Food (and eating well) is becoming more and more expensive, so the never-ending quest for easy and inexpensive dinner ideas is more important than ever. In 2022, Americans will spend more than 11 percent of their disposable income on meals, whether at home or in restaurants, the highest percentage since 1991, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lowering the cost of meals is not impossible, especially given moderate inflation and a series of food price increases. To stretch your budget even further without sacrificing quality or taste, we’ve compiled 20 delicious dinner recipes that won’t break the bank. Popular affordable dinners include the Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potato and the Italian His Sausage Burger. Please continue reading.
grilled cheese pasta
This cheesy and inexpensive dish combines orecchiette pasta with sausage, broccoli rabe, and creamy marinara sauce. The creaminess comes from the secret ingredient, cream cheese, and the grated Parmesan cheese brings out the cheesiness. Ready in just 40 minutes, this recipe is the ultimate comfort food. To save even more money, omit the sausage or use frozen broccoli instead of broccoli rabe.
Chickpea stuffed with sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are hearty, healthy, and relatively inexpensive to buy. Moreover, it can serve as a good base for other ingredients, as in this case. In this recipe, tubers are stuffed with chickpeas, flat leaf parsley and chives seasoned with a combination of spicy cinnamon and cumin. You probably already have most of these materials on hand, so you don’t need to buy much.
Lemon linguine with olives and feta cheese
This 25-minute pasta recipe is packed with zesty flavor without breaking the bank. Besides noodles and common ingredients like garlic, crushed red pepper, and parmesan cheese, all you need is buttery Castelvetrano olives, pine nuts, and crushed feta cheese. How about a short grocery list?
black bean oat burger
These vegan burgers are based on two cans of black beans and are mostly affordable. Each patty is also made with other pantry staples like rolled oats, garlic, soy sauce, chili powder, and green onions. Top each burger with jarred or freshly made salsa, lettuce, and sliced tomato on the burger bun.
chicken orzo skillet
jennifer causey
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is the basis of this one-pot meal, which is made with a variety of ingredients you probably already have at home. This orzo is sprinkled with the aforementioned chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and plenty of spinach. The balanced mixture boasts rich flavor thanks to dry white wine, chicken stock, and creamy half-and-half.
italian sausage burger
Greg Dupree
This 15-minute dinner recipe takes affordable Italian sausage and removes it from its casing to create a burger patty. These flavorful patties are topped with quick pickled onions, slices of provolone cheese, and jarred roasted red peppers. If you want to save even more money, try topping your burgers with ingredients you have at home.
miso soup
Greg Dupree
It’s a flavorful soup base that combines affordable ingredients: tofu, vegetable stock, and ramen noodles. For even more flavor, use grocery store staples like soy sauce, white miso, and seaweed snacks. If you can, pick up some fresh green onions and slice them to top your soup. It adds an unmistakable onion flavor and makes the finished product look even more delicious.
crunchy nacho bake
Greg Dupree
This layered dish is a great way to feed a crowd on a budget and requires less than 10 ingredients. A solid base of ground beef, canned black beans, and canned diced tomatoes is complemented by cream cheese, shredded Colby Jack, and taco seasoning. Top that layer with tortilla chips and more cheese. If you want garnishes, choose jalapeño slices and fresh cilantro.
tortellini with sausage and vegetables
fred hardy
This comforting cheesy and creamy dinner is on the table in just 25 minutes. A shortcut is store-bought tortellini. It’s easy on the wallet and goes great with the thick, hot Italian sausage and plenty of spinach. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan and dig in.
Avocado and radish cheese chicken nachos
Stuff tortilla chips with cheese and leftover rotisserie chicken, bake until melted, about 10 minutes, and top with fresh ingredients like salsa, radishes, jalapeño slices, and cilantro. Chips and chicken aren’t that expensive, and you have complete control over toppings, so you can decide how much to spend on additional ingredients.
cheese potato frittata
This rich and hearty frittata serves 8 people and requires just 10 ingredients. Here, thinly sliced potatoes are combined with custard eggs and salted Manchego cheese for a simple dinner that everyone will enjoy. Rich whipped cream adds creaminess and decadence to this frittata, while yellow onions and jarred roasted red peppers add extra flavor.
Sheet pan smashed potatoes and broccoli with fried egg
Sure, eggs have become a more expensive purchase in recent months, but they’re so versatile that you probably have a pack sitting in your fridge. This recipe calls for just four eggs, along with more affordable foods like Yukon Gold potatoes and broccoli florets. Garnish with crumbled goat cheese and fresh dill (or cilantro) for extra flavor.
Chimichurri chicken burger and sweet potato fries
A lighter take on the standard burger and fries, this menu includes a chicken burger topped with melted cheddar cheese and herb-filled chimichurri. This combination is so flavorful that you don’t need expensive ingredients like lettuce, onions, or fresh tomatoes. Serve with oven-roasted sweet potato fries. They’re healthier and more flavorful than regular fries.
Stuffed wild mushroom and spinach shells
Who doesn’t love stuffed seashells? This hearty and comforting twist on the meal combines spinach and mushrooms in place of ground meat for a vegetarian baked pasta dish that everyone will love. Save the leftovers and enjoy them throughout the week.
greek chicken and potatoes
This sheet pan dinner calls for a whole chicken, but cut it into pieces before you start cooking. Next, all the pieces are marinated in an oregano-spiced lemon marinade. This adds flavor to the meat and makes it tender. As a final step, roast the chicken in the oven with small red potatoes or broccolini and serve. Not only is this balanced meal easy to make, it doesn’t cost much either.
Baked beans and tomatoes with cheese
This recipe transforms into a comforting and easy weeknight dinner using relatively inexpensive ingredients you have in your pantry, like canned beans and tomatoes. Fragrant oregano and garlic help bring out pizza-like flavor from these everyday staples, resulting in a bubbly, saucy skillet perfect for mopping up the sauce with toasted bread. If you have fresh basil on hand, top each serving with a few leaves to give your pizza that extra touch.
artichoke mac and cheese
Grab a jar of artichokes from the back of your pantry and use them to jazz up your macaroni and cheese. In this recipe, which calls for just eight ingredients, marinated artichoke hearts are mixed with fontina cheese and macaroni to create a delicious and comforting dish. The half-and-half adds plenty of richness, and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano heightens the cheesy element.
zucchini butter spaghetti
The key to this healthy pasta recipe is the zucchini butter combination. It sounds luxurious and expensive, but it really isn’t. To create the backbone of this dish, sauté grated zucchini with garlic and shallots, as well as salt and pepper. Once the vegetable mixture has spread, add the boiled spaghetti and a little butter and mix. Easy enough, right?
Creamy miso white bean soup
This vegetarian soup recipe is easy to make and delicious. Also, you won’t go bankrupt. Pantry staples like cannellini beans and vegetable soup are elevated thanks to white miso, which brings subtle layers of flavor to everything it touches. When you eat this soup with some toasted, crunchy bread, you’ll slurp up every last drop and go to bed feeling full.
roasted broccoli pesto pasta
This veggie-filled pasta is inexpensive to make because it uses often-discarded broccoli stalks (and some florets) to make bright pesto. The remaining florets do double duty as a sauce, mixing with the meatless pasta along with arugula and plenty of cheese.
