When it comes to me rolling up my sleeves and making something in the kitchen, I live by one rule: the easier, the better.
That means not only finding simple recipes that use just a few ingredients I probably already have in my home, but more often finding ones I can whip up in a hurry. As someone who's pretty much always running late for something, the 5-minute meals below have become a total lifesaver.
Whether I'm making them as an addition to some leftovers or enjoying them all on their own, each delicious dish has totally hit the spot in less time than waiting for delivery.
A few of these 5-minute meals rely on a pressure cooker to get things done fast, but you'll find plenty to try that just require your ordinary oven and stovetop too.
Have you come up with your own signature 5-minute meals? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
Thumbnail sources: Flickr / stu_spivack, YouTube / LivingRichlyonaBudget
1. Pan-Seared Salmon With Tomatoes
This recipe from Shape is not only super yummy, but also super healthy!
Ingredients:
Salmon filet
Olive oil
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1 1/2 Tbsps. balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Slice the tomatoes in half. Coat a pan with oil and warm over medium heat. Season the filet to your preference, then sear with the skin-side down. Flip it when it becomes opaque, then add the tomatoes and sauté. Place the salmon on a plate and top with the tomatoes.
Add the balsamic vinegar to the hot pan and allow to reduce over medium heat for about 15 seconds, then pour over the fish as well.
2. Pressure Cooker Mac And Cheese
This delightfully gooey recipe by Center Cut Cook will knock all other quick recipes way out of the park.
Ingredients:
1 lb. elbow macaroni
4 Tbsps. butter
4 cups water
2 tsps. dry ground mustard
Salt and pepper
1 cup evaporated milk
8 oz. sharp cheddar
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Add the macaroni, butter, water, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste into pressure cooker. Set on high for 4 minutes. If the noodles aren't done after that, allow to cook for another 2 minutes on the sauté setting.
Pour in the evaporated milk and cheeses, and mix until creamy.
3. Brown Butter Chicken
Kevin and Amanda dice this recipe up for cubed chicken, but it's just as great using the whole pieces.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breats
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
2 Tbsps. butter
Instructions:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt your butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until brown and fragrant, then add the chicken in a single layer and sprinkle sage on top.
Let the meat cook for 2 1/2 minutes, then stir and make sure all sides are coated with butter and cook for another 2 1/2 minutes.
4. Mediterranean Pita Pockets
The speediness of this dish from A Side Of Sweet depends on your chopping skills, but you should of course always be careful while dicing with sharp knives.
Ingredients:
1 cucumber
2 large tomatoes
1 bunch of parsley
1 cup kalmatta olives
1/2 red onion
8 oz. feta cheese
10 oz. hummus
4 pita pockets
Instructions:
Chop the cucumber, tomato, parsley, olives, and onion, then mix together in a bowl with the feta. Spread hummus inside the pockets and stuff with your veggie mix.
5. Garlic Bacon Bok Choy
You can use this recipe from Loaves and Dishes as an appetizer or side dish, or spend a little extra time whipping up enough for your full meal.
Ingredients:
2 strips of bacon
2 lbs. bok choy
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbsps. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
Salt
Instructions:
Heat the bacon in a skillet until crispy and set aside. Add olive oil to the pan and allow to heat while you slice the bok choy in half, then add garlic and ginger to the oil and let cook for about a minute before adding the bok choy as well.
Cook each side for about a minute or two, until the leaves start to wilt, then add the red peppers, stir, and remove from heat. Pour soy sauce and sesame oil on top and sprinkle bacon.
6. Pressure Cooker Chicken, Broccoli, And Rice
Recipes like this from I Don't Have Time For That definitely make me feel like investing in a pressure cooker of my own!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsps. butter
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/3 cups long grain rice
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 Tbsps. flour
1 – 2 cups cooked broccoli
1 1/2 – 2 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Set your pressure cooker to sauté and heat butter, then add cubed chicken, chopped onions, and minced garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, then add rice, broth, and seasonings and stir until mixed. Heat on high for 5 minutes.
While it cooks, whisk the milk and flour together in another bowl and set aside. Once the rice is done, quickly pour the mixture and stir well, then mix in the broccoli and cheese.
7. Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla
You could also substitute regular tortillas for more of a southwest spin on this recipe from Two Healthy Kitchens.
Ingredients:
1 Italian herb flatbread
2 Tbsps. pizza sauce
1/3 cup shredded Italian cheese
1/8 tsp. dried basil
5 slices of pepperoni
Instructions:
Spread the pizza sauce over entire flatbread, then sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the cheese and basil on one side and cover with pepperoni slices. Add the remaining cheese on top and fold the bread. Cook over medium-heat for about three minutes on one side, then another minute after flipping.
8. Chopped Chickpea Salad
This dish from Linda Wagner would be the perfect addition to a summer pot luck!
Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas
1 medium cucumber
1 green bell pepper
1/2 white onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup parsley
4 Tbsps. lemon juice
2 Tbsps. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsps. feta cheese
Instructions:
Chop all of your veggies and parsley, then combine with all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and stir until fully mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.
9. Pressure Cooker Shrimp Scampi Paella
You can totally use frozen shrimp for this savory take on paella by Health Starts in the Kitchen.
Ingredients:
1 lb. shrimp
1 cup jasmine rice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup parsley
Salt and pepper
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 pinch saffron
Juice from 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups water
4 cloves garlic
Instructions:
Mince the garlic and chop the parsley, then combine all of the ingredients into the pressure cooker with the tails and shells still attached to the shrimp. Cook on high for 5 minutes and remove shells before serving.
10. Bruschetta
This classic recipe from Instructables user noahw is one of my absolute favorite small meals to whip up when my stomach starts growling.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. tomatoes
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch basil
4 Tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Italian bread or baguette
Instructions:
Dice and chop the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil, then add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Slice the bread and toast it in the oven for a few minutes, then serve with the tomato mixture piled on top.
Do you have your own creative and quick recipe to whip up in no time? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
