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This isn’t a cooking blog for a good reason — although I don’t mind cooking, it isn’t my strongest skill. I do enjoy putting a nice meal on the table for dinner, but sometimes it can be a lot of work. If you’re like me, you may get a little tired of spending so much of your time and effort in the kitchen!
It can seem like the only alternative to cooking is shelling out a small fortune for takeout or delivery, but that’s just not true! And I hope to prove it to you in today’s post, where I’ll be sharing 13 extremely easy recipes you can make with just a few ingredients.
Related: 7 Easy Meals To Make When You Have Zero Time
I hope these recipes from OGT and around the web will help you find some time to relax. And if you know of any to-die-for 3 ingredient recipes that aren’t mentioned here, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below! :-)
13 Ridiculously Easy 3-Ingredient Recipes
1. Apple Dump Cake
Looking for a sweet treat you can pull together with minimal effort? Try this Apple Dump Cake on for size! Pour the ingredients into your Instant Pot, turn it on, and you’ll be enjoying this warm and gooey cobbler-esque cake in no time.
2. Chili Cheese Dip
Question: What do you get when you combine a can of chili, a jar of salsa, and a block of cream cheese? Answer: A deliciously simple chili cheese dip you’ll be hard pressed to stop eating!
This dip is a staple at our house on special occasions, because you’re just not really celebrating if you’re not eating copious amounts of chips and dip. Give it a try, and I bet your family will love it as much as we do!
3. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
We may be deeply into winter, but there’s never a bad time to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. This version is as quick and easy as it gets, so you can spend less time making a mess of your kitchen and more time eating cookies. :-)
4. Slow Cooker Meatballs
These slow cooker meatballs are truly effortless to make. Just dump a few things in your crockpot, turn it on, and wait for the magic to happen! A few of them make a great snack, or you can spoon them over rice or noodles to make it a meal.
5. Multi-Purpose Dough
I’m including this versatile dough on this list even though it’s called “2 ingredient dough,” because you may need to use 3 if you don’t have self-rising flour on hand. But regardless of how many ingredients to use, you’ll find no shortage of ways to use it!
From bagels to cinnamon rolls, this is truly a multi-purpose dough worth trying for yourself!
6. “Dump” Chicken
“Dump” recipes may not sound all that appetizing, but in my experience, they’re actually quite delicious! And they couldn’t be any easier either, because all you have to do is dump the ingredients into a slow cooker or Instant Pot to make them.
For a deliciously simple 3 ingredient dump meal, try the Salsa Chicken or Honey Dijon Chicken varieties.
Related: 13 Stress-Free Sheet Pan Meals We All Need Right Now
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Chicken Stir Fry
Some recipes will never taste quite as good if you take a few shortcuts along the way, but this recipe is not one of them. This recipe fully embraces shortcuts, allowing you to get the world’s easiest chicken stir fry on the table in record time and with just a few ingredients.
8. Sausage & Fennel Pasta
From Epicurious
Sausage and fennel always pair well together, and this pasta dish is a celebration of that pairing! Because this is such a simple recipe, make sure to use good quality Italian sausage and fresh fennel to get the best flavor.
Want to take this simple and flavorful dish to the next level? Use fresh pasta from a local pasta maker, or try your hand at making your own fresh pasta at home!
9. Nutella Mug Cake
From Kathleen’s Cravings
Mug cakes are a great option for satisfying your sweet tooth without spending a lot of time or effort in the kitchen. This Nutella mug cake keeps things super simple, so you can be enjoying a gooey, chocolate-y treat in minutes!
10. Meatloaf
From One Little Project
There’s a huge number and variety of meatloaf recipes out there, and they run the gamut from super simple to elaborate and complicated. This one is definitely the former, calling for only ground beef, stuffing mix, and a little bit of milk.
Serve this meatloaf with some mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable side dish, and voila, dinner is ready!
11. Swedish Meatballs
From Meg’s Everyday Indulgence
More Ideas You'll Love
Swedish meatballs are a great choice for an easy weeknight dinner. They’re quick, easy, and always satisfying—especially if it happens to be a bit chilly outside!
12. Biscuits
FromThe View from Great Island
There’s no wrong time to eat biscuits, in my opinion. For instance, you could have biscuits and gravy for breakfast, a biscuit sandwich for lunch, and a stew with biscuits on top for dinner!
You can make these fluffy and delicious biscuits with just three ingredients, and use them however and whenever you like! :-)
13. Orange Chicken
From Dinner Then Dessert
When a takeout craving strikes, you can save yourself quite a bit of money by making your takeout favorites at home! This orange chicken is a quick and easy dinner, and sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
What are your favorite 3 ingredient recipes?
