When your short on time and
money then planning and cooking meals from fresh ingredients can reduce your costs. We have a delicious selection of cheap recipes that can help you with your budget. One of the best ways to decreases cost is by taking advantage of those 2 for 1 ‘s in the
supermarket or cook quick recipes from budget ingredients, and then use small
quantities of expensive ingredients to add extra taste and flavour. Our quick and cheap
meals for 2 have mains and sides all in the same recipe. If you want to organise
the whole week, check out our weekly meal planning ideas, or just pick
something from our list of fast budget ideas for dinner tonight
Most quick chicken dinners use chicken breast which aren’t
the cheapest cut of chicken, so we suggest that you reduce the chicken breast
and increase the vegetables to get these dishes in budget
Slices of chicken breast stir fried with chilli, garlic, then add carrot and cucumber batons, and sliced bell peppers and spring onions, coat in Chinese black bean sauce and served with noodles.
Chicken thighs marinated with garlic and ginger, slowly sauteed
in teriyaki sauce till golden, served with chive and ginger rice
Chicken goujons, fresh avocado, herby roast tomatoes, and salad, wrapped in a warm tortilla and topped with creamy parmesan and garlic mayo
Pork is one of the lower cost meats and there are several
cheap cuts particularly pork fillet, chops and bacon. Also in our pork section
are continental meats such as chorizo and salamis which can be added to dishes to
top up the flavours
Pork fillet sliced cooked in a maple syrup, mustard, and garlic sauce with sliced apples, served with white rice and fried onions
Hash is a perfect quick cook and is even faster if you have some leftover potatoes. Simply add precooked potatoes, vegetable to a frying pan. We have added bacon and halloumi for extra flavour, but feel free to add leftover ingredients from the fridge to this dish, go for something salty and something cheesy for best results.
This is a very quick pasta dish, just cook the bacon and tagliatelle pasta, then place in a pan and coated in a creamy egg, parmesan cheese and cream sauce. It will take a little longer to make the spinach balls but its worth the extra time if you have it
Risotto takes about 25 to 30 minutes so is a good dish for a quick dinner. Thus delicious Italian red wine mushroom and pancetta or bacon risotto, is ideal.
Another quick pasta and bacon dish, crispy bacon combined with peas and pasta all coated in a simple brie sauce and sprinkled with parmesan and basil.
A quick cook pasta dish, just precook the pasta and then simply added to the bacon and tomato sauce, add some cream and camembert to finish the dish This dish can be prepared with any creamy continental cheese such as brie. Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread
Chorizo is so
quick to cook and adds loads of flavour, its not be the cheapest ingredient but
using a little can turn a boring budget meal into something special.
A delicious quick cook warm salad, chickpeas, chorizo and precooked potatoes cooked quickly in a frying pan and then served on a bed of spinach, with a tomato dressing, and topped with a soft poached egg.
A cheesy risotto base with sliced leeks and roasted butternut squash, topped with a chorizo and lemon crumb
Spanish tortillas are quick to cook and a great way to use up leftovers, you can use the tortilla egg base and add different ingredients to flavour the tortilla. We have kept it authentic and used chorizo, red pepper, and Manchego cheese, but you can swap for a different cheese, meat and vegetable to match your budget
An unusual Spanish pizza with a shop bought base and a tomato less topping of chorizo and Manchego cheese with a touch of oregano, serve it with an almond and cress salad
Vegetarian meals can really help the budget as they are in the main cheaper than meat, particularly if you eat seasonally too, and it’s a great way to do your bit towards saving the planet.
Quick to make just grate the carrots and whizz together with the chickpeas, cumin, smoked paprika and coriander, make extra and store in the freeze for an extra quick dinner. Serve with homemade or frozen sweet potato chips
Butter bean patties made with smashed butter beans, grated parsnip and carrots, and fried onions. Mix together to form patties. Fry till golden brown on both sides and serve with a simple green salad and tomato dressing
Al dente pasta mixed with broad beans, olives, tomato, and feta coated in a fresh garlic and rosemary dressing, simply serve with garlic bread
Savoury pancakes made with grated carrots, coriander, chilli, and fennel seeds served with a salad of tomatoes, olives, cucumber, and feta.
Grilled aubergines with watercress served with rice, red peppers, chilli, lemon, feta and parsley and tzatziki dip
Mushroom, bell peppers, courgettes, and red onions in a fajita wrap with a spicy tomato, salsa and a chipotle cream, served with an avocado and lettuce salad. If avocados are a bit expensive use a simple lettuce and tomato salad
A quick mushroom
stroganoff with red pepper in a stroganoff sauce with paprika and brandy,
served with white rice and a dust of chopped parsley
Pizza is the perfect cheap dinner idea, and so easy to make simply with all the chilled pizza bases available. Simply make a homemade cherry tomato sauce, you can use regular tinned tomatoes as well and flavoured with oregano and chilli, top with pecorino or parmesan and mozzarella and a few sliced olives and served with a fresh green salad
Courgette fritters oven baked, roast tomatoes, lettuce, and fresh avocado all wrapped in a soft tortilla with garlic and parmesan mayo
Cook the pasta in one pan and the grated courgettes with the garlic and chilli in another, mash the courgettes and add the cheese to make the sauce add the pasta and its done. The spinach balls are worth the extra time and you can freeze them so make double and store the extra.
Quick fried mushrooms mixed with pasta and peas add the brie and cream to make the sauce served with a sprinkled of basil, a touch of grated parmesan, and a sprinkle of black pepper, serve with garlic bread
Spaghetti in a tomato and red pepper sauce,
flavoured with garlic and herbs and, serve with grated parmesan and garlic
bread
Use tinned lentils to make your lentil recipes quick and easy to cook
Cut the butternut squash and fresh beetroot into small cubes so they cook quickly, mix with the green lentils, feta and a herby dressing, serve with a crusty bread roll.
Quick fried mushroom mixed with tinned lentils and flavoured
with Italian herbs and garlic formed into patties lightly fried and served in a
crusty roll. For a quick meal serve with French fries or a side salad. Make
extra and freeze to make an even faster meal
Risotto is surprisingly easy to cook and is great to use
leftover ingredients to flavour the low-cost cheesy rice base.
A quick risotto made with risotto rice, onions, celery, garlic & parmesan flavoured with mushrooms and spinach, topped with a crunchy crumb of cheese, walnuts, and breadcrumbs. You can omit the walnuts and top it simply with cheese and toasted breadcrumbs.
A creamy leek cheese risotto flavoured with roasted butternut squash, top with sage and walnut crumb
A simple parmesan cheese risotto with garlic and thyme, topped with a dollop of mascarpone and a toasted almond crumb
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