9 5-Ingredient Recipes for (Insanely) Busy People

Busy schedules can make it feel impossible to find the time to make any food at all… let alone something healthy. Well, we’re here to help.

Explore our collection of delicious, quick and easy meals perfect for that on-the-go type of lifestyle. Most of these 5-ingredient recipes only take minutes to whip up, and the ones that take a bit longer have the oven do all the work, so that you can get some other things done around the house.

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Every dish is a scrumptious, waist-friendly option suitable for lunch, or flexible enough to become a filling dinner with a bit of added protein. Keep them all handy, as a friendly reminder that losing weight can be delicious and doesn’t have to be complicated!

These are the 5-ingredient meals for very, very busy people (click on the name to access the full recipe):

1. 5-Ingredient Chicken “Noodle” Soup >

Craving comfort food but don’t want to pack on the pounds? Try this 5-Ingredient Chicken Soup with Squash Noodles. It’s got all the satisfaction of your favorite cool-weather staple, without any of the waist-wrecking potential.

2. 5-Ingredient Veggie Frittata >

This veggie frittata is a quick and satisfying option for breakfast or one of those breakfast-for-dinner kind of nights. This quiche-like egg dish only requires mixing together egg whites, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers and basil, pouring it into a coated pie dish and popping it in the oven. While it bakes for 45 minutes, finish your morning or evening routine.

3. Strawberry Feta Spinach Salad >

Not only does this delicious strawberry salad melt in your mouth, but it is it incredibly easy to put together. Simply top spinach with strawberries, feta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This is a fantastic light and lunch-appropriate salad, can work as a simple and filling dinner, with the quick addition of chicken or nuts.

4. Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwich >

If you have some chicken in the fridge, build this awesome sandwich for a quick lunch or dinner. It’s an opportunity to tap into some leftovers. Simply combine chicken, avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper, and then scoop your mixture on to a whole wheat sandwich thin.

5. 5-Ingredient “Cheezy” Cauliflower Soup >

Savor this deliciously cozy cauliflower soup. You’d never guess that it gets its “cheezy” flavor from nutritional yeast, saving you from added calories and fat, while serving up extra nutrients. You’ll want to whip up a large batch of this soup to keep on hand for busy, cold nights when a fast, warm meal is in order. As a 5-ingredient recipe, it couldn’t be easier!

6. Chicken Pita Pocket >

This chicken pita pocket couldn’t be tastier or quicker to make! It takes just minutes to chop the veggies, stir together the ingredients—baby spinach, chicken, red bell pepper and low-fat Italian vinaigrette— and serve in pita halves.

7. 5-Ingredient, Simple Eggplant Parmesan >

Enjoy a delicious, healthy Italian dinner with another of our favorite 5-ingredient recipe staples. All it takes is a bit of eggplant, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. This meal can easily be baked in the oven, affording you some multi-tasking time in the kitchen to wash some dishes, prep the next day’s lunches or help the kids with homework.

8. 5-Ingredient Banana Nut Muffins >

This is a great stand-by to keep handy at home, because it only requires five wholesome ingredients that may already be staples in your pantry. Combine bananas, oats, raisins, cashews and cinnamon, pour the batter in a coated muffin pan and pop the pan in the oven. In 15-20 minutes, you will be in warm banana nut muffin heaven!

9. Turkey Cranberry Salad >

Get a taste of Thanksgiving with this light and nutritious salad! Combine shredded turkey with plain Greek yogurt, dried cranberries or cranberry sauce and pepper. Eat this delicious turkey cranberry salad by itself or add a scoop to a bed of mixed greens. Stuffing it into your pita bread is another great take on the 5-ingredient recipe.

Too swamped to even prepare a 5-ingredient recipe? Check out the Better Than Drive-Thru: 11 Grab & Go Nutrisystem Lunches here! >