As far as the kids are concerned, the perfect five-ingredient weeknight dinner recipe reads something like, “macaroni, cheese, butter, milk, heat.” Or perhaps, “chicken nuggets, ketchup, ketchup, ketchup, ketchup.” While we totally agree with their philosophy of less is more—especially when it comes to making grocery lists or dashing to the store last-minute—keeping it simple doesn’t require sacrificing all levels of sophistication.
Sitting down to a balanced meal the entire family can enjoy (minus a massive kitchen production) is totally feasible. Click through the slideshow above for 10 five-star, five-ingredient meals you can whip up on the spur of the moment— only a single grocery bag required. We threw in one easy-as-pie dessert recipe, too, for good measure.