40 budget recipes — most under $1.50/serving. Search by ingredient, tag, or keyword. No sad salads, we promise.
Penny says: "Sheet Pan Chicken: one pan, one oven, zero dishes, maximum flavor. The person who invented this deserves a medal and a very long nap."
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200 recipes. Every one under $2 per serving.
40 recipes · avg $0.98/serving
Cooking for a different crowd? The CookAids recipe scaler multiplies an ingredient list for the number of people you are feeding.
Save your vegetable scraps in a freezer bag for a month, then make the most flavorful free soup you've ever tasted. Zero waste, maximum flavor.
Two ingredients: oats and bananas. Blend, cook, eat. These naturally sweet, gluten-free pancakes cost about $0.30 per serving and kids go absolutely wild for them.
Prep 5 breakfasts in 10 minutes on Sunday night. Rolled oats, milk (or water), and your choice of toppings. $0.35 per serving and endlessly customizable.
Make once, eat breakfast all week. Warm, filling, and costs under $0.40/serving.
The most complete protein combination in the plant kingdom, and it costs almost nothing. Seasoned with cumin, oregano, and a splash of vinegar for brightness.
Day-old rice, eggs, frozen peas, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The best use of leftover rice ever invented — and cheaper than any takeout.
Creamy, spiced red lentil dal ready in 30 minutes. One of the most nutritious and satisfying meals you can make for under $2. Serve over basmati rice.
Cheap ramen noodles (discard the flavor packet), eggs, frozen vegetables, and a homemade sauce. Better than the packet version and costs the same.
The original budget meal — seasoned rice and beans that are more than the sum of their parts. Complete protein, complete satisfaction.
Pasta, canned whole tomatoes crushed by hand, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. Simple. Perfect. Under $2.50 for four servings.
A bag of dried split peas, a ham hock (optional), carrots, and celery. This old-fashioned soup is one of the most filling, nutritious, and cheap meals you can make.
Six ingredients, twenty minutes, zero regrets. This aglio e olio-inspired pasta is the weeknight hero you deserve.
Creamy coconut milk, canned chickpeas, and a fragrant spice blend. This vegan curry is ready in 25 minutes and costs under $3 for four generous servings.
Eggs poached in a rich, spiced tomato sauce. Works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Serve with crusty bread to mop up every last drop.
Make 12 burritos on Sunday, freeze them, and have a hot breakfast every morning for two weeks. Eggs, black beans, cheese, and salsa. $0.75 each.
The secret to restaurant-quality fried rice at home: day-old rice and high heat. Under $1/serving, ready in 15 minutes.
The most flexible recipe in existence. Whatever vegetables you have, plus pasta, canned tomatoes, and beans. Grandma would approve.
Cold or warm, these peanut noodles are addictive. Five-minute sauce, ten-minute noodles, zero complaints.
The ultimate Sunday cook-once meal. One pot of this hearty chili feeds a family for days. Freezes perfectly and gets better every time you reheat it.
Crispy black bean tacos with a fresh pico de gallo that costs almost nothing. Ready in 20 minutes and wildly satisfying.
Rich, smoky black bean soup with a hint of cumin and chipotle. Ready in 30 minutes from canned beans.
The Italian peasant soup that became a restaurant classic. Pasta and beans in a rich tomato broth — under $1/serving.
One link of Italian sausage, green lentils, diced tomatoes, and spinach. Hearty, filling, and deeply satisfying. A $4 dinner that feels like a $20 restaurant meal.
Bone-in chicken thighs are the budget cook's secret weapon. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and a savory soy-ginger glaze over fluffy white rice.
Roasted sweet potato, seasoned black beans, and a lime-cilantro drizzle. Meal prep gold for under $5.
Silky, elegant potato leek soup that costs under $1.10/serving. Tastes like a French bistro, made in your kitchen.
A classic weeknight pasta that punches way above its price tag. Homemade marinara from canned tomatoes, a single link of Italian sausage, and good pasta.
Tuscan-inspired white bean and kale soup that tastes like it simmered all day but takes 30 minutes. Vegan and hearty.
Hearty, protein-packed soup with ground turkey and whatever vegetables you have on hand. Freezes perfectly.
A frittata is just a fancy Italian omelette — and it costs about $1.20/serving. Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
A $5 pizza night that beats delivery every time. Simple no-knead dough, canned tomato sauce, and whatever toppings you have. The whole family gets involved.
A fragrant, filling vegetable curry with potatoes, peas, and tomatoes in a spiced coconut-tomato sauce. Vegan comfort food.
The classic budget casserole, elevated. Creamy, comforting, and made from pantry staples. Under $1.50/serving.
One pan, one oven, zero dishes. Chicken thighs and whatever vegetables are in your fridge, roasted together until golden and caramelized.
Crispy, cheesy chicken quesadillas that beat any restaurant version for a fraction of the price. $1.50/serving.
Chicken thighs baked on a bed of seasoned rice that absorbs all the juices. One pan, zero waste, maximum flavor.
One pan, 35 minutes, zero dishes. Italian sausage and seasonal vegetables roasted to caramelized perfection.
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs with a bright lemon-herb pan sauce. Restaurant quality for $1.80/serving.
Perfectly seasoned ground beef tacos with homemade taco seasoning. Skip the packet, save the money, taste the difference.
Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich gravy from the cheapest cuts of beef. Cold-weather comfort food at its finest.
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NEW COOKBOOK — COMING SOON
200 recipes. Every one under $2 per serving.
