5 Ingredient Dinners That Actually Taste Good

Why 5 Ingredients Is the Sweet Spot

Five ingredients is enough to build real flavour without the faff. No complicated shopping lists, no half-used jars cluttering the fridge. Just five things, one pan, and dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.

1. Pesto Chicken Bake

Chicken thighs, green pesto, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil. Score the chicken, spread pesto inside, top with torn mozzarella and halved tomatoes. Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes. Serve with salad or crusty bread.

2. Garlic Butter Salmon

Salmon fillets, butter, garlic, lemon, asparagus. Melt butter with minced garlic, pour over salmon and asparagus on a baking tray. Squeeze lemon on top. Bake at 200°C for 12-15 minutes. Done.

3. Sausage & Bean One-Pot

Pork sausages, tin of chopped tomatoes, tin of cannellini beans, smoked paprika, spinach. Brown the sausages, add tomatoes, drained beans, and paprika. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in spinach at the end. Eat with bread.

4. Teriyaki Noodles

Egg noodles, teriyaki sauce, frozen stir-fry vegetables, chicken breast or tofu, sesame seeds. Cook noodles, stir-fry the protein and veg, add teriyaki sauce, toss with noodles, top with sesame seeds. 15 minutes start to finish.

5. Caprese Pasta

Pasta, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil. Cook pasta, halve the tomatoes and tear the mozzarella. Toss everything together with olive oil and torn basil. Season with salt and pepper. Summer in a bowl.

The Rule of Five

Notice that salt, pepper, and olive oil are not counted. These are kitchen basics. The five ingredients are the ones that define the dish — the things that give it character and flavour.

Let SusChef Find Recipes for What You Have

Got random ingredients and no idea what to make? SusChef scans your fridge and suggests recipes based on exactly what is in there. It prioritises simple meals with ingredients you already have — no unnecessary shopping trips.