This week, embrace your inner minimalist and make dinner easy with just a handful of ingredients. Not only is a no-fuss meal a great way to simplify your dinner routine, but an edited shopping list can add a Zen-like feel to your busy weeknights. In the kitchen, sometimes less is more, especially during the warm-weather months. So check out these recipes that call for five or fewer ingredients so you can spend less time at the stove and more time enjoying everything the season has to offer!
Salsa Steak Garlic Toasts
This recipe from Taste of Home is super easy and perfect for a weeknight dinner on the go. Use frozen garlic Texas toast and prepare according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the steak slices for three to five minutes and then drain. Add salsa, cook and stir until heated through, then serve over toast with a dollop of sour cream and any other garnishes you have on hand, like cilantro, fresh jalapeños, green onions, or lime zest.
Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe
This dish checks all the boxes for a meat-free dinner with plenty of flavor. While the combo of Parmesan and pepper is usually tossed with pasta in a traditional cacio e pepe, EatingWell uses zucchini noodles instead to make it gluten-free, lower-carb, and higher on the veggie intake! If you’re short on time, you can use prepackaged zucchini noodles from the produce aisle of your supermarket.
Bacon and Asparagus Pasta
When pasta is what you’re craving, try this Gimme Some Oven dish, which is the perfect addition to your summer dinner rotation. Asparagus season usually runs until June, so for the later summer months, you can swap in kale, spinach, or green beans for other delicious options. Don’t want to include the white wine? No problem. Chicken broth will do the trick!
Black Bean Tostadas
With only five ingredients, these black bean tostadas come together fast, for a crunchy, satisfying meal the whole family will enjoy. Delish keeps this recipe simple, but you can always add (or subtract) toppings of your choice, like sour cream, sliced radishes, grilled chicken, or melty queso fresco. In other words, pile the shells with whatever you already have on hand for an easy last-minute meal you can enjoy indoors or out.
Charred Broccoli Salad with Sardines, Pickled Shallot, and Mint
Okay, so this veggie-forward dish from Serious Eats actually calls for seven ingredients … but we decided not to count salt and the mint garnish! What’s so great about this salad is how light it is, but with a big punch of flavor. The trick is to char the broccoli in a hot cast-iron skillet to a golden brown color while keeping the florets crisp. The sardines are added straight out of the tin, but if they’re not your thing, this recipe works great with grilled salmon too.
BONUS: Lemon–Vanilla Bean Posset with Raspberries
Not an entrée, no, but we couldn’t resist throwing in this bonus recipe from Food Network to make dessert as easy as dinner! This silken custard of cream, sugar, and lemon juice is magical, both in taste and in looks. Though it does have to chill for several hours, the posset comes together in minutes. If raspberries aren’t available, blueberries or blackberries will be just as lovely.
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