Make Dinner a Breeze this Week with 5-Ingredient Pantry-Friendly Meals

Monday: Chorizo Paella

Rice is the best. It's cheap and filling, and it lasts forever in your kitchen cabinet. Keep the ingredient interesting with cured chorizo, canned tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, and any seasonings you've got on hand. Yum-o!

Recipe: Try our Chorizo Paella

Tuesday: Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread

The beauty of this dish is you can modify it in soooo many ways. This one's got garlic naan, sour cream, chicken, and bacon, but you can use literally *any* combination of ingredients (and leftovers work great!). Try BBQ sauce and shredded beef for a smoky finish, or go with Greek yogurt and chickpeas for a Mediterranean spin.

Recipe: Try our Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread

Wednesday: Pumpkin Soup with Coconut & Curry

You know that can of pumpkin puree burning a hole in the back of your pantry? (Lucky guess. We've all got one tucked away somewhere.) With chicken stock, shallots, and curry paste, you can give it a new life. This recipes actually has six ingredients (sorry, nobody's perfect!), but the topping doesn't really count, okay?

Recipe: Try our Pumpkin Soup with Coconut & Curry

Thursday: Veggie-Packed Soba Noodle Bowls

Buckwheat noodles, a dash of Sriracha and sesame, and a colorful mix of vegetables are all you need for this nutritious dinner. Anything goes—like frozen kale, purple cauliflower, and canned carrots. You can also add leftover protein, like shredded chicken or salmon, if you want that extra boost.

Recipe: Try our Veggie-Packed Soba Noodle Bowls

Friday: Easy, Peasy Carbonara

Did you know that eggs and hard cheeses last for roughly a month in the fridge? That means you can easily make this Italian specialty to celebrate the weekend. It's also a brilliant use for that bag of frozen peas you begrudgingly bought and never used. Easy, peasy, cheesy!

Recipe: Try our Easy, Peasy Carbonara

Ingredient List

For the chorizo paella:

• 8 cured chorizo
• 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes with garlic or onion
• 16-oz package yellow rice mix
• 12-oz jar roasted red peppers in oil
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

For the rotisserie chicken flatbread: 

• Garlic naan
• Sour cream
• Red onion
• Rotisserie chicken
• Bacon

For the pumpkin soup with coconut & curry:

• 1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin
• 1 can (15 oz.) light coconut milk
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped shallots
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. red curry paste
• Toasted sesame oil, sliced scallions, and toasted sesame seeds, for serving

For the veggie-packed soba noodle bowls:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cups chopped vegetables (such as a mix of bell peppers, carrots, chard, and zucchini)
• 2 to 4 tbsp. sriracha
• 1 package (12 oz.) soba noodles
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

For the easy, peasy carbonara:

• 1 lb. bacon
• 3 cups (6 oz.) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 lb. spaghetti
• 12 oz. frozen peas