Budget recipes
Budget recipes rely on humble ingredients transformed by patient technique: pantry staples like beans, lentils, cabbage, potatoes, and day-old bread, seasoned generously with garlic, herbs, olive oil, and acid. They are the dishes people turn to on ordinary weeknights, when time and money are short but flavor still matters. Think of a crisp coleslaw dressed with vinegar, a creamy potato salad served alongside grilled meats, garlic bread warm from the oven, or a simmering tomato soup and hearty minestrone. Others, like hummus, lentil soup, and bruschetta, show how little is needed for something deeply satisfying. For each of these dishes, you can find the ranking of the best-rated recipes across several websites.
Starters
- Coleslaw
- Potato salad
- Garlic bread
- Tomato soup
- Minestrone
- Hummus
- Lentil soup
- Bruschetta
- Vegetable soup
- Pasta salad
Main dishes
- Mac and cheese
- Meatloaf
- Fish and chips
- Beef stew
- Shakshuka
- Fried rice
- Stuffed peppers
- Chili con carne
- Ratatouille