budget dinners

You can make these easy falafels in minutes for a delicious quick dinner. Top with chilli sauce, yoghurt, pickles or hummus to customise. It's a simplified falafel recipe for those on a budget with limited kit – it's so much cheaper than buying ready-made. See also our <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chickpeas_with_harissa_99809">easy chickpea stew recipe</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_hummus_96922">easy hummus recipe</a> for more ways to shuzsh up that tin!


Falafel

400 grams/14 ounces tin chickpeas

spring onions, finely chopped

tsp cumin

lemon, zest only

dessertspoons plain flour

salt

black pepper

olive oil

lemon, juice only

½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

tomatoes, roughly chopped

round lettuce, washed, leaves

pitta breads

plain yoghurt

chilli sauce

hummus

Three easy, tasty ways with a chickpeas tin- falafel, hummus and with harissa.

Pimp my chickpeas tin

Chicken egg-fried rice is a quick, easy and cheap way to use up leftovers. Perfect for late-night meals or dinner in a hurry.

Each serving provides 702 kcal, 4g protein, 79g carbohydrates (of which 11g sugars), 24g fat (of which 5g saturates), 6g fibre and 3.5g salt.

Chicken egg-fried rice

vegetable oil

egg,

spring onions, sliced

grams/1¾oz frozen peas

pouch microwavable rice

chicken

sesame oil

tbsp dark soy sauce

Tri-Tip is a healthy, lean, budget-friendly cut of beef. The flavorful marinade turns into a delicious gravy that coats the roast and vegetables.

Instant Pot Tri Tip and Vegetables

garlic

balsamic vinegar

Worcestershire sauce

soy sauce

Dijon mustard

beef

red wine

beef broth

baby potatoes

cornstarch

water

Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a closable...

Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a closable plastic bag. Place the tri-tip roast into the bag with the marinade. Press the excess air out of the bag, zip it closed.

Place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3...

Place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours. The longer you let it marinate, the more tender it will get.

Heat the Instant Pot on Saute mode and...

Heat the Instant Pot on Saute mode and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, pat the Tri-Tip roast dry and place it in the hot Instant Pot (make sure you save the marinade for later).

Saute the Tri-Tip for 2 minutes on each...

Saute the Tri-Tip for 2 minutes on each side to get it brown. Remove from the pot and set aside. 

Pour in the wine and cook for 1...

Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pot (scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the cooked-on bits off the pot). This is important to prevent the Instant Pot from getting a ‘burn’ notice. 

Pour the remaining marinade into the pot then...

Pour the remaining marinade into the pot then add the beef broth.

Place the rack in the bottom of the...

Place the rack in the bottom of the pot and set the Tri-Tip on the rack.

Secure the lid and place the valve in...

Secure the lid and place the valve in the sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. (It will take 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up.)

Let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally, about...

Let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally, about 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and add the carrots, onions,...

Remove the lid and add the carrots, onions, and potatoes to the Instant Pot. 

Secure the lid and place the valve in the sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes then do a quick release (use an oven mitt to protect your hand from the steam). 

Remove the Tri-Tip and the vegetables and set...

Remove the Tri-Tip and the vegetables and set aside (leave the juices in the pot to make a gravy). 

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with...

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the water.

Select the Saute setting on the Instant Pot....

Select the Saute setting on the Instant Pot. Bring the liquid in the pot to a boil and slowly add the cornstarch mixture. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes while whisking constantly. 

If the gravy is too thick, add additional...

If the gravy is too thick, add additional broth to get the consistency you like. 

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/okf8eavab9tfdpu2hpyr.mp4

This Instant Pot tri-tip and vegetables is a healthy, flavorful mix of lean meat and roasted veggies, an easy dinner that will be a hit with the entire family!

This easy sweet potato and chickpea curry uses only a few storecupboard staples and is perfect for a laid-back supper. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.

Each serving provides 551kcal, 15.5g protein, 97g carbohydrate (of which 14.5g sugars),	8g fat (of which 1g saturates), 13g fibre and 0.2g salt.


Sweet potato and chickpea curry 

cumin seeds

onion, finely sliced

garlic cloves, crushed

½–1 tsp chilli flakes (to taste)

grams/1¾oz fresh root ginger,

tins chickpeas,

tin chopped tomatoes

grams/1lb 10 ounces sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes

salt and black pepper

Inexpensive and quick to prepare, these delicious sweet potato röstis work brilliantly with a salad, as a burger filling or as a lunch box snack. To make this vegan, swap the mayonnaise for vegan mayonnaise.

Sweet Potato Rösti

red onion, finely chopped

red pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

fresh root ginger,

1½ tbsp cornflour

sweet potato, peeled

grams/4½oz plain flour, plus extra if needed

tsp rapeseed oil,

mayonnaise

dill

parsley

¼ tsp dried garlic

½ lemon, juice only

Sweet potato rösti

This easy Mediterranean chicken recipe is a great meal to have bubbling away on the stove for a simple supper with friends or a family-friendly mid-week meal. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.

This recipe is perfect for batch cooking, cook the chicken sauce and divide it into portions and pop in the freezer, it will keep in the freezer for 2 months. You can cook the potatoes while you reheat the sauce. 

Mediterranean chicken with potatoes

onion, diced

carrot, finely diced

garlic cloves, sliced

tin tomatoes

250 milliliters/9fl oz chicken stock

herbs

potatoes,

salt and pepper

This simple pasta salad is perfect for lunch or as a barbecue side dish. To make it vegan, omit the feta.

Each serving provides 567 kcal, 22g protein, 70g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 20g fat (of which 9g saturates), 7g fibre and 2.5g salt.

Easy pasta salad

pasta,

½ unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest and juice

¼ red onion, finely chopped

olive oil, ideally extra virgin

cucumber,

grams/3½oz cherry tomatoes, quartered

grams/½oz fresh basil, roughly chopped

60 grams/2¼oz feta, crumbled (optional)

black olives (optional)

sea salt and black pepper

Spice up your stew with chorizo and stir in some cannellini beans for a super dinner on a budget. 

Each serving provides 517 kcal, 30g protein, 45g carbohydrates (of which 13g sugars), 21g fat (of which 7g saturates), 17g fibre and 2g salt.


Simple chorizo and bean stew

rapeseed oil

chorizo,

onion, finely chopped

garlic clove, crushed

cannellini beans

parsley,

This delicious recipe for vegetarian bolognese sauce from Eat Well for Less makes enough for 2 meals. Brilliant with spaghetti or in a lasagne. 

Each serving provides 296 kcal, 13g protein, 48g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 4g fat (of which 2g saturates), 8.5g fibre and 0.3g salt.

Vegetarian bolognese

onions,

carrots, chopped

tsp fresh thyme leaves, thyme

tomato purée

tomatoes

vegetable stock

tbsp balsamic vinegar

300 grams/10½oz dried pasta

green salad, to serve

A spicy pasta al'arrabiata - or spicy tomato sauce to you and me - an easy storecupboard pasta dish for a weeknight supper.

Penne al'arrabiata (pasta with a spicy tomato sauce)

tbsp extra virgin olive oil,

hot chillies, finely sliced

garlic cloves, chopped

basil leaves

tomato

salt,

penne pasta

Sweet potato soup is a big bowl of comfort. It's vegan, has cheap ingredients, is quick and easy to make. It can also be frozen for future lunches and dinners. Perfection!

Each serving provides 234 kcal, 3g protein, 43g carbohydrates (of which 16g sugars), 4g fat (of which 0.5g saturates), 9g fibre and 0.5g salt.

Sweet potato soup

onion, roughly chopped

carrots,

4cm/1½ inches fresh root ginger, finely chopped

½ tsp dried red chilli flakes

700 grams/1lb 10 ounces sweet potatoes,

A simple vegetarian bake made with mozzarella and aubergine will out-class any lasagne ready-meal. Serve with crusty bread. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.

Aubergine and mozzarella bake 

aubergines

French onion soup has a great depth of flavour from the slowly caramelised onions – it's used in this easy pork stroganoff as a really rich, concentrated ‘meaty’ stock. A satisfying cheat that makes this recipe likely to become one of your mid-week staples. 

Simplest-ever pork stroganoff

pork

tsp sunflower or vegetable oil

tin French onion soup

250 grams/9 ounces crème fraîche

tbsp wholegrain mustard

rice,

Clear the slightly sorry greens and leftover potatoes out the fridge to make this versatile vegetable curry. It can easily be doubled to serve four.

Fridge-raid saag aloo

tbsp sunflower or coconut oil, plus extra for frying

onion,

curry powder

root ginger

green chilli, roughly chopped or ¼ tsp chilli flakes

garlic clove, finely chopped

tomatoes, tomatoes

sugar

greens,

basmati rice

You can easily double up this sausage pasta bake recipe and make one for the freezer, it will keep in the freezer for 2 months. Serve with a crisp green salad. 

This is designed to be a low cost recipe.

Easy sausage pasta bake

300 milliliters/10½fl oz vegetable stock

butter

grams/1¾oz plain flour

500 milliliters/18fl oz milk

Beans pulao is a vegan one-pot rice dish that's cheap, healthy and oh-so-simple to make.

Beans pulao 

tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

onion, thinly sliced

tins mixed beans

½–1 tsp dried chilli flakes

300 grams/10½oz long-grain rice

900 milliliters/1½pints boiling water

These clever vegetarian meatballs replace meat with kidney beans. Cook them in a smoky, herby tomato sauce and serve with plenty of crusty bread for dunking.

Kidney bean meatless balls

grams/1¾oz breadcrumbs

garlic powder

onion powder

Top 32 budget dinners recipes from across the web

The most viewed budget dinners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Falafel

Chicken egg-fried rice

Instant Pot Tri Tip and Vegetables

Sweet potato and chickpea curry

Sweet Potato Rösti

Mediterranean chicken with potatoes

Easy pasta salad

Simple chorizo and bean stew

Vegetarian bolognese

Penne al'arrabiata (pasta with a sp...

Sweet potato soup

Aubergine and mozzarella bake

Simplest-ever pork stroganoff

Fridge-raid saag aloo

Easy sausage pasta bake

Beans pulao

Kidney bean meatless balls

Beanie burgers

Chicken satay noodles

Pepper chicken

Ham picnic pasta

Ham hash

Pea and ham soup

Ham and vegetable bake

Hawaiian spaghetti

Potato and pea curry

Cheap and cheerful chana masala

Smoky vegetable jambalaya

Bean and rice burrito

Chipotle pinto bean stew

Budget spaghetti carbonara

Sausage and mash

Top 32 budget dinners recipes from across the web

The most viewed budget dinners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Falafel

Chicken egg-fried rice

Instant Pot Tri Tip and Vegetables

Sweet potato and chickpea curry

Sweet Potato Rösti

Mediterranean chicken with potatoes

Easy pasta salad

Simple chorizo and bean stew

Vegetarian bolognese

Penne al'arrabiata (pasta with a sp...

Sweet potato soup

Aubergine and mozzarella bake

Simplest-ever pork stroganoff

Fridge-raid saag aloo

Easy sausage pasta bake

Beans pulao

Kidney bean meatless balls

Beanie burgers

Chicken satay noodles

Pepper chicken

Ham picnic pasta

Ham hash

Pea and ham soup

Ham and vegetable bake

Hawaiian spaghetti

Potato and pea curry

Cheap and cheerful chana masala

Smoky vegetable jambalaya

Bean and rice burrito

Chipotle pinto bean stew

Budget spaghetti carbonara

Sausage and mash

The most viewed budget dinners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine