31 Budget Friendly Dinner Recipes

Chicken thighs are almost always less expensive than chicken breasts. Look for unique and delicious ways to use more of them. Plus, they also tend to be more flavorful!

This cold-night staple serves up ample creamy gooeyness, while a stealthy vegetable (puréed cauliflower!) boosts vitamins and fiber.

Leftover chicken from a whole cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken makes a delicious double duty dinner with these easy, chicken enchiladas.

This is hands down one of my go-to budget-friendly dinners. With 1 box of elbow macaroni and 2 cups of shredded cheese, it's always a winner at our house.

Healthy, delicious, and a budget-friendly weeknight dinner made with ground turkey instead of beef.

This Skillet Taco is the easiest, most delicious way, most inexpensive way to serve tacos for a crowd. Simple ingredients, loads of flavor.

"Possibly the best way to turn leftover rotisserie chicken into a full-fledged meal, this dish has it all: It's easy, it's inexpensive, and it's incredibly delicious."

"Be sure to have some crusty bread on hand, because this sauce is KILLER. When it comes to chicken breast recipes, it's hard to beat this one."

Per pound, pork shoulder is one of the most affordable meats available. This easy slow cooker Pork Carnitas will be delicious on buns, hoagies, or tacos. And should make enough for leftovers!

Comfort food made super easy in the slow cooker with frozen veggies and homemade or store-bought biscuits in a can.

This Instant Pot Tomato Soup recipe is a super easy, comfort food classic. Homemade tomato soup can take a while to make. The Instant Pot soup recipe makes an incredibly delicious tomato vegetarian soup in a fraction of the time. The ingredients are simple and inexpensive.

This Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is an easy pasta dish and family favorite dinner. A blend of lean ground beef, macaroni, chili beans, tomatoes, and spices. And, of course, melting cheddar cheese. An easy dinner to table meal in around 15 minutes, give or take a few.

My favorite way to use leftover meat or vegetables in the crisper is with a simple stir fry. Delicious with any kind of meat or veggies.

Spaghetti night usually falls on a Friday or Sunday for us. A simply classic favorite that never gets old. And pasta sauce is one of the easiest recipes to make. Especially when you consider this recipe is known as the "World's Best Pasta Sauce" -- and only requires 3 ingredients!

This easy One Pot Pasta recipe with ground beef and broccoli is for those nights when dinner needs to be quick and easy. As in, almost hands-free. And family-friendly too.

Eat them over rice or in a sub. Deliciously easy!

Made with inexpensive ground beef, this dish is a perfect way to satisfy that take-out craving. And more friendly on the budget too!

This Instant Pot Burrito Bowl is a 20-minute, one-pot dinner that is incredibly delicious. Mexican spices blend to cook tender, pull apart chicken with black beans, corn, and rice... in one irresistible bowl.

If you're looking for a healthy Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe, this is one you have to try! We've fallen in love with the robust flavors expected in a great chili, yet still quick and easy to make any day of the week. And, best of all, healthy! 

This Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup is everything you love about cabbage rolls, without the work or time. It's an easy, quick-cooking soup filled with the cabbage roll flavors and ingredients we love. Comfort food at its best.

"These simple bean and cheese burritos can be assembled ahead of time, placed into Ziploc baggies, and stashed in the freezer for a quick dinner. When you're ready to eat them, just heat them up in the microwave or wrap them in foil and bake in a 350ºF oven for 40 minutes."

When pork chops are on sale at the market, this easy skillet pork chop is a favorite. Beautifully flavored and simple.

Inspired by ma yi shang shu, a classic Sichuan dish, these Ginger Pork Noodles with Bok Choy is an unfussy, flexible pantry friendly dish. Perfect for weeknight dinners or easy weekend food. Much like your favorite Chinese takeout food, this easy recipe will satisfy those cravings!

With mostly pantry items and easily substituted ingredients, this is an easy and delicious budget-friendly dinner.

"In this fast vegetarian dinner, almonds replace the usual pine nuts to give a nutty flavor and crunch to an unusual and tasty sauce that doesn't require a food processor or a mortar and pestle. It's really that easy."

"Quick-sautéed zuke with herbs and a little cheese adds punch to a plain potato without overdoing it on the fat, sodium and calories."

This pizza becomes super easy and affordable with leftover chicken. Homemade pizza dough is affordable, but store-bought is even easier.

Breakfast for dinner is always a good thing. This egg bake casserole is easy is swap ingredients for what you have on hand. Eggs are excellent and an inexpensive way to up your protein.