Budget recipes
On a budget? Whether you’re after cheap family meals, no frills or simply good value, we’ve got ideas for you. Yes, jacket potatoes and pasta feature, but also ways to stretch those more expensive ingredients that bit further to give you bags of flavour for your buck. Step forward chorizo, smoked fish and bacon. We’ve also included some fakeaways, to help you save money when the takeaway urge bites.
If you’re looking for budget meals that are filling and comforting too, check out all our budget pasta recipes, and also find ways to use up leftover chicken.
Showing 1-16 of 192 recipes
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Stews, casseroles, pot-roasts and slow-roasts
Smoked sausage, mushroom and bean stew
Smoked sausage and earthy mushrooms give a depth of flavour that makes this stew taste like it’s been cooked for hours instead of minutes.
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Tomato pasta recipes
Pasta pomodoro
Pasta pomodoro is the original – and best – tomato pasta. This recipe is quick and easy but uses a few tricks to really amp up the flavour.
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Italian pasta recipes
Classic pasta puttanesca
One of the most famous classic pasta dishes of all time, pasta puttanesca includes anchovies, garlic, capers, olives and tomatoes.
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Potato recipes
Frico (Alpine cheese and potato cake)
Frico is a delicious cheese and potato cake from the Italian Alps. The soft, indulgently savoury cake is ike a very, very cheesy hash brown.
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Beef stew recipes
Coda alla vaccinara (Roman braised oxtail)
Coda alla vaccinara is an iconic Roman dish made with oxtail. The meat is slow-cooked with celery, while cocoa gives the stew earthy depth.
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Italian vegetarian recipes
Risi e bisi (classic Venetian rice and peas)
Ursula Ferrigno shares her recipe for risi e bisi. This classic Venetian dish of rice and the sweetest fresh peas is served in a rich stock.
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Budget pasta recipes
Bigoli in salsa (caramelised onion and anchovy pasta)
Bigoli in salsa is a classic Venetian dish: thick pasta strands with a rich sauce of caramelised onions and anchovies. Simple yet luxurious.
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30-minute meal recipes
Umami bomb spaghetti
Ready in the time it takes to boil the pasta, this speedy umami bomb spaghetti is packed with olives, anchovies, capers, parmesan and parsley for a joyful tapenade-like flavour.
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Weekly pasta recipes
Creamy sweetcorn and Tajín pasta
Tajín is a Mexican seasoning that combines lime and chilli, and when paired with sweetcorn it makes a wonderful sauce for pasta.
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Weeknight recipes
Sausage casserole with braised celery and chickpeas
Braising celery is something you need to try. This easy, hands-off sausage stew combines it with sausages, creamy chickpeas and chilli.
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Leftover lunch recipes
Leftover pasta frittata
Leftover spaghetti is the carb hero of this robust omelette. This versatile frittata is the perfect vehicle for any leftover pasta and veg.
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Paneer recipes
Paneer, tomato and pea curry
This speedy vegetarian curry combines tinned tomatoes and frozen peas with plenty of spices and sticks of paneer cheese.
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Baking recipes
Honey flapjacks
These simple honey flapjacks are the perfect vehicle for showcasing the complex floral flavours of a good-quality honey.
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Fermented food recipes
Fermented hot sauce
Learn how to make fermented hot sauce with James Read's easy recipe. All you need are chillies, salt, a sterlised jar... and time.
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One-pot recipes
Braised sausages, lentils and fennel
Georgina Hayden's braised sausages with fennel and lentils is a weeknight winner. A one-pot family dinner that doesn't skimp on flavour.
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Pressure cooker recipes
Pressure cooker pea, mint and parmesan risotto
Silky pea risotto in 20 minutes?! You heard us right. Pressure cookers cook risotto rice super quickly, saving you time and energy.
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