Crunching numbers doesn’t have to mean crunching on bland food. Budget dinners can be your wallet’s best friend and still pack a punch in the flavor department. We’re talking about meals that make cents — literally — and sense for your belly. No need to break the bank to have a great dinner; these 23 recipes are perfect for anyone looking to save some cash while enjoying a good, hearty meal.
Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
This casserole is a wallet-friendly option loaded with frozen broccoli and cauliflower, crispy bacon bits, and a homemade cheese sauce. It’s quick to prepare, and the ingredients are cost-effective, so it’s especially perfect for budget-conscious cooks. All made and ready in 30 minutes flat.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
For a creative and economical meal, try these Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats. Using budget-friendly ingredients like canned chicken and cucumbers, this recipe is not only affordable but also quick to assemble. It combines chicken, bacon, and cheese stuffed in crisp cucumber halves. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a practical choice for those seeking a healthy and quick meal.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
This Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole is a smart pick if you’re looking to cut down on grocery costs. With ingredients like canned tuna, egg noodles, frozen peas, and cheddar cheese, it’s a budget-friendly option for a quick dinner. Just toss everything into a baking dish, add a breadcrumb topping of panko bread crumbs, butter and cheddar cheese, and bake until bubbly. Buying these ingredients on sale makes this dish even cheaper, and leftovers save you both time and money.
Get the Recipe: Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Cabbage and Sausage
This Cabbage and Sausage is a cost-effective and simple meal that uses inexpensive ingredients like cabbage and sliced sausage, which are easy on your wallet. This dish can be whipped up in one pan in about 30 minutes, making it a great option for a quick dinner. It’s also a good way to use up any extra veggies, stretching your food budget further. Serve it with rice or mashed potatoes, or enjoy it just by itself.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Try the Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner for a meal that’s easy on your budget. It features broccoli florets, zucchini and sweet mini peppers, but you can also use whatever vegetables you have, along with some sausages. Place everything onto a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, season, and bake. It’s ready in 30 minutes, and you can serve it with rice, quinoa, or couscous. This dish helps you use up leftovers and keeps your energy bill low by cooking everything at once.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
The Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice is perfect for a quick, low-cost meal. It’s all cooked in one skillet, saving you cleanup time. Just brown the beef, toss in cauliflower rice and a few more ingredients, and let it simmer. Ready in about 20 minutes, this dish is not only easy to make but also keeps your carb intake in check. The combination of creamy cheese and hearty ground beef serves a delicious, protein-packed meal, while mushrooms and cauliflower rice add texture and nutrients.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Baked Ravioli
Baked Ravioli is an affordable and hearty meal. This dish layers frozen cheese ravioli with rich marinara sauce and a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, mimicking the comfort of lasagna but with much less effort involved. It only takes 15 minutes of prep and a total recipe time of about one hour. You can even prepare it ahead and freeze it for an even quicker meal on demand.
Get the Recipe: Baked Ravioli
Shake and Bake Pork Chops
This recipe is great for keeping your grocery costs low. Using affordable pork chops and simple pantry staples like breadcrumbs, paprika, and garlic powder, you can whip up crispy, oven-baked pork chops in just 25 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish pairs well with salad, creamy polenta, or roasted cauliflower. You’ll appreciate how this budget-friendly meal uses ingredients you likely already have at home.
Get the Recipe: Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are a great choice for a budget-friendly meal that comes together fast. This dish consists of bite-sized chicken pieces cooked on the stovetop until juicy and tender, then tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce, which adds a deliciously creamy and aromatic finish. The recipe is straightforward and can be prepared in just 20 minutes. Serve with veggies or rice for a full meal. It’s a great way to use economical chicken cuts and simple ingredients you probably already have.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
If you’re trying to keep your spending in check, this Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is a great way to go. It’s dead simple: chop up your ingredients, chuck them in the slow cooker, and let it roll. Set it on low to cook all day while you’re busy doing other things, or turn it up to high if you’re looking to eat sooner. It’s the perfect meal to fill you up without emptying your wallet.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
White Bean Soup
White Bean Soup is great for those times when you need a hearty meal without spending much. With basic ingredients like onions, carrots, celery, and white beans, it’s cheap and easy to make. Ready in 40 minutes, this soup is enriched with protein-packed white beans and vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery and beautifully seasoned with garlic and rosemary and a touch of red pepper flakes for a little heat. This dish is thickened by puréeing half of the beans, eliminating the need for cream or flour, which is great for those looking for a lighter option.
Get the Recipe: White Bean Soup
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
When you crave stuffed peppers but need something less costly and quicker, this Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole is a perfect choice. Combine affordable ingredients like ground meat, rice, and bell peppers for a filling meal that doesn’t drain your wallet. It cooks in about 45 minutes, mainly through baking, and pairs well with a simple salad.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Canned Chicken Patties
Make these Canned Chicken Patties when you need something fast and economical. Seasoned with your favorite spices and paired with veggies, these patties are ready in about 20 minutes. Made with canned chicken, eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, ground sunflower seed meal or almond flour, and spices, they’re crispy on the outside and tender inside. Using canned chicken helps keep the cost low, perfect for a budget-friendly diet.
Get the Recipe: Canned Chicken Patties
Fried Cabbage with Bacon
This dish combines the flavors of bacon and cabbage at a low cost, perfect for those looking to save on groceries. It’s quick to prepare, taking about 20 minutes, and the main cooking method is frying, which beautifully enhances the flavors of the cabbage and bacon. Enjoy it fresh for the best experience, and appreciate how it helps stretch your budget further.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Crock Pot Taco Soup
For a meal that’s easy on your budget, give this Crock Pot Taco Soup a shot. You don’t need anything fancy — just some ground beef and basic pantry items. Spend a quick 20 minutes prepping, then let the slow cooker do its thing. When it’s time to eat, just throw on some garnish and you’ve got yourself a great meal that keeps your costs down and your spirits up.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Taco Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup is a comforting choice that’s easy on both your budget and time. Made with affordable cheese tortellini, chicken broth, leftover chicken, celery and carrots, it cooks in just 40 minutes. It’s a one-pot meal, making cleanup a breeze, and pairs perfectly with bread or a salad. This soup is a smart and economical way to use up ingredients you have on hand so you can do your best to lower your grocery costs.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortellini Soup
Broccoli Casserole
If you want to save money and still eat well, try this Broccoli Casserole. It’s cheap to make, using broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Just mix, top with some cheese and crushed crackers, and bake. You’ll have a filling dish ready in about 30 minutes that’s perfect as a main or side. It’s an easy way to add more vegetables to your meals without spending a lot.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Casserole
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken Pot Pie Soup is a great pick for cold nights and tight budgets. It uses chicken breast, potatoes, carrots, celery stalks, and a creamy base to create a filling soup. It thickens nicely with a touch of flour and cooks in about 45 minutes. Serve it with some bread on the side and you’ve got a meal that feels comforting without draining your wallet.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
For a hearty dinner that’s easy on your pocket, make this Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice. It’s got ground beef, fresh spinach, frozen cauliflower rice and plenty of cheese. Everything bakes together in 30 minutes, making it a great choice for busy weeknights. Plus, it’s low in carbs, which is a bonus if you’re watching those.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Green Chile Chicken
Green Chile Chicken is quick and easy and makes perfect use of leftover chicken, saving you from spending more. It’s a one-skillet recipe that can be prepared in just 20 minutes. The dish is packed with flavors from green chiles, cream cheese, heavy cream, spices, and shredded chicken, topped with melted cheddar cheese. This recipe not only turns leftover chicken into something delicious but it’s also a protein-packed meal that’s low on carbs and zero gluten. It’s versatile, too — you can serve it over cauliflower rice or scoop it into tortillas.
Get the Recipe: Green Chile Chicken
Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken
Try Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken for a flavorful yet economical meal. It starts with chicken breasts brined and seasoned with a mix of chili, cumin, paprika, and other spices. Then, it’s layered with cream cheese, colorful mini sweet peppers, and shredded mozzarella cheese. The entire dish is cooked until the chicken is juicy and the cheese turns golden and bubbly, taking only about 30 minutes from start to finish. It goes great with a salad or steamed veggies. It’s another smart way to eat well while saving money.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken
Spinach Chicken Bake
Spinach Chicken Bake is a fast and economical recipe that will save you time and money. It uses soft chicken thighs seasoned with garlic, Italian herbs, and other spices, then oven-baked with layers of cream cheese and spinach, topped off with mozzarella cheese. Marinate, layer, bake, and, in 30 minutes, a great meal is ready to eat. This is a great option for a quick, comforting meal without a lot of work.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Chicken Bake
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
This Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is cheap and easy to make. It features chicken thighs in a creamy mushroom sauce and is ready in about 30 minutes. Brown the chicken, cook the mushrooms and sauce and then combine everything. Serve it over mashed potatoes or rice to catch all the creamy sauce. It’s a great way to have a nicer dinner without spending too much.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce