75 complete recipes

Thrifty Meals

75 Low-Cost Recipes for Everyday Cooking

A bag of carrots can become pancakes, a galette, a dumpling filling or a simple relish. Bread can make a crisp topping, a substantial dumpling or the satisfying edges of a warm salad. Thrifty Meals gathers 75 practical recipes that give ordinary ingredients a clear purpose, with enough variety to keep everyday cooking interesting.

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75 complete recipes, each with its own original illustration.

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Tomato rice topped with broad crisp-edged egg ribbons.

Cupboard Suppers

Tomato Rice with Crisp Egg Ribbons

Tomato rice and a thin, crisp-edged omelet make a satisfying pan dinner from a short cupboard list.

4 bowls of tomato rice with one quarter of the egg ribbons each · 45 min

Bow-tie pasta tossed with golden browned cabbage and onion.

Cupboard Suppers

Browned Cabbage and Bow-Tie Pan

Browning makes cabbage the main flavor of this simple pasta pan.

2 generous bowls of cabbage and bow-tie pasta · 40 min

Three carrot-oat pancakes served with lemon white-bean mash.

Cupboard Suppers

Carrot-Oat Pancakes with Lemon Bean Mash

Carrot and oats make small savory pancakes with enough structure to turn cleanly in a skillet.

6 savory pancakes; 3 per serving with half the lemon bean mash · 40 min

Whole chickpeas in pale onion gravy over soft yellow polenta.

Cupboard Suppers

Chickpea Gravy over Soft Polenta

A smooth onion gravy turns a can of chickpeas into the center of a polenta supper.

2 shallow bowls of soft polenta with chickpea gravy · 45 min

Cornbread-topped baked beans and onion with a serving lifted from the dish.

Cupboard Suppers

Baked Bean and Onion Cornbread Supper

Prepared baked beans can support a proper oven supper when paired with a savory cornbread lid.

1 square supper bake cut into 4 portions · 1 hr 5 min

Spinach and egg macaroni with a light set cheddar coating.

Cupboard Suppers

Spinach and Egg Macaroni

Macaroni, frozen spinach and eggs make a small skillet meal with a light custard-like coating.

2 bowls of softly set spinach and egg macaroni · 30 min

Hand-drawn bowl of creamy small pasta, potato cubes and green peas.

Cupboard Suppers

Creamy Potato and Small-Pasta Pot

Potatoes and a small amount of pasta make one thick, comforting pot rather than competing for space on a plate.

4 substantial bowls of thick potato and pasta supper · 45 min

Hand-drawn tomato and cheddar pizza with a rustic oat crust in a skillet.

Cupboard Suppers

Oat-Crust Pan Pizza with Tomato and Cheddar

This is a pressed oat crust, so there is no yeast to wake up and no stretchy dough to throw.

1 ten-inch/25 cm pizza, cut into 6 wedges; 2 wedges per serving · 50 min

Hand-drawn baked onion and oat custard with green peas, a golden top and toast.

Cupboard Suppers

Baked Onion and Oat Custard with Peas

Cooked onions and a handful of peas sit in a soft oat-and-egg custard with a little cheddar.

4 generous custard squares, each with one 40 g slice of toast · 1 hr 25 min

Savory cornmeal square with black beans and tomato throughout.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Black Bean and Cornmeal Bake

This soft cornmeal bake carries black beans and tomato through the batter itself.

1 savory cornmeal bake cut into 4 large squares · 1 hr 5 min

Yellow split-pea mash with browned onions and whole-wheat toast.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Split Pea Mash with Crispy Onions and Toast

Yellow split peas cook into a thick, spoonable mash without needing to be blended.

4 plates of thick split-pea mash, each with onions and 2 toast slices · 1 hr 15 min

Lentil and rice cabbage parcels baked in tomato sauce.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Lentil-Stuffed Cabbage Parcels in Tomato Sauce

Cabbage leaves can hold a substantial lentil-and-rice filling when their thick ribs are trimmed and the filling is cooked before wrapping.

8 cabbage parcels; 2 per serving with one quarter of the tomato sauce · 1 hr 15 min

Soft tortilla folds with pinto-bean sauce, cheddar and cabbage.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Soft Tortilla Folds in Pinto Bean Sauce

Pinto beans become a warm, pourable sauce for soft corn tortilla folds.

6 soft tortilla folds; 3 per serving with half the cabbage · 35 min

Oven lentil rice served with cucumber yogurt.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Oven Lentil Rice with Cucumber Yogurt

Lentils and rice finish together in the oven, but they do not begin together.

4 portions of oven lentil rice, each with 1/4 of the cucumber yogurt · 1 hr 10 min

Soft white-bean flatbreads with carrot and onion relish.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

White Bean Flatbreads with Carrot and Onion Relish

Mashed white beans go into the dough of these soft griddle breads, rather than becoming another topping.

8 small bean flatbreads; 2 per serving with one quarter of the relish · 1 hr 20 min

Kidney-bean and carrot burger in a bun with tangy cabbage slaw.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Kidney Bean and Carrot Burgers with Tangy Slaw

Canned kidney beans and grated carrot make firm, savory patties for a simple burger supper.

4 bean burgers in buns, each with one quarter of the slaw · 1 hr

Creamy chickpea and sweetcorn chowder with visible whole chickpeas.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Creamy Chickpea and Sweetcorn Chowder

Blending some of the potato and corn gives this chowder body while leaving the chickpeas whole.

4 equal generous bowls of chunky chowder · 45 min

Red-lentil and carrot savory crepes with lemon yogurt.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Red Lentil and Carrot Savory Crepes

Soaked red lentils blend into a pourable batter for thin savory crepes.

6 thin lentil-carrot crepes; 3 per serving with lemon yogurt · 2 hr 50 min

Barley skillet with browned mushrooms and green peas.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Barley, Mushroom and Green Pea Skillet

Pearl barley makes a chewy base for a skillet of browned mushrooms and green peas.

4 skillet portions of barley, mushrooms and peas · 1 hr

Hand-drawn rice, macaroni and lentil bowl with tomato sauce and crisp onions.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Lentil, Macaroni and Rice Bowls with Crisp Onions

Rice, macaroni and lentils each bring something different to a bowl: separate grains, tender pasta and a substantial pulse center.

4 bowls, each with one-quarter of the grains, lentils, sauce and onions · 1 hr

Hand-drawn pale steamed bean and carrot loaf with a cut wedge, cabbage slaw and toast.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Steamed Black-Eyed Pea and Carrot Loaf

Cooked black-eyed peas become a smooth, savory batter with eggs and oats, then steam in a covered bowl.

4 thick loaf wedges, each with cabbage slaw and one 40 g slice of toast · 2 hr 5 min

Hand-drawn pinto bean and cabbage braise served with three small corncakes.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Braised Pinto Beans and Cabbage with Corncakes

Brown the cabbage before adding tomatoes and beans so the pot has both savory edges and a soft braised center.

4 bean-and-cabbage plates with 3 small corncakes per person · 50 min

Hand-drawn hollow batter puddings with white bean, pea and onion gravy.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

White Bean Onion Gravy with Crisp Batter Puddings

Hot oil and a well-heated muffin pan turn a simple egg, flour and milk batter into small hollow puddings.

12 small batter puddings with bean-onion gravy; 3 puddings per serving · 55 min

Hand-drawn crisp bread and chickpea plate layered with garlic yogurt and paprika oil.

Beans and Grains That Go Further

Warm Chickpeas on Crisp Bread with Garlic Yogurt

Keep the bread crisp, the chickpeas warm and the yogurt cool until the last moment.

4 layered plates of crisp bread, warm chickpeas and cold garlic yogurt · 30 min

Roasted carrot and onion galette with a pleated golden crust and one wedge cut away.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Roast Carrot and Onion Galette

A homemade crust gives ordinary carrots and onions a place at the center of dinner.

1 freeform galette, cut into 4 substantial wedges · 1 hr 50 min

Browned cabbage wedges served over potatoes in creamy mustard sauce.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Cabbage Wedges with Creamy Mustard Potatoes

Thick cabbage wedges become a useful main dish when their outer leaves brown and their centers turn tender.

2 generous plates, each with 2 cabbage wedges and half the creamy potatoes · 45 min

Golden savory bread-crumb crumble over cauliflower and chickpeas in tomato sauce.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Cauliflower and Chickpea Tray Crumble

A savory crumble can turn cauliflower, canned chickpeas and tomatoes into a substantial tray of dinner.

1 shallow 9 x 13-inch/23 x 33 cm bake, divided into 3 generous portions · 1 hr 5 min

Crisp beet and potato rosti with a small bowl of mustard yogurt.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Beet and Potato Skillet Rosti with Mustard Yogurt

Grated beet and potato make two crisp, deeply colored rosti without an egg or a bag of baking mix.

2 thin 10-inch/25 cm rosti with mustard yogurt; 1 whole rosti per serving · 1 hr 5 min

Parsley potatoes served with green beans in a thick red tomato sauce.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Tomato-Braised Green Beans with Herbed Potatoes

Frozen green beans make this tomato braise easy to measure without committing to a large bag of fresh produce.

4 bowls, each with one-quarter of the potatoes and tomato-braised beans · 40 min

A cabbage and sweetcorn cobbler under golden cheddar-biscuit mounds.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Sweetcorn, Cabbage and Cheddar Savory Cobbler

Cabbage and sweetcorn sit under small cheese-biscuit mounds in this savory cobbler.

4 servings, each with 2 small cheese biscuits and one-quarter of the vegetable filling · 1 hr 5 min

A layered potato and spinach bake with a golden cheese surface and a lifted portion.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Potato and Spinach Layer Bake

Thin potato slices and squeezed frozen spinach make a substantial layered bake with a simple milk sauce.

4 generous portions of layered potatoes and spinach · 2 hr

Carrot and pea drop dumplings in golden onion broth, one cut open.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Pea and Carrot Drop Dumplings in Onion Broth

A softly cooked onion broth carries substantial drop dumplings with grated carrot and whole peas inside.

12 vegetable-studded dumplings in onion broth; 3 dumplings and one-quarter of the broth per serving · 55 min

Sticky roasted onion wedges on warm butter-bean mash with glossy pan juices.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Sticky Roasted Onions with Butter Bean Mash

Roasted onion wedges turn sweet and sticky with a little vinegar and sugar, then settle onto a warm mash of canned butter beans.

3 bowls, each with one-third of the sticky onions and warm bean mash · 1 hr

Ink and gouache cabbage cutlet bun with orange carrot slaw and a visible layered cabbage center.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Cabbage Cutlet Buns with Crunchy Carrot Slaw

An intact wedge of cabbage makes an unexpectedly satisfying sandwich filling when its center is steamed tender and its outside is given a crisp crumb coat.

4 filled buns, each with 1 cabbage cutlet and one-quarter of the carrot slaw · 1 hr 15 min

Hand-drawn creamy leek and celery bowl beside two melted-cheddar toasts.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Creamy Leek and Celery Braise with Cheddar Toasts

Leeks and celery become a full supper when they are gently braised in a light milk sauce and served with crisp cheddar toast.

4 bowls of creamy vegetables, each with 2 cheddar toasts · 50 min

Hand-drawn steamed mushroom and carrot pastry pudding with an open wedge and a side of peas.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Steamed Mushroom and Carrot Pudding

A bowl-steamed pastry pudding feels generous even when its filling is built from ordinary mushrooms, carrots and onion.

1 steamed pastry pudding cut into 4 wedges, with 70 g peas per person · 3 hr

Ink and gouache layered eggplant, potato and lentil bake with a set golden yogurt crust.

A Vegetable-Led Table

Eggplant, Lentil and Potato Bake with Yogurt Crust

Roasted eggplant and potato slices make the layers in this lentil bake, with a yogurt-and-egg topping that sets into a light crust.

4 layered vegetable-and-lentil portions, one-quarter of the baking dish each · 1 hr 40 min

Paprika-roasted chicken drumsticks with tomato bulgur and green peas.

A Little Meat or Fish

Chicken Drumsticks with Tomato Bulgur and Peas

Eight small chicken drumsticks share the oven while a pan of tomato bulgur and peas cooks on the stove.

4 servings, each with 2 small drumsticks and one-quarter of the tomato bulgur · 1 hr

Small pork and oat meatballs served with cabbage and wide egg noodles.

A Little Meat or Fish

Pork and Oat Meatballs with Cabbage Noodles

Hydrated rolled oats help a modest amount of pork become sixteen small meatballs.

16 small meatballs with cabbage noodles; 4 meatballs and one-quarter of the noodles per serving · 55 min

Chicken and carrots in mustard gravy under parsley drop dumplings.

A Little Meat or Fish

Mustard Chicken and Carrot Pot with Parsley Dumplings

A small pack of chicken thigh is spread through a carrot-rich mustard gravy, then topped with eight parsley dumplings.

4 servings, each with 2 small parsley dumplings and one-quarter of the chicken-carrot pot · 1 hr 5 min

Round sardine, tomato and onion stuffed bread with a wedge removed.

A Little Meat or Fish

Sardine, Tomato and Onion-Stuffed Bread

A simple yeast dough encloses a cooked filling of sardines, tomato and onion.

1 round stuffed bread, cut into 4 generous wedges · 2 hr 30 min

Thin savory pancakes filled with creamy tuna, white beans and onion.

A Little Meat or Fish

Tuna and White Bean Stuffed Pancakes

Thin homemade pancakes wrap a thick filling of tuna, white beans and onion in a simple milk sauce.

8 filled savory pancakes; 2 pancakes per serving · 50 min

Ham, split-pea and carrot pie under a ridged golden mashed-potato topping.

A Little Meat or Fish

Smoky Ham, Split Pea and Carrot Pie

A small amount of cooked ham flavors a thick split-pea and carrot filling under mashed potato.

4 generous portions of split-pea filling under mashed potato · 2 hr 5 min

Fully cooked chicken liver and onions on toast with apple-cabbage slaw.

A Little Meat or Fish

Chicken Liver and Onion Toasts with Apple Slaw

Chicken liver and softened onions make a savory topping for thick toast, with a fresh apple-cabbage slaw alongside.

4 servings, each with 2 topped toast slices and one-quarter of the apple slaw · 40 min

Onion halves stuffed with sausage and lentils in tomato sauce.

A Little Meat or Fish

Sausage and Lentil-Stuffed Onions

Large onion halves become edible shells for a filling of lentils, a modest amount of pork sausage and bread crumbs.

8 stuffed onion halves in tomato sauce; 2 halves per serving · 1 hr 45 min

Mackerel flakes, potatoes and leeks in a light broth with toast alongside.

A Little Meat or Fish

Mackerel, Potato and Leek Broth with Toast

Canned mackerel joins a gentle leek and potato broth near the end of cooking, so it stays in recognizable flakes.

4 substantial broth bowls with 1 thick toast slice each · 50 min

Golden potato-scone wedges with a thick turkey and mushroom mince gravy.

A Little Meat or Fish

Turkey and Mushroom Mince on Potato Scones

Fresh potato scones provide a soft, browned base for a turkey and mushroom mince gravy.

8 potato-scone wedges with turkey-mushroom gravy; 2 wedges and one-quarter of the gravy per serving · 1 hr 5 min

Hand-drawn crisp-bottom pork and cabbage dumplings with a cooked filling cutaway.

A Little Meat or Fish

Pork and Cabbage Pan-Steamed Dumplings

A small amount of ground pork goes a long way when finely chopped cabbage shares the filling.

24 large dumplings; 6 per person with one-quarter of the dipping sauce · 2 hr 20 min

Gouache cutaway of a tuna and potato wrapped hard-cooked egg beside carrot slaw.

A Little Meat or Fish

Crisp Tuna and Potato-Wrapped Eggs

A whole hard-cooked egg sits inside each golden tuna-and-potato shell.

4 large tuna-potato-wrapped eggs, 1 per person with one-quarter of the carrot slaw · 1 hr 50 min

Hand-painted creamy barley with cabbage, apple chunks and scattered bacon pieces.

A Little Meat or Fish

Bacon, Apple and Cabbage Skillet with Creamy Barley

A little bacon seasons a large skillet of cabbage and apple rather than becoming the main bulk of the meal.

4 plates, each with one-quarter of the creamy barley and bacon-cabbage-apple mixture · 1 hr 15 min

Ink and gouache sardine onion fritters with a generous serving of red tomato rice.

A Little Meat or Fish

Sardine and Onion Fritters with Tomato Rice

Sardines and finely sliced onions make crisp-edged batter fritters, with tomato rice alongside to turn them into dinner.

12 sardine-onion fritters, 3 per person, with one-quarter of the tomato rice · 55 min

Hand-painted golden fish and carrot souffle with parsley potatoes in a small side bowl.

A Little Meat or Fish

Mackerel and Carrot Souffle with Parsley Potatoes

Canned mackerel becomes a light baked center when it is folded into a carrot-enriched white sauce and lifted with beaten egg whites.

1 large souffle divided into 4 portions, each with one-quarter of the parsley potatoes · 1 hr 30 min

A rice-crusted mushroom and white bean pie with a wedge cut out to show the separate crisp rice shell.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Crisp Rice-Crusted Mushroom Pie

Cooked rice becomes the shell of this pie rather than disappearing into another mixed casserole.

4 substantial wedges, one-quarter of the pie per serving · 1 hr 10 min

Bread dumplings flecked with carrot and cauliflower, served with sliced-onion gravy.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Roast-Vegetable Bread Dumplings with Onion Gravy

Firm bread ends and a small amount of cooked roast vegetables become soft, substantial dumplings in a pool of onion gravy.

12 bread dumplings with onion gravy; 3 dumplings and one-quarter of the gravy per serving · 1 hr 5 min

A cut tortilla wrap filled with crisp roast potatoes, lentils and crunchy cabbage-carrot slaw.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Crunchy Roast-Potato and Lentil Wraps

A small container of roast potatoes can make more than a reheated side dish.

4 large wraps; 1 filled wrap per serving · 35 min

A crisp noodle cake topped with thick chicken, carrot and cabbage gravy, with golden noodle edges left visible.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Chicken and Vegetable Crisp-Pan Noodles

Cooked noodles take a different shape when they are pressed into a skillet and left to form a crisp cake.

2 crisp noodle cakes cut into halves, with chicken-vegetable gravy; 1 half-cake and one-quarter of the gravy per serving · 40 min

Golden homemade bean and cheese hand pies, one opened to show the thick pinto-bean filling.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Bean and Cheese Hand Pies

These hand pies start with a simple flour, oil and water pastry, so there is no need to buy a separate pastry pack for one meal.

8 hand pies; 2 pies per serving · 1 hr 30 min

Golden savory oatmeal cakes served beside red tomato sauce with whole white beans.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Savory Porridge Cakes with Tomato-Bean Sauce

Plain, thick cooked oatmeal can become a savory meal without being disguised as something sweet.

8 small porridge cakes with tomato-bean sauce; 2 cakes and one-quarter of the sauce per serving · 1 hr 20 min

Tender potato gnocchi pillows with green peas and a light butter coating.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Mashed-Potato Gnocchi with Buttered Peas

Plain mashed potato can become small, tender gnocchi with a little egg and flour.

About 60 small gnocchi with peas; one-third of the complete batch per serving · 50 min

Crisp golden polenta fingers beside a generous pea and tomato ragu.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Crisp Polenta Fingers with Pea and Tomato Ragu

Firm chilled polenta can be cut into thick fingers and baked until crisp at the edges.

12 crisp polenta fingers with pea-tomato ragu; 4 fingers and one-third of the ragu per serving · 45 min

A glass pot of plain yogurt with warm apple chunks and a coarse golden cinnamon-bread-crumb topping.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Warm Apple and Toasted-Crumb Yogurt Pots

Sound stale bread can make a crisp topping without needing a separate packet of biscuits or breakfast cereal.

4 yogurt pots with warm apples and toasted bread crumbs · 30 min

Ink and gouache roast-vegetable and lentil lasagne showing pasta, tomato and creamy layers.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Roast-Vegetable and Lentil Lasagne

Plain roasted vegetables and cooked lentils become a layered supper with dried lasagne sheets and a simple milk sauce.

4 generous lasagne portions, each one-quarter of the finished dish · 1 hr 50 min

Hand-drawn crisp chicken croquettes with creamy centers, boiled potatoes and cabbage.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Roast Chicken Croquettes with Cabbage and Potatoes

Cold roast chicken becomes crisp croquettes when it is held in a thick white sauce rather than mixed into another potato patty.

12 chicken croquettes, 3 per person, with one-quarter each of the potatoes and cabbage · 4 hr

Ink and gouache apple barley soda loaf with thick slices and cheddar.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Cooked-Barley and Apple Soda Bread

A little cooked pearl barley gives this quick soda loaf a pleasing chew, while grated apple keeps the crumb moist without making a sweet cake.

1 round soda loaf cut into 8 thick slices; 2 slices and 30 g cheddar per person · 2 hr

Hand-drawn golden potato waffles with a rough green pea mash.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Crisp Potato Waffles with Pea Mash

Plain leftover mashed potato becomes crisp-edged waffles instead of another round patty.

6 medium potato waffles, 2 per person, with one-third of the pea mash · 1 hr 20 min

Ink and gouache soft lemon raisin rice custard slice lifted from a square baking dish.

Make the Most of What Is Left

Lemon Raisin Rice Custard Slice

A small batch of cold cooked rice becomes a lemon-scented baked custard with raisins and a lightly golden top.

6 warm soft custard slices, each one-sixth of the dish; a dessert, not a main meal · 1 hr 25 min