Budget-friendly meal options
Magis 
The tofu in this cheap recipe absorbs all of the flavors in the sauce—and there are a lot of them: shallots, ginger, garlic, cumin, red chile, turmeric, coconut cream , and peanut butter. It all becomes a sauce you have to make and see to believe. Crunchy fried onions transform a simple cabbage salad into a sensorial delight: hot and cold, crisp and soft, sweet and spicy.
Make sure to assemble it just before eating in order to capture those different textures. When the coffers are dry and so is the bread on the counter, this is the one. This cheap meal requires just a few other ingredients, most of which are already in your kitchen.
A garlicky mixture of ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and maple syrup cooks down until almost sticky in this riff on a Chinese-American classic sesame chicken.
An untraditional but logical addition to the sauce: tahini. You might be surprised by just how flavorful a combination of chicken stock, celery, and chickpeas can be. Garlic, red chiles, lemon, and fresh cilantro contribute to making it so—while still keeping it feeling clean.
If you can swing it, add a big pinch of asafetida for an extra savory note. Quick-cooking, budget-friendly, and pretty hard to screw up that dark meat is automatically juicier , chicken thighs are our default weeknight dinner—and this is our simplest way to prepare them.
These battered, oven-baked florets come out crackly before getting bathed in a sticky-sweet gochujang glaze. It means you have croutons. Ground turkey is a lean protein that, when simmered with white beans, seasonings, and chipotle chiles in adobo and topped with Greek yogurt, delivers major body and richness.
The key to stress-free stir-frying is in the prep work. Be sure to chop, slice, and grate everything before even thinking about turning on the stove. Once you do, it comes together in 15 minutes. A little bit of flour and butter, garlic, lemon juice, and capers , and you've got a super savory supper.
Say that three times fast. This cheap recipe leaves out the smoked pork or turkey, which is typical in the American South, and goes heavy on garlic for flavor.
This all-star easy dinner recipe will work long after corn has gone out of season. In the winter, just sub in shaved cauliflower or torn kale. This soup packs in all the ingredients that would make your doctor happy—lentils, sweet potatoes, leafy greens—but the fiery Thai green curry paste keeps things interesting.
This Haitian meal consists of sos pwa nwa, black bean sauce enriched with coconut milk, served alongside mayi moulen, a creamy cornmeal porridge flavored with garlic and herbs. Nothing is cozier. This family-friendly weeknight dinner takes a cue from Japanese grilled chicken meatballs called tsukune as well as the glossy, sweet-and-sour sauce that comes with them.
A classic Italian pesto , this is not. Spinach, cilantro, and miso come together for this uber-green sauce, which dresses, of course, springy ramen noodles.
In this brothy beans recipe, caramelizing fennel, shallots, and lemon builds a base layer that is sweet, tangy, and bright. Tinned sardines add protein and a briny flavor. A beloved Hong Kong dish with approximately one billion variations, this soup—which relies heavily on fridge and pantry staples—is meant to be a little sweet and a touch sharp.
Its silky texture comes from blended potatoes and broccoli stalks rather than heavy cream. Well, this is the salad version, with noodles in addition to pink radishes , orange carrots, purple cabbage, and green cucumbers.
One head of cabbage goes a long way. This recipe, where wedges are bathed in turmeric-accented coconut milk until meltingly tender and sweet, uses just half of one to feed four. The soul of this recipe comes from the ginger and tamari marinade that gives crispy tofu a sweet and savory glaze.
We like to turn leftover tofu into tacos, for some Japanese-Mexican fusion. Toss roasted sweet potato wedges in a sweet and nutty tahini dressing for this quick vegetarian weeknight dinner.
And no, it will not break the bank. This budget meal is about turning leftover side dishes into something totally new. Nearly any roasted vegetable or cooked grain could be worked into a frittata using this method. This looks like something that took hours in a crockpot to make, but in reality, the black-eyed peas soak up the flavors of an onion- and tomato-based gravy in under 30 minutes.
Tuna salad deserves to be considered a dinner dish, not just a sandwich filling. But with nutritious restaurant remakes like this, you can don't have to miss out on take-out flavor while saving money, sodium, and calories.
Not only does this well-balanced pasta recipe clock in at under calories per serving, but it also takes only 20 minutes to prepare. Comforting chili flavors, pasta, and cheese make this meal a family favorite.
Oh yes, and it all comes together in one pan. Grilling vegetables brings out their natural sweetness; in this recipe, they're spiced and seasoned to give the fajitas extra flavor.
Bonus: If you grill no matter the season , this dish belongs in your regular rotation of budget-friendly healthy dinner recipes because you can find these veggies any time of year.
Burger night just earned itself a healthy vegetarian upgrade. Here we blend fiber- and protein-rich chickpeas with warm spices, sear them to crisp perfection, then serve with crunchy, good-for-you veggies.
Whole wheat noodles, no-salt-added canned tomatoes, and shrimp make this delicious meal surprisingly low-cal and nutritious. Use frozen shrimp instead of fresh to cut the cost of the seafood. Just don't skip the pinch of crushed red pepper flakes—they give this healthy meal on a budget just enough kick.
How many cheap, healthy meals can you make without chopping anything? This is one of the rare few. It's a no-knife-needed, "dump and done" slow cooker recipe for when you have no more than 10 minutes of hands-on prep time to spare.
This slow cooker dump dinner might be the easiest of all: It requires no chopping or measuring. How easy is that? Six ingredients, 10 minutes of prep time, and great flavor combine to make this a cheap, healthy dinner idea for any night of the week.
Since they're often loaded with affordable rice, canned veggies, and ground meat, stuffed peppers are one of the best dinner ideas to keep your wallet stuffed too. Thanks to Cuban elements like briny olives, earthy almonds, and sweet raisins, this recipe is wildly flavorful.
We know that combo might sound different from what you'd usually pair with beef and brown rice, but we bet you and your dinner companions will be blown away.
Easy, cheap, healthy meals don't get fresher or more flavorful than this. The minute recipe features favorites from the Mediterranean diet, including chicken , feta cheese, olives , and tomatoes, for a meal bursting with flavor that still feels light.
We'll never say no to pasta dinners , but sometimes, we're more in the mood for potatoes. On those nights, we turn to gnocchi, a traditional potato-based Italian dumpling.
This healthy dinner brings together sweet corn , arugula, and a plethora of seasonings to make one delicious dinner that you'd never guess is budget-friendly.
The veggies amp up the nutrients, too. It's a great choice when you're looking for low-sodium recipes too. Turn a classic pork chop into a tangy, tropical meal. Orange marmalade creates a simple yet mouthwatering glaze and becomes a refreshing topping when mixed with yogurt.
Grilled pineapple slices on the side lend their bold sweetness to this new grill-season favorite. When you need a cheap, easy, healthy meal, it's time for a stir-fry. The pre-chopped packaged frozen vegetables save time in the kitchen and keep you below your grocery budget without sacrificing nutrition.
Lighten the meal more by opting for low-cal bottled plum sauce and low-sodium soy sauce. No matter how wiped out you are at the end of a busy day, you can still cook an egg. Here we scramble only the whites for a cheap, healthy breakfast-for-dinner option that's salad-y but packed with protein to help you feel satisfied.
Mac and cheese probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of nutritious dinner ideas. You probably associate it more with an indulgent childhood lunch. But when you use whole-grain pasta, broccoli, carrots , and reduced-fat cheese, it transforms into a healthy dinner recipe on a budget.
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These super budget dinner ideas are bound to hit the spot, and they will taste even more epic, knowing you've made some serious savings on them, costing less than £1.
Looking for some ways to help save money in the kitchen? Here's our pick of the best cooking on a budget tips and recipes to help you when you're cooking at home.
These flavour-packed veggie and vegan budget meals will feed four people. If you're looking for easy vegan meals on a budget, these recipes are sure to please all plant-based eaters. Keep the family full for less than £1 per serving with these quick and easy lunch ideas.
From Mediterranean diet staples to quick and easy burgers, these easy, healthy meals on the budget will have you feeling good fast, with less than £1. Feed the kids on a budget with some fun takes on their favourite meals, perfect for lunches at home during the school holidays. These budget-friendly baking recipes are perfect as grab-and-go snacks or full-on puddings — make a batch and fill the freezer for tasty treats, ready whenever you fancy them.
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Chicken drumsticks are the cheapest though. For sides you could try polenta, a bean salad, roasted broccoli, or sauteed onions and apples balla.info › category › recipes Over easy and delicious budget-friendly recipes to keep you full and happy! Dinner recipes, slow cooker recipes, vegetarian recipes
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