Budget Cooking

This iconic Mumbai dish is joyously messy, vibrantly spiced, all too easy—and did we mention remarkably cheap?

Dead simple and highly visual, this is a fun spin on the classic radish-and-butter pairing.

Like your beloved bag of sour cream and onion chips, but make it mashed potatoes.

Seasoned like traditional tartare and punched up with extra acidity, earthy beets can taste (and look!) deliciously meaty.

Tangy, floral citrus soaks up dark, smoky caramel for a sweet, sticky sundae unlike any other.

This easy cocktail is budget booze’s highest calling. Cheap wine gets a makeover thanks to lemon, lots of ginger, and the caramelly complexity of cola.

A small batch of fridge pickles made with regular old carrot, onion, and fennel will bring out your inner homesteader.

Bursting with creamed spinach and cheese, and dressed with a glossy coat of ketchup, this is meatloaf 2.0.

A deeply comforting soup featuring the humble potato, made complete with a zippy pickled pepper garnish.

Warm rice and hot sauce transform budget canned tuna into a craveable, handheld dish.

It’s buttery, saucy, and just spicy enough to smack you awake in the morning

Plus, a tip for crispy—never floppy—crust.