Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Tomato, Cardamom, and Cilantro
Full of flavor, this unusual stew of sweet potatoes, tomatoes and warm spices makes a wonderful appe...
Chocolate-Orange Spiced Banana Bread
We can't get enough of this decadent banana bread. It's a luxurious-tasting dessert (or breakfast, i...
Pasta with Marinara
Most agree that marinara has roots in Naples and that cooks prepared this simple sauce for mariners ...
Strawberry Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette
Liven up your salad with this delightful and easy variation. Fresh strawberries add sweetness to dar...
Squash Stuffed with Spicy Beef
This is a wonderful warming dinner, perfect to make during winter when squash is in season (and on s...
Flatbread Napoletana
Flatbread pizza is good, fast, and cheap! Our kitchen hackers discovered that an uncooked (raw) flou...
Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms
This is quintessential, rustic Italian comfort food. Polenta differs slightly from what we know as c...
White Beans Braised with Spinach
A classic Tuscan recipe, cannellini (white) beans are combined with a splash of wine, garlic, olive ...
Easy Homemade Bread
Homemade, fresh bread is simply the best. Not only is it economical, made from just 3 ingredients, b...
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Perfect for the holidays, these elegant potatoes are so easy to make yet the presentation is somethi...
Mesquite Smoked Brisket (Done in your oven, no smoker or grill required!)
Get ready for delicious, mouth-watering brisket without having to dust off your smoker or grill or s...
Japanese Soba Noodles with Fresh Vegetables
Japanese soba (buckwheat) noodles are readily available in most grocery stores and are especially go...
Coconut Curried Lentils
Creamy, hearty lentils that taste sweet and flavorful? Yes, thanks to this blend of Indian spices an...
Garlic and Lemon-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Fragrant with lemon and garlic, this comfort supper is truly economical. A whole chicken is surprisi...
Almond-Vanilla Granola
Granola usually costs a mini-fortune. We can't figure out why since it's made of pretty basic ingred...
Creamy Mac and Cheese
We've spent years perfecting this recipe— it's so creamy and decadent that we only serve it to frien...
Gazpacho
Cool, refreshing, and bright with tomatoes, this soup originated in southern Spain, where summers ge...
Luscious Lemon Cake with Turmeric
This lemony confection is an ideal summer treat. Fresh lemon zest and turmeric give a bright yellow ...
Easy Chocolate Cake
Otherwise known as "Wacky Cake," this World War II-era confection was innovated from basic pantry st...
Veggie Fried Rice
Foodie fried rice is a healthful and flavorful dish that can be as exotic or as basic as you like. Y...
White Lasagne with Spinach and Bechamel Sauce
A pleasure to prepare, this unusual white lasagne has wonderful, complex flavor and a delightfully c...
Savory Red Pepper Bread Pudding
Eggs, bright red peppers, tangy feta cheese, and bread are baked together in the rich tradition of E...
Mushrooms Stuffed with Chile & Onion
Start with fresh mushroom caps (white or baby portabellas work nicely) and let nothing go to waste b...
Quick Chicken Broth
Homemade chicken broth is a delicious way to use the bones from a roasting chicken. It greatly enhan...
Perfect Pie Crust
Pie crust is an essential basic. We often just buy a prepared pie crust when we want one, but once i...
Chocolate Truffles
These are the creamiest, most decadent treat — pure chocolate truffles. They are remarkably simple t...
Chili with Cinnamon and Cacao
The classic Mexican pairing of chili pepper, tomato, and unsweetened chocolate gives a richness of f...
Sweet Potato Chili
On a cold day, a warm bowl of delicious chili makes for a perfect dinner. This versatile, plant-base...
Pesto for Pasta
Fragrant and piquant, this traditional blend of nuts, fresh basil, a bit of garlic, cheese and oil i...
Zucchini and Carrot "Pasta" with Marinara
Here's a satisfying way to meet your quota of veggies. Marinara is the most versatile of all tomato ...
Mulled Wine
Winter is here, the holidays are near. We are in the mood for a cozy libation to enjoy at home aroun...
Pasta e Ceci Stew
It's getting to be soup season! Pasta e ceci, Italian pasta and chickpea stew, is a go-to for a quic...
Escarole Rice Soup
The sum here is definitely greater than the parts: a rosy broth, aromatic with garlic and a hint of ...
Turkey Noodle Soup
What to do with leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Don't throw away those bones... use them to make soup!...
Turkey Carver Sandwich
Wishing that Thanksgiving could last longer? The Turkey Carver sandwich is a great way to give fres...
Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins
Muffins are a great breakfast treat. This version pairs fresh orange with chocolate chips and a touc...
Butternut Squash Soup
This is our family's favorite butternut squash soup recipe, and we've tried many. Carrot and ginger ...
Cuban Picadillo
Picadillo is Cuban home cooking at its best. While it appears in many variations across Latin Americ...
Chickpea, Tomato, Mint, and Feta Salad with Garlic-Parmesan Crostini
This light but filling salad is loaded with protein and vitamins. Chickpeas are high in protein and ...
Chicken-Apple Sausage with Roasted Vegetables
This is what to cook when you have assorted vegetables on hand and not a lot of time to stand at the...
Easy Black Bean Posole
Too good to be true? Only until you try this rustic, healthful vegetarian stew filled with authentic...
Coconut Chia Pudding
Chia is the latest health craze, and with good reason—it's a superfood. Chia seeds are one of the be...
Farmhouse Sausage and Vegetable Soup
Everyone is hungry, we forgot to shop, and of course the fridge is almost bare. This awesome acciden...
Chicken, Herb, and Sweet Corn Pie
Does it get any more comforting than this? Tender shredded chicken and corn baked in a creamy, herbe...
French Onion Soup
French onion soup is a classic, originating as a super-inexpensive but warming supper in 18th-centur...
Chicken with Plum Tomato and Prosciutto
So many of our beloved dishes come to us by way of adaptation from the original. This was especially...
Gemelli with Rustic Tuscan Sauce
The Tuscan approach to food is probably the closest of all to our idealized vision of perfect countr...
Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Scramble
Egg scrambles are an easy and versatile breakfast staple that we make at least once a week with vari...
Ginger Curried Lentils
Here it is: our most inexpensive dinner ever, and the recipe that started the $5 Foodie experiment. ...
Butternut Squash and Kale Risotto
This classic Italian rice is made with some of our favorite winter vegetables: butternut squash and ...
Green Chile and Lime Chicken Stew
This green chile chicken stew is one of our quickest dinners to prepare. We love making this on week...
Lemon-Spinach Orzo
This light, flavorful dish is full of lemon-scented pasta, garlic, and hearty greens. It's so simple...
Broccoli with Beef and Ginger
Quick, flavorful, healthful, and inexpensive—that's a good stir-fry! In our recipe, a zesty ginger s...
Mediterranean Quinoa-Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs
For a fresh take on a Mediterranean salad, we combined lentils, quinoa, fresh herbs, raisins, and cu...
Brie Panini with Fresh Pear and Red Fruit Jam
A luscious combination of creamy cheese and slightly crisp pear slices grilled in a pan makes for a ...
Blueberry Whole Wheat Pancakes
We love pancakes for a lazy weekend breakfast. This version is extra flavorful—and healthful—with wh...
Blackberry-Lemon Muffins
These homemade treats are not only easy to make, they are delicious, much healthier and, of course, ...
Oatmeal with Apple and Apricots
Forget prepackaged oatmeal, which can be pricey and ordinary. Buy rolled oats in bulk for just penni...
Olive and Herb Tuna Wrap
Tuna is an excellent source of protein (here 15 grams per serving!), B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty a...
Orange and Honey Glazed Carrots
Carrots with green stems, when available, make an especially eye-catching presentation for this side...
Orange-Banana French Toast
This ridiculously inexpensive breakfast is inspired by the New Orleans classic, bananas foster. Fren...
Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Rapini
Orecchiette is paired with sweet Italian sausage and hearty greens in a white wine garlic sauce in t...
Best Summertime Pasta with Fresh Tomato, Basil, and Garlic
This wins the vote among the Foodie Chefs for all-time best late summer eating, and it's truly fun t...
Black Bean, Corn, and Zucchini Fritters with Creamy Dipping Sauce
These savory pancakes are a great way to enjoy many different vegetables and create a satisfying and...
Bacon-Scallion Quesadillas
This simple, zesty dish relies on tortillas to make the budget work. It’s filling and quick to prepa...
Asparagus with Bowtie Pasta
The day that all the beautiful dark green asparagus hits the market, it is spring. On Sunday, a day ...
Lime-Coconut Green Curry with Chicken
Green curry with lime is one of those dishes—when made this way—that leaves guests swooning and dema...
Pan-Fried Noodles with Tofu and Soy-Chili Sauce
This stir-fried pan noodle dish is a favorite with foodies of all ages—even our 2-year-old can't get...
Panko Fried Chicken Sandwiches
The fried-chicken sandwich is an indulgent classic. Here crunchy panko breadcrumbs give texture to a...
Penne with Smoked Gouda, Bell Pepper, and Spinach
Here's a quick and tasty pasta—with our Italian roots, we never get enough pasta! The foodie twist i...
Pink Shrimp Sauce with Linguine
A pink sauce delicately laced with shrimp, wine, and cream melds with linguine for a romantic and lu...
Potatoes Gratin with Glazed Carrots
The potato is an excellent, inexpensive staple. For centuries it's been known that potatoes contain ...
Puerto Rican Chicken and Cabbage Stew
In college, a classmate of mine shared her family's recipe for this delicious, filling and inexpensi...
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts
Roasted Brussels sprouts are delish, easy to prepare, and good for you. The toasted walnuts compleme...
Rum Chocolate Ricotta
Chocolate, honey, and rum whipped together with ricotta cheese make for a denser, more intense desse...
Salad Greens with Raspberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette
A treat to accompany dinner on Valentines Day, or any day, fresh salad greens are enhanced by the ma...
Shepherd's Pie
This is a lighter take on the classic dish, which originated in Britain as a cheap but hearty meal m...
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
The fastest, cheapest, most elegant main dish ever. How and where this fabulous creation originated ...
Spinach and Mushroom Crepes
The crepe is a surprisingly economical treat, despite its glamorous French associations and astronom...
Summer Salad with Lemon Farro
Contrasting color, texture, and sweet, sour, and salty flavors make a salad exciting. In this favori...
Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Corn Tacos with Creamy Salsa Verde
Tacos are always a welcome economical dinner, and can be made countless ways. We love this flavorful...
Tart Fresh Cranberry Relish
These beautiful seasonal berries need no cooking in this upgrade (in our opinion!) of sugary, cooked...
Tea Sandwiches
Tea sandwiches somehow transform basic ingredients into a special, tasty, bite-size treat. Whether y...
Tuscan White Bean Soup
With the first cool weather come thoughts of soup—warming, nutritious, tasty! In Tuscany, cannellini...
Simple Spicy Paella
At last, a paella recipe that fits in a frugal foodie budget! Paella is the national dish of Spain, ...
Simple Veggie Quiche
Quiche is a perfect, versatile dish that is easier to make than you might think, and is incredibly e...
Velvety Corn Chowder
This creamy, rich-tasting chowder is actually good for you. It's low in fat, and made with little sa...
Brunswick Stew
Corn, tomatoes, and lima beans simmered with chicken make for comfort food at its best. This colorfu...
Apple Berry Crisp
Tart apples and colorful berries, cinnamon-scented and topped with hearty and healthful oats—it's th...
Andalusian Lentil Soup
This lentil soup is the best we've ever tasted—really! It has its origins in the North African spice...
Almond Cake
Inspired by artist Claude Monet’s favorite confection, this cake is subtle in taste, redolent of alm...
Zucchini and Goat Cheese Omelette with Fingerling Potatoes
The omelette is a French classic, and it makes it onto our list for its super low cost and versatili...
Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Fun to cook over an open fire in a cast iron pan, this summery classic takes little labor, whether y...
BBQ-Baked Beans
Fun to cook over an open fire in a cast iron pan, this summery classic takes little labor, whether y...
Latin-Style Black Beans and Rice
There's nothing quite like a big pot of delicious Latin-style beans. Beans are among the least expen...
Fourth of July Cake
It wouldn't be the Fourth of July without this cake. So carefree, and you can share the fun by letti...
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Enchiladas are simple, delicious and, of course, wildly inexpensive. What we like about this version...
Green Chile Chicken and Vegetable Enchiladas
These are the tastiest, easiest enchiladas. Smothered in a tangy green chile sauce, tender chicken a...
Creamy Homemade Hummus
Hummus is incredibly easy to make at home. This recipe calls for mainly pantry ingredients, and is a...
Asparagus and Eggs with Creamy Lemon Sauce
A springtime treat, bright-green asparagus spears are topped with pan-poached eggs. The creamy mayo-...