20 Cheap & Easy Dinner Recipes

If you're looking for something easy and cheap to make for dinner, let these 20 recipes get you there. From satisfying bean dishes to some of our favorite pasta recipes, you'll want to bookmark these.

pasta in a skillet — French Onion Pasta - Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

There's no better feeling than feeding your family (or yourself) a delicious meal, knowing it's cheap (less than $10 for the whole meal), easy to make, and completely satisfying. It's the ultimate recipe trifecta, and I'm happy to say that these 20 recipes have it all.

As you're finding new inspiration for your next affordable dinner, make sure to read the tips and tricks from our editors, contributors, and readers.

1. Creamy Lemon Pasta

creamy lemon riccotta pasta in a bowl surrounded by a table napkin, a glass of water, and a bowl of sliced lemons — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

"For some added nutrition and a pop of green, add 3 to 4 cups of fresh baby spinach to the pan after cooking the garlic, stirring until it wilts. Frozen green peas or frozen chopped broccoli are also good choices—add up to a cup." —Laurel Randolph, Simply Recipes Senior Editor

2. Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup)

Sopa de Ajo in a large pot with pieces of toast and a wooden spoon, small bowl of paprika on the side — Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

"Spanish smoked paprika gives this soup its signature kick of spice. It’s different than Hungarian paprika, which is milder and sweeter." —Jeanette Hurt, Simply Recipes Contributor

3. Midnight Pasta

bowl of midnight pasta at a table with a drink, a table napkin, and utensils — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

"Four whole cloves may seem like a lot, but the garlic mellows after it’s sautéed gently in oil and then simmered with some of the pasta cooking water. You can adjust the amount depending on your taste, using a couple less cloves or even an extra if you’re a serious garlic lover." —Sheela Prakash, Simply Recipes Contributor

4. Marry Me Beans

Marry Me Beans in a white bowl — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"Any kind of white bean will work, like cannellini, navy, and Great Northern." —Laurel

5. French Onion Pasta

French onion pasta in a pot at a table — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"To get the onions caramelizing faster, salt the onions helps to draw out moisture." —Julie and Amy Luxemberg, Simply Recipes Contributors

6. Broccoli Cheese Casserole

My Mom’s Famous Broccoli Cheese Casserole in a dish, one serving scooped out and added to a plate — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"I like to use aged cheddar for extra umami flavor but use whatever cheddar you prefer. This recipe uses the cheese in two ways; in a simple mornay sauce as well as on top of the casserole to keep things extra cheesy." —Molly Adams, Simply Recipes Contributor

7. Easy Pasta Pomodoro

easy pasta pomodoro in a dutch oven — Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

"Transferring the cooked pasta straight from the pot to to the sauce means you don’t have to clean a colander and any water clinging to the noodles will help to thicken the sauce." —Julia Levy, Simply Recipes Recipe Developer

8. 3-Ingredient Pizza Beans

Pizza beans in a red casserole — Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

"I like shredded mozzarella or a pizza cheese blend for these beans, but I’m also very on board with the idea of throwing in a half cup or so of ricotta, which gives the dish serious baked pasta vibes." —Stephanie Ganz, Simply Recipes Contributor

9. Pasta e Ceci

Overhead view of a green bowl of Pasta e Ceci and a spoon topped with parmesan cheese next to a bowl of parmesan, another bowl of pasta and a glass of carbonated beverage — Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

"Using the rind from a chunk of Parmesan cheese imparts lots of savory, umami flavor to the broth, so don’t skip it. While you can often buy the rinds from grocery stores like Whole Foods, you’ll be grating Parmesan cheese into the soup, too, so it’s most cost-effective to simply buy a chunk and trim off the rind yourself." —Marianne Williams, Simply Recipes Recipe Developer

10. Sesame Peanut Noodles

Plates of Sesame Peanut Noodles Next to a Small Bowls of Sesame Seeds and Green Onions — Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

"If you want to give your noodles a kick, add a tablespoon of chili oil or Sriracha to the sauce." —Hannah Zimmerman, Simply Recipes Contributor

11. Best Cabbage Soup

A serving bowl of cabbage soup on a plate with buttered toast on the side — Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

"With so few ingredients, the quality of this soup relies on the quality of your ingredients. Homemade chicken stock is the best (we'll also use Better than Bouillon in a pinch), and a good quality canned tomatoes makes all the difference (we use Muir Glen)." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

12. French Onion Beans

A cast iron skillet with nicely browned baked french onion beans — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"I developed this recipe to be quick and dinner-friendly, so I added a bit of sugar to speed up the onion caramelization; if you have more time, skip the added sugar and let your onions caramelize slowly, ideally for about 30 minutes." —Stephanie

13. One-Pot Mac and Cheese

Plateful of one pot mac and cheese with a fork, and in the surroundings, a dutch oven with more, a glass of water, utensils, and a mustard kitchen towel — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"If possible, buy blocks of cheese and shred them yourself. Cheese shredded from a block melts much better into the sauce than pre-shredded." —Kayla Hoang, Simply Recipes Contributor

14. Chili Beans with Rice

Chili Beans and Rice on plate — Elise Bauer

"As is, this recipe makes a fairly mild batch of chili beans. If you'd like more heat, just add more chili powder to taste, or a little cayenne pepper. You can also add Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce, either to the pot or to each individual bowl." —Elise

15. Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe

Bowl of Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe Next to a Fork and Spoon on a Kitchen Towel, a Glass of Wine, a Bowl with More Cacio e Pepper, and a Small Bowls with Cracked Black Pepper — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

"Watch your brown butter closely. It can go from perfectly golden to burnt quickly. If you sense that it will burn, quickly but carefully transfer the butter into a heat-proof bowl to stop it from further browning." —Sharon Lehman, Simply Recipes Contributor

16. Daal Palak (Lentil & Spinach Curry)

Daal Palak in a Dutch Oven on the Counter Next to a Bowl of Yogurt and a Bowl of Pickled Onions — Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

"This is a thicker daal recipe. If you would like it thinner add 1/4 cup water into the daal and stir well, then add the tadka." —Annika Panikker, Simply Recipes Contributor

17. Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet)

Plate of Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet) with Cucumber Slices, Romaine Leaves, Rice, and a Small Bowl of Sriracha on a Circular Wooden Serving Board and Surrounded by a Table Setting with a Glass of Water, a Table Napkin, a Small Bowl of Slice Scallions and Thai Chili, a Small Bowl of Fish Sauce, and Another Plate of Kai Jeow — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"If you are having the kai jeow with steamed rice and raw vegetables, use the full 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, as the salty omelet will “season” what’s served with it. If you are having the omelet on its own, you may want to reduce the fish sauce to 1 teaspoon." —Lany Phlong, Simply Recipes Contributor

18. 2-Ingredient Creamy Pesto Beans

bowl of creamy pesto beans — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

"The last time I made two-ingredient creamy pesto beans, I drizzled a small pack of cherry tomatoes with olive oil, seasoned with salt, and broiled them while the beans cooked. I ended up piling the beans up on crispy toast and topping with the tomatoes, more pesto, and a drizzle of balsamic." —Laurel

19. Roasted Chickpeas with Artichokes, Lemon, Parsley, and Feta

roasted chickpeas, artichokes, and feta — Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

"For this recipe, I prefer using the block of feta that comes in brine—it has a better flavor and texture that crumbled feta." —Molly Adams, Simply Recipes Contributor

20. 4-Ingredient Spinach and White Bean Soup

Angled view of a white bowl of white bean and spinach soup with a spoon next to a plate of bread and bowl of lemon slices — Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

"If you don’t own an immersion blender, you can purée the soup in a food processor or a regular upright blender. Be very careful when puréeing hot liquids in an upright blender. It is essential that steam has a way to escape while you purée, so remember to take out the removable center of the blender lid before blending and loosely drape a kitchen towel over the opening." —Alexandra Shytsman, Simply Recipes Contributor