This Post: 25 Five-Ingredient (or Less) Dinner Recipes for Maxed-Out Moms
Are your weeknights crazy and hectic? Do you walk in the door after work or after carting your kids to and from activities and practices just too exhausted to even think about cooking dinner for your family?
Well… you certainly aren’t alone. Especially around the holidays! Keeping up with cooking healthy and easy meals for your family every single night can be nearly impossible. And, you can only hit the drive-thru so many times a week, right? Plus, take-out food is expensive!
So, here’s a question every frantically busy mom will undoubtedly respond to with a resounding “YES!” – Could you use more recipes for easy weeknight dinners that don’t require a ton of ingredients and take only a few minutes to prepare?
Then we’ve got you covered! Check out our 25 five-ingredient (or less) dinner recipes for maxed-out moms. (Just a heads up… we’re not counting kitchen staples like oil or common seasonings.)
25 Five-Ingredient (or Less) Dinner Recipes for Maxed-Out Moms
1. Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
You only need three ingredients to make moist, flavorful pulled pork that can be prepared in just a few minutes and cooked in a slow cooker. What really makes this sauce exceptional is the addition of root beer. Yep… root beer! Just pick up pre-made coleslaw from the supermarket deli and this would make a fabulous meal.
Find the recipe at Tablespoon HERE
2. Easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake
This is literally one of the easiest dinner recipes ever, and you can customize every part of it so that your family will polish off every bite. Choose your favorite type of tortellini, jarred pasta sauce, and shredded cheese. You can even sub out the parsley for a different green leaf veggie or even for mushrooms or peppers. Bake and enjoy!
Find the recipe at Pip and Ebby HERE
3. 5-Ingredient Beef Enchiladas
Did anyone say Mexican food? These oh-so-easy beef enchiladas are delicious, inexpensive, and packed with flavor. Serve with Mexican rice or beans and you’ll have a dinner your family will love.
Find the recipe at Southern Bite HERE
4. 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
This is a dish your family will devour any time of the year, and the slow cooker does almost all the work for you. Just pair the Lemon Garlic Chicken with bagged salad and rolls and you’ll have a complete dinner that everyone will love.
Find the recipe at No. 2 Pencil HERE
5. Easy Crockpot BBQ Coca-Cola Ribs (Only 3 Ingredients!)
If you’re craving some crazy good fall-off-the-bone ribs, why not skip the restaurant and make your own… right in the slow cooker? These incredibly easy (and totally delish) ribs couldn’t be any easier! Pair with baked potatoes and corn-on-the-cob and you’ll have a hearty dinner your family will love!
Find the recipe at The Frugal Girls HERE
6. 5-Ingredient Turkey Swiss Sliders (71K shares on Pinterest!)
Melted cheese and warm deli-style roasted turkey flavored with mustard and packed between soft and sweet Hawaiian rolls guarantee a delicious meal. These are so easy and yummy and could be served with fries, onion rings, or even coleslaw. This is the perfect dinner when mom (or dad) needs a break!
Find the recipe at Unicorns in the Kitchen HERE
7. Balsamic Glazed Salmon
You definitely don’t need a grill to make this delicious dinner entrée. By simply searing salmon fillets in a pan, you can get a beautiful, crispy crust and the honey balsamic glaze is the perfect topping. If you don’t want to pay the higher cost of salmon, you can certainly use chicken as well.
Find the recipe at Cooking Classy HERE
8. 5-Ingredient Bacon Asparagus Pasta
Everything’s better with bacon, right? This pasta dish is not only easy but also appealing to look at and tastes great. You can use the small amount of white wine the recipe calls for, or you can simply substitute it with chicken broth.
Find the recipe at Gimme Some Oven HERE
9. 5-Ingredient Grilled Chicken with Tomato, Soy and Sesame Seeds
When it comes to preparing dinner on busy weeknights, it’s ALL about speedy cooking and very little chopping (preferably with quick clean-up). This recipe, taken right off the Leggo’s Tomato Paste box, is SO easy and delicious! Marinade chicken drummies or chicken thighs, (whichever you prefer), for an amazing recipe that’s packed with flavor!
Find the recipe at Fuss-Free Cooking HERE
10. Instant Pot Mac n’ Cheese
Making mac and cheese in an instant pot results in super creamy goodness – much better than the stove-top version in my opinion. This easy recipe can be served as is or you can add in a steamed vegetable like broccoli to make it a more complete meal.
Find the recipe at Little Spice Jar HERE
11. Easiest EVER 3-Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings (OVER 200K shares on Pinterest!)
I don’t know about your family, but mine loves BBQ Chicken wings! Pair a bag of frozen chicken wings with some Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce and one secret ingredient and you have the best ever BBQ Chicken wings recipe.
Find the recipe at Intelligent Domestications HERE
12. Spaghetti Carbonara
This one really makes my mouth water! And… it’s one of the easiest dishes you’ll ever make with only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time. Loaded with Parmesan Cheese and crisp bacon, your family might have a hard time passing this one up!
Find the recipe at Damn Delicious HERE
13. Easy 3-Ingredient Chili Recipe
Perfect for a chilly fall or winter day, this 3-ingredient easy chili recipe is made in 30 minutes or less! Thick, hearty, and filled with flavor, this is the perfect easy recipe for fall!
Find the recipe at i Heart Naptime HERE
14. 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pot Roast
There’s nothing better than the smell of pot roast cooking on a cold day. And, would you believe this scrumptious-looking roast is made with only three ingredients? Pair with potatoes, a veggie, and rolls, and you’ll have a wonderfully delish dinner!
Find the recipe at Lord Byron’s Kitchen HERE
15. Sweet Lemon Shrimp
Who knew you could whip up shrimp on a weeknight without slaving over the stove? This recipe is so easy to pull together and it has a fantastic Hoisin lemon marinade that’s hard to resist. While you bake these shrimp, I’d suggest cooking a bag of microwavable edamame to serve alongside.
Find the recipe at Damn Delicious HERE
16. Crockpot Pork Roast and Potatoes
This is a wonderful “set it and forget it” type of meal. Just put the five ingredients for this pork roast and potatoes recipe in the slow cooker in the morning before heading out the door and when you get home at night you have super tender meat, and your meal is ready to eat. Pair with a pre-made, bagged salad if you’d like.
Find the recipe at Sweet Phi HERE
17. 5-Ingredient BBQ Chicken Flatbread
This BBQ flatbread comes together in about 20 minutes! It’s loaded with delicious flavors and can be made with store-bought rotisserie chicken to make things easy and quick!
Find the recipe at Midwest Foodie HERE
18. Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders (Low Carb, Keto, Gluten-Free) 126K shares on Pinterest!
There’s only five minutes of prep time for this entrée and it’s one of those recipes that goes with almost any side dish your family likes. Try the tenders with roasted or microwaved veggies like broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower. They would also be great paired with mashed sweet potatoes.
Find the recipe at Joy Filled Eats HERE
19. Sausage, Egg n’ Cheese Casserole
Sometimes, after a long day, what you really need is a hearty breakfast! This easy recipe produces a whopping 8 servings and takes very little effort to make. This is one of those comfort food recipes you keep going back to.
Find the recipe at Bake It With Love HERE
20. Crockpot Chicken Tacos
This Crockpot Chicken Taco recipe is a breeze to make and it’s perfect for making quick and easy tacos or bowls. Serve with rice or chips and salsa and your family is going to flip!
Find the recipe at Kristen’s Kitchen HERE
21. Easy Pizza Casserole
Did someone say pizza? Only 5 ingredients and 8 minutes of prep time and you’ll have a delish pizza casserole your family is sure to devour.
Find the recipe at Lil Luna HERE
22. Easy Cheesy Baked Ravioli (3 Ingredients!)
This baked ravioli recipe is an easy dinner that’s great served alongside breadsticks and a salad. Plus, it’s SO easy that even your kids can whip this recipe up themselves. (Time to pass the apron over, parents!)
Find the recipe at Kids Activities HERE
23. Potato Chowder
Okay, so we lied… this recipe has 6 ingredients (with 2 extra optional ingredients) but it looked WAY too yummy and easy not to include! Imagine munching on this on a cold day… delish! This is a recipe that just warms the soul…
Find the recipe at Taste of Home HERE
24. 5-Ingredient Caprese Chicken
This easy 5-ingredient Caprese Chicken is everything you and your family might love! It’s wholesome, healthy, delicious, hearty, total comfort food, and easy to make! Serve it up with a salad and veggies to round out the delicious goodness!
Find the recipe at Seasonal Cravings HERE
25. Easy Sloppy Joes
I remember my Mom making Sloppy Joes for my family when I was a kid and I still love them. This Sloppy Joe recipe has only 3 ingredients so there’s no excuse not to try this family-friendly dinner idea that everyone will love!
Find the recipe at Eating on a Dime HERE
