Just 11 Easy (And Cheap) Dinner Recipes Our Writers And Editors Make For Themselves After Work
Food prices are at a dizzying 30-year high, but that doesn't mean we have to settle for bland and boring when it comes to making meals that don't break the bank.
Plain rice and beans? We don't know her.
We're writers and editors on the lifestyle team here at BuzzFeed who love to cook (and eat, obvi). We live all across the US, and we spend our days surfing the web in search of fun and practical tips, tricks, and recipes. So now, we're sharing some dishes we've made recently that are incredibly delicious without being super expensive. Here's what we've been cooking:
1.Best Anytime Baked Chicken Meatballs (with Tikka Masala Sauce) — This recipe takes a homemade base (aka your favorite meatball recipe) and turns it into a take-out style dinner with the help of a store-bought simmer sauce. It's minimal effort and only calls for a handful of ingredients, and the leftovers taste just as good.
I'm a new mom, so my cooking style has definitely changed in the months since having a baby. I used to enjoy cooking hands-on, time-consuming dinners, but now I am pretty beat by the end of the day. As a result, I'm always looking for new recipes I can get on the table quickly but feel good about making. I've been making these chicken tikka masala meatballs often because they require just a few ingredients and taste so good.
I make meatballs from scratch (often using this recipe from Pinch of Yum), bake them until golden brown, and then quickly toss them in Trader Joe's tikka masala curry sauce. Sometimes I'll add some extra ingredients to the sauce like a dollop of yogurt for thickness or some tomato paste for a kick. I serve it over rice or with naan for sopping up all the tikka masala sauce.
You can make this with pretty much any protein you have on hand. I've made it with shrimp a few times, and it tastes amazing. And I've also made a vegetarian version with roasted cauliflower that I really enjoyed. If you don't live near a Trader Joe's, there are plenty of store-bought tikka masala sauces available at other grocery stores, and any will do the trick. Obviously, homemade tikka masala sauce is delicious, but opting for a jarred version takes a big chunk out of the cooking time (and it still tastes great).
2.Easy Greek Red Lentil Soup — This soup is equal parts comforting and hearty while we're still in the woes of winter. It's usually my go-to when I'm craving a bowl of tomato soup (which is always) but want something that will actually keep me full.
The original recipe calls for blending the entire thing for a creamier texture, but I actually skipped that step during my pre-blender-owning days. And honestly? I find the chunkier texture of the whole lentils to be just as good, and this shortcut gives me one less thing to clean. So if you're also blender-less, fear not.
There's also really minimal prep involved, and the whole thing is ready in just 30 minutes. Topping with feta and fresh herbs is delicious, but obviously very optional.
Recipe: Easy Greek Red Lentil Soup
3.Golden Creamy Butter Beans — Turmeric gives this dish its lovely color, with warming ginger and garlic for spicy and satisfying flavors. I was too hungry to take photos the night I made this and served it over rice, but it was somehow even better reheated the next day for lunch, as pictured below. This dish cooks up in about 25 minutes, but it tastes like it's been simmering on the stove all day.
Mine isn't quite as pretty as the recipe video on TikTok that inspired me, but I've made my peace with that. Look how the original creator, Raquel Ravivo, scooped up her beans with some toasty fresh sourdough! It looks so good — I have to try that next time.
Raquel Ravivo
I did make a couple of additions to the recipe: I wanted to squeeze in more veggies without dirtying any more pans, so I added two diced carrots when I sautéed the onions and two big handfuls of spinach when it was nearly done. If you're a fellow veggie freak like me, I bet cauliflower would be great in this (or any other veggie you have on hand).
Recipe: Golden Creamy Butter Beans
4.Creamy Gyoza Soup — As someone who's trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into her life, this soup called my name the moment I stumbled across it during a TikTok doom scroll. I've made it at least once a week ever since, and now I just tweak it depending on whatever veggies I have on hand. (Gyoza not pictured but definitely consumed, BTW.)
This stunning bowl was part of @nomeatdisco's seven-ingredient vegan series. As the name suggests, it only requires seven ingredients (plus a few pantry staples and extras). There are a few adjustments I've made over time, which is a true testament to how versatile this recipe is.
If I can't find bok choy (or if it comes in too large of a bunch that I know I won't use up) I just swap for spinach, which I usually have on hand. If I also have it on hand, I'll usually add in other aromatics like ginger and scallions (sautéing the white bits and topping with the green). And for some extra protein, I like to throw in firm tofu while the soup is simmering so it soaks up the flavorful broth.
After adding the noodles and tofu, I usually find that the soup is enough to stand on its own, but you can't go wrong accompanying it with any frozen gyoza you can get your hands on.
Recipe: Creamy Gyoza Soup
5.Crispy Black Bean Tacos — At $2 per serving, these smoky and seriously satisfying tacos will be my rent week meal until the day I die. They're not quite a one-pan meal (one pan plus one skillet, technically!), but they're still remarkably cleanup-friendly and straightforward for any busy weeknight.
I could write an entire essay on how much I love the method for making these tacos, but I'll summarize it in a few short sentences instead. The smoky black bean filling (shoutout to chipotles in adobo!) gets spooned into store-bought corn tortillas. Then, you'll give each filled tortilla a swoop through an oiled sheet pan until thoroughly coated; as someone who loathes brushing things with oil to coat them, this shortcut is extremely meaningful to me. With all your tortillas nicely coated in oil, they become so exceptionally crispy in the oven that it's honestly difficult to explain. You just have to try them, OK?
Bonus: If you have an air fryer or toaster oven, I actually think the leftovers taste even better once reheated.
Recipe: Crispy Black Bean Tacos
6.Beet and Goat Cheese Pasta — This pink pasta's moment of internet fame may have come and gone, but it's still my number one low-effort pasta dish. The combo of beets, goat cheese, and pistachios is absolutely *chef's kiss*, but I also understand they aren't always the most budget-friendly ingredients. If you're looking to keep this as low-cost as possible, there are definitely a few swaps you can make.
Does anyone else remember when this was all over TikTok in 2022?! TBH, I think it blows feta pasta out of the water. Earthy beets and tangy, creamy goat cheese are such a classic combo, and you really can't go wrong putting them in a pasta sauce.
Because I'm a die-hard Trader Joe's gal, I'm usually able to get all these ingredients at a pretty reasonable price, but since goat cheese and pistachios aren't always the most budget-friendly, feel free to swap with a creamy cheese like ricotta and your crunchy topping of choice (toasted breadcrumbs would be amazing).
To make this dish as easily and quickly as possible, I usually buy pre-cooked packaged beets. If you have a little extra time and want to buy and roast your own, it would probably make this even more cost-efficient.
Recipe: Beet and Goat Cheese Pasta
7.Sheet Pan Nachos — This is a pretty simple, no-frills dish that I'm definitely late to the game with making, but it's one of those meals that is the gift that keeps on giving. It's easy to whip together, filling, and it's great to serve when hosting people (or to bring to a potluck) or to make for yourself and have leftovers for the next day.
OK, I know making nachos isn't anything new. However, it did take me this long (at the young age of 30) to finally make my own nachos at home for some friends that I had over on a Sunday afternoon, and I loved how they came out. We all know the price of everything is wildly expensive nowadays, so instead of going out to a bar to catch up with friends one afternoon, I decided to invite them over and make some of the popular bar foods — including sheet pan nachos.
I simply lined my baking sheet with aluminum foil before layering blue tortilla chips (or whatever your favorite kind is), meat of choice (that I cooked separately with taco seasoning, or you can make this vegetarian-friendly with beans) cheese, and all the other toppings. All in all, these nachos cost me under $15 to make, AND considering everyone helped themselves to a generous portion, I still had leftovers to eat the next day. Chips tend to get soggy in the fridge overnight, but I heated them in my air fryer, which literally brought the chips back to life.
Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos
8.Prosciutto, Tomato, and Mozzarella Toast — If you love bread, cheese, and minimal-effort cooking (if you can even call it that), I urge you to try this recipe. Crunchy sourdough paired with salty prosciutto, creamy mozzarella, and juicy grape tomatoes is a combo that truly stands the test of time, and I know this because I eat this toast maybe thrice weekly, at least.
I'm 1000% positive that I didn't invent this combination; however, one day, I just slapped these ingredients together and never looked back. I sometimes add on different ingredients just to change it up a bit, but here's all you need:
• Bread (I believe in sourdough supremacy)
• Grape tomatoes
• Prosciutto
• Fresh mozzarella
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
I normally just make this toast for myself for breakfast, lunch, or brunch, so after buying these base ingredients, it takes me about a week or so to get through them. I almost always end up having extra bread and tomatoes, too, so I end up utilizing those in other dishes! Here's how I put it together:
1. First, I slice the grape tomatoes in half. Once that's done, I put them in a bowl, drizzle some olive oil in there, and then season with salt and pepper. If you have it available, I would try adding in some basil and red pepper flakes, too! It's not necessary, but I like the extra flavor they give. Toss that all together, and then you can either leave it to the side or put those tomatoes in the air fryer for, like, eight minutes. I like my tomatoes to be roasted a bit, so I tend to reach for the air fryer.
2. Then, I just prep everything else; like I said, I just woke up one morning and slapped all this together. When it comes to the mozzarella, I break it down into tiny pieces with my hands and then just leave it on the cutting board, right next to a slice of prosciutto.
3. I toast both sides of a buttered slice of sourdough in a skillet. Once that's done, I start assembling: toast, prosciutto, mozzarella, and then tomatoes. Finally, I drizzle with a bit more olive oil. If I'm feeling fancy, though, I'll drizzle some balsamic glaze instead. Again, not necessary.
And that's it! This toast recipe is so filling, fresh-tasting, and easy and quick to make. I've made this for my family of six before, and they can all attest.
The true beauty in this recipe, and just any toast recipe in general, is that you can add literally anything you want. For example, if I have an avocado randomly lying around, I'll add that. If I have a bag of spring mix in the fridge for some reason, I'll add some of that. If I'm feeling extra hungry, I'll add an egg on top. The magic of slapping stuff together on a piece of toast!
9.Coconut Cabbage and Tofu with Lemongrass and Ginger — For those nights when "throw stuff in a pan and bake" is all you're feeling up for, even though you want something beautiful and flavorful, turn to this cheap one-pan meal.
I make this weeknight dish from Epicurious so often that it has to be interlaced with my DNA now. Since I almost always have tofu and a bag of carrots in the fridge (and these days, I more often than not have a head of cabbage, too), it's become one of my favorite go-to's.
A 45-minute roast in the oven turns this smattering of cost-efficient ingredients into a dish that's pure magic: the coconutty sauce becomes luxuriously rich, chunks of carrot and cabbage turn velvety with bits of char here and there, and even the tofu becomes substantially hearty with a pleasant chew.
Though this recipe is extremely delicious when you use fresh lemongrass, I'll admit that it's still really delicious (and even cheaper) when you swap in a heaping tablespoon of store-bought Thai green curry paste instead, which is easily found at most grocery stores.
10.Lentil Shepherd's Pie — This recipe is perfect for a winter weeknight when you want something hot and hearty but you also need to eat your veggies. And if you, like me, have a giant jar of lentils in your kitchen at all times, this is a delicious way to use some of them up.
The recipe as written isn't strictly vegetarian — it calls for Worcestershire sauce which contains anchovies. I swapped in a mix of Bragg Liquid Aminos and some gochujang that I had on hand to mimic the fermented umami and slightly spicy tang of the Worcestershire sauce. If you're also not keen on buying a whole new sauce to make one dish, you could make many substitutions depending on what you have in your kitchen.
Depending on how you make your mashed potatoes, this could be a vegan recipe. I, however, used butter and a splash of half and half to give my potatoes that creamy goodness that I crave. Next time, I'm thinking I'll add garlic to them too!
Recipe: Easy Lentil Shepherd's Pie
11.Swamp Soup — This viral cool-season favorite from Wishbone Kitchen lives up to all the hype. Frankly, I think it surpasses the hype, and I can confidently say it's like no chicken and rice soup you've ever tasted.
"Swamp Soup," which is technically called Green Garlic & Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup, is a cost-efficient masterpiece in layering punchy, exciting flavors. It starts with a shredded rotisserie chicken and some leftover rice; then you make a vibrantly green broth with chicken stock, wilted spinach, and aromatics like jalapeños, garlic, ginger, and green garlic (or green onions). Mix everything together, and you've got a spicy yet comforting soup that's worth licking your bowl clean for. The heat from jalapeños and the bite of raw garlic make the broth ridiculously flavorful, and it tastes better and better as it sits in the fridge.
Recipe: Swamp Soup
What have you been making for dinner lately? Share your favorite recipes (including any links!) in the comments below, and be sure to upload a photo if you have one.
And if you try out any of these recipes for yourself, be sure to tell us what you think.
