Cheap Italian recipes
Budget Italian dinners: pasta, gnocchi, risotto, pizza and more.
Pasta, gnocchi and pizza are cheap, filling and popular with children. A simple sauce made from tinned tomatoes or passata is the start of many of these recipes.
75 recipes, cheapest first. Prices are per portion for a family of 4.
Penne arrabbiata with mozzarellaItalian · 25 mins · Vegetarian£0.47
One-pot tomato & spinach penneItalian · 25 mins · Vegetarian£0.51
Pasta e fagioli (pasta & bean soup)Italian · 35 mins · Vegetarian£0.52
Chickpea & tomato pastaItalian · 30 mins · Vegetarian£0.53
Pea, ham & barley risottoItalian · 45 mins£0.56
Homemade margherita pizzasItalian · 40 mins · Vegetarian£0.57- Garlic broccoli spaghetti with fried eggsItalian · 20 mins · Vegetarian£0.58
Creamy mushroom & spinach spaghettiItalian · 20 mins · Vegetarian£0.59- Courgette & lemon spaghettiItalian · 20 mins · Vegetarian£0.59
- Spaghetti & lentil meatballsItalian · 50 mins · Vegetarian£0.61
Tuscan tomato & bread soupItalian · 35 mins · Vegetarian£0.61
Pitta pizzas with crunchy slawItalian · 20 mins · Vegetarian£0.61
Tuna & tomato spaghettiItalian · 20 mins£0.61
Minestrone soup with breadItalian · 40 mins · Vegetarian£0.66
Mushroom & kale creamy pastaItalian · 25 mins · Vegetarian£0.68
Tuscan bean & cabbage soupItalian · 40 mins · Vegetarian£0.70
Pesto pasta with peas & broccoliItalian · 20 mins · Vegetarian£0.70
Lentil & mushroom bologneseItalian · 45 mins · Vegetarian£0.72
Spinach & soft cheese pasta bakeItalian · 50 mins · Vegetarian£0.72
Bacon carbonaraItalian · 20 mins£0.72
Sausage & pepper pastaItalian · 35 mins£0.75
Sausage pasta bakeItalian · 40 mins£0.75
Sausage & broccoli pastaItalian · 25 mins£0.76
Pizza-topped jacket potatoesItalian · 75 mins · Vegetarian£0.76
Tomato & spinach gnocchi bakeItalian · 30 mins · Vegetarian£0.78
One-pot bacon & bean pastaItalian · 25 mins£0.78
Caponata pastaItalian · 35 mins · Vegetarian£0.79
Ham & mushroom calzonesItalian · 45 mins£0.80
Smoked mackerel, pea & lemon spaghettiItalian · 20 mins£0.82
Tuna pasta bakeItalian · 35 mins£0.83
Mushroom & tomato pasta bake with crispy crumbsItalian · 40 mins · Vegetarian£0.84- Potato, pea & cheese frittataItalian · 30 mins · Vegetarian£0.85
Tuna & spinach pasta bakeItalian · 40 mins£0.88
Fish in tomato broth with crushed potatoesItalian · 30 mins£0.88- Gnocchi with butternut squash & spinachItalian · 40 mins · Vegetarian£0.89
Garlic prawn & tomato spaghettiItalian · 20 mins£0.89
Sausage & lentil ragu with pastaItalian · 45 mins£0.89
Creamy bacon & mushroom pastaItalian · 20 mins£0.90- Butternut squash & spinach lasagneItalian · 75 mins · Vegetarian£0.91
Bacon, pea & leek pastaItalian · 25 mins£0.93- Prawn & courgette lemon spaghettiItalian · 20 mins£0.96
- Italian wedding soupItalian · 40 mins£0.96
Italian sausage, bean & kale soupItalian · 35 mins£0.98
Tuna, bean & tomato pasta saladItalian · 20 mins£0.99
Turkey meatballs with spaghettiItalian · 40 mins£1.04
Italian-style fish & potato stewItalian · 30 mins£1.05
Cheesy beef pasta bakeItalian · 40 mins£1.06
Tomato, mozzarella & pesto pasta saladItalian · 20 mins · Vegetarian£1.09
Aubergine parmigianaItalian · 55 mins · Vegetarian£1.09
Baked gnocchi with sausage & tomatoItalian · 35 mins£1.10
Turkey bologneseItalian · 40 mins£1.10
Meatballs in tomato sauceItalian · 45 mins£1.11
Lasagne soupItalian · 35 mins£1.11
Tuscan-style chicken & butter bean stewItalian · 40 mins£1.12- Pork meatballs in creamy mushroom sauceItalian · 40 mins£1.13
Baked meatball pastaItalian · 45 mins£1.13
Sausage, kale & gnocchi traybakeItalian · 35 mins£1.14
Lamb, pea & mint pastaItalian · 25 mins£1.15
Spaghetti bologneseItalian · 45 mins£1.17
Creamy salmon & pea pastaItalian · 20 mins£1.18
Creamy chicken & mushroom spaghettiItalian · 25 mins£1.22
Chicken cacciatore with potatoesItalian · 50 mins£1.22
Turkey pesto pastaItalian · 25 mins£1.23
Chicken pasta bakeItalian · 40 mins£1.25
Pork ragu with gnocchiItalian · 35 mins£1.31- Chicken & broccoli alfredo-style pastaItalian · 25 mins£1.35
Chicken & pesto pasta bakeItalian · 40 mins£1.37- Chicken saltimbocca-style with potatoesItalian · 35 mins£1.39
- Roasted vegetable lasagneItalian · 75 mins · Vegetarian£1.41
Chicken parmigiana with spaghettiItalian · 45 mins£1.48- Slow-simmered lamb ragu with spaghettiItalian · 60 mins£1.49
Beef lasagneItalian · 80 mins£1.55
Italian beef & pepper stewItalian · 130 mins£1.57
Turkey cacciatore with pastaItalian · 40 mins£1.58- Turkey & courgette lasagneItalian · 80 mins£1.69
Money-saving tips
- Dried pasta is one of the cheapest bases for a family meal.
- Save a cup of the pasta water to loosen and thicken sauces.
- Mature cheddar can stand in for parmesan.
Questions
Which recipe is the cheapest?
Penne arrabbiata with mozzarella, at about £0.47 a portion for a family of 4.
How much do these dinners cost?
From about £0.47 to £1.69 a portion, with most around £0.90, based on typical UK budget supermarket prices. What you pay depends on where you shop and the brands you choose.
Can SupperSmart plan a week of these for me?
Yes. Tell it your weekly budget and how many people you're feeding, and it picks a week of dinners, writes the shopping list in whole supermarket packs and uses up what's already in your cupboards. It's free to use.
Plan a week from recipes like these
SupperSmart picks a week of dinners around your budget and writes the shopping list for you. Free to use.
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