Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (2024)

Create mouthwatering meals with just a few fixings using these healthy 5-ingredient dinner recipes. Make a delicious meal quickly and slash supermarket time thanks to a shorter grocery list. All recipes have 5 ingredients or fewer (not counting salt, black pepper, nonstick cooking spray, and oil because we assume you have those) for minimal prep.

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Bacon, Potato, and Kale Frittata

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (1)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Indulge in a quick and clever breakfast for dinner with our hearty frittata recipe. It's packed with homey potatoes, salty bacon, and fresh kale. It's held together by an egg mixture that adds protein and gives the healthy 5-ingredient recipe a comfort food quality.

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Turkey Taco Panini

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (2)

Number of Ingredients: 5

A taco-stuffed panini is the perfect infusion of flavor to complement your weeknight dinners. OK, the panini is not actually stuffed with a taco, but all the flavors are there! Customize the Mexican-style sandwiches with your favorite purchased chunky salsa.

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Pan-Roasted Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Apples

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (3)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Yes, it is possible to create an indulgent chicken dinner with just a handful of ingredients. Baked with apples and finished with a sweet drizzle of maple syrup, this comforting dinner recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or for guests.

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Mediterranean Couscous and Beef

Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (4)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Make a Mediterranean-inspired dinner with just a few ingredients. The feta cheese, couscous, and tomatoes mimic the coastline flavors; the lemon-pepper marinade adds zest and spice to the flank steak.

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Pancetta-Wrapped Chicken with Glazed Date Sauce

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (5)

Number of Ingredients:5

Your guests will never believe such a fancy-looking meal came from so few ingredients. This spiced-up chicken recipe adds savory herbed cheese before wrapping with pancetta for a unique take on pan-fried chicken. The homemade date glaze adds a unique burst of sweetness to this quick recipe.

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Barbecued Salmon with Corn Relish

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (6)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Putting some salmon on the grill will give it a delicious, smoky char on the outside and make it flaky and tender on the inside. The homemade relish made from fresh cut corn and jalapeños gives it a spicy kick and bright freshness to balance the salmon's smokiness.

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Steaks with Roasted Garlic

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (7)

Number of Ingredients: 4

Try our sizzling grilled steaks for your next weeknight dinner. Yes, steaks for a weeknight dinner! A simple salt-and-pepper rub keeps the ingredient list minimal, while a roasted garlic-and-basil mix turns this simple recipe into an enticing main course.

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Mexican Meatball Stew

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (8)

Number of Ingredients: 5

After 10 minutes of prepping, this homemade soup is ready to go in the slow cooker. The result is a mouthwatering meatball stew that's bubbling with spicy Mexican flavor. Tomatoes, corn, and turkey load this easy soup with healthy nutrients.

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Chicken with Summer Squash

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (9)

Number of Ingredients: 5

No one would ever guess you used a store-bought roasted chicken with this quick dinner recipe. After browning chicken in the skillet, add bright summer squash and cherry tomatoes for a burst of healthy color. Delicious and simple.

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Summer Stew

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Number of Ingredients: 5

All you need for this savory, summer-inspired stew is beef, carrots, and garlic-laced potatoes. Make the easy meal even simpler with precooked beef and ready-to-use vegetables.

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Shrimp and Watercress Salad

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (11)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Crisp-tender asparagus spears, watercress, tomatoes, and shrimp are all it takes to pull together a sophisticated salad in a flash—the entire meal is finished in just 15 minutes!

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Sunday Dinner Stew

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (12)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Hot and delicious, this shortcut Sunday (or any day) stew will be ready to eat in a flash. Trade out the white potatoes for sweet potatoes for fewer carbs and some extra vitamins B and C.

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Denver Potato Casserole

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (13)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Potatoes and ham combine to make a comforting casserole for dinner. This easy-to-make baked dish is layered with onion, sweet green peppers, and cheese. Pop it in the oven to let the veggies get tender and melt the cheese, and you'll have a filling all-in-one dinner ready to serve the family.

39 Healthy One-Pan Dinners

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Maple-Mustard Turkey Thighs

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Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (14)

Number of Ingredients: 5

Sweet and tangy, the mustard sauce on these juicy turkey thighs will make your house smell delightful after a day in your slow cooker. The secret to the thick and velvety sauce is the instant tapioca, so make sure to add that to the grocery list.

Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes to Save Time and Calories (2024)

FAQs

What can be the five most suitable food items for your dinner? ›

Healthy Meals: The 10 Best Foods for Dinner
  • Salmon.
  • Sweet Potato.
  • Chickpeas.
  • Lentils.
  • Dark Leafy Greens.
  • Tempeh.
  • Wheat Berries.
  • Olive Oil.
Oct 3, 2022

What to make for dinner when you don't have much food? ›

These simple dinner ideas use only a handful of ingredients so you can still whip up a meal using whatever you have in the cupboard.
  1. 15-ingredient sausage rolls. ...
  2. 2Creamy mushroom gnocchi. ...
  3. 3Fast falafel bowl. ...
  4. 45-ingredient satay beef skewers. ...
  5. 55-ingredient meatball carbonara. ...
  6. 6Speedy wild rice and salmon salad.

How do you make a meal high in calories? ›

High-calorie foods
  1. Pan-fry meats, fish, vegetables, and stir-fries.
  2. Toss to coat salads, vegetables, and pasta before adding sauce.
  3. Drizzle on popcorn.
  4. Dip bread in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  5. Add 1 Tbsp. of canola oil (because it is tasteless) to smoothies and soups.

What is the best food for dinner for weight loss? ›

At dinner time, women should aim for between 300-400 calories, while men should keep to 400-500 calories (by adding some extra protein, wholegrains or good fats). Ensure there is a lean source of protein (such as chicken, fish, legumes, tofu, meat, or eggs) and aim at least for 2-3 serves of vegetables.

What is the #1 healthiest food? ›

Top 10 Foods for Health
  1. Water. Drink 8 to 12 cups of water daily.
  2. Dark green vegetables. Eat dark green vegetables at least three to four times a week. ...
  3. Whole grains. Eat whole grains sat least two or three times daily. ...
  4. Beans and lentils. Try to eat a bean-based meal at least once a week. ...
  5. Fish. ...
  6. Berries. ...
  7. Winter squash. ...
  8. Soy.

What's the cheapest meal to make? ›

68 Easy And Cheap Dinner Ideas That You'll Want To Make On Repeat
  • Black Bean Burgers. ...
  • Creamy Tomato Shells. ...
  • Zucchini Corn Quesadillas. ...
  • Super-Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad. ...
  • Chicken and Mandarin Salad With Simple Sesame Dressing. ...
  • Garlic Butter Capellini Pomodoro With Shrimp. ...
  • Orzo With Spinach and Roasted Red Peppers.
May 3, 2024

What to make for dinner when you're broke? ›

  • Creamy pasta carbonara. A lovely, creamy version of a well-known favourite.
  • Best Spaghetti and Meatballs. ...
  • Mongolian Beef Stir-Fry. ...
  • Devilled sausages. ...
  • Potato and leek soup. ...
  • Lemon chicken. ...
  • Salt and pepper chicken. ...
  • Chicken and bacon carbonara.

How to cook on a tight budget? ›

Budget-friendly tips & tricks
  1. Plan your week.
  2. Batch cook budget-friendly recipes.
  3. Make the most of your freezer.
  4. Love your leftovers.
  5. Look at best-before and use-by dates.
  6. Cook with tinned food.
  7. Big up legumes.
  8. Make easy swaps.
Jun 20, 2022

What is the 5 ingredient rule? ›

Stick to the 5 ingredient rule: Choose foods with less than 5 ingredients and all things you recognize and know are real food, such as tomatoes, water, or salt. Or if there are more than 5, make sure they're all food or spices. Buy only packaged foods with ingredients you can pronounce or recognize.

What are the 5 things every good recipe has? ›

  • Yield. The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make.
  • List of Ingredients & Amounts.
  • Step By Step Directions for Mixing & Handling.
  • Equipment (Container Size & Type)
  • Temperature & Time.

What are 5 options to cook with less fat? ›

✓ Use low fat cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, baking, microwaving, poaching and steaming.

What are the 5 food groups for dinner? ›

What are the five food groups?
  • Fruit and vegetables.
  • Starchy food.
  • Dairy.
  • Protein.
  • Fat.

What are the list of 5 food items? ›

Basic foods
  • Baked goods.
  • Cereals.
  • Dairy products.
  • Edible plants.
  • Edible fungi.
  • Edible nuts and seeds.
  • Legumes.
  • Meat.

What are the top 5 most eaten foods? ›

What Is The World's Most Eaten Food?
  • Rice. Rice is the staple food of more than half the world's population, and it's been that way for centuries. ...
  • Eggs. Eggs are extremely versatile because they are rich in protein, low in calories and it is great for baking. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Chicken. ...
  • Pizza. ...
  • Chocolate. ...
  • Ice Cream.
Dec 18, 2022

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