There’s one universal truth in parenthood—there’s never enough time to make dinner. We’re always running someone to soccer practice, fighting giant piles of laundry, and trying to work a full day in between. The solution: 5-ingredient recipes that you can whip up in a flash. These easy meals are very kid-friendly, and mostly rely on items you’re likely to already have in your pantry, so you won’t have to make a separate trip to the store (who has time for that?).
We’ve left out more obvious choices because we know you’re already a pro at grilled cheese, taco Tuesdays, quick eggs, and the like, but if you’re looking for other easy family dinner ideas, check out recipes that only take 30 minutes, our favorite air fryer recipes, and simple rotisserie chicken recipes perfect for weeknights. Consider your meal plan done!
Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Pesto
The base for this filling dish is cheese-filled tortellini, which is pretty much the most kid-friendly pasta around. Add some mini meatballs or sliced pre-cooked sausage if you want to up the protein in this dish.
5-Ingredient Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
Whether you go with chicken thighs or chicken breasts, this 5-ingredient recipe from Pinch of Yum is super flavorful and easy to make. The citrus from the lemon is mellowed out with honey to satisfy those picky palates.
Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps
We love how flavorful these lettuce wraps are. Butter lettuce works best, and you can serve it over rice for those picky ones in your family.
Easy Crockpot Ranch Chicken
If your kid isn’t a Ranch fan yet, now is the time to indoctrinate them. This 4-ingredient recipe from The Cookie Rookie makes kid-friendly chicken in a veg-free sauce, so you’re more likely to avoid the mealtime tantrums.
5-Ingredient Coconut Curry
There’s something super comforting about this coconut curry from Pinch of Yum. It uses chickpeas instead of meat so that means it will come together super fast.
Paleo Gnocchi Bolognese
Your family won’t even know that you’re using Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi as the base of this delicious dish. Get the recipe from Mary’s Whole Life.
5-Ingredient Zucchini Fritters
This recipe is a great way to use up your summer bounty of zucchini. We suggest cooking them on your electric griddle if you have one.
Pa Amb Tomàquet (aka Catalan Tomato Bread)
Any vehicle for including more ripe tomatoes in our lives is a must-try. Also, this bread looks like a fun way to get the kids in on the cooking action. Get the details on this 5-ingredient recipe over at Gimme Some Oven.
Garlic Butter Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
Not only does this recipe have only 5 ingredients, but it’s a one-pot wonder as well. Chicken thighs, Brussels sprouts, and garlic are the main players in this flavorful dish. Get the recipe from The Endless Meal.
5-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Branzino
This recipe uses three of our favorite TJs items: branzino, lemony arugula salad kit, and frozen country potatoes.
One-Pot Pasta
One-pot meals are a weekday dinner staple, and this one from Kristine’s Kitchen Blog serves up sausage with pasta. Bonus: You don’t even need to drain the pasta as it cooks right in the sauce.
Lemon Butter Scallops
Head over to Damn Delicious to snag this recipe that cooks up quickly and is great paired with asparagus or broccoli.
Quick Duck Stir Fry
A stir fry is a great way to use up any veggies that might be sitting neglected at the bottom of your fridge. This 5-ingredient recipe from the BBC uses duck, but you could easily swap it for chicken if you prefer.
Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu
Our advice for this full-of-flavor recipe from Pinch of Yum is to double it. It’s that good.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Any meal that starts with cooking up some bacon is destined for greatness, and this spaghetti carbonara from Damn Delicious is no exception.
Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
You’ll get lots of flavor development in a short amount of time with this recipe from Amy + Jacky. We like to serve it on toasted ciabatta rolls topped with Swiss cheese.
Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala
@lainiecooks 4 ingredient Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala 🔥 #traderjoes #traderjoesmeals #easydinner #chickentikkamasala
♬ vlog, chill out, calm daily life(1370843) – SUNNY HOOD STUDIO
Our biggest dinnertime hack is using Trader Joe’s items to create a meal that is full of flavor and short on cooking time. This chicken tikka masala is the perfect option when you need dinner on the table ASAP.
Viral Feta Pasta Bake
@kelseyoppenheim Someone stop me from eating this daily 😩👏🏻😍 #traderjoesfoodreviews #traderjoes #fetapasta #traderjoescookbook
♬ Jazz – Aylior
This recipe has been all over TikTok, and we understand the hype. Just throw some cherry tomatoes and feta in the oven to bake, and boil up some pasta to mix in at the end. What could be easier?
Cacio e Pepe
We love that this pasta recipe is full of flavor but contains no visible vegetables that may turn your crew off dinner. Gimme Some Oven explains the easy steps to making this Italian favorite.
No-Fuss Prime Rib
Save this recipe for the holidays when time is short. You’ll impress your guests with homemade prime rib, we know it.
Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque Pasta
Yes, this recipe uses Trader Joe’s lobster bisque to make the creamy sauce, and we are here for it. Click through for the recipe!
5-Ingredient Chicken Lo Mein
@kennedychugg Replying to @user9761876775593 CHICKEN LO MEIN 🍜😋 …or is this chow mein? I get so confused 😩 INGREDIENTS: ramen, chicken, veggies, soy sauce, oyster sauce 🍴 Add seasoning to your chicken then fry on high heat. Remove and add veggies to pan. Boil noodles for 3 mins or package directions. Mix osyer sauce, a splash of soy sauce, ramen seasoning, and water. Combine everything and enjoy! If you want to 🤌🏼 jazz it up 🤌🏼 add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to your veggies when cooking! #budgetmeals #51030meals #ramennoodles #lomeim #chowmein #dinnerideas #easydinnerideas #cheapeasymeals
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This is an easy (and cheap) way to make those ramen packets into a dinner the whole family will love.
5-Ingredient Chili
We love a chili recipe that comes together in a flash. You can even sub in meatless crumbles if you’d like to make this recipe from Gimme Some Oven vegetarian.
