10$ Recipes
You got it—here are three full recipes, each one designed to cost around $10 total for all ingredients. They’re original, flavorful, and filling—enough for 2–4 servings depending on your appetite. Nothing boring here.
Crispy Lentil Gnocchi with Lemon-Herb Oil & Garlic Crumbs
Cost: ~$9.90 | Serves: 3–4
Ingredients:
1½ cups red or brown lentils (dry) – $1.20
1 egg – $0.30
½ cup flour – $0.20
1 lemon – $0.60
3 cloves garlic – $0.30
¼ cup oil – $0.40
2 slices stale bread or toast – $0.30
Small bunch parsley or green herbs – $1.00
Salt, pepper, optional chili flakes – pantry
Optional: Parmesan (budget-friendly block or grated) – $1.50
Instructions:
Cook lentils until soft. Drain well and mash with a fork.
Add flour, egg, salt, pepper, and form a rough dough. Roll into ropes, cut into gnocchi shapes.
Pan-fry gnocchi in a little oil until golden and crispy on all sides.
Blitz stale bread into crumbs and toast with garlic in a pan until fragrant and crunchy.
Mix oil with lemon juice, zest, chopped herbs, salt, and a pinch of chili flakes.
Toss crispy gnocchi with lemon-herb oil and garlic crumbs. Finish with Parmesan if using.
Sweet Potato–Peanut Coconut Curry with Rice & Charred Lime
Cost: ~$10 | Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes – $1.40
1 can coconut milk – $1.20
½ cup peanut butter – $0.60
1 onion – $0.30
2 cloves garlic – $0.20
1-inch ginger (or ground) – $0.30
1 lime – $0.50
1½ cups rice – $0.80
1 tbsp curry powder or blend – $0.40
2 tbsp oil – $0.30
Optional: chili flakes, cilantro – $0.80
Instructions:
Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger until soft.
Add curry powder and sweet potatoes, stir to coat.
Add coconut milk, ½ cup water, and simmer until potatoes are soft.
Stir in peanut butter, salt to taste.
Char lime halves cut-side down in a hot pan until blackened. Squeeze over curry.
Serve with rice and herbs if you’ve got ’em.
Crispy Black Bean Flatbreads with Quick Pickled Veggies & Spicy Yogurt
Cost: ~$9.80 | Serves: 3–4
Ingredients:
1 can black beans – $1.00
1½ cups flour – $0.30
½ tsp baking powder – pantry
½ cup water
1 carrot, ½ cucumber – $1.00
1 onion – $0.30
½ cup vinegar + 1 tbsp sugar – $0.20
¾ cup plain yogurt – $1.00
1 garlic clove – $0.10
1 tsp hot sauce or chili flakes – $0.20
2 tbsp oil – $0.30
Optional: fresh herbs – $1.00
Instructions:
Make quick pickles: Slice veg thin, toss with vinegar, sugar, salt. Set aside.
Mash black beans with garlic, salt, pepper, chili.
Mix flour, water, baking powder, salt into dough. Divide into 4–6 balls. Flatten into circles.
Spoon mashed beans onto half, fold and seal like calzones.
Pan-fry each flatbread in oil until golden on both sides.
Mix yogurt with garlic and chili for sauce.
Serve flatbreads topped with pickled veggies and spicy yogurt.