3-Ingredient Dinners For When You're Not Sure What To Cook

    You don't need a million ingredients to make a really good meal.

    Melissa Jameson
    by Melissa Jameson

    BuzzFeed Staff

    When it comes to easy dinners, less can definitely be more.

    Fewer ingredients usually means shorter prep, cheaper grocery store trips, and less stress in the kitchen overall. That's why we've rounded up a bunch of our favorite dishes that only require three things to make — from simple pastas, to Crock Pot drop dinners, to family-style sheet pan meals.

    (*PS: We're assuming you've already got some basics — like salt, pepper, spices, and olive oil — on hand!)

    1. Crock Pot Shredded Chicken

    gimmesomeoven.com

    Perfect for tacos, rice bowls, or piled over greens.

    Recipe: Crock Pot Shredded Chicken

    2. Miracle Mac & Cheese

    budgetbytes.com

    If you've got noodles, milk, and cheese, you've got dinner.

    Recipe: Miracle Mac & Cheese

    3. Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon

    foodiecrush.com / Via foodiecrush.com

    For the easiest cleanup, line the sheet pan with foil or parchment first.

    Recipe: Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon

    4. Parmesan Broccoli Pasta

    budgetbytes.com

    Bowties and broccoli? Check and check.

    Recipe: Parmesan Broccoli Pasta

    5. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

    Joe Lingeman / Via thekitchn.com

    A true toss-and-go dinner.

    Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

    6. Tomato & Mozzarella Summer Salad

    Laura Murray / Via bonappetit.com

    Looks fancy, but is really just assembly.

    Recipe: Ultimate Caprese Salad

    7. Garlic Toast Pizzas

    thelazydish.com

    Filed under: The Best Possible Use of Garlic Toast.

    Recipe: Garlic Toast Pizzas

    pinchofyum.com

    General kitchen rule: When in doubt, add garlic and soy sauce.

    Recipe: Chicken Skewers With Garlic & Soy Sauce

    9. Crock Pot Pork Roast

    jenniferbanz.com

    Pork loin + bacon + BBQ sauce.

    Recipe: Crock Pot Pork Roast

    10. Egg & Spinach Wrap

    budgetbytes.com

    Four ingredients if you add cheese.

    Recipe: Egg & Spinach Wrap

    11. Crispy Baked BBQ Chicken Bites

    tasty.co

    Crunchy and golden brown thanks to a clever secret ingredient.

    Recipe: Crispy BBQ Chicken Bites

    12. Sheet Pan Low Carb Sausage & Green Beans

    wonkywonderful.com

    This goes from prep to plate in about 20 minutes.

    Recipe: Sheet Pan Sausage & Green Beans

    13. 5-Minute Egg Fried Rice

    omnivorescookbook.com

    The key is not stirring the rice too much — so that pieces can get super crispy in the pan without having to use a wok.

    Recipe: 3-Ingredient Egg Fried Rice

    14. Bulgarian Salad With Tomatoes, Cucumber & Feta

    wandercooks.com / Via wandercooks.com

    This shortcut version of shopska is one of the most refreshing things you'll eat all summer. Serve it with a side of warm pita bread.

    Recipe: Bulgarian Salad With Tomatoes, Cucumber & Feta

    15. All-Purpose Taco Meat

    amindfullmom.com / Via amindfullmom.com

    Use this quick and flavorful taco meat — which is punched up with canned tomatoes and green chiles — in everything from nachos to loaded sweet potatoes.

    Recipe: All-Purpose Taco Meat

    16. Lemon-Butter Cod

    Joe Lingeman / Via thekitchn.com

    This works with any kind of frozen white fish fillets too. You'll just need to thaw them first.

    Recipe: Lemon-Butter Cod

    17. Vegan Meal Prep Packs

    emilieeats.com

    Make a batch of the simple protein-packed base — just quinoa, spinach, and chickpeas — and then use it in everything from pack-and-go lunches, to dinner-worthy vegetable curry.

    Recipe: Vegan Meal Prep Packs

    18. Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce

    BuzzFeed

    This is arguably the most famous tomato sauce recipe out there — and it's totally worth its title, IMO.

    Recipe & Review: Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce

    19. Easiest Veggie Noodle Fritters

    nutritionbymia.com

    Just grab grocery store zoodles, add flour, and pan fry — and you've got dinner fritters. Top with a fried egg or your favorite dip.

    Recipe: Easiest Veggie Noodle Fritters

    20. Lemon & Thyme Salmon

    Lauren Zaser / Via buzzfeed.com

    If you've never cooked salmon before, this is the perfect starter. It cooks low and slow in the oven — and is basically impossible to mess up.

    Recipe: Lemon & Thyme Salmon

    21. 2-Ingredient Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

    Any jarred salsa — like salsa verde or chunky habanero — would work here.

    Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken