Affordable main course recipes that always deliver on satisfaction
Affordable and Easy Dinner Ideas for Weeknights
Looking for dinner ideas that are both budget-friendly and easy to make, yet still feel special? Here are some options that fit the bill.
Single-Serve Dishes
Individual Lasagna is a great choice for a single-serve dish. It requires few ingredients and kitchen tools, making it perfect for a quick and special meal. Shrimp and Tomato Pasta is another simple pasta dish that incorporates shrimp and tomatoes for flavor without a heavy sauce.
Comfort Foods
Cracker Barrel Meatloaf is a budget-friendly comfort food that can be prepared ahead and baked when ready. It pairs easily with any side and feels like a Sunday dinner. Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs come out crisp and juicy with minimal cleanup, cook quickly in the air fryer, and are budget-friendly.
Spicy Dishes
For those who enjoy a bit of heat, Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is a pasta dish with a spicy finish. It uses everyday ingredients and turns leftover chicken into a full meal. Baked Lemon Butter Fish is a light and quick fish recipe that only requires a few pantry staples and baking.
Quick Meals
Ground Turkey and Butternut Squash is a quick meal that pairs ground turkey and squash. It cooks in one pan for easy cleanup and uses simple ingredients. Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken is a sweet and savory chicken dish that simmers in the slow cooker for minimal prep.
Other Ideas
Some other affordable and easy dinner ideas include one-pan lemon chicken with green beans, skillet tortellini with spinach and garlic, turkey taco bowls over rice, sheet pan sausage with peppers and onions, shrimp stir fry with vegetables, and veggie fried rice using leftover rice and frozen veggies.
Additional Affordable Dishes
For more elevated dishes, consider baked salmon on a sheet pan with asparagus, slow cooker pulled pork for sandwiches or with a salad, crockpot chicken tikka masala paired with naan and roasted green beans, and pork carnitas that can be served in versatile ways like tacos or bowls.
Vegetarian Options
Ciambotta Italian Vegetable Stew is a vegetable stew that uses affordable ingredients and can help use up odd ends in the fridge. Pancit Bihon Guisado is a noodle dish made with basic ingredients that can feed a crowd, cooks quickly once prepared, and works well as a one-pan meal.
Fast Food-Inspired Meals
Bacon Avocado Burger Bowl skips the bun but still offers a loaded burger experience. It can be made with what's already in the fridge, cooks quickly, and feels fresh but familiar. Popcorn Chicken is a quick-cooking meal that uses simple ingredients and can be served with various sides. Frito Chili Pie is a pantry-friendly dinner that can be thrown together quickly, adjusts based on available ingredients, and works well for feeding a group or leftovers. Wet Burrito is a burrito filled, rolled, and smothered in sauce, making it feel like a sit-down meal without breaking the bank.
Elevated Dishes
Baked Stuffed Pork Chops using inexpensive cuts of meat but offering a sit-down meal feel. Sheet-pan BBQ pineapple chicken combining sweet and tangy elements. Pepper steak stir-fry with colorful peppers. Hamburger casserole capturing burger flavor in an easy format. Caprese chicken gnocchi skillet adding a fresh twist on a classic Italian flavor with protein and carbs in one pan.
One-Dish Meals
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a hearty casserole that combines chicken, pasta, and a creamy sauce with bacon, making it a filling and easy meal. Chicken and Stuffing Casserole is a one-dish dinner that combines chicken, stuffing, and simple pantry ingredients, bakes quickly, and has minimal cleanup. Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps are quick to make, use a few ingredients with big flavor, pair well with lettuce, and can be batch-cooked for multiple meals. Chicken Skewers Kabobs are a flexible meal that can be made with various vegetables and cooked quickly on the grill or stovetop.
Crockpot Meals
Crock Pot Cube Steak becomes tender in the slow cooker with minimal effort, is budget-friendly, and can be paired with various sides for a full meal. Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are an affordable and tender chicken dish that can be cooked in the slow cooker with minimal prep.
Batch-Cooked Meals
Sloppy Joe Casserole is an easy-to-make casserole that combines the flavors of a Sloppy Joe, can be made ahead, and reheats well for busy nights. Ground Pork Burgers are affordable burgers made with ground pork, are easy to season and cook, and can be made with simple toppings and whatever buns or bread are available. Individual Shepherd's Pie are small, budget-friendly shepherd's pies that are easy to make and store.
Traditional Dishes
Chicken Nuggets are homemade nuggets that use basic ingredients, cook quickly, can be paired with various sides, and are easy to make in batches for lunches or leftovers. Filipino Chicken Adobo is a chicken dish that simmers in a simple sauce, uses affordable ingredients, and can be served with rice or noodles for a full meal.
Overall, these affordable and easy dinner ideas balance simple techniques, fresh or seasonal ingredients, and flavorful but accessible recipes, making them ideal for weeknight cooking.
- Individual Lasagna and Shrimp and Tomato Pasta are suitable for single-serve dishes, offering a quick, special, and budget-friendly dinner option.
- Cracker Barrel Meatloaf, Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs, Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake, Baked Lemon Butter Fish, Ground Turkey and Butternut Squash, Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken, one-pan lemon chicken with green beans, skillet tortellini with spinach and garlic, turkey taco bowls over rice, sheet pan sausage with peppers and onions, shrimp stir fry with vegetables, and veggie fried rice are other affordable and easy dinner ideas.
- For elevated dishes, consider baked salmon on a sheet pan with asparagus, slow cooker pulled pork for sandwiches or with a salad, crockpot chicken tikka masala paired with naan and roasted green beans, and pork carnitas that can be served in versatile ways like tacos or bowls.
- Ciambotta Italian Vegetable Stew and Pancit Bihon Guisado are vegetarian options that use affordable ingredients and can help use up odd ends in the fridge.
- Bacon Avocado Burger Bowl, Popcorn Chicken, Frito Chili Pie, Wet Burrito, Baked Stuffed Pork Chops, Sheet-pan BBQ pineapple chicken, Pepper steak stir-fry, Hamburger casserole, Caprese chicken gnocchi skillet, Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole, Chicken and Stuffing Casserole, Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Skewers Kabobs, Crock Pot Cube Steak, Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, Sloppy Joe Casserole, and Ground Pork Burgers are fast food-inspired meals that are affordable and quick to make.
- Chicken Nuggets and Filipino Chicken Adobo are traditional dishes that offer a balance of simple techniques, fresh or seasonal ingredients, and flavorful but accessible recipes.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole, Chicken and Stuffing Casserole, Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Skewers Kabobs, Crock Pot Cube Steak, and Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are one-dish meals that are easy to cook and store for busy nights.
- Affordable and easy dinner ideas, such as those mentioned, balance simple techniques, fresh or seasonal ingredients, and flavorful but accessible recipes, making them ideal for weeknight cooking within a personal-finance budget and a food-and-drink lifestyle.
