Whether you’re a busy parent, a professional, or both, planning dinners can be a challenge. Making the grocery list, adding budget-friendly options, and choosing healthy choices can be a daunting task. But at least we can help you out with some amazing time-saving recipes.
Introducing budget-friendly, healthy, simple, time-saving one pot dinners that are sure to impress! Let’s dive into the wonderful world of simple cooking—all you need is tasty ingredients and a single pot.
What’s The Point of One Pot Dinners?
What’s the big fuss about one pot dinners, anyway? Simply put, they’re quick, efficient, and delicious. They also save you a ton of time standing in front of the kitchen sink. One pot dinners are perfect for making hearty and tasty meals and allow you to budget them easily.
With one pot dinners, you get every flavor mingling together, so it doesn’t matter how much of a novice cook you are. It always comes out great! These meals are well-balanced, kid-approved, and make dinner times stress-free.
What Makes These Dinners Budget-Friendly?
Today, budget-friendly dinners may look different to everyone. Still, one thing for sure is these meals were put together with the thought that these ingredients are easy to get, tend to frequently go on sale, or are inexpensive pantry staples.
What are budget-friendly pantry staples?
Some of the best things to stock your pantry with that will not break the bank are things like:
- Dry Pasta
- Rice
- Oats
- Flour
- Spices
- Canned Tomatoes
- Canned Beans
- Cooking Oil
- Chicken, Beef, or Vegetable Stock
One Pot Rice With Pork and Veggies
One Pot Rice With Pork And Veggies
Ingredients:
- 2 onion (sliced)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 300 g pork belly (cut into 0.5cm cubes)
- 1/4 cabbage (sliced)
- 2 carrot (shredded)
- 1 cup short grain rice
- 1.5 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
Skip the takeout and make this delicious one pot rice dish at home in a flash. This meal combines juicy pork belly, perfectly cooked rice, and just the right amount of veggies to add to the weekly rotation. Depending on your personal taste, you can easily boost flavors with some extra soy sauce or sriracha.
Easy One Pan Chicken Pot Pie
Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe | The Modern Proper
Ingredients:
- cup butter, 1 stick
- 2 cups carrots, 14 inch sliced
- 1 cup celery, 14 inch sliced
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- teaspoon black pepper
- teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced optional
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups peas, frozen
- 4 cups cooked chicken, 3 chicken breasts, pre cooked or rotisserie
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, slightly thawed
- 1 egg, for pastry wash
What’s more comforting than a delicious pot pie right from the oven? One that doesn’t involve multiple steps and is ready in half the time! These are one of those one pot dinners that are made directly in the pan, saving you tons of time on clean-up duties.
All you have to do is toss together some tender, juicy rotisserie chicken, a couple of cans of creamy chicken soup, frozen veggies, seasonings, and top it with a premade pie crust. It’s that simple to get your favorite comfort food!
One Pot Broccoli, Bacon, and Cheese Pasta
One-Pot Broccoli, Bacon and Cheese Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small white onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Bacon lardons
- 150g-200g Fusilli pasta
- 1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup low fat cream
- Salt and Pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar
- 1/4 cup of grated parmesan
This creamy, cheesy bacon and broccoli pasta is budget-friendly and oh-so delicious. It has everything you crave after a long day. And get this—the pasta even cooks in the pot—there is no need for draining and transferring here! This one pot dinner is a grown-up version of your favorite mac and cheese, and we are living for it.
One Pot Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
One Pot Chicken Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken cut into 1″ pieces
- 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- 2 cups long grain rice uncooked
- 3 1/2 cups water
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1/4 cups teriyaki sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped
- 1/3 cup green onion chopped
- 1/3 cup peas optional
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- teriyaki sauce to taste
Rice is super budget-friendly and makes the best one pot dinners. Filled with juicy chunks of white meat chicken, fresh veggies, and a mouth-watering teriyaki sauce, what else could you need? Don’t be intimidated by Asian flavors. They may taste complex but are incredibly easy to master—even as a beginner!
One Pot Italian Chicken
One-Pot Italian Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 20g Devondale Unsalted Butter
- 4 small chicken breasts fillets
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 80g (1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 80ml (1/3 cup) white wine
- 250ml (1 cup) thickened cream
- 125ml (1/2 cup) Massel chicken style liquid stock
- 60g pkt baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- Crusty bread, to serve
Low-carb, budget-friendly one pot dinners? Sign me up! This creamy Italian dish uses chicken breast, Italian herbs and spices, heavy cream, white wine, and sundried tomatoes. Serve it alone, or add a side of pasta or a simple salad to keep it light and fresh!
Easy One Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Easy One-Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
If you are craving some really good Chinese takeout, this budget-friendly one pot wonder will have you headed home instead of your favorite restaurant. Start by coating tender chunks of thick chicken breast in corn starch to get that delicious crispy bite. Then, add soy sauce, honey, and sweet brown sugar. Toss in your favorite veggies, and dinner is served.
One Pot Beef Stroganoff
One Pot Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces egg noodles, uncooked
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Something about a warm pot of creamy beef stroganoff just brings comfort and nostalgia. And when it’s this simple to make, you better believe it’s staying on the monthly dinner menu.
This dish combines budget-friendly ingredients such as ground beef and mushrooms with pantry staples like flour, dried seasonings, and spices. Mix it together, and you have a one pot dinner that will surely be a hit!
One Pot Chicken and Rice
One Pot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients:
- 4 6 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter, divided
- 1 heaping cup shredded or chopped carrots
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper, see notes
- 2 scant cups long grain white rice, Lundberg White Jasmine Rice recommended
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 chicken breasts, 1lb, cut into bitesized pieces
It can’t get any simpler than a classic rice dish. When talking about one pot dinners that impress and are also easy on the wallet, this is one you must check out. Filled with tender carrots, juicy chicken, and savory stock, you’ll be packing this for lunch tomorrow!
One Pot Chili Mac
How To Make One-Pot Chili Mac
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 8 ounces lean ground beef (7% fat)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups dried elbow macaroni (8 ounces)
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a combination (6 ounces), plus extra for serving
- 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
If you have kids you know how hectic those fall months can be with school, sports, and other activities. Here, you combine everyone’s favorite fall meals into one for a delicious one pot dinner no one can turn down. Bonus points, you can even put this in the crockpot!
Filled with healthy veggies, lean meats, and creamy cheese, this budget-friendly dinner is one your kids will ask for by name.
One Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta
One Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta – The Chunky Chef
Ingredients:
- 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized pieces
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz dried short-cut pasta (I used rigatoni)
- 24 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I used Newman's Own)
- water to fill empty marinara sauce jar
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- additional dried Italian seasoning, optional
- fresh parsley and/or basil, minced for garnish
Chicken parmesan is so tasty, but it involves a ton of prep and multiple messes along the way. What if we told you you could combine all those flavors into a one pot dinner? Not only will it check your budget-friendly box, but it will also fulfill that Italian craving.
One Pot Cabbage and Sausage Soup
One Pot Cabbage Sausage Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red onion, chopped (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
- 4 smoked Italian sausage links, sliced (400 g/ 14 oz)
- 1 medium head cabbage, sliced (600 g/ 1.3 lb)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (410 g/ 14.5 oz)
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (226 g/ 8 oz)
This cozy soup is perfect for budget-friendly dinners. It fills you up, is great for leftovers, and, best of all, makes the most wonderful one pot dinners. This cabbage and sausage soup is no exception.
You can follow the recipe exactly or switch it up by using a sausage of your choice or even swapping it for lean ground beef. It’s incredibly versatile and delicious no matter what direction you decide to go!
Wrapping Up the 11 Best One Pot Budget-Friendly Dinners
Having a busy schedule and a tight budget doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice delicious home-cooked meals. These one pot dinners were made for the 9 to 5 and the 5 to 9. Don’t forget to explore more meal-planning tips on Recipe Cloud!
0 Comments