Updated on April 9th, 2023
Everybody can cook. Just not everybody knows how to. Cooking can be fun and simple. You just need to trust the process and learn several basic recipes for the start. Here are three simple recipes for a three-ingredient dinner.
Pasta
Pasta is definitely among the most delicious and easy-to-make dishes. What’s more, you can easily make pasta with only three ingredients. Are you surprised? See it for yourself. For vegetarian tomato spaghetti, you need only spaghetti, fresh or canned tomatoes, and some garlic. You’ll also need to use some olive oil in your pan and basil to finish off your dish and give it a true Italian taste.
Start by thinly slicing garlic. Add it to the pan with olive oil. Don’t heat up your pan beforehand since a hot pan would immediately burn your garlic. Instead, you want to make a small clove of garlic (and maybe some fresh basil leaves) infused olive oil for your sauce. Once your garlic starts to turn golden, add tomatoes. Put your heat up and wait till most liquid evaporates. As you know, cooking is a lot about chemistry and physics. Reading some recipes is like reading some free chemistry essays. They are that educating.
Baked Mac and Cheese
While your sauce is cooking, move on to your pasta. Add the spaghetti into salted boiling water, put down the heat, and set a timer. Look up the guidance on the pasta package for time requirements. Depending on the type of pasta, it may take from 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the pot when your spaghetti is al-dente (meaning it’s slightly undercooked). Drain any excess water and put the spaghetti in the pan with sauce. Mix it well together and leave it on for a few extra minutes. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Cheese is another optional addition that you can add to the sauce right after adding your spaghetti.
Thai Broiled Salmon
Those who love salmon know how perfect it is with good caramelization on top. Well, this Thai-inspired dish can make a perfect caramelized salmon. All you need to make it is salmon, Thai sauce (you can buy it instead of making it), and some herbs for garnishes. Of course, you can make the sauce at home, though it won’t be a three-ingredient meal, so we’ll stick to the store-bought sauce for the time being.
Get yourself a salmon fillet. Leave on or take off the skin. It’s your choice (though taking it off is preferable). Start by marinating it in Thai sauce. Make sure to coat every bit of it with the sauce. It’s best to leave your salmon marinating overnight or for 24 hours. Next, coat it with the marinade one more time and put it in the oven for about 8 minutes. If you’d like, you can put the dish out midway to give it another coat of sauce. You can check that your fillet is ready by lightly poking it with a fork. If the meat separates easily, your salmon is ready. Serve it with some herb, chopped green onion, or salad leaves.
Grilled Cheese
Can we call a grilled cheese a dinner recipe? We surely believe so. Grilled cheese can be a perfect comfort food after a long day at work. You don’t have to spend much time making it, but it always ends up being delicious. You can also use only three main ingredients here: bread, cheese, and butter (or mayo). People often add other things into the grilled cheese, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, herbs, or even kimchi. However, these things are optional.
First, you have to make a good bread choice. Sourdough, for example, can be a great option for this recipe. Some dark rye will do as well. The main criteria for picking your bread is that it can hold the cheese inside. Most white types of white bread are too delicate and soft for that, so keep it in mind. Next, choose the cheese. Here your options are almost limitless. You just need a cheese that melts. You can’t go wrong with some mozzarella, cheddar, or American cheese. You can even add all of them at once.
Once your choices are made, let’s assemble. First, cut the slices of bread and cheese. Don’t make them too thick or thin. The bread should still transmit the heat, and thin cheese slices will melt faster. Put butter on all sides of your bread. We mean all, inside and outside. Some people use mayo on the outside, as it can create a better crust so that you can suit yourself.
Keep your heat low when you put your bread in. Low heat will allow the cheese to melt before you form a crust on the bread. You can also press your grilled cheese with some weight for a better result. Wait several minutes and turn your grilled cheese on the other side. Once you are sure that your cheese is melted and the bread has a nice golden-brown color, turn off the heat and serve your meal.
