Cooking amazing recipes is something people assume is expensive and will eat too much into their monthly budget. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether you are a meat eater or a vegetarian, there are so many cost-efficient delicious recipes you can create. At Dr. Cooker, we think finding delicious food on a budget is so important.
This is why we have carefully selected our favourite budget friendly meals to
suggest to you! Whether you already love cooking, or you are just starting out
in your cooking journey, these recipes are perfect for everyone, and we hope
you love them as much as we do!
One- pan spaghetti and meatballs
This is an easy one pan dish which can serve up to 4 people. If you are cooking for guests, this is a cheap dish to impress them and if you are cooking for yourself, you can save leftovers to eat throughout the week. This dish is perfect to save you on money and washing up.
The ingredients for this are as follows:
- 1 tablespoon oil (olive or sunflower)
- 12 Meatballs (300g)
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 400g chopped tomato tins
- 1 finely chopped bunch of basil (large)
- 225g dried spaghetti
Method
Use a large frying pan to heat the oil over a medium to high heat. Add your chosen meatballs (meat or vegetarian) and cook until they are browned over. Add both the garlic and onion and cook for 8 minutes until the onion and garlic are soft, and the flavour has infused.
Next, add the ketchup, tomatoes, basil and 450ml of water to the pan, and bring to the boil. Once the sauce is boiling, add the dried spaghetti and continue to cook for approximately 12 minutes. Finally, check the pasta is cooked and serve. To add a final touch, add parmesan cheese and extra basil on top.
And that’s it! The simplest spaghetti and meatballs recipe to give you a budget friendly and delicious meal. We know everyone you make this for will be sure to love it.
One pan chicken and vegetables
Next up we have another one pan dish which is sure to save you money, and time on washing up. It is healthy, simple and involves low-cost ingredients. The most difficult part of this dish is cutting the vegetables, and even then, many supermarkets sell pre cut vegetables and potatoes if you are very short on time.
Ingredients you will need:
- 4 tablespoons of oil
- 2 large potatoes sliced into wedge shapes
- 6 chicken thighs, with the skin still on
- Fresh thyme
- 1 chopped red onion
- 4 whole garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 large tomatoes, cut into quarters
- Baby spinach (100g or more)
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method:
Firstly, preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 fan).
Next, drizzle your oil across the baking tray and place the potato wedges in with salt and pepper. Stir the wedges around until they are covered in oil. Once the oven is heated, cook these alone for 20 minutes.
The next step is to add the chicken skin side down to the tray. After 20 minutes, remove the tray and add the thyme, onion and garlic, and turn the chicken over to the skin is facing upwards. Put these back in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes, remove the tray and ass the tomatoes. This is the final ingredient which will be added to the tray. Put the tray back into the oven and cook for the final 8 minutes.
Once this time is up, remove the tray and check the tomatoes are roasted and soft. After this you are ready to serve up the dish. Add a portion of spinach to each plate then the cooked chicken vegetable and potatoes on top of the spinach.
Finally, serve the dish to whoever you wish! Whether it be yourself, friends, or family, this dish is assured to be a triumph and impress everyone.
Stir Fried Rice
This is the type of dish you can usually make with things you already have in your house. Left over prawns or chicken you do not know what to do with? Try out a delicious stir fried rice dish! The beauty of this meal is that you can change up the ingredients you use based on what meats or vegetables you have in the fridge so its easy to make each time.
Ingredients:
- 500g white or brown rice
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
- 500g chopped vegetables of choice
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 4cm piece of garlic grated
- 400g of chicken (can be replaced with prawns, beef, or a vegan alternative!)
- 1 Spring onion to top
First, cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. You can use any kind of rice including microwavable rice, brown, white, boiled or cooked in a rice cooker if you have one.
Next, heat a frying pan or wok to a medium to high heat then add the sesame oil. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger. After 1 minute add your vegetables and cook till tender. Next add your chosen meat or meat substitute and rice and cook until heated all through. Finally add soy sauce and top with spring onion before serving.
That is it. The recipe is so simple and does not involve lots of preparation. This is an easy meal to bulk took as it will keep good in the fridge for a few days. It is sure to become a favourite of yours!
We hope this post has been helpful at giving you some budget friendly and easy recipes. For more recipes such as vegetarian, slow cooker and air fryer, click onto the recipe section of the Dr. Cooker website.
