Make dinner a breeze with these super easy 3-ingredient dinner recipes. From pasta and sheet pan dinners to crock pot meals, get delicious dinner on the table without any hassle. And they’re budget-friendly, too!
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There is nothing worse than coming home from a long day at work just to wrack your brain over what to make for dinner. Sometimes you just want something super simple that doesn’t involve any chopping or lots of clean up.
Enter 3-Ingredient dinners! These easy dinner recipes all use just 3 budget-friendly ingredients so that you can feed the family quickly, easily and affordably.
Stock Up on Pantry Staples
I will say having a well-stocked pantry is a blessing when it comes to deciding what to make for dinner. If you’ve got the basics on hand, you can whip up a quick 3-ingredient dinner in a breeze. If you have dried pasta and jarred sauce in the pantry, pair it with cheese or ground meat for a super quick, easy dinner that is still filling.
Make sure to also check out How to Stock Your Pantry on a Budget!
Tools to Make Dinnertime a Breeze
Another way to make cooking dinner even easier is to have a few kitchen appliances that make it really easy to set and forget. My first recommendation is a good crock pot. There are some fancy ones out there, but really you just need a reliable one that you can turn on before you leave in the morning and dinner is ready when you get home.
This crock pot is what I have had for years and it is still going strong! If you want the ability to delay cooking, check out this digital crock pot. A 6-quart crock pot will work for most families. If you are feeding more than 8 people, though, you’ll want to go with a 7 or 8-quart.
My other favorite kitchen appliance is an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. It cooks food in half the time that it would have to bake in the oven. And yes, you can even cook pasta in it!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
- Easy Ground Chicken Recipes
- Super Simple Sheet Pan Dinner Recipes
- Easy Crock Pot Pork Loin
3-Ingredient Dinner Recipes
Super Easy 3 Ingredient Dinner Recipes
Dinner doesn't have to be complicated. On busy nights, you just want to get food on the table and the family fed! These 3 Ingredient Dinner recipes will have you in and out of the kitchen in a flash (and they're budget-friendly, too!)
Quick and easy, this 3-Ingredient Beef Stroganoff is perfect for busy weeknights and budget-friendly too! Your family will love this simple and satisfying meal!
Frozen ravioli, jarred pasta sauce and shredded cheese come together for an easy lasagna casserole.
This no fuss 3-ingredient meal will be on the table in less than 20 minutes. And it is kid-approved!
This Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables is a breeze to bake up and it's on the table in 30 minutes and easy clean up!
This Sausage and Pierogi Sheet Pan dinner is so easy and budget-friendly with the addition of cabbage. It bakes up quickly for a tasty dinner and one pan clean-up!
This 3 ingredient chili couldn't be easier to make. Top with shredded cheese or sour cream if desired.
It's called Silly because it is silly easy! Just 3 ingredients and one pot!
With just 3 ingredients, this BBQ Pulled Pork is completely hands-off cooking in the crock pot!
These crock pot pork chops fall apart they are so tender! Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Feel free to substitute canned cranberry sauce in place of whole cranberries for this Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken. Bursting with flavor that balances the sweet and tart!
Chicken, salsa and cream cheese is all you need for this Creamy Salsa Chicken. It's ready in a flash when cooked in your Instant Pot!
Zesty Italian BBQ Chicken | Slow Cooker Recipe with Italian Dressing
These cheese stuffed sausages are a breeze to make using prepared sausage links, cheese sticks and jarred sauce!
Ready in less than 5 minutes, these Cheese and Tomato quesadillas are perfect for busy nights.
Pasta, ground sausage and heavy cream is all you need to make this tasty Sausage Pasta!
Just 2 ingredients, this Beef Tips and Gravy will simmer away in the crock pot when you're at work!
Where are my ranch lovers?? Ranch seasoning adds the perfect zip to these Chicken Sliders.
You'll never look at sweet potatoes as just a side dish again once you've tried this BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes!
Boxed stuffing mix is the secret ingredient in this 3 ingredient meat loaf.
