bring the right combination of subtle sweetness and deep, earthy undertones. The extra secret to this recipe is a little Cajun seasoning that adds just a touch of heat to the scaloppine. Complete the meal with a just-as-easy side—sautéed zucchini. This meal is simply Southern—meaning that it is fried goodness—but the turkey keeps it lean, meaning that you can keep it on your dinner table. 41 of 70 Almond-Crusted Tilapia Ralph Anderson If you need a quick weeknight dinner, gently cooking fish in a skillet on the stovetop is one of the simplest ways to go. The almond coating on this tilapia gives it a great nutty-flavored crunch, and extra toasted almonds sprinkled on top truly bring these flavors to the fore. Ready in less than 10 minutes, this recipe will become a go-to weeknight meal your family will love. If you prefer a fish other than tilapia, catfish, orange roughy, or flounder can work equally as well. Whichever you choose, it will be simple to bring this healthier version of a Southern fish fry to your weeknight dinner table. 42 of 70 Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Beth Dreiling Hontzas What could make pork better than more pork? That is the idea with this recipe. And, since everything does taste better with bacon, all you have to do to prepare this crowd-pleaser is sprinkle a pork tenderloin with a little steak seasoning, wrap it with a few strips of bacon, and stick it in the oven. It's that easy! Crisp up the bacon under the broiler before you take the tenderloin out, and you'll be rewarded with crunch and with perfectly roasted meat in every bite. 43 of 70 Crispy Oven-Fried Catfish Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Few dishes could be more Southern, or more delicious, than fried catfish. But you may be hesitant to make it at home because of the cleanup. Avoid the mess of frying fish by oven-frying it instead. The batter for this catfish is something unexpected—cornflakes add the crunchy coating while reducing the grease of traditional fried fish. The real richness of this catfish comes from soaking it in buttermilk first, though, then giving it a little spice with some Creole seasoning. Half- an-hour later, you'll be pulling your catfish out of the oven—it's a lot simpler than reeling them in at the lake. 44 of 70 Asian Pork Chops Beth Dreiling Hontzas Getting the beautiful and subtle flavors of Asian cuisine doesn't mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen or have a cabinet full of spices and sauces. This simple recipe shows you how to get your favorite flavors in a simple weeknight supper. Hoisin sauce and sweet chili sauce give these pork chops their Asian flare. Just marinate the pork chops for two to for hour and they'll be rich with these saucy, spicy flavors. Then, put them on the grill where they will sear to smoky delights. Brush on some extra marinade right before you serve these and you will have the perfect quick-and-easy dinner. 45 of 70 Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Recipe Jennifer Davick If you don't have individual ramekins for this five-ingredient dinner, use a 13-x9-inch casserole dish. The whole crew will delight in crispy potatoes and ooey, gooey cheese. 46 of 70 Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Pretty much all the ingredients for this scrumptious pasta dish are in the name. Pre-peeled shrimp, frozen peas, and store-bought pesto make for deliciously easy dinner. 47 of 70 Ham-and-Vegetable Cobbler Iain Bagwell Cobbler is a classic dessert hit, but now we've made it into a savory, pot-pie inspired treat for dinner. Dig into warm meat and any frozen veggies you have on hand underneath a buttery, lattice crust. 48 of 70 Red Bean Chili Southern Living Even though it's short on ingredients, this chili is far from short on flavor. Toss this recipe into your slow cooker for effortless, hearty supper. 49 of 70 Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Hector M Sanchez A slice of baked mac and cheese will send a hush around the dinner table as your family enjoys forkful after forkful—it's that good. Your shopping list and dinner crowd will thank you for this one. 50 of 70 Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Melina Hammer This recipe will always be one of our go-to suppers because the results are fall-apart-tender, with little time off your hands or money from your wallet. Let your slow cooker do the work for you, then pile perfectly cooked, shredded meat between buns to enjoy. 51 of 70 Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Cheesy pasta tastes delicious no matter the pairing so take your pick from your favorite veg to include in this dish. We used zucchini and mini bell peppers for lots of bright, fresh color. 52 of 70 Dry-Rubbed Smoked Chicken Wings Jennifer Causey These pitmaster-worthy wings only ask 10 minutes of hands-on prep time. Smoke your chicken low and slow with some salt and paprika and you'll never make wings another way again. 53 of 70 Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole Alison Miksch Breakfast for dinner, anyone? Prepare this crowd-pleaser ahead of a busy day and store it in the fridge until you're ready to bake and eat it. 54 of 70 Cacio e Pepe Heidi's Bridge This classic Italian dish makes us feel more elegant than digging into macaroni and cheese, but it's got all of the same creamy comfort. Freshly ground black pepper sends cheesy pasta into new horizons. 55 of 70 Bacon Cheeseburger Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Kick start your grill for this smash burger recipe. Each thin patty will spend less than five minutes on the grill to get delectably tender and crispy around the edges. 56 of 70 Chicken-and-Prosciutto Tortelloni Soup Photo: Alison Miksch Hearty soup comes together in just 30 minutes with stuffed pasta, veggies, and warm broth to satisfy for supper. We used chicken-and-prosciutto tortelloni, but any flavor will do nicely in this homestyle soup. 57 of 70 Mama's Fried Chicken Southern Living Discover for yourself why this recipe, just like Mama used to make it, is our most-shared fry chicken recipe of all time. You're just a few ingredients and even fewer steps away from irresistible chicken that's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. 58 of 70 Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes Hector Manuel Sanchez Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes... three ingredients down, two to go. This straightforward pasta dish won't disappoint, especially with an extra umph from fresh herbs. 59 of 70 Easy Boarding House Meatloaf Southern Living Meatloaf is a dinnertime classic and this version couldn't be easier. Bell peppers, onions, and lean ground beef guarantee a delicious, filling meal with a sweet, saucy topping. 60 of 70 Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Breasts Jennifer Davick Only 10 minutes of prep time? Yes please. This chicken dish will be added to your dinner rotation in no time. 61 of 70 Ravioli Lasagna Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee This pasta hybrid is what dreams are made of. Comforting as can be, Ravioli Lasagna is saucy, cheesy, meaty, and full of easy-as-can-be shortcuts. 62 of 70 Super Quick Chili Beth Dreiling Hontzas Dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes and acts as its own serving vessel is already a winner in our books. Slice the tops from round dinner rolls and spoon hearty chili into the center. 63 of 70 Poppy Seed Chicken Southern Living Poppy Seed Chicken casserole is a favorite is homes across the South for good reason. This dish takes advantage of pantry staples like cream of chicken soup to quickly whip up weeknight supper. 64 of 70 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Every so often, homemade mac and cheese is just what we need to top off a long day. Classic comfort food is just three steps away. 65 of 70 Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Throw these simple ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning and dig into tender tacos in a tortillas come dinnertime. We took the liberty of adding a few shortcuts to this recipe so that Tex-Mex supper is easy as can be. 66 of 70 Herb-Grilled Chicken Jennifer Davick; Styling: Alan Henderson If you're on the hunt for a straightforward, healthy weeknight meal, here's your winner winner chicken dinner. Grill the chicken with your favorite herbs, like dill, basil, sage, rosemary, or thyme, for deep, fresh flavors. 67 of 70 Potato-Crusted Pizza Photo: Hector Sanchez You can give your pizza crust some unexpected crunch when you begin with a base of seasoned shredded potato rounds. Yes, that's right, rather than the traditional dough, this makes an amazing, kid-friendly crust that is delicious and delightful. What's even better is that you can start with a package of premade rounds, meaning that this quick-fix supper can go from freezer to table in what seems like no time at all. Top these with tomatoes, fresh basil, and a pizza cheese blend, and you'll be ready to grab a slice and savor every bite! And with only five ingredients, it's easy to always have what you need on hand. 68 of 70 Slow-Cooked Cowboy Brisket And Beans Hector Manuel Sanchez Talk about comfort food! This brisket and beans dish is satisfyingly easy—most of the work is done in the slow-cooker. Finish it off by serving it on Texas toast or with skillet fried potatoes. 69 of 70 Mississippi Roast Alison Miksch This dish goes by a few different names, but odds are it's a favorite if you've ever had it. Besides the roast, you can keep the ingredients in the pantry or fridge, and this easy dinner can be made any night of the week. 70 of 70 Crockpot Mississippi Chicken Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Don't like beef roast? Try the same dish but with chicken. Serve it over rice or mashed potatoes to finish the meal. Use the zesty Italian dressing packet if that's what you have on hand; the ranch is great for a different flavor but easily swapped. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit