The 5-ingredient dinner formula that saves my weeknights

Hey!

Tuesday night, 6:47pm. I'm staring into my fridge with that familiar "what the heck am I going to make for dinner?" panic.

Sound familiar?

This used to be me every single night. I'd have grand plans to make elaborate meals, but when dinnertime actually rolled around, I was tired, the kids were hungry, and I had zero mental energy to figure out a complex recipe.

Then I discovered the magic of 5-ingredient dinners.

Not "5 ingredients plus 15 pantry staples" recipes. I'm talking about meals with literally 5 main ingredients that somehow taste like you spent hours cooking.

My go-to formula:

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1. Protein (chicken, fish, beans)

2. Vegetable (whatever I have on hand)

3. Starch (rice, pasta, potatoes)

4. Fat (olive oil, butter, cheese)

5. Flavor (lemon, garlic, herbs, or one good sauce)

Last night's dinner:

• Chicken thighs

• Broccoli

• Sweet potatoes

• Olive oil

• Garlic + lemon

Tossed everything on a sheet pan, roasted for 25 minutes. Done.

The result? Restaurant-quality dinner, one pan, minimal cleanup, and my family thought I was some kind of kitchen genius.

Here's why this works:

Simple ingredients = less shopping stress. No hunting for exotic ingredients or making three store stops.

Fewer components = less can go wrong. When you're juggling 15 ingredients, something's bound to get overcooked or forgotten.

Less prep = more likely to actually cook. When dinner requires 20 minutes of chopping, I'm way more tempted to just order pizza.

Better flavors = each ingredient matters. When you only have 5 things, you make sure each one is good quality and doing its job.

My favorite 5-ingredient combinations:

• Salmon + asparagus + rice + soy sauce + ginger

• Ground turkey + bell peppers + quinoa + salsa + cheese

• Pork chops + apples + sweet potatoes + sage + balsamic

• Shrimp + zucchini + pasta + garlic + parmesan

The magic happens when you stop overthinking dinner.

Instead of trying to recreate that fancy restaurant dish with 20 steps, you focus on making 5 simple ingredients taste amazing together.

Want 30 more combinations like this?

My dinner collection is built entirely around this principle - simple ingredients that create satisfying, delicious meals your family will actually eat.

Every recipe uses 5-7 ingredients max, takes 30 minutes or less, and includes tips for making it your own. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want real food without the stress.

What's your go-to "when I don't know what to make" dinner? Hit reply and tell me - I love hearing about people's backup plans!

Here's to stress-free dinners! Sarah

P.S. - The best part about 5-ingredient dinners? Kids can actually help make them. My 8-year-old can handle seasoning vegetables and setting timers. Simple cooking = family cooking!