Got hungry mouths to feed? No problem – here are 10 cheap easy meals to serve up at mealtime. Packed with flavour and texture, this list features plenty of speedy and slow cooked variety from pilaf to potatoes. Weeknight or weekend, lunch or dinner, each of these recipes serves 6 people so there’s plenty to go around.
Budget-friendly meals
1. Persian-style pilaf with sweet potato and lentils
Pilaf is a rice dish with many regional variations. This Persian-style pilaf flavours basmati rice with delicious spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. It’s mixed with golden chunks of sweet potato before everything is stewed in chicken broth. The result is a fluffy, fragrant rice dish topped with pickled red onion and crunchy pistachio dukkah. It’s gluten free, easy to make, and serves 6 as a whole meal, or even more as a side dish.
2. Leek and thyme potato bake
With just 7 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep, this easy potato bake recipe is a hearty weeknight dinner that will satisfy any potato lover. After an hour you’ll be able to dig into tender, creamy potatoes topped with a cheesy crust and sprigs of thyme. This dish is also very versatile, so feel free to add even more flavour and texture with onion, tomato, or even bacon.
3. Slow cooker dahl with beetroot hommus
Packed with nutritious goodness from a combination of red lentils and split peas, this heart-healthy slow cooked dahl is a colourful addition to your weeknight menu. The thick texture and chunky consistency makes it a fabulous dip for crusty bread or crackers. We’ve paired it with delicious beetroot hommus, but it works just as well topped with raita and served over rice.
4. Ginger beer BBQ chicken with pineapple
These juicy chicken drumsticks are cheap made luxe! Pineapple juice and ginger beer aren’t just smooth sipping – they make a wonderful base for a marinade as well. The tang and sweetness combined with flavours like soy, chilli, and spices is perfect for a summer barbecue or entertaining a crowd. Serve these delicious drumsticks with fresh chilli, spring onions, coriander, and lime wedges for a zingy, zesty kick.
5. Sweet potato soup with chilli sambal
For something truly fragrant and warming, you can’t go past this sweet potato soup with chilli sambal. Deliciously spiced and made creamy with slow-cooked potato blended with cream, this soup is perfect for cold nights or just as a midweek pick-me-up. Serve with crusty bread or even a side of rice to stretch the 6 portions even further.
6. Spanish-style potato tortilla with chorizo
This Spanish take on a classic omelette is packed with robust vegetables like red onion, roasted capsicum, and potatoes as well as herbs and chorizo. It delivers a hit of flavour amidst a bed of eggy goodness that can be wrapped up like a tortilla. It’s basically breakfast for dinner and can be served solo or atop crusty bread.
7. Slow cooker chicken korma
Few things are more satisfying than homemade curry, and this slow cooker chicken korma can’t be beaten on flavour. Served on a bed of perfectly fluffed basmati rice with coriander sprigs, almond flakes, and a side of roti, this curry calls for a whole chicken, which is an excellent budget option that also maximises flavour.
8. Chickpea, carrot and lemon curry
This vegan curry is full of goodness from the vegetables, lentils, and spices. Vibrant and flavourful, this cheap eat just needs basmati rice to soak up all of the delicious yellow sauce. You could also serve this fresh, zesty curry with naan, roti, or even poppadoms for some extra crunch.
9. Ratatouille soup with cheese tortellini
When it comes to making meals easy, a slow cooker is a great shortcut. You can set and forget this warming ratatouille soup, letting the flavours bubble away for two hours while you get on with other things. This is a great, affordable option for lunch and dinner as it’s made hearty with the cheese tortellini and is full of veggie goodness like eggplant, tomato, zucchini, and kale.
10. French-Style roast chicken with gravy
When made with seasonal ingredients, delicious roast dinners can be a great-value, budget meal. This whole chicken with crispy potatoes and lemon and herb butter is here to prove it. Served with gravy and Dutch or baby carrots, this roast chicken is cooked to perfection on a skillet of potatoes in two hours. The recipe serves six, so it will keep the whole family full and happy.
For more cheap family meals, check out Two for one dinners and Slow cooker dinners on a budget.
