5-ingredient family meals
Try cooking our easy 5-ingredient dinners to feed the family. These fuss-free, time-saving recipes use smart, ready-made ingredients and pack in maximum flavour
Five ingredients or fewer is all you need to make these 10 delicious family dinners. Shun extensive recipe instructions and abandon complicated cooking. These easy recipes are here to save you the stress of the midweek meal scramble. Using clever corner-cutting techniques and ready-made ingredients you can create speedy meals that are full of colour and flavour.
From an Italian-inspired puff pizza tart to a hearty all-in-one bacon & pea risotto, we've got plenty of mains to make use of storecupboard saviours. Take a look at our family meal recipe collection for even more dinners that kids and grown-ups will love.
1. Blackened salmon fajitas
Fajitas make an ideal quick-fix meal. You can feed a family of four in less than 15 minutes with our blackened salmon fajitas. Just grab a kit complete with tortillas and a spice mix, fry your salmon and serve with mashed avocado, salsa and a squeeze of zingy lime. The kids will enjoy assembling their own dinner and piling on their choice of toppings. For a veggie version try swapping your salmon with chunks of sweet potato and a mix of fresh peppers.
2. Ham & ricotta pizzas with pesto
Let the kids get creative with their pizza bases and try a fakeaway Italian feast. Our ham & ricotta pizza matches that creaminess of the cheese with a drizzle of pesto for a dose of decadence. You may also want to browse our 5 easy pizza topping ideas for vibrant variations that you can throw together in minutes after a busy day.
3. Asparagus & meatball orzo
Get a taste of spring in this simple asparagus & meatball orzo dish – an impressive yet fuss-free feast. The family can help themselves and will likely come back for seconds. The dish can be plated up in under 30 minutes, so it's perfect for when time is short. For a healthy twist, try our creamy pasta with peas & asparagus that you can prep in five minutes, flat.
4. Piri-piri chicken pittas
We love these easy pittas pockets stuffed with chicken and crunchy coleslaw. You can tone down the spice or take it up a notch depending on whether the kids can take the heat. Get the spicing right and this is sure to become a firm family favourite. Try serving with a simple four-ingredient spinach & halloumi salad and our spiced potato wedges.
5. Turkey twist pie
Buy a pack of filo pastry and roll it with a filling of rich ricotta, a variety of veg and roast turkey – the result is a pretty turkey twist pie. This impressive looking main is deceptively simple to make and believe it or not, it's even low-calorie. Bake until golden brown and serve up a slice with our shredded green salad or rich and buttery garlicky greens.
6. Squash & coconut curry
Get your fill of nutritious veggies with our easily doubled squash & coconut curry. Whip up a family-sized batch of this creamy butternut treat, with chunky red pepper and shop-bought curry paste, then freeze it for when you're busy midweek. Who can resist a scoop of warming curry partnered with warm naan bread and fluffy pilau rice? Certainly not us and we predict your family can't either.
7. Butter bean & chorizo stew
Stews and casseroles always go down well at the family dinner table, especially during the colder months, and our butter bean & chorizo stew is no exception. Subtle heat and spice from the sausage and a generous dollop of herby pesto add bags of flavour to this dish. Go from stewless to satisfied in 20 minutes by stirring up this Spanish-style delight.
8. Squash quesadillas
Give your weeknight meals a Mexican fiesta feel with these veggie butternut squash quesadillas. Everyone will love the combo of tender squash and punchy feta encased in a crisp, golden brown tortilla. As well as being easy to make, this is a low-calorie dinner that we guarantee will satisfy herbivores and meat-eaters alike.
9. Teriyaki pork meatballs
A grand total of four ingredients is all you need to cook these teriyaki pork meatballs for another quick, low-calorie supper. It's ready in under 15 minutes and uses ready-made teriyaki sauce for moreish sweet and savoury flavour plus crunchy pak choi for texture and freshness. We never turn down noodles, especially when they can be in our bellies so speedily.
10. Goat's cheese, pea & bean frittata
Our goat's cheese, pea & bean frittata is an easy veggie win. Using frozen veg means this recipe is easy on the pocket, too, and nothing gets wasted. What could be better than a 20-minute supper? One with bubbling pockets of soft, warm cheese, of course. Serve with chunks of crusty bread for a comfortingly rustic family meal.
Need something sweet to finish your 5-ingredient meal? Try these 5-ingredient desserts...
Chocolate hazelnut ice cream cheesecake
Instant berry banana slush
Peanut butter cookies
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What's your favourite 'throw-together' family meal? Leave a comment below...
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