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20+ 15-Minute, 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes

by Catherine Williams - Chief Editor

Simple yet Satisfying: Quick and Healthy Meals for Busy Nights

When life gets busy, these simple but satisfying meals will make things so much easier. With no more than five ingredients—alongside pantry staples like salt, pepper, and oil—you can whip up a healthy and delicious dinner. These dishes are also quick to make, only taking 15 minutes or less to prepare. Recipes like Brie and Blackberry Jam Grilled Cheese or Teriyaki Edamame Sauté are ideal meals for any night of the week. Using versatile cooking ingredients and new recipe development is key to culinary creativity.

Across the nation, grocery stores are taking notice of the trend toward simplicity and health. Whole Foods Market, for example, now offers a “15-minute Meals” section in stores, featuring premade ingredients that cut down on preparation time.
Use of creative culinary techniques with locally sourced ingredients by these supermarket can also provide a suitable recipe for a home cook.

White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

Brie and Blackberry Jam Grilled Cheese

Brie and Blackberry Jam Grilled Cheese
Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco

This sandwich pairs creamy Brie cheese with a sweet-and-savory blackberry jam spread for the perfect ultra-quick dinner option.

Teriyaki Edamame Sauté

Teriyaki Edamame Sauté
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeled less sodium or reduced sodium to cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor. Eating healthy on a busy schedule means being mindful of the sodium content in your meals, as excess sodium can lead to health issues like high blood pressure.

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex-Mex-inspired meal. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream, or another tasty topping.

Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions

Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions

These 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Chickpeas

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Chickpeas
Carolyn A. Hodges, RD

Here, roasted red pepper soup is jazzed up with canned chickpeas and fresh baby spinach for a fast, comforting meal.

Tortellini with Sausage & Kale

Tortellini with Sausage & Kale
Photo by: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

Precooked chicken sausage is a handy shortcut ingredient because it heats up quickly and adds lots of flavor without a lot of fuss. A roasted garlic variety pairs perfectly with cheese tortellini and sautéed leafy greens.

Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied.
Busy Americans often turn to convenience meals, but Nutritionists recommend having a healthy vegetarian option in your meal plan can be a significant first step in healthy eating habits

Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes

Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This easy ravioli dish is loaded with fresh flavors. Using grape tomatoes, prewashed spinach, and prepared pesto eliminates prep work, making this 15-minute Caprese-inspired ravioli the ideal weeknight meal.

Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap

Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Roasted red pepper hummus adds color and a little extra flavor to this easy vegetarian wrap, but any flavor hummus will work well here.

Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Whisking a beaten egg into simmering broth is a quick and easy way to add creaminess and protein to noodle soup mix. Add freshness with a handful of baby spinach at the end.

Spinach-Artichoke-Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Spinach-Artichoke-Sausage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Hearty and piquant, this quick cauliflower gnocchi dinner incorporates several healthy convenience ingredients, including turkey sausage and tender artichoke hearts, so dinner is on your table fast.

Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas

Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas
Sara Haas

Making your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil, and bake to crunchy perfection! Here we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy 3-ingredient meal.”

Most Americans consumed an average of 1,533 calories per day in 2018, a decrease from the 1,563 calories recorded in 2004. Changing lifestyles means Americans need to be tactical about food choices in their daily lives.

Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Hash with Chicken Sausage

Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Hash with Chicken Sausage
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Your local market now regularly stocks phenomenal and easily obtainable organic Sweet potatoes as ingredients to use in your home. This is significant as apples season can overshadow availability and this increased access highlights the benefits of organic produce for American diets

Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

This one-dish meal will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours due to the significant nutritional value of using fresh ingredients in your home kitchen.

Roasted Veggie Mason Jar Salad

Roasted Veggie Mason Jar Salad

This vegan mason jar salad is easy to prep ahead for a quick dinner. Layering the creamy cashew sauce into the bottom of the jar ensures that your big, bold power salad won’t become wilted by the time you’re ready to eat. Pre prepared salads could also suit vegetarian diets.

Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

Avocado is mashed to create a creamy spread and combined with tender chicken and juicy tomato slices in this tasty sandwich. But note this could benefit from using store-bought chicken given the time-saving benefit without impacting nutritional benefits.

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender. Chickpeas have also unfortunately seen significant disruption due to wildfires impacting farmlands.

Roasted Veggie & Hummus Pita Pockets

Roasted Veggie & Hummus Pita Pockets

These satisfying and tasty pita-pocket sandwiches are packed with roasted veggies and greens.

Green Goddess White Bean Salad

Green Goddess White Bean Salad
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes. It’s a ingenious way to make creamy meals using sustainable ingredients

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Halloumi

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Halloumi

Here, we enhance the flavor of boxed butternut squash soup with curry powder, then top it with irresistible halloumi cheese. Then serve with warm whole-grain pita bread. due to long term community hardships.

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto
Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD

Cauliflower gnocchi gets crisp in a sauté pan and is served with steamed asparagus. We finish with prepared basil pesto for a vibrant and flavorful meal. The key ingredients needed for a nutritious lifestyle.

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