Cheap dinners don’t have to mean boring pasta or mystery cans from the back of the pantry.
With a little creativity (and zero fancy ingredients), you can cook meals that are easy on your wallet and actually taste like something you’d want to eat again.
These 16 recipes prove you don’t need a big grocery bill to make something satisfying, flavorful, and super good.
Traditional Filipino Chicken Adobo
Image Credit: The Passport Kitchen.
This authentic Filipino chicken adobo is easy to make and easy on the budget! This chicken in adobo sauce—a mixture of soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and water, complete with loads of chopped garlic and freshly cracked peppercorns—is a wonderful Filipino main dish that is both traditional and tasty.
Get The Recipe: Tasty and Traditional Filipino Chicken Adobo
Vegan White Bean Soup Recipe
Image Credit: Healthy Green Savvy.
This Vegan white bean soup is perfect for a hearty meal that is comforting and satisfying. Better still, this vegetarian white bean soup recipe is not only delicious but also really healthy.
Get the Recipe: Vegan White Bean Soup Recipe
Garlic Oil and Chili Pepper Spaghetti
The quintessential Italian pasta dish is simple, alluring, and rich in flavor, making it truly unforgettable. Oh, and did we mention? Super cheap too!
Get the Recipe: Garlic Oil and Chili Pepper Spaghetti
Lentil Barley Soup (With or Without Meat)
This rich and satisfying lentil barley soup has options for both a beef recipe and a vegetarian version. The ingredients are simple, budget-friendly, and the results are delicious.
Get the Recipe: Lentil Barley Soup (With or Without Meat)
Chopped Egg and Bacon Sandwiches
These chopped egg and bacon sandwiches are easy, delicious, and wildly popular. They are also super cheap and filling.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Egg and Bacon Sandwiches
Beef & Bean Budget Enchiladas
Image Credit: Homemade on a Weeknight.
What is cheaper and more filling than beans? Nothing! This is a simple but flavorful homemade enchilada sauce over beef and bean-filled tortillas that is great and cheap meal.
Get the Recipe: Beef & Bean Budget Enchiladas
Egg Stir Fry
Image Credit: Cooking with Lei.
This easy egg stir fry with onion is perfect for a fast, high-protein meal or a healthy side dish. It has the most budget-friendly ingredients for a delicious meal!
Get the Recipe: Egg Stir Fry
Sausage and Cabbage Pasta
Image Credit: The Pasta Project.
This sausage and cabbage pasta is a popular and traditional recipe in Northern and Central Italy. This simple, rustic, but hearty version comes from the northernmost Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige. The sausage and cabbage are paired with wholewheat tagliatelle, but you can use other pasta types.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Cabbage Pasta
Slow Cooker Sausage and Bean Casserole
Image Credit: iRecipeThis.com.
Love sausages and baked beans? Then you will love this easy-prep slow cooker sausage and bean casserole. Loaded with sausages, baked beans, potatoes, and carrots, it’s one of the most comforting and cheap slow cooker sausage recipes.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Sausage And Bean Casserole
Arroz con Pollo (Latin One-Pot Chicken and Yellow Rice)
Image Credit: A Latin Flair.
This Arroz con Pollo is an easy one-pot meal full of Latin flavors, combining juicy chicken, fluffy yellow rice, and vegetables for a complete meal. It’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Arroz con Pollo (Latin One-Pot Chicken and Yellow Rice)
Lentil Curry
Image Credit: Whole New Mom.
Looking for a tasty, frugal meal that’s a snap to make? These Easy Indian Lentils are so good, and you’ll be surprised at how satisfying and delicious (and cheap!) lentils can be.
Get the Recipe: Easy Lentil Curry
Coconut Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Image Credit: Veg Buffet.
This Creamy Coconut Red Lentil Soup is full of savory flavors and is super simple to make. Lentils are the perfect and cheap answer to a hearty lunch or dinner.
Get the Recipe: Easy Coconut Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Mexican Black Bean Stew
This nutritious one-pot dish, which has black beans simmered with sweet potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes, offers a rich and flavorful meal. The addition of aromatic Mexican spices like cumin and chili powder provides a warm and comforting experience.
Get the Recipe: Mexican black bean stew
Easy Cheesy Beans on Toasted Garlic Bread
Image Credit: Style and Grace.
Whip up dinner in just 20 minutes using only a few ingredients. These Easy Cheesy Beans are smothered in a rich marinara sauce and crowned with a beautiful layer of gooey mozzarella. Garnished with fresh basil and served atop warm, toasted garlic bread, this dish is a sophisticated and incredibly tasty twist on the classic beans on toast that will leave you craving more.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesy Beans on Toasted Garlic Bread
Rice Stuffed Onions – Sogan Dolmasi
Image Credit: Cooking Gorgeous.
Rice Stuffed Onions, also known as Sogan Dolmasi, is a classic Middle Eastern dish that showcases the flavors of basic ingredients. The dish features soft onion shells filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, tomato paste, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices.
Get the Recipe: Rice Stuffed Onions – Sogan Dolmasi
Easy Ground Chicken Soup With Noodles
Image Credit: Caroha.
This scrumptious ground chicken soup, prepared in a reliable Dutch oven, melds lean ground chicken, soft vegetables, and noodles, all stewed together in a single pot within a savory, hearty broth.
Get the Recipe: Easy Ground Chicken Soup with Noodles
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