Keep it simple with these 3-ingredient recipes

You don't need to overstock your pantry to make something delicious.

3-ingredient baked brie pastry — Photo: Kevin Pang

Sometimes, less is more. Yes, there are perfectly delicious recipes that call for upwards of a dozen ingredients just for the sauce, and there is always a time and place for those. But for when you just want to keep it simple, there are just as many recipes that require only three ingredients—or even just two. Here are some of The Takeout’s favorites, from dips to breads to sweet treats.

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Chili Cheese Dip

Three-ingredient chili cheese dip is the cherry atop the sundae of living as you wish to. It’s a one-sentence recipe, and you don’t even need to turn on your oven to make it, unless you are some kind of fancy bastard. (The microwave works great.) Sure, it’s not the most attractive dish, but dips aren’t about aesthetic appeal. Just surrender to the joy that comes from digging your chip deep into something gooey, unglamorous, lazy, and so very special. Get the recipe for Chili Cheese Dip here.

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Peanut Butter Bran Thingies

Peanut Butter Bran Thingy — Photo: Marnie Shure

Not every recipe needs to be camera-ready, and these Peanut Butter Bran Thingies prove it. This treat is just peanut butter, Raisin Bran, and butterscotch—a thing with no discernible origin, a thing meant to be scarfed. The satisfying cereal crunch alternates with pockets of rich smoothness to pull a “gotcha” on even the most skeptical guests hesitant to bite into this gnarly-looking treat. Everyone should make these at least once, if only to reaffirm that looks can be deceiving, beauty is only skin-deep, and that one man’s Raisin Bran is another man’s treasure. Get the recipe for Peanut Butter Bran Thingies here.

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Walkers Shortbread Copycat Cookies

Walkers Shortbread next to Walk-Offs Shortbread — Left: Walkers Shortbread. Right: Walk-Offs Shortbread.

No baked treat as delicious as shortbread could possibly be quite this simple. And yet, here are the parts of its great sum: Flour, sugar, butter. Is shortbread actually that straightforward? It can be. Walk-Offs Shortbread is inspired by the classic packaged shortbread brand Walkers, which has been in the game since 1898. It’s easier than you might expect to come up with something incredibly close to the commercial Walkers version, with its buttery, crumbly delights. Once you’ve got the basics, it’s pretty hard to do it wrong. Get the recipe for Walk-Offs Shortbread here.

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Brie En Croute with Jam

Brie En Croute With Apricot Jam — Photo: Kevin Pang

Brie En Croute with Jam is a welcome showstopper whenever you’re supposed to bring a dish to someone else’s gathering or want to bring an air of sophistication to your next party or brunch. For the breathtaking simplicity of this appetizer, you only need three things: a wheel of brie, a tube of crescent rolls, and the jam of your choice. Going for something sweet? Use apricot, as we did in our original recipe. Something savory? Try some tomato-jalapeño preserves. And before digging in, don’t forget to take in the beauty of this fancy as heck dish. Get the recipe for Brie En Croute with Jam here.

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Clotted Cream

Image for article titled Keep it simple with these 3-ingredient recipes — Photo: Nirad (iStock)

Americans don’t particularly like the word “clot” in their food, and understandably so. Luckily, clotted cream is usually paired with those anxiety-reducing words “scone” and “jam.” Clotted cream making is time-consuming (think two days) and produces a small yield. But it’s worth the trouble. It is, quite literally, all the fat, coaxed slowly out of the cream and skimmed off for your slathering pleasure. Exercise a little patience and you’ll be rewarded with thick, buttery goodness. Get the recipe for Clotted Cream here.

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Taffy Grapes

Simply put, Taffy Grapes are green grapes dipped in white candy coating (aka almond bark) and rolled in crushed peanuts, not to mention a uniquely Chicago phenomenon. But somehow, through the transformational magic of our palates, the three-ingredient combo is a dead ringer—taste-wise anyway—for a taffy apple. You can enjoy this wildly popular treat any time of year, but it’s poised to become part of your spring and summer repertoire, perfect for toting to a backyard barbecue. Get the recipe for Taffy Grapes here.

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Homemade Tortillas

It’s good to have a plan B just in case your favorite tortillas ever go out of stock, and this recipe for homemade tortillas can help you out in a pinch. If you want to go above and beyond (and relive the fun of squishing Play-Doh through a machine) it’s worth it to invest in a tortilla press for flattening the tortillas and a comal for cooking them, though a rolling pin and a cast iron pan will do. Tortilla making is one of those kitchen tasks, like dicing vegetables, that’s very easy to do, and also very easy to do badly. It doesn’t take much practice, though, to improve. Get the recipe for Homemade Tortillas here.

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Easy Homemade Flatbread

Flatbread doesn’t need multiple risings. Often it doesn’t need any rising at all. It’s super simple and fast, sustenance bread, and people have been making some version of it since they figured out cooking over a fire. This recipe In particular only requires two ingredients and 15 minutes, and from there, the possibilities are endless: Use it like a pocketless pita. Spread on some sauce and toppings for a pizza. Brush with butter and sprinkle cinnamon for a sweet treat. However you choose to experiment with this stuff, it could not be faster, easier, or more adaptable. Get the recipe for Two-Ingredient Flatbread here.

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Baja Sauce

Finally, a use for all those leftover red and green salsas from takeout tacos just sitting in your fridge: Baja Sauce. Its applications are wide-ranging, and the creaminess of the added yogurt softens the spiciness just enough to apply the sauce liberally without feeling like our mouths are on fire. Meanwhile, a kick of vinegar keeps it properly acidic to balance out the fatty flavors in a dish. Use as a sauce on fish tacos or as the dressing for a zesty slaw. Go forth and breathe new life into your leftovers. Get the recipe for Baja Sauce here.

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Vegan “Cheese”

Good news for anyone searching for non-dairy cheese options: vegan “cheese” can not only be delicious, it’s also extremely simple to create at home. This two-ingredient recipe takes no time at all, and tastes like a precursor to Cheez Whiz. This combo could switch up your dairy-free game, even if you are just pairing with cold cuts and not actually doing the no-animal-products thing. It goes beautifully on a crusty sandwich, grain bowl, or with an avocado and sliced tomato like a really hippie version of a caprese. Get the recipe for Vegan “Cheese” here.

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Jell-O Shots

Jell-O shots get a bad rap, plain and simple. But we’re determined to turn that all around. The base recipe for these sweet treats is easy and straightforward, but with our recommended flavor and booze pairings you can take things up a notch. Get fancy with the garnishes if you feel up to it. Otherwise, save the frills and just get down to shooting your shots. Get the recipe for Basic Jell-O Shots here.

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