On your busiest days, you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. Between meetings, work, school, and all of life’s many obligations, it’s difficult to throw together a gourmet meal. But even if you don’t have much time, you should still be able to enjoy a filling and delicious meal. That’s where these easy three-ingredient meals come in.
These recipes are simple to make, but still result in a dish you’re going to look forward to enjoying. Go ahead and bookmark this page—come back to it when you need some quick and easy recipe inspiration.
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Quick Tuna Salad
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
You don’t need a lot of time to put together this balanced, tasty meal. A can of tuna, creamy salad dressing, and a little sweet pickle relish—give everything a stir and you’re good to go! Serve it by itself, with crackers, on bread, or on a bed of lettuce. Feel free to add in your favorite tuna salad add-ins. It can be as simple or complex as you’d like.
“Been making it that way for 45 years,” said a reviewer. “You can add anything you want but it’s good just like this. Quick for packing lunch in the morning.”
Hot Dog Roll-Up
Allrecipes/Christine Ma
This three-ingredient microwave meal comes together in two to three minutes—you just can’t get easier than that. Keep these ingredients on hand for an easy meal or snack you can make in a pinch. Kids will love this one too!
“This is an easy, quick thing to make when you’re really hungry and don’t have time to make something fancy,” shared one Allrecipes member. “I tried it with mozzarella cheese as that’s all I had on hand, and it was good. Thanks for the recipe!”
Crispy Tater Caesar Salad
Dotdash-Meredith-Food-Studios
This idea is so simple, but so genius. Make a Caesar salad and top it with crispy Tater Tots instead of croutons. You can make the Tater Tots in the oven or air fryer, give them a smash, and pop them back in to crisp up. This recipe calls for zhuzhing a Caesar dressing, but using bottled dressing would make this a true three-ingredient meal. Grab a Caesar salad kit from the grocery store to make it even easier!
“LOVE the idea,” shared one Allrecipes reviewer.
3-Ingredient Air Fryer Everything Bagel Chicken Strips
Allrecipes/Qi Ai
Allrecipes Allstar Nicole Russel says these three-ingredient air fryer chicken strips are “simple, flavorful, and delicious.” An easy one to two minute prep, and 12 minutes in the airfryer will result in a tasty and filling lunch in no time. Serve alongside your favorite dips, or use the chicken to make a wrap, salad, or sandwich. It will add a nice crunch and flavor however you use it!
“This recipe was amazing,” said an Allrecipes member. “I doubled it because I had an inkling that my family was going to like it. I vastly underestimated how much they would absolutely adore it, and they begged me for more after all was gone. Super simple, completely delicious.”
Cheesy Lasagna Sheet Pasta
Peyton Beckwith
Move over buttered noodles, there’s another quick and easy pasta in town. You only need lasagna noodles, a jar of your favorite tomato sauce, and some shredded mozzarella to make this filling and satisfying lunch.
“My lasagna has never been photo-worthy,” shared an Allrecipes member. “This means one less thing I need to worry about. And far less work.”
Air Fryer Ranch Pork Chops
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Need a quick meal but don’t want to sacrifice flavor? Check out this Air Fryer Ranch Pork Chops recipe. Two ingredients, and 10 minutes later you’ll be digging into an herby and juicy pork chop. Steam some veg in the microwave while this cooks in the air fryer, and you’ll have a complete meal in minutes.
“Best pork chops ever and so easy in the air fryer,” shared a reviewer. “Based on some reviews that the pork chops were bland, I used 2 Tablespoons of ranch seasoning powder which gave the pork chops an amazing burst of flavor. This is now my go-to pork chop recipe.”
Ham and Cheese Pretzel Panini
Switch up your sandwich with this pretzel panini that is equal parts delicious and unique. Frozen soft pretzels serve as the “bread” in this recipe, and layers of dill Havarti cheese (or your favorite deli cheese) and ham get layered in between.
Give it a nice grill in a skillet or panini grill (or in the oven if you’re making multiple) and in no time you’ll have a delicious lunch. Serve with grainy mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.
Pesto Cheesy Chicken Rolls
Spend a few minutes stuffing and filling some pounded chicken breasts then pop them into a preheated oven for around 45 minutes. When the timer goes off you’ll have a tasty meal that feels a bit fancy and elevated. Pop a baked potato in the oven to eat on the side, or enjoy by itself.
“This was great, so simple to create,” shared one reviewer. “Everyone at the table first marveled at the smell while baking, then complimented the taste. Not a piece was left on the pan.”
2-Minute Cheese Quesadillas
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
It just does not get simpler than this. Two ingredients, two minutes and you’re done. Feel free to add in any leftover proteins or vegetables to bulk this up.
“The girls LOVED this for lunch today,” said an Allrecipes member. “They ate every bite, and that made me happy! The filling possibilities are endless. Thanks for sharing!”
Salmon and Chive Tea Sandwiches
Chef Mo
This tasty tea sandwich is enjoyed around the world, and it’s not hard to see why. It shines in its simplicity because it uses two bold ingredients: a chive cream cheese and smoked salmon. Feel free to add in sliced cucumbers for a crunchy element.
“These were excellent and also simple to make,” shared one reviewer. “These were gobbled up in no time. I did think they could use some crunch so I served sliced cucumber on the side. Next time I’ll just add them right on the sandwich. The only change I made is that I used rye and pumpernickel swirl bread from Pepperidgefarm because that is all the rage around here these days. This recipe is a keeper!”
Cheesy Ramen Noodles
Ramen noodles are a classic quick snack or meal, and this cheesy version makes it all the more filling and dynamic. Add chili crunch, a soft boiled egg, sliced green onions, for an extra tasty bite. But even if you keep it simple, you’re going to love this ooey gooey noodle dish.
“Well, who would have thought to add cheese to Ramen noodles,” asked an Allrecipes member. “Going off the reviews, I guess I’m one of the few that never thought of this. In my defense, I grew up on them but ate them in soup form (go figure). I made this as written and hubs really liked it.”
Green Chile Microwave Scrambled Eggs
Make this easy scrambled egg dish as a part of your next breakfast for dinner (or lunch). The green chiles (and added Pepper Jack cheese, if you prefer) add a little heat to an otherwise simple dish. Eat by itself or with some toast or microwaved sausage on the side.
“We loved the addition of the chopped peppers and Pepper Jack cheese,” said one reviewer. “I also cooked diced onion in butter just before I added the eggs.”
Crumbed Chicken Tenderloins
Allrecipes member Launa, who shared this recipe, said these air fryer chicken tenders “beat chicken nuggets any day.” Make this crispy chicken recipe when you’re craving something tasty, but super quick, for lunch or dinner. Serve alongside your favorite dipping sauces, fold into a wrap, or cube it up to make a crispy chicken salad.
“Delicious, quick and easy,” shared one reviewer. “It came out crunchy and the chicken breasts were not overcooked. I had mine with some sriracha sauce. Another no hassle meal to make!”
Easy, Two-Ingredient Pulled Pork
This is one of those great “set and forget” recipes that you can throw in your slow cooker before starting your day, then dig in when you get hungry for dinner. Serve on some toasted buns, and add onions or coleslaw if readily available.
“Easiest and best tasting BBQ I have ever made,” said a reviewer. “Followed directions as written, except I cooked it a couple hours longer than recommended. As long as you like the BBQ sauce you’re using, you can’t go wrong with this recipe”
Air Fryer Brats
“Forget about the weather and cooking outside with these air fryer brats,” says Allrecipes member Pat Bernitt, who shared this recipe. “There’s no reason to fire up the grill when you can get crispy brats this juicy and tender with perfect texture from an air fryer. We like ours on a hoagie bun with German mustard and sauerkraut.”
