25 Easy 3-Ingredient Recipes

Mealtime Tri-Umphs

Cooking at home is usually healthier and cheaper than going out, but lingering pandemic complications make quick and easy recipes essential. Forget about hunting down a long list of ingredients and embrace the simplicity captured in the TikTok phenomenon of "Uunifetapasta" (the baked feta pasta dish the world went crazy for as 2021 rolled in); we've rounded up our favorite three-ingredient recipes — 25 of them, ranging from breakfast to dessert. As long as you have kitchen staples such as salt, pepper, and olive oil, these tasty recipes will be a breeze.

Cheddar Broccoli Egg Muffins

Need a quick, healthy breakfast? These keto-friendly muffins are filled with veggies, protein, and a bit of healthy fat to start a day off right. Feel free to sub in other vegetables, too.

Recipe: Fit Mama Real Food

Creamy Lemon Pasta

Egg noodles, the zest and juice from a few lemons, and heavy cream: That's really all it takes to make this simple and delicious pasta recipe from food writer Barb Kafka.

Recipe: Food52

Marcella Hazan's Famous Tomato Sauce

Speaking of pasta, this classic tomato sauce from famed Italian food writer Marcella Hazan is somehow only three ingredients, plus salt, and will impress all your foodie friends. Serve over pasta or even leftover rice. For true Italian nonna status, make an extra large batch and freeze half for later.

Recipe: The Kitchn

Gnocchi with Spinach and Sausage — KirbyIng/istockphoto

Gnocchi With Chicken Sausage and Spinach

This fun weeknight recipe is endlessly customizable. It calls for gnocchi, chicken sausage, and spinach, but it's easy to swap in other veggies or meats. Prefer arugula? Just have bacon? Throw those in instead — whatever you feel like.

Recipe: Family Food on the Table

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Baked Eggs in Avocado

We love the simplicity of this recipe for eggs baked in avocado and spread over toast. But if you're looking to cut carbs or just don't feel like making toast, it's delicious on its own.

Recipe: White on Rice Couple

Related: 13 Simple Ways to Cook Eggs

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

We love our Instant Pots, and yours will come in handy for this ridiculously easy recipe for chicken tacos. Great for hard tacos, soft tacos, or even taco salad.

Recipe: Fresh Fit Kitchen

Instant Pot Pot Roast

Gone are the days where pot roasts took hours to cook. This delicious three-ingredient Instant Pot version featuring chuck roast will take a little over an hour.

Recipe: Girl and the Kitchen

Root Beer Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

The root beer in this recipe adds flavor and helps tenderize the meat. This recipe is an easy way to feed a crowd with a cheap cut of pork.

Recipe: The Girl Who Ate Everything

grilled chicken wings — Ravsky/istockphoto

Grilled Spiced Chicken Wings

Another great weeknight recipe, these wings are perfect for a casual night in, whether you're watching a game or not. Grab some ranch sauce for dipping, and you're good to go.

Recipe: Real Simple

Fresh Whole Roaster Chicken — manyakotic/istockphoto

French Market Chicken With Herbed Potatoes

Date night snuck up on you again? This French market dinner will be perfect. If this recipe makes your taste buds say "Oui," have a look at these easy French classics, too.

Recipe: Refinery29

Steak and Potatoes — svariophoto/istockphoto

3-Ingredient Steak With Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

This steak dish is another elegant, date-night-appropriate recipe, and it's as hearty to eat as it is easy to make. Celebrate your smashing culinary success by toasting with your favorite red wine.

Recipe: Epicurious

Easy 3-Ingredient Chili

Hearty, filling, and inexpensive, there's nothing like a good chili. Don't worry, we managed to find a three-ingredient version — but don't be afraid to customize it. Have black beans, not chili beans? Want to add some smoked paprika? Follow your heart.

Recipe: I Heart Naptime

3-Ingredient Summertime Salsa

Since the tacos themselves were so simple, why not also serve some homemade salsa? Fresh ingredients are the key here. We recommend this summery, minimalist recipe from one of our favorite food bloggers.

Recipe: Smitten Kitchen

Orange, Fennel, Onion Salad — AGfoto/istockphoto

Roasted Fennel, Red Onion, and Orange Salad

Looking for a light dinner or a healthy side? Try the combination of roasted fennel, red onion, and orange for a self-dressing salad that's fragrant and refreshing.

Recipe: Food52

homemade bread loaf — Sonja Rachbauer/istockphoto

Homemade No-Knead Bread

Even if you're not a star baker, this recipe for homemade no-knead bread will trick friends and family (and maybe even you) into thinking you are. This delicious, rustic-looking loaf will be a feast for the eyes, too.

Recipe: Healthcastle

Banana Cinnamon Rolls

This vegan, gluten-free take on cinnamon rolls requires only bananas, cinnamon, and dates. A bit of vanilla bean couldn't hurt, if you have it.

Recipe: Feasting on Fruit

3-Ingredient Vegan Pancakes

If you're vegan and/or gluten-free, this recipe for pancakes will be just right. All you'll need are gluten-free oats or oat flour, almond milk, and spotty bananas. It includes recommended add-ons and syrup recipes if you want to zhuzh up your morning.

Recipe: Simple Sweet Vegan

3-Ingredient Ice Cream French Toast

Put the words "ice cream" and "French toast" together, and you'll have us drooling. With only three ingredients required, we may just start cheering.

Recipe: Epicurious

Cloud Bread

Don't worry, we have a great paleo bread option, too. No flour needed for this bread recipe that can be used for sandwiches or as the crust for mini pizzas.

Recipe: Paleo Hacks Blog

Watermelon Granita

This recipe is essentially fancy watermelon shaved ice, but what could be more refreshing on a hot day? This treat would be right at home as summer party fare.

Recipe: Mom Advice

Nutella Brownies

Did someone say brownies? These require only eggs, Nutella, and flour. What's more, they come together in less than half an hour.

Recipe: Kirbie Cravings

Mango Cheesecake

This genius Instant Pot recipe for mango cheesecake will surprise and delight whomever you're serving. Condensed milk, yogurt, and mango puree come together beautifully for an exquisite crust-less dessert.

Recipe: My Heart Beets

Mini Strawberry Pies

You'd think a pie would be more complicated, but these adorable mini strawberry pies involve really only three ingredients and are easy to make with ready-made puff pastry and fresh berries. They're delicious with Nutella, if you have it around.

Recipe: Brit + Co

Related: 22 Classic Pie Recipes

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse With Fleur De Sel

Need an impressive dessert? Do three ingredients still sound like too many? Okay, try this wonderful recipe for chocolate mousse — all you need is bittersweet chocolate and a bit of fleur de sel.

Recipe: Dining & Cooking

Banana Sushi

For something fun and more out of the box, how about some banana sushi? It's sweet, simple, fast, and totally customizable to the ingredients you have on hand.

Recipe: Creative Healthy Family