When it comes to weeknight meals, we tend to stick to one simple rule — the faster (and easier!) the better. In fact, that's exactly the kind of thinking that tends to land us in a Deliveroo rut. We were determined to find some ridiculously effortless recipes that we can whip up whenever, so we turned to three-ingredient dinners.
That's right, to make each of the dishes, you'll only need 3 main ingredients. (You'll also need salt, pepper, and olive oil, but we're assuming everyone already has those pantry staples on hand.) Each meal also includes a couple of optional flavour-building ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen to make them even tastier.
Check out all four recipes ahead, and get cooking!
Chickpeas, tomato sauce, and spinach magically transform into...
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Tomatoey Chickpea & Spinach Bowl
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed
300g spinach (coarsely chopped if fresh and thawed if frozen)
2-3 cups tomato sauce
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
*Red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
1. In a large skillet cook the spinach with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. About 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the chickpeas and tomato sauce and simmer on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
*For a boost of flavour add a few dashes of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Salmon, miso, and aubergine magically transform into...
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Miso Salmon With Aubergine
Serves 2
Ingredients
3-4 Japanese aubergine or small regular aubergine
2 salmon fillets (about 300g of fish in total)
1/4 cup white or yellow miso
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
*2 tsp soy sauce, optional
*2 tsp honey, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Make the miso marinade by combining the miso with 1/4 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Whisk until thoroughly combined. (*For a boost of flavour, add 2 teaspoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce to the marinade.)
2. Spread about half of the miso marinade onto the salmon fillets. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate the salmon for 20 minutes.
3. Slice the aubergines in half, length wise. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross-hatch pattern into the flesh of aubergine. Don’t cut too deep, about a third of the way in will do. Drizzle about 1/2 a teaspoon of olive oil onto each aubergine. Make sure to get the oil into the cuts. Bake the aubergine skin-side down for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, turn the oven up to broil. Take the aubergine halves out of the oven and gently spoon on a little of the miso marinade all over them. Place the aubergine back into the oven for a few more minutes to bake in the miso.
5. Gently wipe any excess marinade off of the salmon fillets. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper and bake the salmon alongside the aubergine for 5 minutes, just until the fish is flaky.
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Shrimp, pesto, and potatoes magically transform into...
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Pesto Prawns With Potatoes
Serves 2
Ingredients
500g small or fingerling potatoes
250g prawns, cleaned
3-4 tbsp pesto
*Lemon zest & juice, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Pat the shrimp dry. In a plastic food storage bag combine the shrimp with 1-2 tablespoons of pesto.
2. Refrigerate the prawns for 15-20 minutes.
3. Chop the potatoes into halves or quarters. Toss the chopped potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper.
4. Place the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 200 for 20-25 minutes, until browned and crispy.
5. Cook the shrimp in a large pan for about 4-5 minutes, until just pink.
6. In a large bowl mix the potatoes with 1-2 tablespoons of pesto and a little salt and pepper. Once combined, add the shrimp. (*For an extra boost of flavour, add a little lemon zest and/or squeeze of lemon juice to the shrimp and pesto.)
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Lentils, sweet potato, and egg magically transform into...
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe Daley
Sweet Potato & Lentil Salad With A Fried Egg
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup green or brown lentils
1 large sweet potato
1-2 eggs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
*Honey, optional
*Vinegar, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Peel the sweet potato and chop into large chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Bake the sweet potatoes for 20-25 minutes.
3. Rinse the lentils. In a saucepan, cover the lentils with 1 1/2 cups of water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring the lentils to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook covered for 20-25 minutes.
4. When the lentils are tender, dress them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. (*For an extra boost of flavour, add a little honey and vinegar to the oil to dress the lentils.)
5. Combine the lentils and sweet potatoes, taste and season again if needed. Top with a fried egg or two.
Photography by Ted Cavanaugh; Food Styling by Jen Beauchesne; Prop Styling by Chloe DaleyLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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