Save cash and cleanup time by preparing these one-pan recipes for dinner. We’ve done the math, and each serving of these skillet dinners, slow cooker meals, or sheet-pan suppers adds up to less than $3 per serving.
Mini Meat Loaves with Green Beans and Potatoes
Budget dinner price: $2.29 per serving
Comfort food gets a little more adorable with this delish twist on meatloaf dinner. Plus, since the individual portions of meatloaf are baked on a single foil-lined sheet pan alongside fingerling potatoes and crunchy green beans, cleanup is a breeze.
Skillet Turkey and Spinach Lasagna
Budget dinner price: $1.78 per serving
Lasagna in less than an hour, in one pan, for less money than a cup of coffee per serving? Yes, please! Egg noodles—one of our favorite pantry staples for one-pan recipes—mimic lasagna sheets without needing that separate boiling step. Serve this alongside a simple green salad tossed with a basic vinaigrette, and you’ll still fly under the $3-per-person limit.
Chicken with Ricotta Dumplings
Budget dinner price: $2.84 per serving
This Mediterranean meal features many Italian favorites in one easy casserole: olives, tomatoes, ricotta, Parmesan, and oregano. And it still comes in under budget.
Artichoke and Cheese Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Baby Carrots
Budget dinner price: $2.74 per serving
It’s true that chicken breasts aren’t as cheap as legs and thighs. But they can make the grade for budget one-pan dinner recipes if you buy them in bulk and freeze whatever you don’t need right away. (Be sure you know how to safely thaw chicken when you’re ready to use it.)
Cilantro-Lime Pork
Budget dinner price: $1.70 per serving
Low in fat, but high in protein, this cilantro-lime pork recipe comes together with only five ingredients. Just pop everything in a slow cooker and serve the tender, tasty pork with tortillas and all your favorite taco toppings. If you’re not serving a crowd—this slow cooker recipe serves 8—refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for a no-effort meal on a busy weeknight.
Veggie-Turkey Burgers
Budget dinner price: $1.60 per serving
When pricing out ingredients for one-pan dinner recipes, meat is often the deal-breaker. For this grilled burger recipe, we extend 12 ounces of ground turkey (and add nutrition) by mixing in shredded carrot before forming the patties. Because the turkey burgers and hamburger buns are so affordable, you can afford to splurge on a variety of vegetable toppings and condiments. Try spiralized zucchini, tomato, lettuce, and a fancy aioli or mustard.
Smoky Beef Stroganoff with Cremini Mushrooms
Budget dinner price: $2.17 per serving
Beef Stroganoff has been on the home cook’s list of great one-pan recipes for decades. So, what’s new here? Smoked paprika (rather than regular) adds an irresistible smoky element, and cremini mushrooms have a deeper flavor than traditional white mushrooms. Is it still a budget dish? Yes! The sirloin steak and mushrooms are major investments, but the noodles, beef broth, herbs, and spices keep the recipe in budget.
Moroccan Chicken and Cauliflower Stew
Budget dinner price: $2.97 per serving
Serving this North African-inspired chicken dish is easier and more affordable than you might think. Chicken thighs (or legs) are rubbed with a blend of cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne before simmering with cauliflower, chickpeas, olives, dried apricots, and crushed tomatoes. Even better, this hearty stew can be made on your stovetop in a Dutch oven, in a pressure cooker, or in a slow cooker.
Skillet Taco Pie
Budget dinner price: $2.03 per serving
When kids want to invite a friend or two for dinner, a taco party can be great fun. But have you ever noticed how shells, meat, cheese, seasoning, salsa, and loads of toppings can add to the prep time and expense? (Not to mention the mess.) Keep costs in check by cooking a finite supply of taco-topping ingredients in one skillet for one of the most kid-friendly one-pan recipes in our files.
Jamaican Pork Stir-Fry
Budget dinner price: $2.00 per serving
Yes, a hearty pork dish can be a budget-friendly dinner. If you are craving a little Caribbean flavor, toss sliced pork loin in a wok or skillet with peppers, onions, and lots of Jamaican jerk seasoning for a low-fat meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes.
Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Fingerlings
Budget dinner price: $1.99 per serving
Potatoes are great for inexpensive one-pan dinner recipes. For a little class, this dish swaps the usual russets for fingerlings. Flavored with garlic, lemon, and thyme, the chicken and potato recipe will bring plenty of “wows” for the price.
Test Kitchen Tip: The key to keeping this recipe under $3 is to use the small chicken breasts (4 ounces or so) called for in the recipe. If you can’t find this size, cut two larger, thicker breasts in half horizontally.
