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Home » Quick and Easy

25 Cheap Recipes

Published: Aug 20, 2021 · Last Modified: Jan 31, 2023 by Anecia

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25 Cheap Recipes is a collection of easy, practical alternatives to fast or prepared foods that won't break the bank!

These easy lunch and dinner ideas are budget-friendly, using pantry-based ingredients and ideal for busy or budget-minded families and/or college students.

Collage of images for 25 cheap meals

This collection of 25 Cheap Recipes is perfect for anyone who is short on time, budget-minded or just learning to cook! Once you have the kitchen essentials, these recipes can come together in no time!

Jump to:
  • Pantry essentials
  • Refrigerator essentials
  • Freezer essentials
  • Substitutions
  • 25 Cheap Recipes
  • Homemade Sloppy Joe
  • Southwestern Navy Bean Soup
  • Organic Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • Tortellini Pasta Salad
  • Pasta Carbonara with Ricotta Cheese
  • Classic Egg Salad
  • Pinto Beans and Rice
  • Deviled Ham Spread
  • Philly Cheesesteak
  • Cowboy Skillet Supper
  • Texas Chili
  • "No-Cream" Creamy White Bean Soup
  • Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Country Ribs
  • Vermicelli Pasta Salad
  • Classic Pimento Cheese
  • Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
  • Chicken and Dumplings
  • Salmon Croquettes (Salmon Patties)
  • Black Bean Soup
  • Chicken Pot Pie
  • Smothered Okra and Tomatoes
  • Restaurant-Quality Fried Catfish
  • Southern Cornbread Dressing
  • Homemade Vegetable Soup
  • Related topics:

Pantry essentials

Stock the pantry and fridge with essentials and worry about the budget no more! You'll have every ingredient you need to make quick, healthy pantry meals.

  • Spice Rack: essential spices and dried herbs make everything taste better
  • Canned Goods: tuna, beans, fruit, tomatoes, chiles
  • Nuts/Grains/Beans: rice, quinoa, couscous, barley, pasta, crackers, bread, cereal, peanuts, dried beans
  • Condiments: mustard, mayo, salsa, pickles, olives, peanut butter, oil and vinegars, sauces (soy, teriyaki)

Refrigerator essentials

Fresh or frozen, it always helps to have a quick back-up in the fridge:

  • Fruits, berries, smoothies
  • Juices
  • Salad Dressings
  • Jelly and Jams
  • Lettuce
  • Cheese
  • Lunch meat
  • Tortillas or flatbread

Freezer essentials

  • Groud beef
  • Chicken
  • Shrimp
  • Pork chops

Substitutions

Here's a list of common ingredient substitutions if you find yourself out of a certain ingredient! 

List of common substitutions.

25 Cheap Recipes

Dinner on a budget doesn't mean you can't eat healthy. Here are 25 cheap recipes, some that require no cooking and others that are stove top. 

Many of these are "one-pot-meals" perfect for beginner level cooks and college students!

Cooking from scratch requires a little more time, but it's healthier and more affordable than processed foods. 

Homemade Sloppy Joe

Better than  canned "Manwich™" and just as fast!

Check out this recipe
Homemade Sloppy Joe on white plate

Southwestern Navy Bean Soup

Use canned navy beans to make this recipe lickety-split!

Check out this recipe
Navy bean soup in black bowl.

Organic Broccoli Cheese Soup

Use fresh or frozen organic broccoli! Ready in minutes! And made with REAL cheese...No Velveeta™!

Check out this recipe
Organic Broccoli Cheese Soup in black bowl garnished with shredded cheese

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Make this quick pasta dinner with any pasta if you don't have tortellini. 

Check out this recipe

Pasta Carbonara with Ricotta Cheese

A creamy spin on traditional Pasta Carbonara.

Check out this recipe
Pasta Carbonara with ricotta cheese in skillet

Classic Egg Salad

Nothing healthier and quicker than a good ole' egg salad sandwich!

Check out this recipe
Close up of egg salad in decorative silver and white bowl.

Pinto Beans and Rice

Rice and beans is a complete protein. If you were stranded on an island and this is all you had, you'd still be healthy! 

Check out this recipe
Pinto beans and rice with a slice of cornbread on the side.

Deviled Ham Spread

Good with crackers, celery or as a sandwich.

Check out this recipe
Deviled ham spread in a white oval bowl with a spreader and a side of crackers

Philly Cheesesteak

Beef strips, peppers, onions and cheese. Quick and easy!

Check out this recipe
Philly cheesesteak sandwich on hoagie roll with a side of potato chips

Cowboy Skillet Supper

Straight-from-the-pantry-dinner.

Check out this recipe
Cowboy Supper in Bowl

Texas Chili

Chili doesn't take long...about 30-minutes from start to finish! The "secret ingredient" is what makes it so good!

Check out this recipe
Authentic Texas Chili in white bowl with tortilla chip and shredded cheese.

"No-Cream" Creamy White Bean Soup

Use canned white beans; no milk or cream required!

Check out this recipe
Creamy White Bean Soup drizzled with olive oil in green bowl

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

Adobo seasoned chicken cooked in the slow cooker can serve as the base for lunch and dinner all week. Tacos, tostadas, burritos, salad - the options are endless!

Check out this recipe

Slow Cooker Country Ribs

Throw these on in the morning then make some 5-minute cheese grits and call it dinner!

Check out this recipe
Country ribs and macaroni and cheese on white plate

Vermicelli Pasta Salad

Make this on the weekend and nibble on it all week; great as a light lunch, dinner or snack!

Check out this recipe
Vermicelli Salad on turquoise plate garnished with lemon wedge

Classic Pimento Cheese

A Southern staple, we put this on white bread or serve it as a dip!

Check out this recipe
Huge scoop of pimento cheese on a white serving platter with a side of saltines

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Use fresh or frozen shrimp and enjoy this light South-of-the-Border "cocktail" as an appetizer or light lunch or dinner!

Check out this recipe
Shrimp and avocado in tomato broth garnished with lime wedge and tortilla chip

Chicken and Dumplings

No rolling out dough for this classic recipe. The secret "dumpling" recipe is what makes this a quick dinner!

Check out this recipe
Chicken and dumplings in black bowl with side salad

Salmon Croquettes (Salmon Patties)

Another Southern staple - use canned salmon.

Check out this recipe
Salmon patties stacked on blue plate.

Black Bean Soup

Drain and rinse canned black beans, then season them in a rich broth and serve over rice or as a soup!

Check out this recipe
Black beans in a white bowl garnished with sliced avocado.

Chicken Pot Pie

For a quicker recipe, stop and get a deli roasted chicken for this recipe!

Check out this recipe

Smothered Okra and Tomatoes

Quick and healthy side dish, or serve over rice and call it dinner!

Check out this recipe
Smothered okra and tomatoes in aluminum skillet.

Restaurant-Quality Fried Catfish

Fried catfish is ready in 8-minutes! Need I say more?

Check out this recipe
Fried catfish filets with tartar sauce.

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Make a big batch of this and serve it with roasted chicken, turkey or smoked ham.

Check out this recipe
Cornbread dressing, turkey and cranberry sauce on white plate

Homemade Vegetable Soup

You simply cannot go wrong by having healthy vegetable soup on hand. Make a batch and freeze it!

Check out this recipe
Homemade Vegetable Soup

 

Most of these budget-friendly meals can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

Related topics:

  • Kitchen 101 
  • How to make a roux
  • How to Thaw Food Properly
  • How to Fix Over Salted Foods
  • Easy Sauce Recipes

Remember, just because you're in a hurry or on a budget doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor or quality! Start a Supper Club or host a Potluck dinner once a month!

 

Got Comments or Questions? Scroll down and leave me a message! I Love to Hear from You!! See you in the kitchen!

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debi says

    July 29, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    5 stars
    I love that you gathered all of these cheap and easy recipes in one place. Thanks for that! 🙂

    Reply
    • Anecia says

      August 20, 2020 at 8:27 am

      Thanks, Debi! It's nice to have in a pinch...

      Reply

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Anecia Hero, Food Blogger

About SmartyPantsKitchen

I'm Anecia, a native Texan, author, cook and photographer for SmartyPantsKitchen where I'm sharing Traditional and Contemporary Southern recipes for cooks of all levels. There's nothing fancy or gourmet about my recipes-just easy, simple, delicious and memorable! Take a tour and check out delicious recipes! 

Learn more about me →

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