If you think actually affordable dinners that keep your bank account in the green are a myth, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. We’re talking about meals that let you keep your cash where it belongs — in your wallet. These 23 recipes are about making mealtime easy, with the bonus of not having to spend a small fortune every time you’re hungry.
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
For a wallet-friendly meal that’s quick and easy, try this 30-minute Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner. Simply choose your favorite vegetables and sausage, toss them with avocado oil and seasonings, and bake. It’s a simple yet nutritious option that won’t break the bank, since you can use vegetables that you already have. Serve it straight from the sheet pan for easy cleanup, and consider pairing it with quinoa or rice for a filling meal.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Broccoli Casserole
Save money without sacrificing taste with this simple 50-minute broccoli casserole. Made with basic, easily accessible ingredients such as broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and crackers, it’s a breeze to whip up. Serve it hot alongside bread or a fresh salad for a filling, budget-friendly meal that everyone will enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Casserole
Crock Pot Taco Soup
This taco soup is a lifesaver for busy days and tight budgets. Just toss ground beef, onions, cream cheese, tomatoes, chilis, and spices into a crock pot and let cook for 4 hours. Top the dish with shredded cheese, herbs, and sour cream for a flavorful finish. Made with ingredients you can easily find at home, this hearty meal is a cost-effective option!
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Taco Soup
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
This Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is a great choice for a meal that’s both easy on your time and your budget. You can whip it up in less than an hour, making it perfect for busy evenings. The best part? It’s cost-effective and you can prep it ahead to pop in the oven whenever you’re ready. Freezing any extras means you’re set for another dinner down the line. It’s a real hit with all ages, ensuring clean plates and happy faces without draining your wallet.
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Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Enjoy all the flavors of stuffed peppers in a new way with this stuffed bell pepper casserole. Made with ground meat, bell peppers, and cheese, it comes together in about 45 minutes. Serve it on its own or with a simple side salad for a complete meal. The best part is you can store leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer, so you can stretch this meal out for a long time.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Green Chile Chicken
Turn leftover chicken into a flavorful meal with this green chile chicken skillet dinner. Ready in just 20 minutes, it adds a spicy meal to your table. This recipe includes jalapeño, heavy whipping cream, milk, cream cheese, and shredded cheese for balanced heartiness. Serve it over rice or wrapped in tortillas for a smart way to turn leftovers into something exciting.
Get the Recipe: Green Chile Chicken
Cabbage and Sausage
Save some bucks without sacrificing flavor with this cabbage and sausage dish. Ready in 25 minutes with just a few simple and inexpensive ingredients, it’s quick and easy to make. Cook cabbage, sausage, butter, and spices in one skillet and serve right from the pan. Pair it with some potatoes or rice and soak up all the flavors!
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage
Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
This budget-friendly casserole is a quick fix for a filling dinner. With basic pantry items like canned tuna, egg noodles, and peas, it’s easy on the wallet. Plus, you won’t have to spend too long in the kitchen, with the recipe taking less than an hour to make. Serve it straight from the oven alongside a simple side salad for a well-rounded dish any day of the week.
Get the Recipe: Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is an easy budget recipe that’s great for anyone, including beginner cooks. Just prep your ingredients, add them to your slow cooker, and that’s it. Cook it on low to simmer all day, or set it to high if you need it ready sooner. A perfect affordable meal that we always love.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Shake and Bake Pork Chops
This Shake and Bake Pork Chops recipe features an effortless way to achieve flavorful, crispy pork chops without frying — all in 25 minutes. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this recipe is a family favorite that is extra easy to make and light on your wallet.
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Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken
This cheesy chicken fajita bake is a flavorful dinner option that won’t strain your budget or your schedule. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights. Since you’ll just need chicken, cheeses, mini sweet peppers, and spices, it’s a delicious way to enjoy a meal without spending a lot of money on ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken
Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
This casserole with a cheesy sauce and bacon bits is a budget-friendly meal that’s ready in 30 minutes. This recipe swaps out fresh broccoli and cauliflower for frozen broccoli and cauliflower, making the dish more affordable but still veggie-rich and nutritious. Great as a main dish or a side, it goes well with meat and seafood for a full meal.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Mix cooked chicken with jalapeños for a budget-friendly meal with a kick. This dish is easy to prepare in 2 hours and adds a spicy spin to chicken using only a few inexpensive ingredients. Cook the chicken, then the bacon, then the jalapeños in the oven and mix together. This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it great for a meal that you can stretch out.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Canned Chicken Patties
Make affordable yet delicious chicken patties in just 20 minutes. This dish is a testament to flavorful, budget-friendly meals, made with only 6 ingredients you can find in your pantry, including sunflower seed meal, oil, and eggs. Not to mention, you’ll only need canned chicken, saving you a trip to the meat section. Refrigerate your leftovers for up to 3 days or put them in the freezer for 3 months for an accessible meal anytime.
Get the Recipe: Canned Chicken Patties
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Spend an hour and 50 minutes making this comforting casserole with potatoes, bacon, milk, and cheese. It’s an easy meal that feels like a treat without demanding much from your wallet or time. Perfect to unwind with, this hearty casserole goes well with a side of greens for a cozy dinner. Make your own variation with jalapeños or cayenne pepper for a spice level of your preference. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months and reheat in the oven!
Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
These cucumber boats are a refreshing and budget-friendly meal. Ready in 30 minutes, they’re a fun dish consisting of affordable ingredients such as cucumbers, canned chicken, bacon, and cheese. Serve these boats as a cool, crisp snack, especially on hot days. If you’re making these ahead of time, store the chicken salad and cucumber slices separately in the fridge and fill the cucumber boats just before serving to keep them crisp.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
Cottage Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Start your day with these protein-packed muffins, ready in 30 minutes. Using a few basic ingredients like cottage cheese, flour, bacon, cheese, and eggs, they’re a smart choice for a quick, budget-friendly breakfast. Grab these muffins on the go or serve them alongside your other morning favorites for a great start to the day. These muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can stretch them out for a long time.
Get the Recipe: Cottage Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Whip up this casserole in 30 minutes for an effortless dinner that saves time and money. It’s a simple yet delicious way to serve a meal that’s comforting and affordable, with ingredients such as frozen cauliflower rice, ground beef, spinach, sour cream, and spices. Serve hot as a standalone dish for a dinner that’s filling without being heavy. This dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 2 months, making it perfect for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Get dinner ready in 30 minutes with ground beef and cauliflower rice. It’s a flavorful, stress-free meal that’ll fit your budget with its affordable ingredients. Just cook the ground beef, steam the cauliflower rice, sauté the onions and mushrooms, and stir all the other ingredients in before topping the dish with cheese. Serve with a side salad for a well-rounded meal that’s both delicious and healthy.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Spinach Chicken Bake
Ready in 30 minutes, this bake makes a quick dinner that’s easy on your wallet but big on taste. It’s an affordable way to bring a comforting and healthy meal to the table, with its mix of lean protein, spinach, cheeses, and spices. This recipe requires little effort beyond marinating the chicken, cooking the spinach, and assembling the ingredients. To keep any leftovers, use an airtight container. They store for 3 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Chicken Bake
Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Combine cabbage and bacon for a straightforward, flavorful meal in 25 minutes. It’s a hearty dinner that’s easy on your budget, needing only 6 ingredients. Cook the bacon, onions, then cabbage before adding in sweetener, salt, and pepper for flavor. This dish is great on its own or served with mashed potatoes for a filling, cozy meal. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and they taste just as great reheated.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties
These 30-minute patties are ready in no time, using canned salmon for a budget-friendly meal with a kick. They’re also great way to incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into your diet without the high cost of fresh fish. Ready in 30 minutes, all you have to do is combine the ingredients — mainly salmon, eggs, breadcrumbs, jalapeños, mayonnaise, and spices, shape and cook them until golden brown, then make the lemon dill aioli.
Get the Recipe: Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties
Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
Enjoy this creamy soup, blending sweet potatoes and red peppers into a delicious puree in just 1 hour. With an ingredient list consisting of mostly spices you’ll find in your pantry as well as sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, vegetable broth, and heavy cream, you won’t have to shell out money at the supermarket just to make this. You can even store this soup for up to 2 months in the freezer, making delicious leftovers you can reheat anytime.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup