5-Ingredient Pantry Recipes

Sometimes less is more. Less shopping, less prep, fewer dishes to wash and ingredients to remember…the simplest recipes become our standbys. Each recipe here uses 5 or fewer ingredients (not counting salt, pepper, butter, oil, and optional ingredients).

Pantry Checklist:

• Shrimp (1 ½ lbs., peeled and deveined)
• Garlic cloves (2, minced)
• Honey (2 tablespoons)
• Lemon juice (¼ cup)
• Dijon mustard (3 tablespoons)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients except shrimp, and stir with a whisk. Thread shrimp onto skewers. Brush one side of shrimp with glaze. Grill for one to two minutes. Turn shrimp, brush with glaze, and cook two minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Serves four.

Penne works well in this dish if gemelli isn't available.

Pantry Checklist:

•   Broccoli rabe
•   Gemelli OR penne pasta
•   Center-cut bacon
•   Garlic cloves
•   Can of no-salt-added chickpeas

It doesn't get much easier than this―just toss everything in a food processor and turn it on. This incredibly versatile sauce freezes well, so you can enjoy the flavors of summer all year long.

Bacon is the key to a simple sauce that transforms skinless, boneless chicken breasts into a meal that looks and tastes more involved than it really is. A little unsweetened apple cider rounds out the sauce with a subtle layer of flavor. Another sauce secret: Don't forget to scrape the browned bits from the pan when you deglaze it, because they're the key to a richer sauce.

Pantry Checklist:

• Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4)
• Bacon
• Onion
• Unsweetened apple cider
• Chicken broth

One of our favorite things about summer is the effortless splendor of heirloom tomato salads. Ripe, peak-season specimens need almost no adornment, so skip the granita if you're in a rush. But if you have a few hours to let it freeze, it will make this dish spectacular.

Pantry Checklist:

• Heirloom tomatoes (4-5)
• Basil
• Red wine vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil

This 5-star recipe proves elegant does not equal fussy. You'll be amazed at the kind of complex flavor you can get from just four ingredients (not counting salt, pepper, and cooking spray). Sweet dried figs counter the savory bite of blue cheese, and the elegant rolled presentation bakes in just 20 minutes.

One of the best (and simplest) sides in our magazine's history, this recipe was named Best Vegetable Side Dish in our 20th anniversary issue. The browned butter with a splash of balsamic vinegar adds an elegance that belies the simplicity of this approach.

Pantry Checklist:

• Asparagus
• Butter
• Soy sauce
• Balsamic vinegar
• Lemon rind (optional)

A 4-ingredient dish worthy of serving to company? You bet! Good-quality goat cheese and fresh rosemary give chicken breasts a special spin that won't bust your budget (or your gut). Canadian bacon makes it taste indulgent.

Pantry Checklist:

• Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4)
• Goat cheese
• Canadian bacon
• Fresh rosemary

Readers gave this recipe 5 stars (it even converted some fish skeptics). Many of them subbed capers for the peppercorns that give the pan sauce a piquant punch. At just 282 calories per serving, plus 35 grams of protein, this saucy dish will become a weeknight staple.

Pantry Checklist:

• Tilapia or sole filets (2)
• Chicken broth
• Lemon juice
• All-purpose flour
• Brine-packed green peppercorns (or substitute capers)

This 5-star recipe earned the hearts of reviewers with its no-fuss prep and big-flavor results. While this simple one-skillet supper cooks, toast some bread in the oven. With 23 grams of protein, less than a gram of saturated fat, and only 161 calories per serving, this is a meal as light as the cleanup.

Pantry Checklist:

• Shrimp (about 1 pound large, peeled and deveined)
• Ground red pepper
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges
• Optional: bay leaf

Forget a heavy cream sauce―fresh broccoli needs little adornment. This classic Mediterranean treatment uses common pantry ingredients for a healthful, no-fuss side.

Pantry Checklist:

• Broccoli
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Crushed red pepper
• Garlic cloves

Rated 5-stars by readers and named an all-time favorite by our staff, these oven-baked fries are so good (and easy!) that you'll never go back to deep-fried fries. Fresh parsley, minced garlic, and Parmesan cheese add a burst of flavor that's a surefire pleaser for kids and crowds alike.

Pantry Checklist:

• Baking potatoes
• Butter
• Garlic
• Parsley
• Parmesan cheese

How do you improve the sweet combination of grilled shrimp and pineapple? With a 2-ingredient sauce that you can not only memorize, but repurpose on chicken thighs or as a dipping sauce for sundry Asian dishes (think spring rolls, lettuce wraps, dumplings…).

Pantry Checklist:

• Shrimp (about 1.5 pounds, peeled and deveined)
• Fresh pineapple
• Red onion
• Low-sodium teriyaki sauce
• Sesame seeds (toasted)

This simple soup gets its spice from a classic time-saving pantry ingredient: taco seasoning (the low-sodium variety). Mashing about half of the white beans gives the soup more body, and while the fresh cilantro is optional, its flavor really completes this dish.

Pantry Checklist:

• Chicken breasts
• Taco seasoning
• Chicken broth
• Green salsa
• Cannellini beans (or other white beans)
• Optional: Cilantro, sour cream

Easy and elegant, this classic presentation is a simple brunch stunner. Use individual ramekins or custard cups. After a minute or two of effortless prep, you can relax for 25 minutes and read the paper while these bake to just-set perfection.

Pantry Checklist:

• Eggs (6 large)
• Butter
• Whipping cream

This recipe first ran in the January/February 1990 issue, but its pure freshness is still popular among the staff today. A simple recipe yields intense flavor, thanks to generous amounts of orange juice and zest, with a bit of lemon juice for sweet-sour balance.

Pantry Checklist:

• Oranges
• Sugar
• Lemons
• Optional: Mint

Save money and time with double-duty recipes like this one. Reuse leftover chicken (or grill two birds at once) and choose from a variety of next-day meals.

For moist and tender scallops with a perfectly caramelized crust, use a cast-iron skillet to sear these scallops. Look for scallops that are moist, but not swimming in liquid, and avoid choosing any with an iodine smell. Pair with pasta or a crisp salad for a refreshing, light meal.

Pantry Checklist:

• Sea scallops (1½ pounds)
• All-purpose flour
• Dried marjoram
• White wine
• Balsamic vinegar

Affordable, nutritious, and convenient, the skinless, boneless chicken breast is a staple we always have on hand. This simple preparation can top salads, pastas, or pizzas, fill out sandwiches and wraps, or stand alone with a variety of sauces.

Pomegranate juice and sugar combine in a simple glaze that makes a baked pork tenderloin worthy of company. (You need not confess how easy this was to make.) If you make the glaze ahead of time it will thicken considerably; just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until it has thinned.

Pantry Checklist:

• Pork tenderloins (2)
• Pomegranate juice
• Sugar

If you've got Dijon mustard in the fridge and a well-planted herb garden, you only need to buy beef to make this minimal-mess recipe. Fire up the grill and serve with a side salad.

Pantry Checklist:

• Beef tenderloin (about 2½ pounds)
• Dijon mustard
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Rosemary

Fingerling potatoes are great to keep on hand because they make an easy side that pairs well with almost any protein. This basic treatment is so easy you'll likely memorize the recipe after one tasty try.

Pantry Checklist:

• Fingerling potatoes (1½ pounds)
• Olive oil
• Ground red pepper