Cheap protein is the hard part of feeding 4 on a budget, not the pasta. My go-tos here are canned tuna, beans, eggs and a pound of ground beef stretched across a whole box. The dinners are grouped by sauce, with a few cold ones at the end. Most take 30 minutes.
Tomato and meat sauces
Spaghetti Bolognese
This is the dinner I would make most often on a tight budget. One pound of ground beef stretches across 4 plates once it simmers with onion, carrot, canned tomatoes and a splash of milk. Cook the beef to the 160°F that FSIS lists for ground meats before the tomatoes go in. Let the sauce go for at least 30 minutes so it thickens. Extra sauce freezes well for another night.
Spaghetti Marinara
A 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil is all the sauce needs. It simmers in about 20 minutes, the same time the pasta takes. Top each bowl with Parmesan. A can of white beans is my trick here, since it adds protein for almost nothing.
Chili Mac
Chili and macaroni cook together into a single pot dinner, with ground beef, beans and cheddar. You can make it on the stove in 30 minutes or let it go in a slow cooker. I like the beans here because they stretch the meat without losing protein. Top it with green onions and a little sour cream.
Pasta e Fagioli
This Italian soup-stew is pasta and beans in a tomato broth, and it costs very little to make. MyPlate counts beans, peas and lentils as protein foods, so cannellini here pull double duty. Cook small pasta like ditalini right in the pot. A rind of Parmesan simmered in the broth adds depth. I make a big pot and freeze half.
Penne with Sausage and Spinach
Half a pound of Italian sausage is enough to flavor a full box of penne. Brown it, add garlic and a can of diced tomatoes, then wilt in a bag of spinach. Turkey sausage is my pick to cut the fat. Grated Parmesan finishes each bowl.
Pasta Puttanesca
Olives, capers, anchovies, garlic and canned tomatoes make a sharp, salty sauce from the pantry. My higher-protein version stirs in a can of tuna at the end. It cooks in the time it takes to boil spaghetti. Go light on salt, since the olives and capers bring plenty.
Butter, oil and pesto
Buttered Noodles with Parmesan
Egg noodles tossed with butter, Parmesan and black pepper make the cheapest dinner in this group. Add a scoop of the pasta water so the cheese turns into a light sauce. Fried eggs on top are how I turn it into a full meal with protein. Peas stirred in at the end add color.
Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
A jar of pesto, a pint of cherry tomatoes and a box of fusilli feed the table. Halve the tomatoes and toss them in raw for a fresh bite. For protein, I toss in shredded chicken or white beans. A squeeze of lemon keeps the pesto from tasting flat.
Pesto Angel Hair
Angel hair cooks in about 3 minutes, which makes this the fastest dinner here. Toss it with pesto and a ladle of pasta water so it coats each strand. Toasted breadcrumbs on top add crunch. Serve it right away, since thin pasta clumps as it cools. I pair it with roasted chicken thighs on the side for protein.
Lemon Tuna Pasta
Canned tuna, lemon zest, parsley, garlic and olive oil come together while the pasta cooks. I lean on tuna here because it is one of the cheapest proteins in the store. Use oil-packed tuna and pour some of the oil into the sauce. Red pepper flakes add a little heat.
Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Basil Oil
Shelf-stable potato gnocchi browns in a hot skillet in about 8 minutes, no boiling needed. Blend basil and olive oil for a bright sauce to spoon over it. I finish it with shaved Parmesan and a few white beans. You need 2 packages to feed 4.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Garlic sliced thin and cooked slowly in olive oil with red pepper flakes is the whole sauce. Whole wheat spaghetti fits well here, and Harvard’s Nutrition Source lists whole grains among the great sources of fiber. Toss in parsley and pasta water at the end. I never serve it without a fried egg on top for protein.
Cream and cheese
Pasta Primavera
Penne with whatever vegetables are cheapest that week, tossed in a light Parmesan cream. Zucchini, peppers, broccoli and peas all fit. Frozen vegetables keep the cost down. Ricotta stirred in at the end is how I get more protein into it.
Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Gnocchi tossed in a creamy butternut squash sauce with sage feels like a restaurant dish but uses cheap ingredients. Roast the squash or use frozen cubes. A handful of Parmesan thickens the sauce. Crumbled sausage on top is my protein fix here.
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Elbow pasta, milk, butter and cheddar make a pot of mac and cheese in about 15 minutes. Evaporated milk keeps the sauce smooth without flour. In my kitchen it gets canned tuna or diced ham for protein. Frozen broccoli cooked with the pasta adds a vegetable.
Creamy Tomato Tortellini
Refrigerated cheese tortellini simmers right in a tomato cream sauce. It is ready in 15 minutes. Spinach and white beans are what I use to stretch it to feed 4. Parmesan on top finishes it.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
I use chicken thighs, which cost less than breasts and stay juicy when sliced and seared. Fettuccine, broccoli and a garlic Parmesan sauce finish it. Cook the broccoli in the pasta water for the last 3 minutes to save a pot. Use half milk and half cream to keep it lighter.
Served cold
Italian Pasta Salad
Rotini, salami, mozzarella, olives, cherry tomatoes and Italian dressing make a pasta salad that feeds 4 for dinner and leaves some for lunch. Chickpeas are my cheap protein add here. It gets better after 1 hour in the fridge. Add the dressing in 2 rounds, since the pasta soaks it up.
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Elbow macaroni, canned tuna, celery, peas and a mayo and Greek yogurt dressing make a cold dinner for warm nights. The tuna turns a side dish into a main. Chill it for at least 30 minutes. I chop in hard-boiled eggs for more protein.
Peanut Noodles
Spaghetti tossed in peanut butter, soy sauce, lime and a little honey makes a cheap sesame-style noodle bowl. Shredded carrots and cucumber add crunch. Scrambled eggs or tofu cubes are my go-to protein for this bowl. Thin the sauce with warm water so it coats evenly.
