03 Cheap Easy Dinner Ideas for Two - Cooking Tasty

When it involves night dinner, we’re all searching for one thing affordable, fast and easy, and satisfying (we’ve need to expect to all day, when all). These recipes hit all 3 criteria, with ease. You don’t need to drop major dough to create something delicious which will get on your table in an hour or less—save cash by selecting low coster proteins (we’re talking chicken, ground proteins, or feeder options) and time by creating these dishes dead one pan, in your favorite room appliance, or via a number of our prime kitchen shortcuts. no matter your style, these seventy cheap and easy meals can please your entire family while not breaking the bank.

One of the simplest ways that to chop down on dinner prices is to travel for cheaper cuts of meat, or utilizing dearer ones in inventive ways. attempt adding ground beef, turkey, or chicken to assist bulk out previous standbys, on the cheap. attempt cookery a full chicken (or shopping for a rotisserie chicken), then utilizing it for everything from pizza pie to tacos all week long. attempt adding more expensive food or cut of meat to food or rice to help build smaller, more cost-effective parts go further, like in our Creole jambalaya, our salmon pasta, or our creamy steak fettuccine. It’s all regarding the approach you utilize the macromolecule that matters, not avoiding them altogether.

One of the most effective ways that to save lots of some cash is to travel meatless (and not simply on Mondays). and that we don’t mean by commutation proteins with all those costly meat substitutes (though we’re all regarding those sometimes)—no, instead we’re talking about creating eater meals out of low-cost beans, bean curd, and plants. strive our vegetarian lasagna, our creamy mushroom pasta, our tofu katsu curry, or our vegan crunchwrap to check however versatile and filling these meals will be.

1: Classic Stuffed Peppers

Of all the food you can stuff, stuffed peppers are at the top of our list. Bell peppers are large enough to hold a lot, strong enough to keep their shape in the oven, and mild enough in flavor to go with just about anything. In other words, they’re the perfect vessel to hold a variety of different ingredients and fillings.

We’ve stuffed peppers every way we can think of– and if you don’t believe me, check out our Cheesesteak and Chicken Parm varieties!-- but this classic recipe is still our favorite. Here we’re filling them with beefy tomato rice and shredded Monterey Jack cheese, but you can customize them to fit your taste (and whatever you have in your refrigerator). Swap out the ground beef for another ground protein (pork, turkey, chicken, or even Italian sausage!) and add in any melty cheese you like. 

CAL/SERV:405

YIELDS:6 SERVINGS

PREP TIME:0 HOURS 10 MINS

TOTAL TIME:1 HOUR 20 MINS

INGREDIENTS

one/2 c. raw rice

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, and more for descending

1 medium onion, cut

2 tbsp. fixings

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. boeuf

1 (14.5-oz.) will diced tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

half-dozen bell peppers, super and cores removed

1 c. shredded Monterey jack

Freshly cut parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

heat up kitchen appliance to 400°. in a very tiny saucepan, prepare rice in keeping with package instructions. in a very massive pan over medium heat, heat oil. Cook onion till soft, regarding five minutes. Stir in fixings and garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute more. Add boeuf and cook, calling it quits meat with a picket spoon, until now not pink, half-dozen minutes. Drain fat.

come beef mixture to skillet, then stir in broiled rice and diced tomatoes. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Let simmer until liquid has reduced slightly, regarding five minutes.

Place peppers cut side-up in a very 9"-x-13" baking dish and drizzle with oil. Spoon beef mixture into every pepper and high with town jack, then cowl baking dish with foil.

Bake till peppers are tender, about thirty five minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbly, ten minutes more.

Garnish with parsley before serving.

Nutrition (per serving): four05 calories, twenty two g protein, twenty seven g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 7 g sugar, twenty three g fat, eight g saturated fat, 432 mg metal

2: Black Bean Tostadas

With solely five ingredients these turtle bean tostadas are the best and quickest meal to throw together. you'll perpetually add on further toppings like corn salsa, avocado ranch, or endless crisp veggies like radishes or preserved red onions, however here we have a tendency to keep things simple. With ingredients you're seemingly to own on hand, these tostadas create a final minute, simple meal you'll wear repeat. 

have you ever created these yet? allow us to apprehend what you're thinking that within the comments below! 

YIELDS:4 SERVINGS

PREP TIME:0 HOURS 5 MINS

TOTAL TIME:0 HOURS 25 MINS

INGREDIENTS

two (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

8 tostadas

two c. cut pepper jack 

Avocado, sliced

sauce

DIRECTIONS

heat up kitchen appliance to 350°. in an exceedingly tiny pan over medium heat, add beans and one cup of water. awaken a simmer and let simmer till beans are warm through, regarding ten minutes. Smash with a wood spoon until most of the beans are smashed with some whole remaining. Add a lot of water as required to assist produce a drum sander consistency. 

Meanwhile, place tostadas on an oversized baking sheet and sprinkle cheese equally over each. Bake until cheese is melty, about 5 minutes. 

high tostadas with beans, avocado slices, and hot sauce.

3: Arroz Con Pollo

It' Wed and you wish one thing very sensible for dinner, however you furthermore mght don't want to pay your entire evening change of state and cleaning. we tend to hear you and that' precisely why Arroz con Pollo is that the excellent nighttime dinner and leftovers build fantastic lunches. It' a straightforward one pot meal that doesn't style like one. The rice is so flavourous you'll be ingestion it straight out of pan and that we won't blame you. If you'd rather use all chicken thighs rather than drumsticks move and swap them out! 

If you've tried out this dish allow us to know within the comments and don't forget to rate it! 

YIELDS:6 SERVINGS

PREP TIME:0 HOURS 20 MINS

TOTAL TIME:1 HOUR 20 MINS

INGREDIENTSthree lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticksKosher saltFreshly ground black peppertwo tsp. ground cuminone tsp. dried oregano1 tsp. garlic powder1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper3 tbsp. extra-virgin oil1 giant onion, shredded2 bell peppers, choppedfour cloves garlic, minced2 tbsp. fixings1 c. long-grain rice2 c. low-sodium stock1 (14-oz.) will diced tomatoes1 herbFreshly shredded cilantro, for garnish
DIRECTIONSPat chicken dry with paper towels, then season everywhere with salt and pepper. in a very little bowl, mix cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne. Rub mixture into chicken. in a very giant pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and cook till golden, five minutes per side. take away skillet and reserve on a plate. To same skillet over medium heat, add onion and pepper. Cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, one minute more, then stir in tomato paste. Add rice and cook till well coated and toasted, three minutes. Pour in stock and diced tomatoes, and herb, stirring up any bits from bottom of pan. bring round a boil, then add chicken back to skillet. cut back heat and let simmer, covered, until chicken is roasted through and rice is tender, thirty minutes. Stir often to create certain rice isn't jutting to bottom of pan. Add a lot of water or broth as necessary. take away bay leaf and serve with cilantro.