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.

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

8. Chicken Skewers With Garlic & Soy Sauce

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