Top 13+ cheap dinners for large families

With just about $15, you can make any one of these filling and delicious meals.

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

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 each cost about $15 to make and will feed four to six people.

Enjoy this 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.

01 of 13

One-Pot Mac and Cheese

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

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

02 of 13

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"If you’re craving the flavors of classic cabbage rolls but don't have the time and don’t require a super polished presentation, then this is the recipe for you. These unstuffed cabbage rolls use all of the same ingredients, but are ready in a fraction of the time." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

03 of 13

Sesame Peanut Noodles

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"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

04 of 13

Chili Beans with Rice

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"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

05 of 13

Pasta e Ceci

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"This comforting Italian stew is hearty, soul-warming food at its very best. It’s true pantry cooking, originating from the tradition of cucina povera, the simple cooking style done by Italian peasants." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

06 of 13

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"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 and on top of the casserole to keep things extra cheesy." —Molly Adams, Simply Recipes Contributor

07 of 13

5-Ingredient Pasta Bake

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"My husband loves pasta, so this baked pasta has always been a winner. Even today, it's the one dish my family asks me to make for them all the time. It's our favorite." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

08 of 13

5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

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

09 of 13

Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"The sauce is creamy, cheesy, and garlicky, and clings to the pasta effortlessly thanks to the easy béchamel sauce. This pasta comes together in 20 minutes, which is likely faster than it takes most of us to drive to the closest Olive Garden." —Sara Bir, former Senior Editor

10 of 13

Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"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

11 of 13

Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"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

12 of 13

Easy Rice and Bean Burritos

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

"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

13 of 13

4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

One-Pot Mac and Cheese, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Sesame Peanut Noodles, Chili Beans with Rice, Pasta e Ceci, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake, 5-Ingredient Gingery Ground Beef, Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo, Martha Stewart’s Taco Casserole, Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini, Easy Rice and Bean Burritos, 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

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