13 Cheap Dinners for Large Families

I think it's fair to say that having a few cheap, filling, and delicious meals in your back pocket is never a bad thing, no matter your reason for it—saving money for a big vacation, paying off a new car, or simply needing to stick to a set budget. With that in mind, we pulled together the recipes below, which will cost about $15 to make and will feed four to six people.

Enjoy the diverse array, from pasta and noodles to rice and bean-based meals, and don't forget to read through all the helpful tips and tricks from our editors and contributors along the way.

One-Pot Mac and Cheese

"You can swap cheeses in this recipe to suit your tastes, but don’t replace the cream cheese." —Kayla Hoang, Simply Recipes Contributor

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

"Replace the ground beef with pork sausage for extra flavor or your favorite plant-based meat replacement or canned chickpeas for a vegetarian option." —Jasmine Smith, Simply Recipes Recipe Developer

Sesame Peanut Noodles

"The noodles and sauce can be made ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve, add a tablespoon of warm water to the peanut sesame sauce to thin it out, then toss the noodles and sauce together." —Hannah Zimmerman, Simply Recipes Contributor

Chili Beans with Rice

"As is, this recipe makes a fairly mild batch of chili beans. If you'd like more heat, just add more chili powder to taste, or a little cayenne pepper. You can also add Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce, either to the pot or to each individual bowl." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

Pasta e Ceci

"If you’d like to turn this recipe into an even more complete meal, consider stirring in chopped escarole or spinach, which will wilt in the broth, or very thinly sliced zucchini. Make sure to use water instead of wine to keep the cost low." —Marianne Williams, Simply Recipes Recipe Developer

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

" I like to use aged cheddar for extra umami flavor but use whatever cheddar you prefer. I use the cheese two ways; in a simple mornay sauce as well as on top of the casserole to keep things extra cheesy." —Molly Adams, Simply Recipes Contributor

5-Ingredient Pasta Bake

"If I don’t feel like meat, I’ll leave it out and add cooked vegetables. Add up to 2 cups of chopped, cooked vegetables to the sauce. Frozen vegetables can be used too, but thaw and drain before using." —Sara

5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef

"This is a lightning-fast dinner that comes together in under 10 minutes, especially if you take my recommendation below for 90-second rice." —Myo Quinn, Simply Recipes Associate Editorial Director

Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

"If you don't have Parmesan cheese, use your favorite grated cheese instead (though it will taste less like the restaurant version). Also, note that Alfredo doesn’t reheat that gracefully but is great cold." —Amanda Holstein, Simply Recipes Test Kitchen Assistant

Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole

"Like tacos, the dish is easy to customize. This means my daughter can skip the sour cream topping but load up on guacamole, and I can cover my serving with a healthy handful of shredded romaine lettuce." —Sara Haas, Simply Recipes Contributor

Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini

"Use any short pasta shape that you like—I would avoid using any long noodle or any “frilly” shape that might break from excessive stirring, like trumpets or cascatelli." —Sara Tane, Simply Recipes Contributor

Easy Rice and Bean Burritos

"These burritos freeze really well, so you can make a bigger batch to take the pressure off a future weeknight dinner." —Thao Thai, Simply Recipes Contributor

4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"My family loves Rao’s basic marinara for this recipe but grab your favorite roasted garlic marinara or arrabbiata sauce. You could even shortcut this further with a jar of bolognese sauce." —Meghan Splawn, Simply Recipes Contributor