When we're busy, cooking for ourselves isn't a priority—much less trying out complicated recipes. What we need is something quick and simple. Because even if we’re in a rush, we shouldn’t sacrifice the quality of our meals. This is where delicious recipes with five ingredients or less can help. To give you an idea of what to cook, we at Oxford at Sonterra Apartments compiled some of our favorite recipes for you. Tomato Soup Ingredients: Butter, Canned Tomatoes, Onion, Water or Broth. If you love a good soup, this four-ingredient tomato soup recipe will be your go-to. Melt four tablespoons of butter in a pot and then add half a large onion that’s been chopped into wedges. Add a cup and a half of broth and a can of tomatoes into the pan. Simmer and then stir occasionally for 45 minutes. Once it’s out of the stove, let it cool before blending it all with a blender. While your choice of broth will add flavor to the soup, water will work just as well. As for the canned tomatoes, crushed or whole will be fine since you’ll blend them at the end anyway.
Aglio Olio
Ingredients: Spaghetti Pasta, Olive Oil, Garlic, Parsley, Red Pepper Flakes Aglio Olio is an Italian pasta dish widely popular for its simplicity. Since it requires only basic ingredients, you can whip this up in just a few minutes. First, cook the spaghetti according to its package instructions. While the water is boiling, chop the garlic into thin slices and the parsley finely. Once the pasta is cooked, heat olive oil in a pan and let the garlic and red pepper flakes simmer to release the flavor. After about two minutes, add the pasta and the parsley, and toss until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients: Rice or Noodles, Chicken Breasts, Frozen Stir-Fry Vegetables, Cooking Oil, Oyster Sauce The great thing about stir-fry is that you can substitute ingredients as you go. You can choose between rice or noodles for your carbs, and chicken breasts for your protein. As for the vegetables, you can buy bags of frozen stir-fry vegetables in the grocery. To cook, saute the cubed chicken breast in oil. Season with salt and pepper and then add the frozen stir-fry vegetables. Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, add in the rice or noodles and the oyster sauce.
Chili
Ingredients: Ground Beef, White Onion, Can of Diced Tomatoes, Can of Beans, Chili PowderCooking chili sounds complicated but you can make it with only five ingredients! Cook a pound of ground beef in a pot until the meat turns brown. Set it aside and then use the greased pot for the chili. Add in the diced onion and saute until soft. Add in 2 cans of tomatoes, one can of beans, and two tablespoons of chili powder. Let the pot simmer for about ten minutes and you’re done.
Chicken Tacos
Ingredients: Chicken Breasts, Taco Seasoning, Tortilla, Choice of ToppingsThis recipe uses a slow cooker but you can slow cook it in a heavy-bottomed pot if you don't have one. Season the chicken with salsa and taco seasoning and then place the chicken at the bottom of the slow cooker. Cook on high for about four hours and then shred the chicken after. Serve with tortilla and additional toppings if you want. This is one of the easiest recipes on this list but it does take a lot of time. So if you're going to cook this, make sure to allot hours for it!Even though these recipes require only five ingredients or less, the resulting dishes won't be bland as the ingredients blend harmoniously together. Take your pick above or maybe try them all—you might discover your soon-to-be favorite dish.
Oxford at Sonterra Apartments in San Antonio, TX