5 delicious meals you can make on a budget

Easy, inexpensive, homemade recipes are a great option if your takeout bill has reached new heights. And just because a meal is low on cost doesn’t mean it has to be lacking in excitement and flavor. Thanks to TikTok, finding easy meals you can make on a budget is no problem. If you’re looking to save a little moolah with cheap and easy meals, here are five delicious budget-friendly recipes that your taste buds and your wallet will both love.

1. Sausage casserole

“Loaded” is the operative word when it comes to this tasty sausage casserole. Start by adding diced onions and garlic to a heated skillet, followed by chopped carrots and bell peppers. Next, mix in flour, paprika and thyme. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then turn it down to a simmer before adding cooked sausages. Finally, add some frozen vegetables to the mix followed by tomato purée before serving. 

2. Pollo ranchero

This cheap and easy dish takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and costs less than $10. First, thinly slice two raw chicken breasts. Next, add diced potatoes to a heated skillet with some oil, all-purpose seasoning and sazon seasoning. Once the potatoes are crispy, move them to the sides of the pan, leaving an open space in the center. Add the chicken to the middle, and sprinkle on some all-purpose seasoning. Then mix in some diced onions, jalapeños, garlic and tomatoes. For extra flavor, pour in some canned tomatoes, water and chicken bouillon. Finally, cover the pan and let the ingredients cook for about five minutes before serving with white rice and tortillas. 

3. Bombay potatoes

These Bombay potatoes are “spud-tacular!” Start by peeling and dicing the potatoes into about 2-inch cubes before adding them to a pot. Next, season the potatoes with salt and turmeric. Then cover them with water and boil for 10 minutes. Next, add diced onion, chili powder and tomato purée, followed by a blend of tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, garam masala, cumin and warm water. Add the potatoes to the sauce, and cook on low for five minutes before serving. 

4. Homemade skillet pizza

You’ll definitely want to try a “piz-za” this delicious recipe. First, add ground beef to a skillet and season with onion powder, garlic powder, basil leaves and ground oregano. Next, roll out your pizza dough onto a baking sheet. Then line the perimeter with string cheese sticks. Roll the edges of the dough over the cheese sticks, and brush with egg wash. Cover the center of the dough with marinara sauce followed by shredded mozzarella cheese. Then add the cooked and seasoned ground beef before adding pepperoni. Top with shredded onions, bell peppers and more cheese. Sprinkle on some seasoning before baking at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.

5. Vegetarian orange “chicken” with fried rice

@yessidothecookingg

Who doesn’t love a super quick and easy vegetarian meal?! This one slaps, and is even better with @cenorthamerica appliances @shopprofessionalseries

♬ Bezos I – Bo Burnham

Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will love this flavorful recipe. Begin by adding diced onions and frozen vegetables to a heated wok. Next, season the ingredients and mix in an egg before adding white rice and soy sauce. Set aside after cooking. Then combine orange juice with sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, ginger, corn starch and water in the same wok. Then mix in some air-fried vegetarian popcorn chicken. Serve the fried rice in a bowl, add the meatless chicken, and then top with chopped green onions and red pepper flakes.

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