4 Ingredients or Less: 21 Quick & Easy Microwave Meal Recipes
Eating In: 21 Tasty & Cheap One-Dish Recipes with 4 Ingredients or Less
With the COVID-19 Coronavirus at large, life’s a bit topsy-turvy right now. Many food items can be hard to find. Few restaurants have re-opened for dining service, and fewer people are venturing out. .
Even with all of these challenges during the Coronavirus pandemic, figuring out what to cook shouldn’t be one of them. Cooking a 10+ ingredient dinner that dirties the stove-top and lots of pots and pans is more stressful (and expensive) than ever. Especially when many food and cleaning items, and paychecks, are in short supply.
Since I love quick and easy recipes (like this awesome 2-ingredient BBQ recipe), I know you love them too. And new inspiration is always helpful.
Here's a list of 21 quick & easy recipes to save on time and on sanity. You can make these recipes at home right now, but they’re good for whenever. Here’s what you’ll find below:
-14 of these recipes can be made in your microwave, dirtying only one mug or one dish.
-17 of these recipes contain only 4 ingredients or fewer while the others on our list have only 5 ingredients.
-Many of these recipes call for fresh produce, which is currently more available in grocery stores than the frozen kind.
-All recipes take only 2 -15 minutes to cook.
And these recipes are kid-friendly too. Kids will enjoy making them and eating them with you. And with many schools closed for the Coronavirus, why not use this time to teach them a helpful life skill like cooking?
1. 10-Minute Enchiladas with Only 3 Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
-Canned (15 oz) enchilada sauce
-Cooked chicken, shredded or diced
-Shredded cheese
-Optional fillings like cilantro, corn, or beans
-Find the Enchilada recipe here.
2. Microwave Macaroni and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
-Whole grain elbow macaroni
-Water
-Cheddar-Jack Shredded Cheese
-Splash of milk
-Herbs or Seasoning (optional)
-Find the Macaroni and Cheese recipe here.
3. Microwave Sweet Potato Chips
INGREDIENTS
-Sweet potato(es)
-Salt
-Pepper
-Rosemary
-Find the Sweet Potato Chip recipe here.
4. Microwave Potato Chips
INGREDIENTS
-Potato(es)
-Olive Oil
-Salt
-Find the Potato Chip recipe here.
5. 5-Minute Microwave Salmon with 4 ingredients
INGREDIENTS
-Salmon Filet
-Salt and Pepper
-Mayonnaise
-Sriracha Sauce
-Find the microwave Salmon recipe here.
6. Microwave Lemon & Garlic Broccoli with 4 Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
-Garlic
-Head of Broccoli
-Butter
-Lemon (or Lemon Juice)
-Find the Lemon and Garlic Broccoli recipe here.
7. Microwave Corn on the Cob in the Microwave in 3-5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
-Corn Cobs (with Husks)
-Find the microwave Corn on the Cob recipe here.
8. Make Chicken Fajitas in the Microwave in Under 15 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
-Red Pepper
-Green Pepper
-Onion
-Southwest Seasoning Mix/Packet
-Chicken
-Find the Chicken Fajita recipe here.
9. Microwave Meatloaf in a Mug with 5 ingredients
INGREDIENTS
-Milk
-Ketchup
-Quick Oats
-Onion Soup Mix
-Ground Beef
-Find the Meatloaf recipe here.
10. Microwave 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cake
INGREDIENTS
-Egg
-Peanut Butter
-White Sugar
-Find the Peanut Butter Cake recipe here.
11. Perfect Microwaved Rice
INGREDIENTS
-Rice
-Water
-Find the microwave Rice recipe here.
12. 75-Second Microwave Scrambled Eggs
INGREDIENTS
-Eggs
-Salt and pepper (to taste)
-Milk
DIRECTIONS
Mix eggs, splash of milk, salt and pepper. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 30 more seconds. Continue until eggs are desired consistency.
13. Microwave 3-Ingredient Pizza Bagels
INGREDIENTS
-Bagels
-Jar of Pasta Sauce
-Grated Cheese
-Find the Pizza Bagel recipe here.
14. 2-Minute Microwave Pumpkin Pie
INGREDIENTS
-Pureed Pumpkin (Tip: probably in the baking section of the store.)
-Egg
-Stevia or Raw Honey or Maple Syrup
-Pumpkin Pie Spice
-Find the Pumpkin Pie recipe here.
15. Microwave 4-Ingredient Microwave Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
-Butter
-Shredded Coconut
-Almond Flour
-Coconut Sugar
-Find the microwave Pie Crust recipe here.
16. Nutella Crescent Rolls
INGREDIENTS
-Can of Crescent Rolls (8 oz)
-Nutella
-Optional Powdered Sugar
-Find the Nutella Crescent Roll recipe here.
17. 4 Stuffed Cheesy Sloppy Joe Crescent Roll Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
-Ground Beef/Hamburger
-Manwich or Canned Sloppy Joe Sauce
-Can of Crescent Rolls
-Shredded Cheese
-Find the Stuffed Cheesy Sloppy Joe recipe here.
18. 5 Ingredient Balsamic Seasoned Steak
INGREDIENTS
-Beef Top Sirloin Steak (Recommended Cut)
-Black Pepper (Ground)
-Balsamic Vinegar
-Steak Sauce
-Swiss Cheese
-Find the Balsamic Seasoned Steak recipe here.
19. 5-Ingredient Easy Weeknight Lasagna
INGREDIENTS
-Jar of Pasta Sauce (24 oz)
-Package of Frozen Ravioli (25 oz)
-Package (25 ounces) frozen meat or cheese ravioli
-Mozzarella Cheese
-Baby Spinach
-Find the 5-ingredient Lasagna recipe here.
20. 10-Minute Chicken Alfredo Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS
-1 Tortilla
-Alfredo Sauce
-Chicken
-Shredded Cheese
-Find the Chicken Alfredo Quesadilla recipe here.
21. 3-Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken
INGREDIENTS
-Chicken Thighs
-Soy Sauce
-Brown Sugar
-Optional sesame seeds
-Find the Teriyaki Chicken recipe here.
Try out a recipe or two and let us know what you think. And if you want a break from cooking, order in lunch or dinner from DoorDash. They offer no delivery fee on your first DoorDash order, plus you can get a $5 cash bonus from InboxDollars.
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