Easy & Budget-Friendly Recipes for Students

The fall semester is in full swing, and it’s time to settle in and hit the books. But don’t let food take a back seat! You need to keep yourself nourished and full of energy to make it through those classes, study sessions, and part-time jobs. While it’s tempting to grab fast food, taking a few minutes to prepare a homemade meal can be nutritious and therapeutic. These recipes are designed for college students with access to a kitchen, even a limited one.

Quick & Delicious Noodle Dishes

Spicy Sriracha Noodles

This recipe is faster than take-out, super delicious, and completely customizable. Throw in any vegetables you have in the fridge, or change up the sauce with a little peanut butter or lime. These sweet, tangy, and spicy sriracha noodles take only a few minutes to make and are an inexpensive alternative to take out.

Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles

Sweet, salty, rich, and crunchy, these noodles hit all the bases. The next time you’re tempted to grab take out, try this incredibly simple noodle stir fry. It will satisfy those take out cravings, but you’ll have complete control over the ingredients. Add some simple steamed greens to round out the meal!

Coconut Curry Ramen

When all you have is 10 minutes and a BIG appetite, upgrade a simple pack of instant ramen to this hearty and flavorful curry ramen bowl.

Comforting Soups & Stews

Easy Dumpling Soup

Grab a bag of frozen dumplings the next time you’re at the store because you don’t want to miss this super easy and comforting soup! It’s going to save you a TON on take-out.

15-Minute Vegetable Curry

Yes, that’s right, it only takes 15 minutes to make this delicious pot of vegetable curry! No chopping required! Serve over rice for a satisfying and comforting meal. Creamy coconut milk, flavorful vegetable broth, and curry powder come together to create a simple yet delicious vegetable curry.

Black Bean Enchilada Soup

This quick recipe for easy black bean enchilada soup is hearty, spicy, & yummy. The protein-packed vegan soup is also low-fat & gluten-free. This economical recipe uses simple pantry staples making it both cheap & great to whip up on a busy weeknight.

Navy Bean, Ham, and Carrot Soup

This easy slow cooker recipe for homemade navy bean, leftover ham, & carrot soup is cozy and delish. The hearty winter or fall soup is a great way to repurpose holiday ham & use up dried beans.

Simple & Satisfying Bowls

Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls

We all know burrito bowls are life (thanks, Chipotle!), but they don’t have to be fancy to be super delicious or satisfying. This is my pared down, no frills, as-simple-as-it-gets version of a burrito bowl because when you’re in college, ain’t nobody got time or money for all those fancy toppings! These easy no-frills burrito bowls are super fast and affordable. They're the perfect satisfying weeknight meal for times when money is tight!

Cottage Cheese Crab Bowls

These no-cook bowls are light, fresh, and kind of like a California roll, but bowl style! This Cottage Cheese Crab Bowl is the perfect light, fresh, and filling lunch for summer.

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Easiest Burrito Bowl Meal Prep

This is the Easiest Burrito Bowl Meal Prep that you can put together in about 30 minutes with minimal cooking, chopping, and nothing to pack on the side. You can make a few for the week ahead, or stash them in the freezer for longer storage.

Thai Inspired Beef and Spinach Bowl

This Thai inspired beef and spinach bowl is the perfect quick weeknight dinner recipe that takes 20 minutes and is bursting with flavor.

Pasta Perfection

Bowties and Broccoli

This has been my go-to “emergency meal” for decades. Literally. There’s nothing more satisfying than pasta with a little butter and Parmesan, and I add broccoli florets to balance things out, plus a little pepper and red pepper flakes for kicks. This insanely simple dinner "cheat" is ready in minutes and will keep you full for hours.

Creamy Pesto Mac with Spinach

Get your daily dose of vegetables right along with your cheesy comfort food. A simple creamy sauce infused with basil pesto makes this Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with spinach the ultimate comfort food WITH a dose of vegetables!

Pasta with Bacon and Peas

A little bacon makes everything better! This super simple pasta dish is incredibly satisfying and surprisingly high in protein. Pasta with Bacon and Peas is a quick, satisfying, and inexpensive meal that you can make with ingredients that you can keep on hand.

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Cheesy Chicken Sausage Pasta Bake

Cheesy Chicken Sausage Pasta Bake is truly one of the most comforting and easy weeknight meals to put together. You know I love a recipe that only has 4 steps in the directions.

Gochujang Pasta

This quick and easy 20-minute recipe for Gochujang Pasta is spicy, creamy, & addicting. The Korean & Italian fusion penne dish has a simple pan sauce with garlic, red chili gochujang paste, & parmesan. The simple recipe is a great weeknight meal or fast lunch.

Pasta Alla Pizzaiola

This 30-minute recipe for pasta alla pizzaiola is a quick & delicious Italian classic. The rich tomato sauce is inspired by the best pizza makers. The recipe from Naples, Campania region of Italy, is so easy. The simple meatless pasta is a yummy vegan/vegetarian meal that is comforting & a family favorite.

Italian Sausage & Broccoli Pasta

This simple Italian Sausage & Broccoli Pasta recipe is the perfect weeknight meal. Your family will be wowed by this quick and easy 30 minute dinner. Top the penne dish with parmesan & pepper for the best comforting cheesy finish without cream.

Lemon Butter Pasta

This easy one pot lemon butter pasta recipe is a quick summer meal. Spaghetti in a lemon garlic sauce (Pasta al Limone) without cream is a classic in Southern Italy. It's buttery, rich, bright, & tangy. It cooks in less than 30 minutes so enjoy the gourmet flavor even on busy weeknights. Only 6 ingredients & 20 minutes.

Pesto Tuna Pasta

This quick and easy Italian meal of pesto tuna pasta is amazing. Great for dinner, lunch, or as a side dish. Serve it warm or cold - the perfect fancy but cheap seafood pasta dish.

One-Pot Pasta With Ricotta and Lemon

In the time it takes to boil noodles and heat up a jar of store-bought sauce, you could have made Ali Slagle’s bright and easy pasta dish. Her no-cook sauce is a 50-50 mix of ricotta and Parmesan, with the zest and juice of one lemon thrown in. That’s it. Pick whatever pasta shape sparks joy and enjoy.

Veggie-Packed Dishes

Curried Chickpeas with Spinach

When the autumn nights start to get a chilly bite, warm up with a hot bowl of these hearty curried chickpeas with spinach. These super fast Curried Chickpeas with spinach are packed with flavor and nutrients, vegan, gluten-free, and filling!

Savory Oatmeal

Oats aren’t just for breakfast! They make for a quick and filling meal any time of day. Savory oatmeal is a delicious, hearty, and inexpensive meal that can be customized to use ingredients you have on hand.

Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas

Quesadillas are the perfect snack (just ask Taco Bell). This spicy vegetarian mix of black beans, corn, onion, and cheese is 100x better than anything you’ll get at the drive-through. More flavor, more fiber, more filling, and still extremely easy.

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

This Mediterranean chopped salad is packed with garbanzo beans for protein and a bunch of fresh vegetables. Loaded with Greek & Italian produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, artichokes, & olives plus a homemade Italian vinaigrette dressing recipe. Great for lunch, dinner, side, or appetizer. It is gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, healthy, & tasty for everyone to enjoy.

Roasted Aubergine & Tomato Curry

Slightly sweet with added richness from the coconut milk, this simple vegan curry is a winner.

Vegetarian Skillet Chili

Canned beans, which are hearty and affordable, are the star of this one-pot chili recipe from Melissa Clark. It has five-stars, more than 10,000 ratings and only takes 30 minutes to cook. “It blows my mind with its simplicity!” one reader wrote.

Quinoa Salad

“Seriously, I CRAVE this salad and now usually have a big bowl of it in the refrigerator at all times,” one reader wrote about Ali Slagle’s lemony quinoa dish. Her recipe calls for cucumbers, bell pepper, olives and lots of parsley, but it’s really a choose-your-own-adventure. Feel free to add other briny, creamy, crunchy or herbaceous ingredients, like feta, avocado, arugula or fresh mint.

One-Pot Rice and Beans

Ali Slagle is a hero of one-pot cooking. In this 30-minute recipe, the rice cooks with the beans and the starchy liquid they’re canned in. Nothing goes to waste! For an extra kick, add some salsa to the stock. It’s cheap, filling and can be eaten any time of day.

Creative Sandwiches & Wraps

Pizza Melts

Instead of ordering delivery, make an easy Pizza Melt to cure your pizza craving. Pizza melts are like a cross between your two favorite comfort foods: pizza and grilled cheese. They're fast, easy, and the perfect quick meal!

Spinach Feta Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is the ultimate study/comfort food. Take it up a level with some frozen spinach, a little garlic, red pepper flakes, and feta. You now have a super fancy grilled cheese AND a good dose of vegetables. Take your grilled cheese sandwich to the next level with this gourmet Spinach Feta Grilled Cheese! An easy and flavorful lunch idea.

Classic Tuna Melt

This Classic Tuna Melt features crunchy toast that hugs the creamy, savory tuna salad filling that’s sandwiched between the warm, gooey richness of melted cheddar cheese. A nostalgic diner-style tuna melt with buttery, crisp toast, savory tuna salad, and warm, gooey melted cheddar.

Pizza Roll Ups

Forget frozen pizza rolls! Make your pizza in roll-up form. It’s way faster and easier than making traditional pizza, and a LOT less expensive than ordering delivery.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

This isn’t your momma’s grilled cheese, it’s a grilled cheese for the 21st century! The secret to the crunchiest, gooiest, air-fryer grilled cheese EVER is first mixing softened butter with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese and then spreading it on the outside of your bread.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

This light, fresh, and protein-filled salad is an easy no-cook option for your busy week or when the weather starts to heat up outside.

Chicken Quesadillas

This satisfying snack or meal from Ali Slagle comes together in 10 minutes or less. The hack: Buy a Rotisserie chicken or grab some grilled chicken from the dining hall. Shred the meat when it’s cool so that it doesn’t make the tortilla soggy. Cook the quesadilla over moderate heat, so the cheese melts just as the tortilla gets crisp and golden.

Brisket Grilled Cheese

Brisket grilled cheese for one is a great way to enjoy leftover brisket, in just 10 minutes! Ok this probably isn't a recipe you would just throw together. But if you have leftover brisket from a BBQ or meal out, turn it into a grilled cheese.

Easy Chicken Salad Pita

Make an easy chicken salad pita for one in about 10 minutes. This easy lunch is so tasty!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich

Make this easy chicken bacon ranch sandwich with leftover chicken (or freshly cooked) in about 15 minutes. Tender chicken, crispy and salty bacon, herby ranch, and gooey cheese make for the perfect filling in this sandwich.

Quick & Easy Stir-Fries

Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

Grab a bag of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots), and this meal is insanely fast and easy to make. Better yet, it’s full of fiber and protein, so you can help curb that freshman 15.

Ground Turkey Stir Fry

This super simple stir fry was made for meal prep! You can add as many or as little vegetables as you want and serve it over rice, noodles, or sans-carb. This super easy Ground Turkey Stir Fry is a delicious and versatile answer to busy weeknight dinners.

Ground Pork Stir Fry with Broccoli

In 30-minutes this easy recipe for ground pork stir fry with broccoli is ready. The spicy sesame sauce makes it better than take-out. It's gluten-free, low-carb, & with less oil is a healthy complete meal.

Seafood Sensations

Chile Crisp and Honey Roasted Salmon

This five-ingredient recipe can make a mid-semester meal feel like a special occasion. Naz Deravian roasts a large salmon fillet that’s been covered with a sweet and spicy paste of chile crisp, mayonnaise and honey for 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish). Eat it with a salad, roasted potatoes or crispy rice.

Tinned Fish Hand Rolls

With tinned fish, rice and your choice of crunchy vegetables, these hand rolls from Ali Slagle are endlessly customizable. But one ingredient is really worth keeping: “The clementines are revolutionary! That burst of juicy citrus along with the rice, fish and cucumber and dipped in soy sauce … oh boy,” one reader writes.

Sweet Treats & Snacks

Peanut Butter Banana Quesadillas

When you want a quick treat, these toasty, melty, sweet-and-savory “quesadillas” are perfect! You might even be able to get away with calling them breakfast. Peanut butter banana quesadillas are a quick and easy single-serving dessert that you can make in minutes with pantry staples!

Homemade Freezer Garlic Bread

Put down that box of frozen garlic bread! It’s far too easy and inexpensive to make your own! Keep this garlic bread in your freezer for whenever you get a craving. They also make a pretty killer grilled cheese sandwich, too. Buttery homemade garlic bread is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients!

Trail Mix

The ultimate on-the-go snack! Don’t underestimate the power and convenience of a good trail mix.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookies don’t get any easier than this! Just six simple ingredients and you’ve got the richest, most delicious cookies ever.

Chocolate Mug Cake

This is the one and only chocolate mug cake you’ll ever need.

Rice Krispie Treats

The ultimate no-bake treat! They’re gooey, sweet, crispy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Sweet and fluffy marshmallows, creamy butter, and crispy rice cereal make these homemade rice krispie treats melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

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