The grocery bill is one of the most stressful things right now. Australians are spending an average of $207 a week on groceries, with beef and veal up 13.5 per cent in the past year alone. And 35 per cent of Australians say their grocery shopping is causing them financial stress.
But eating well on less is absolutely possible – and it doesn’t mean eating badly. The secret, as generations of good cooks before us knew instinctively, is to lean on the ingredients that have always been the backbone of great home cooking: lentils, eggs, tinned fish, potatoes, pasta and canned tomatoes. Cheap, filling, nutritious and genuinely delicious when you know what to do with them.
Here are three five-ingredient dinners that will feed two people generously – and leave you feeling like you haven’t compromised a thing.
The cheapest, most satisfying meal you can make. Red lentils dissolve into a thick, velvety soup that’s filling enough for dinner. A bag of red lentils costs around $2.50 and makes this twice over.
Servings 2
Ingredients
0.8 cups red lentils
1 brown onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 400g can diced tomatoes
2 tsp ground cumin
Method
1 Soften the vegetables: Heat a splash of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 brown onion, diced and 2 carrots, peeled and diced and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes 05:00 until the onion is soft and translucent.
2 Add spice and lentils: Add 2 tsp ground cumin and stir through for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add red lentils and stir to coat in the spiced oil.
3 Simmer the soup: Pour in can of diced tomatoes and add 3 cups of water. Stir well, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes 25:00, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have dissolved into a thick, creamy soup.
4 Season and serve: Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread if you have it. Leftovers thicken overnight – just add a splash of water when reheating.
Tip: Swap cumin for curry powder for a different flavour entirely. Add a can of chickpeas to make it more substantial. Freezes beautifully for up to three months.
Tuna is one of the most affordable proteins in the supermarket, and this creamy pasta bake turns two tins into a proper comfort-food dinner for two. Ready in 30 minutes.
Servings 2
Ingredients
250 grams pasta (penne or spirals)
2 185g tins tuna in springwater, drained
1 400g can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup frozen peas
0.5 cup grated tasty cheese
Method
1 Cook the pasta: Preheat oven to 190°C. Cook 250 grams pasta (penne or spirals) in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente (about 10 minutes less than packet directions — it will continue cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside.
2 Mix the filling: In a large bowl, combine tuna, drained, can of cream of mushroom soup (straight from the can, undiluted), and frozen peas. Add the drained pasta and stir everything together well.
3 Assemble: Transfer to a baking dish (roughly 20x30cm). Scatter grated tasty cheese evenly over the top.
4 Bake until golden: Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tip: The cream of mushroom soup acts as both the sauce and the seasoning – no need for anything else. Swap peas for frozen corn, or add a handful of baby spinach. Leftovers reheat well the next day with a splash of water or milk.
Eggs and potatoes are two of the cheapest ingredients in any supermarket. This simple frittata is golden on the outside, creamy in the middle, and ready in under 30 minutes. Dinner or lunch – it works beautifully either way.
Servings 2
Ingredients
4 large eggs
3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
0.5 cup grated tasty cheese
1 tsp smoked paprika
Method
1 Cook the potato and onion: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 20–22cm oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 brown onion, thinly sliced and cook for 12 minutes until softened. Add 3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced in an even layer, season with 1 tsp smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and cook covered for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the potato slices are tender and lightly golden.
2 Add the eggs: Preheat your oven grill to high. Whisk 4 large eggs with a pinch of salt and pour over the potato mixture in the pan, tilting to ensure even coverage. Cook on the stovetop for 3 minutes until the edges are just set.
3 Grill until golden: Scatter grated tasty cheese over the top and transfer the pan to the oven under the grill. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the top is golden and the egg is just set through.
4 Rest and serve: Allow to rest for 2 minutes 02:00 before sliding onto a board or serving straight from the pan. Cut into wedges. Good warm or at room temperature.
Tip: This is the kind of recipe that absorbs whatever you have in the fridge – leftover vegetables, a rasher of bacon, a handful of spinach. The potatoes need to be sliced quite thin (about 3mm) so they cook through. A mandoline makes this quick, but a sharp knife works perfectly well.