Budget recipes: cheap, easy and satisfying meals for every day
vote now
In this hub, you’ll find easy cheap recipes for everyday cooking: pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, legumes, soups, quiches, sandwiches, leftovers and homemade snacks.
Use these ideas when you want a low-cost dinner, a filling lunch box, a pantry-friendly meal, a no-waste recipe or a homemade dessert that does not require expensive ingredients.
Essential budget recipes to start with
These recipes are the best starting point for budget cooking: simple ingredients, low-cost staples and meals that are easy to repeat during the week.
Pasta, rice, eggs, potatoes, soup and homemade stock are useful bases because they stretch well, pair with many toppings and help create satisfying plates without complicated shopping.
Pasta, rice, eggs, potatoes, soup and homemade stock are useful bases because they stretch well, pair with many toppings and help create satisfying plates without complicated shopping.
Cheap pasta recipes for quick dinners
Pasta is one of the easiest ingredients for low-cost meals because it cooks quickly and needs only a few flavorful additions.
These recipes use affordable sauces, pantry ingredients, cheese, tuna, beans or simple vegetables to create filling dinners. They are perfect for busy evenings, students, family meals and end-of-month cooking.
These recipes use affordable sauces, pantry ingredients, cheese, tuna, beans or simple vegetables to create filling dinners. They are perfect for busy evenings, students, family meals and end-of-month cooking.
Rice and grain meals on a budget
Rice is a reliable budget staple: it can be served as a side dish, turned into a complete bowl, fried with leftovers or prepared in larger batches for meal prep.
These recipes are useful when you want filling meals with simple ingredients. Add eggs, vegetables, beans, tuna or sauce to turn rice into an easy lunch or dinner.
These recipes are useful when you want filling meals with simple ingredients. Add eggs, vegetables, beans, tuna or sauce to turn rice into an easy lunch or dinner.
Potato recipes that cost little and satisfy everyone
Potatoes are ideal for budget meals because they are filling, versatile and easy to turn into side dishes or complete plates.
Mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, fries, soups and stuffed potatoes can accompany almost any protein or become the main comfort dish with cheese, tuna, eggs or vegetables.
Mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, fries, soups and stuffed potatoes can accompany almost any protein or become the main comfort dish with cheese, tuna, eggs or vegetables.
Egg recipes for cheap protein
Eggs are one of the most practical ingredients for cheap protein-rich meals.
Omelettes, frittatas, quiches, sandwiches and baked eggs are quick to cook and easy to adapt with vegetables, cheese, ham, tuna or leftover ingredients. These recipes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a light dinner.
Omelettes, frittatas, quiches, sandwiches and baked eggs are quick to cook and easy to adapt with vegetables, cheese, ham, tuna or leftover ingredients. These recipes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a light dinner.
Legumes, beans and lentils for filling meals
Legumes are a smart choice for budget recipes because they bring protein, fiber and texture at a low cost.
Chickpeas, lentils, beans and cowpeas can become curries, soups, salads, hummus or patties. They are especially useful for vegetarian meals, batch cooking and lunch boxes that keep you full.
Chickpeas, lentils, beans and cowpeas can become curries, soups, salads, hummus or patties. They are especially useful for vegetarian meals, batch cooking and lunch boxes that keep you full.
Soups and one-pot meals for low-cost comfort
Soups are excellent for economical cooking because they use simple vegetables, leftovers, broth and pantry staples to create generous bowls.
These recipes are perfect for cold evenings, batch cooking and family meals. They also help reduce waste by using vegetables that need to be cooked quickly.
These recipes are perfect for cold evenings, batch cooking and family meals. They also help reduce waste by using vegetables that need to be cooked quickly.
No-waste and leftover recipes
A good budget kitchen is also a no-waste kitchen. Leftovers can become new meals when they are mixed with eggs, pasta, rice, bread, vegetables or cheese.
These recipes help use up leftover chicken, ham, raclette cheese, bread, crêpes or cooked rice. They are practical, economical and often even better than the original leftovers.
These recipes help use up leftover chicken, ham, raclette cheese, bread, crêpes or cooked rice. They are practical, economical and often even better than the original leftovers.
Budget appetizers, snacks and lunch-box ideas
Cheap recipes can also work for snacks, appetizers and packed lunches.
Homemade spreads, sandwiches, quiches, muffins and popcorn-style snacks are often less expensive than ready-made options. They are useful for picnics, school lunches, office meals and casual aperitifs.
Homemade spreads, sandwiches, quiches, muffins and popcorn-style snacks are often less expensive than ready-made options. They are useful for picnics, school lunches, office meals and casual aperitifs.
Cheap sweet recipes and homemade treats
Homemade desserts can stay affordable when they rely on basic pantry ingredients: flour, eggs, milk, bananas, oats, rice, chocolate or seasonal fruit.
These recipes are useful for snack time, breakfast, family desserts and sweet cravings without buying expensive bakery treats.
These recipes are useful for snack time, breakfast, family desserts and sweet cravings without buying expensive bakery treats.
How to cook on a budget without getting bored
Build meals around staples.
Pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, lentils, beans, bread and frozen vegetables are flexible ingredients that can become many different meals.
Use sauces and spices.
Curry powder, garlic, lemon, tomato sauce, herbs, chili, mustard and homemade stock can make low-cost dishes taste more interesting.
Cook once, reuse twice.
Cook extra rice, potatoes, soup or chicken and transform leftovers into salads, fried rice, quiches, sandwiches or gratins.
Choose seasonal vegetables.
Seasonal produce is often cheaper and tastes better, especially in soups, salads, roasted sides and pasta dishes.
Pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, lentils, beans, bread and frozen vegetables are flexible ingredients that can become many different meals.
Use sauces and spices.
Curry powder, garlic, lemon, tomato sauce, herbs, chili, mustard and homemade stock can make low-cost dishes taste more interesting.
Cook once, reuse twice.
Cook extra rice, potatoes, soup or chicken and transform leftovers into salads, fried rice, quiches, sandwiches or gratins.
Choose seasonal vegetables.
Seasonal produce is often cheaper and tastes better, especially in soups, salads, roasted sides and pasta dishes.
Which budget recipe should you choose?
For a fast dinner:
Choose pasta with olive sauce, creamy onion pasta, easy tuna pasta or onion frittata.
For a filling family meal:
Go for mashed potatoes, pasta e fagioli, leek and potato soup, chickpea curry or gratin-style leftovers.
For meal prep:
Cook rice, beans, lentil patties, soup or potato salad and reuse them in lunch boxes during the week.
For no-waste cooking:
Try leftover chicken frango à brás, baked pasta with ham and cheese, homemade breadcrumbs or air fryer croutons.
For a cheap dessert:
French crêpes, banana pancakes, rice pudding and homemade oat milk are simple, economical choices.
Choose pasta with olive sauce, creamy onion pasta, easy tuna pasta or onion frittata.
For a filling family meal:
Go for mashed potatoes, pasta e fagioli, leek and potato soup, chickpea curry or gratin-style leftovers.
For meal prep:
Cook rice, beans, lentil patties, soup or potato salad and reuse them in lunch boxes during the week.
For no-waste cooking:
Try leftover chicken frango à brás, baked pasta with ham and cheese, homemade breadcrumbs or air fryer croutons.
For a cheap dessert:
French crêpes, banana pancakes, rice pudding and homemade oat milk are simple, economical choices.
Comments