Cheap meals
A good lunch does not have to be expensive. Here we gather recipes for cheap meals based on basic ingredients — potatoes, minced meat, rice, pasta, eggs, seasonal vegetables and pulses. The aim is to show how a few ingredients can make a filling meal for the whole family. Most of the recipes can be cooked for several meals at once, which brings the cost down further.
Featured recipes
- Sicilian Arancini with Meat Ragu — Crispy rice balls filled with rich meat sauce, a classic of Sicilian cuisine.
- Creamy Lentil and Vegetable Sauce — A rich and hearty lentil ragu that's both satisfying and healthy. Perfect for pasta, polenta, or as a comforting stew.
- Crostini with Spleen and Liver Pâté — Crostini with Spleen and Liver Pâté — brz i jednostavan recept za ručak tijekom tjedna.
- Crostini with Spleen and Chicken Livers — Crostini with Spleen and Chicken Livers — brz i jednostavan recept za večeru tijekom tjedna.
- Wild Boar Ragu — A rich and aromatic hunter's sauce, ideal for colder days. Slow cooking is key for perfectly tender meat and deep flavor.
- Vegetable Broth — An easy recipe for a rich vegetable broth that is the perfect base for soups, risottos, and sauces.
Quick and easy recipes
- Bitter Sauce with Tansy and Goat Ricotta — An intense and aromatic bitter spread, ideal for toasted bread. A bold combination of tansy, goat ricotta, and sprouts for a special gourmet experience.
- Creamy Curry and Saffron Sauce — A quick and easy creamy sauce with curry and saffron, ideal for pasta or as an accompaniment to chicken and rice dishes.
- Black Olive and Pistachio Pesto — An aromatic and quick black olive, pistachio, and arugula pesto – perfect for pasta or as a spread.
- Creamy Sour Cream and Paprika Pasta Sauce — A super quick and creamy pasta sauce made with just a few ingredients, perfect for a weekday lunch.
- Creamy Tofu Sauce with Mint and Ginger — A quick and refreshing no-cook vegan pasta sauce, ready in under 15 minutes.
- Fantastic Egg Dip — A quick and delicious dip combining eggs and yogurt, perfect for dipping vegetables or as a spread.
- Trout Roe and Tomato Sauce — A quick and flavorful pasta sauce featuring delicate trout roe, ripe tomatoes, and savory anchovies, perfect for a weeknight meal.
- Abruzzese Sauce: Quick Pasta with Pancetta and Cheese — A rustic, flavorful pasta dish featuring crispy pancetta, sweet onions, and two types of aged cheese, all brought together in a creamy sauce in under 20 minutes.
Latest in this topic
- Wild Boar Ragu — A rich and aromatic hunter's sauce, ideal for colder days. Slow cooking is key for perfectly tender meat and deep flavor.
- Vegetable Broth — An easy recipe for a rich vegetable broth that is the perfect base for soups, risottos, and sauces.
- Polenta Pizzette — These little polenta pizzas are a perfect way to reinvent leftover polenta into a delightful meal or appetizer. Quick, easy, and incredibly tasty!
- Black Olive and Pistachio Pesto — An aromatic and quick black olive, pistachio, and arugula pesto – perfect for pasta or as a spread.
- Basic Homemade Pasta Recipe — Learn how to make perfect homemade pasta dough. This simple recipe is ideal for noodles, lasagna, cannelloni, and more.
- Olives alla Ascolana (Fried Stuffed Olives) — A classic of Italian cuisine - juicy green olives stuffed with a rich mixture of meat and cheese, then fried to golden crispness.
- Creamy Sour Cream and Paprika Pasta Sauce — A super quick and creamy pasta sauce made with just a few ingredients, perfect for a weekday lunch.
- Creamy Tofu Sauce with Mint and Ginger — A quick and refreshing no-cook vegan pasta sauce, ready in under 15 minutes.
More ideas for cooking
- Creamy Vegetable Carbonara — Rich and creamy, this vegetarian version of carbonara swaps pancetta for fresh vegetables, creating a surprisingly delicious and light meal.
- Creamy Radicchio Pasta — A quick and elegant recipe for creamy radicchio pasta, ideal for a speedy lunch or dinner.
- Creamy Celery Root and Potato Mousse — A velvety and light mousse made from celery root and potatoes, perfect as an elegant appetizer or creamy side dish.
- French Mayonnaise — Rich and creamy mayonnaise with the addition of cognac, whiskey, and Dijon mustard.
- Quick Fresh Anchovy and Toasted Breadcrumb Pasta Sauce — A simple and lightning-fast sauce with anchovies, garlic, and crispy breadcrumbs, ideal for spaghetti.
- Pasta with Asparagus and Shrimp — A quick and creamy sauce with shrimp and asparagus tips, perfect with short pasta like penne or fusilli.
- Authentic Italian Spaghetti Carbonara — One of the most famous Italian pasta recipes, creamy Carbonara is ready in just 25 minutes.
- Hazelnut and Anchovy Sauce for Pasta — A quick and aromatic Italian pasta sauce featuring hazelnuts, anchovies, and Parmesan cheese.
- Pasta with Peas and Artichokes — A simple and quick vegetarian sauce made from fresh spring vegetables that pairs perfectly with short pasta.
- Pasta with Creamy Ricotta and Sausage — A creamy, quick, and irresistibly delicious pasta sauce that combines mild ricotta and aromatic sausage.
- Sicilian Cauliflower Pasta Sauce — An aromatic and rich Sicilian sauce that combines the sweetness of raisins, the crunch of pine nuts, and the fullness of cauliflower. Perfect for a quick and flavorful lunch.
- Stuffed Eggs with Mushrooms on Spinach — Classic stuffed eggs in a richer version with dried mushrooms, served on buttery spinach as a warm appetizer.
Frequently asked questions
Which cheap meals will feed the whole family?
Bean or lentil stews, potato goulash, sarma (cabbage rolls), pasta with minced meat and a simple risotto are made from affordable ingredients and are enough for several people.
How can I save money on everyday cooking?
Plan a weekly menu, use seasonal vegetables, buy minced meat instead of more expensive cuts and cook larger batches that cover two meals.
Which ingredients are the most affordable?
Potatoes, rice, pasta, eggs, pulses, root vegetables, cabbage, minced meat and chicken are among the most affordable foods in Croatia.