Grocery prices don’t seem to be doing anyone favors these days. Feeding a family, or just yourself, without watching the total climb past what you budgeted is its own kind of stress, and cooking something new every single night gets old fast.
That’s where this list comes in. We rounded up cheap and easy recipes built from staple ingredients most people already keep on hand: ground beef, chicken breast, pasta, canned beans, the basics. Most are one-dish meals, soups, casseroles, and slow cooker options, so you’re not stuck babysitting the stove all night. Bonus: the portions are generous enough to leave you with leftovers for the week, or to freeze for later.
Cheap & Easy Meals For When You’re Watching Your Budget
Most of these recipes call for meat, but you can make almost any of them vegetarian by skipping it or swapping in a meat-free protein. Mushrooms and sweet potatoes are the easiest swaps since they’re hearty enough to mimic that same savory bite.
Tex-Mex Meatballs
When a trip to your favorite Mexican spot isn’t in the budget, these Tex-Mex Meatballs bring the heat instead. Thirty minutes gets you an appetizer worth fighting over, or pair it with rice and guac and call it dinner.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Got leftover turkey sitting in the fridge? This Turkey Tetrazzini from Spend With Pennies turns it into something new. Spaghetti, chicken broth, flour, and cream cheese make up the whole ingredient list, and yes, it’s as easy on the wallet as the name suggests.
Baked Spaghetti
Spaghetti is the answer on nights you want a home-cooked meal but don’t want to stand over the stove. This Baked Spaghetti recipe layers in extra flavor and holds up all week in the fridge (yes, there will be leftovers).
Turkey Casserole
Don’t overthink dinner tonight. This Turkey Casserole from Taste of Home is just pasta, veggies, and whatever turkey you’ve got left, baked into one dish.
Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken soup fixes more than colds. Toss everything in the crockpot, press a button, and walk away. Dinner cooks itself while you get your evening back.
Quick & Easy Carbonara
This Carbonara from Bon Appetit runs on pasta, eggs, cheese, and pork. Nothing fancy, nothing that needs a special trip to the store, and the people who’ve made it keep coming back to it.
Shepherd’s Pie
Spending all day in the kitchen isn’t happening on a weeknight, and this Shepherd’s Pie doesn’t ask for it. Forty five minutes gets you a dish that feeds up to eight, and it’s simple to make vegetarian too.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Stuffed peppers take patience. This soup version skips the fuss and keeps every flavor. Double the batch and freeze half for a night you don’t feel like cooking at all.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
A hot bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup works no matter the season. Load the slow cooker in the morning and let it do the work while you go about your day.
Beef Taco
Taco night doesn’t need to land on a Tuesday to earn its spot in the rotation. Ground beef tacos are one of the cheapest dinners you can make, and you probably already have everything you need.
Beef & Brocc
Takeout adds up fast, especially for Chinese food. This Beef and Broccoli recipe is filling, savory, and comes together with almost no effort.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Need something fast for lunch or a light dinner? Chicken Lettuce Wraps use what’s already in your kitchen, and kids like building their own, which helps on the nights getting them to eat feels like a negotiation.
Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana is one of Olive Garden’s most requested soups for a reason. Sausage, garlic, and onion make it rich enough to feel indulgent, and it freezes well if you want to stock up.
Wendy’s Chili Recipe
Comfort food matters most on the nights you need it most. This copycat Wendy’s Chili skips the drive-through and gets you the same bowl at home.
Panda Express Chow Mein
These noodles take thirty minutes start to finish. It’s a classic Chinese dish, and chances are you already have most of what the recipe calls for.
Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings
Cracker Barrel built a whole brand on comfort food, and this Chicken & Dumplings recipe proves you can recreate it at home. Chicken breast, celery, carrots, and onion make up the short ingredient list. It runs about two hours, but most of that is hands-off simmering.
California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza
If you’re sick of paying pizza delivery fees, it’s time to switch things up and make a homemade pie. If you like BBQ Chicken Pizza, this California Pizza Kitchen copycat recipe is worth a try. We’ve got instructions for homemade dough, but store-bought works fine too.
Chicken Tequila Fettuccine
This pasta dish takes fettuccine Alfredo and turns the volume up. Tequila-marinated chicken and a tequila-lime cream sauce give it a kick regular Alfredo doesn’t have.
Carraba’s Chicken Bryan
Chicken breast is a weeknight staple, which also means it gets repetitive fast. This Chicken Bryan copycat from Carrabba’s mixes things up with basil lemon butter sauce, sundried tomatoes, and creamy goat cheese.
Maggiano’s Meatballs
A handful of staples (ground beef, bread crumbs, milk, garlic, and eggs) is all it takes to recreate Maggiano’s Meatballs at home. Pro tip: double or triple the recipe and freeze the extras for a busy night down the road.
Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup
Canned soup gets old fast. This creamy Gnocchi Soup is a good use for leftover chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or turkey sitting in your fridge.
Crispy Orange Chicken Copycat
Orange chicken wins over picky eaters more often than not. This version comes together faster than a drive-through order, and tastes better too.
Olive Garden Stuffed Chicken Marsala
For a dinner that feels a little fancier without blowing the budget, Olive Garden’s Stuffed Chicken Marsala delivers with creamy stuffing, savory sautéed mushrooms, and sweet tomatoes. Forty minutes gets you there, and it pairs well with your favorite salad, pasta, or bread.
Outback Steakhouse Walkabout Soup
Walkabout Soup isn’t on Outback’s menu anymore, but this copycat keeps it alive. Think cheesy, savory onion soup with hints of chicken folded in.
Panera Bread’s Lemon Chicken Orzo
This soup is cheap, healthy, and filling enough to skip the side dish altogether. Bonus: it’s the one to reach for when you’re under the weather, mild on the stomach with just enough lemon and chicken broth to soothe a sore throat.
KFC’s Fried Chicken
Homemade fried chicken sounds complicated, but it’s simple enough if you own a deep fryer. Use this KFC-inspired recipe to feed the whole family on a budget.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich
Need a budget-friendly way to eat Chick-fil-A on a regular basis? Try this copycat Chicken Sandwich recipe for an authentic version of one of the most popular fast food items around (even on Sundays).
Copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli
One-pot meals are a lifesaver when you’ve got kids running around or a busy night ahead of you. Make this Pasta e Fagioli on the stovetop, or set it in the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner.
Cafe Rio Chicken
Grilled chicken breast gets old around week three. This Cafe Rio Chicken recipe spices things up with a few hours in the slow cooker, ending in deliciously seasoned shredded chicken for tacos, salads, burritos, and more.
Arby’s Roast Beef
The distinct flavor of Arby’s Roast Beef seems hard to replicate, but a slow cooker and a few basic ingredients get you there. Heads up: this recipe takes twelve hours in the crockpot, so plan ahead if you want it ready by dinnertime.
Bonus: Cheap Vegetarian Meals
Olive Garden’s Alfredo
Alfredo sauce isn’t hard to make, but few versions taste as good as Olive Garden’s. Use this copycat recipe for a classic pot of fettuccine Alfredo, and pair it with salad, veggies, or bread.
Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup
It’s no surprise Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup is one of their most popular menu items. The small bowl from the restaurant is never enough. Make a giant pot to share with the whole family and freeze extras for later.
Sweetgreen Avocado Greens Bowl
For something on the lighter side, try this Sweetgreen copycat recipe, built on avocado, quinoa, tomato, chicken, and apple.
Shake Shack ‘Shroom Burger
This copycat Shake Shack ‘Shroom Burger works for vegetarians and beef-lovers who just want a change of pace. It’s stuffed with flavorful cheeses and seasonings and topped with crisp, cold veggies, and yes, it’s as good as it sounds.
Skyline Lentil Chili
This vegetarian chili swaps in kidney beans and lentils instead of black beans, giving it a different texture if you’re used to traditional chili.
Panera Bread Mac and Cheese
Panera Bread Mac and Cheese is one of the most popular items on their menu, but one small cup is never nearly enough. Make a huge batch for the whole family and have plenty of leftovers with this copycat recipe.
Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
This Cracker Barrel dish is a versatile side for breakfast or dinner and takes just thirty minutes to prepare. It’s cheesy, savory, and filling, just the thing you need to start the day off right.
Panera Bread Summer Corn Chowder
Panera’s Summer Corn Chowder is creamy, yet refreshing. With its blend of fresh veggies, broth, and half-and-half, you’ll find yourself craving it all throughout the year.
