15 Cheap Dinners Under $10

Let’s be real: grocery shopping lately feels like a competitive sport where your wallet is always on the losing team. We’ve all been there, standing in the aisle, looking at a pack of chicken and wondering if it’s actually lined with gold. But feeding your family doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and it definitely shouldn't take all night.

At Easy Dinners For You, we are obsessed with the "5-ingredient" lifestyle. Why? Because fewer ingredients mean a smaller grocery bill and less time spent prepping. If you are looking for an easy weeknight dinner that tastes like a million bucks but costs less than ten, you are in the right place!

We’ve rounded up 15 of our absolute favorite budget-friendly meals. These recipes focus on pantry staples, versatile proteins, and simple techniques that keep your kitchen stress-free. Let’s dive into these wallet-friendly winners!

1. 5-Ingredient Ground Beef Tostadas

Tostadas are like the fun, crunchy cousin of the taco. By using basic beef dinner staples, you can feed the whole crew for pennies per serving.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s interactive! Kids love "building" their own tostada. Plus, frying your own tortillas in a tiny bit of oil is much cheaper than buying the pre-made shells. It’s a fast, crunchy, and satisfying easy weeknight dinner.

Recipe: Ground Beef Tostadas (5 Ingredients)

This is the kind of easy weeknight dinner that feels like takeout night… except you made it at home for cheap, and everyone gets to build their own.

Ingredients (5)

• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can refried beans
• 1–2 cups shredded cheese

Simple Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain grease if needed.
2. Stir in taco seasoning with a splash of water (follow packet directions) and simmer 2–3 minutes.
3. Crisp tortillas: bake at 425°F for 4–6 minutes per side or pan-fry in a thin layer of oil until crunchy. (Oil is optional and not counted.)
4. Warm refried beans in the microwave or on the stove.
5. Assemble: tortilla + beans + beef + cheese. Serve right away while crunchy.

2. 5-Ingredient Taco Pasta

Can’t decide between Italian and Mexican? Don't! This 5-Ingredient Taco Pasta is the ultimate mashup. It uses pasta shells to stretch a single pound of ground beef across a family of four or five.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s a one-pan dinner dream. By simmering the pasta directly in the sauce and beef juices, you get maximum flavor with minimum cleanup. It’s creamy, spicy, and incredibly filling.

Recipe: Taco Pasta (5 Ingredients)

When you need an easy weeknight dinner that’s cheap, filling, and makes everyone happy, taco pasta is the move.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 8 oz pasta shells (or elbows)
• 1 jar salsa (about 16 oz)
• 2 cups shredded cheese

Simple Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet or pot. Drain if needed.
2. Stir in taco seasoning plus 2 cups water.
3. Add pasta and salsa. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 10–12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until pasta is tender.
4. Turn off heat and stir in cheese until melty and creamy.
5. Spoon into bowls and call it dinner.

3. 5-Ingredient Sloppy Joes

Forget the canned sauce! You can make a much tastier version using just ground beef, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and buns. It’s an American classic that hits the spot every single time.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s pure nostalgia. These Sloppy Joes are sweet, tangy, and messy in the best way possible. Serve them with some carrot sticks or generic chips to keep the total meal cost well under $10.

Recipe: Sloppy Joes (5 Ingredients)

This easy weeknight dinner is fast, budget-friendly, and guaranteed to bring the “messy sandwich” joy.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1–2 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 hamburger buns

Simple Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain grease.
2. Stir in ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar.
3. Simmer 5 minutes until thick and saucy.
4. Spoon onto buns and serve warm.
5. Napkins required.

4. 5-Ingredient Creamy Garlic Pasta

When the fridge is looking a little empty, look to your pantry. This vegetarian dinner relies on butter, garlic, heavy cream, parmesan, and a box of fettuccine.

Why You’ll Love This: It feels fancy. Even though the ingredients are basic, the combination of toasted garlic and cream creates a restaurant-quality sauce. It’s the perfect "emergency" dinner for when you haven't made it to the store yet.

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Pasta (5 Ingredients)

This is an easy weeknight dinner that tastes like you tried way harder than you did.

Ingredients (5)

• 12 oz fettuccine
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated parmesan

Simple Instructions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30–60 seconds (don’t let it burn).
3. Pour in cream and simmer 2 minutes.
4. Stir in parmesan until smooth.
5. Toss pasta in the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if you want it silkier.

5. 5-Ingredient Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

We’re taking the blue box to the next level: or better yet, skipping it entirely for a homemade version. Use elbow macaroni, sharp cheddar, milk, butter, and a few strips of crispy bacon.

Why You’ll Love This: Everything is better with bacon. The smokiness of the bacon cuts through the richness of the cheese, making this a hearty meal rather than just a side dish. It’s high-protein comfort food at its cheapest.

Recipe: Mac and Cheese with Bacon (5 Ingredients)

If you need an easy weeknight dinner that screams comfort food, this one delivers.

Ingredients (5)

• 12 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 6 slices bacon

Simple Instructions

1. Cook macaroni in salted water. Drain.
2. Cook bacon until crisp; chop it. (Use the same pot/skillet if you want fewer dishes.)
3. In the pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in milk.
4. Add cheddar and stir until melted and smooth.
5. Add macaroni and bacon, stir to coat, and serve.

6. 5-Ingredient Easy Chili Mac

If you have a can of beans, a can of diced tomatoes, ground beef, chili powder, and macaroni, you have a feast. This is a staple in the world of easy weeknight dinners.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s incredibly filling. The beans and pasta provide a ton of bulk for very little cost. It also stays well in the fridge, making it a great option for budget-friendly leftovers the next day.

Recipe: Easy Chili Mac (5 Ingredients)

This easy weeknight dinner is basically chili + mac + “why didn’t I make this sooner?”

Ingredients (5)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 8 oz elbow macaroni

Simple Instructions

1. Brown ground beef in a pot. Drain if needed.
2. Stir in chili powder, diced tomatoes, beans, and 2 1/2 cups water.
3. Bring to a simmer, add macaroni, and cook 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Simmer 2 more minutes to thicken.
5. Serve hot. (Salt/pepper optional and not counted.)

7. 5-Ingredient Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Why go to the bakery-cafe when you can make a huge pot of this at home? You just need frozen broccoli (the ultimate budget hack!), chicken broth, cream, cheddar cheese, and an onion.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s a great way to sneak veggies into the meal. Frozen broccoli is often cheaper and more nutritious than "fresh" broccoli that has been sitting on a truck for a week. Serve this in a bread bowl if you want to get extra cozy!

Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Soup (5 Ingredients)

This is a cozy, comforting easy weeknight dinner when you want something warm but don’t want a million ingredients.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets (about 12–16 oz)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 small onion, diced

Simple Instructions

1. In a pot, cook onion in a splash of oil or butter until soft (optional and not counted).
2. Add broth and frozen broccoli. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Lightly mash or blend a little if you want it thicker (totally optional).
4. Stir in cream.
5. Turn heat to low and stir in cheddar until melted. Don’t boil once the cheese is in.

8. 5-Ingredient Sausage and Tortellini Soup

This soup tastes like it simmered for hours, but it takes about 20 minutes. Pick up a bag of refrigerated tortellini, a roll of Italian sausage, some spinach, broth, and canned tomatoes.

Why You’ll Love This: The sausage provides all the seasoning you need. Since the tortellini cooks in just a few minutes, this is one of the fastest meals on our list. It’s a one-pan dinner masterpiece.

Recipe: Sausage and Tortellini Soup (5 Ingredients)

This easy weeknight dinner soup is the “dump, simmer, eat” kind of magic.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 (20 oz) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 3 cups baby spinach

Simple Instructions

1. Brown sausage in a pot, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
2. Add broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer.
3. Add tortellini and cook 3–5 minutes (per package).
4. Stir in spinach until wilted.
5. Ladle into bowls and serve.

9. 5-Ingredient Turkey Club Sliders

Sliders are perfect for those nights when you want something light but satisfying. Use Hawaiian rolls, deli turkey, bacon, swiss cheese, and a little mayo or ranch.

Why You’ll Love This: You can bake the whole tray of sliders at once! This makes it easy to serve a group without standing over a stove. It’s a fun, "pick-up" style dinner that kids absolutely adore.

Recipe: Turkey Club Sliders (5 Ingredients)

This is an easy weeknight dinner that feels like a party tray… without party-tray prices.

Ingredients (5)

• 12-pack Hawaiian rolls
• 12 slices deli turkey
• 6 slices bacon, cooked
• 6 slices swiss cheese
• Mayo or ranch (about 1/3 cup)

Simple Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Slice the rolls in half as one slab. Place bottom half in a baking dish.
3. Spread mayo/ranch, then layer turkey, bacon, and swiss. Add the top slab.
4. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, then uncover and bake 5 more minutes.
5. Slice into sliders and serve.

10. 5-Ingredient Meatball Subs

Grab a bag of frozen meatballs, a jar of marinara, hoagie rolls, mozzarella cheese, and some dried oregano. This is a beef dinner that feels like a treat.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s super fast. Frozen meatballs are a massive time-saver, and when they are smothered in sauce and melted cheese, no one will know you didn't roll them by hand.

Recipe: Meatball Subs (5 Ingredients)

These are an easy weeknight dinner lifesaver when you want something hot and hearty with basically zero effort.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 bag frozen meatballs (about 20–24 oz)
• 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
• 4 hoagie rolls
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Dried oregano

Simple Instructions

1. Simmer meatballs in marinara in a saucepan for 10–12 minutes, until heated through.
2. Heat oven to 400°F.
3. Fill rolls with saucy meatballs and top with mozzarella.
4. Bake on a sheet pan 5–7 minutes until cheese melts.
5. Sprinkle oregano on top and serve.

11. 5-Ingredient Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are the ultimate budget flexible meal. Use tortillas, shredded cheese, chicken, canned black beans, and salsa.

Why You’ll Love This: You can use leftover rotisserie chicken or canned chicken to keep costs down. They are crispy, cheesy, and take about 5 minutes to cook. It’s the definition of an easy weeknight dinner.

Recipe: Chicken Quesadillas (5 Ingredients)

This easy weeknight dinner is fast, crispy, cheesy, and totally forgiving.

Ingredients (5)

• Flour tortillas (8-inch)
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 can black beans, drained
• Salsa

Simple Instructions

1. Mix chicken and black beans in a bowl.
2. Heat a skillet over medium. Add a tortilla.
3. Sprinkle cheese, add chicken/bean mix, then a little more cheese. Top with a second tortilla (or fold it).
4. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden and melty.
5. Cut into wedges and dip in salsa.

12. 5-Ingredient Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce

Pasta, marinara, ground beef, ricotta, and mozzarella. That is it. Layers of cheese and meat make this feel like a Sunday feast on a Tuesday budget.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s the ultimate "dump and bake" meal. You can even prep it in the morning and slide it into the oven when you get home. It’s hearty, bubbly, and incredibly satisfying for a hungry family.

Recipe: Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce (5 Ingredients)

This is an easy weeknight dinner you can throw together fast, then let the oven do the rest.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 lb ziti (or penne)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
• 1 cup ricotta
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Simple Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook ziti just until barely al dente, then drain.
2. Brown ground beef in a skillet. Drain if needed.
3. Stir marinara into the beef.
4. In a baking dish, mix pasta with meat sauce. Dollop ricotta over the top and sprinkle mozzarella.
5. Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

13. 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Wait, a pot roast under $10? Yes! The trick is to look for "tougher" cuts like chuck roast or bottom round when they are on sale. Combine with potatoes, carrots, an onion, and beef broth in your slow cooker.

Why You’ll Love This: The slow cooker does all the work. By the time you get home, the meat is fork-tender and the vegetables have created a natural gravy. It’s a classic American meal that never goes out of style.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast (5 Ingredients)

This easy weeknight dinner is the ultimate “set it and forget it” comfort meal—cheap, filling, and basically impossible to mess up.

Ingredients (5)

• 2–3 lb chuck roast (or bottom round)
• 1 lb baby potatoes
• 1 lb carrots (or a bag of baby carrots)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cups beef broth

Simple Instructions

1. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion to the slow cooker.
2. Place roast on top. (Optional: sear it first for extra flavor—doesn’t count as ingredients.)
3. Pour beef broth over everything.
4. Cook on LOW 8–9 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours, until the roast shreds easily.
5. Slice or shred the beef and serve with the veggies and broth as a simple gravy.

14. 5-Ingredient Beef and Broccoli

Skip the takeout! You can make this classic for a fraction of the price. You just need flank steak (or thin-sliced sirloin), frozen broccoli florets, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic.

Why You’ll Love This: It’s faster than the delivery driver can get to your house. The frozen broccoli steams perfectly in the pan with the beef, and the simple soy-sugar glaze is better than anything from a plastic container.

Recipe: Beef and Broccoli (5 Ingredients)

This is an easy weeknight dinner that tastes like takeout, cooks faster than takeout, and costs way less than takeout.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 lb thin-sliced beef (sirloin or flank steak)
• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets (12–16 oz)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced

Simple Instructions

1. In a small bowl, stir soy sauce + brown sugar + garlic.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (a little oil is optional and not counted).
3. Add beef and cook 2–3 minutes until mostly cooked.
4. Add frozen broccoli and 2–3 Tbsp water. Cover and steam 3–4 minutes.
5. Pour in sauce and toss 1–2 minutes until glossy and coated.

15. 5-Ingredient Honey Garlic Meatballs

These Honey Garlic Meatballs are a total crowd-pleaser. Using frozen meatballs, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and a splash of vinegar, you get a sticky, sweet, and savory dish that's perfect over a bed of budget-friendly white rice.

Why You’ll Love This: The flavor profile is incredible. It’s a great way to dress up basic ingredients into something that feels special. It’s a staple for any easy weeknight dinner rotation.

Recipe: Honey Garlic Meatballs (5 Ingredients)

This easy weeknight dinner is sweet, sticky, and basically guaranteed to disappear fast.

Ingredients (5)

• 1 bag frozen meatballs (20–24 oz)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)

Simple Instructions

1. Add meatballs to a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in honey, soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar.
3. Simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are hot and sauce thickens.
4. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water (optional).
5. Serve over rice or noodles (not included in the 5 ingredients).

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Tips for Success with Budget Cooking

• Buy in Bulk: Things like rice, pasta, and frozen veggies are much cheaper when bought in larger quantities.
• Check the Sales: Plan your week around whichever protein is on sale. If ground beef is the "Deal of the Week," lean into the Tostadas or Chili Mac!
• Store Brands are Your Friend: For things like canned beans, pasta, and broth, the store brand is usually identical to the name brand but costs 30% less.

Eating well shouldn't be a luxury. With these 15 recipes, you can keep your family full and your bank account happy. For more simple, 5-ingredient inspiration, check out our full recipe blog and start making dinner easy again!