10 Fancy & Frugal Recipes! (2024)

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These fancy and frugal recipes cost $25 or less to make, and sometimes much less, and are perfect for elegant entertaining on a tight budget. In fact, some of these recipes can be DOUBLED and still won’t cost more than $25!

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To be clear, though, that $25 doesn’t include kitchen staples like sugar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper and basic spices. Otherwise, almost nothing would cost less than $25. My olive oil cost me $15, after all.

But lots of ingredients that are included are already in your kitchen, like mayo, mustard, soy sauce, garlic, etc. So each recipe will likely cost you even less than the listed price!

I’ve included different kinds of recipes, even co*cktails which can be particularly tricky to make on a budget!

The price tallies I used are based off of Fresh Direct’s prices.

1. Garlic Lime Honey Shrimp

Price: $23.79

This is such a tasty shrimp recipe! And if you already have coconut oil and Old Bay seasoning, you can serve it with coconut cauliflower rice for just a few dollars more!

Garlic Lime Honey Shrimp

This sensational honey shrimp recipe is a little bit spicy, tart, sweet and so easy to make!

See the Recipe

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2. Crostini with Balsamic Strawberries and Ricotta

Price: $14.86

Even though these recipes are $25 or less, excluding kitchen staples like sugar and balsamic vinegar, this recipe is still under $25 if you include both of those staples!

In fact, you can DOUBLE the recipe for less than $25 because it only calls for half a container of strawberries, and half a baguette! This recipe is so tasty, so pretty and makes such a lovely summer appetizer!

Crostini with Balsamic Strawberries and Ricotta

These crostini with balsamic strawberries and ricotta are sweet, tart, creamy and perhaps the prettiest appetizers you can serve at your next fancy picnic, Mother’s Day brunch or bridal shower.

See the Recipe

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3. Beet Napoleon Appetizers with Prosciutto Roses

Price: $14.96

Another recipe that can easily be doubled (even tripled) for less than $25 if you buy twice (or 3 times) the beets, and that’s it! You’re only using a little bit of cream cheese, a few tiny pieces of prosciutto and a few leaves of cilantro, so you can make a whole bunch of these beautiful appetizers for under $25!

Beet Napoleons with Prosciutto Roses

No, they’re not red velvet, they’re beautiful beet napoleon appetizers with chive cream cheese and tiny prosciutto roses on top! They're earthy, creamy, and perfectly bite-size!

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3. Simply Elegant Dill Deviled Eggs

Price: $16.35

Another recipe that can be doubled for less than $25, since it only calls for half a dozen eggs! All of the other ingredients are used in small amounts. I love how pretty these deviled eggs look on an appetizer tray!

With an elegant sprig of dill, you’ll make a $16 dollar appetizer look like a million bucks! As a matter of fact, I have a number of beautiful deviled egg recipes that are equally fancy and frugal!

The Simply Elegant Dill Deviled Egg

This dill deviled egg is delightfully tangy and so very simple to prepare! All you need is a little dill mustard, creamy horseradish and mayo to whip up these tasty little conversation pieces.

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4. Beautiful Pesto Ricotta Crostini

Price: $23.99

Yet another recipe that can easily be doubled for the same price! I love this recipe for baby showers or bridal showers… honestly, any party where you want to really make your guests say “wow!”

Tomato and Pearl Onion Pesto Crostini

These beautiful crostini are layered with pesto ricotta, olive tapenade and topped with tiny balsamic pearl onion roses and cherry tomatoes. What appetizers could possibly be prettier for a summer party!?

See the Recipe

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5. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Feta

Price: $16.49

These tasty stuffed mushrooms can be a side dish, first course or even an evening snack! They’re so simple to make and are full of earthy, rich flavor.

And if you want to double the recipe and make 4 stuffed mushrooms, you just have to buy 2 more mushroom caps and a little more spinach, which will get you right to $25!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Feta

These easy stuffed portobello mushrooms with spinach, feta and sautéed garlic are marinated in balsamic vinegar and make an absolutely perfect veggie side dish, or even first course!

See the Recipe

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7. Creamy Curry Cauliflower Soup

Price: $21.14

This recipe makes 6 servings of one of the tastiest, heart warming, creamiest soups I know how to make, so it’s a perfect, budget dinner party starter! It’s also totally vegan!

Creamy Curry Cauliflower Soup

This creamy, coconut curry cauliflower soup recipe has a silky texture, so much flavor, it can be made nice and spicy, and is completely vegan!

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8. Bruschetta with Mozzarella, Seared Tomatoes & Roasted Garlic

Price: $24.98

This recipe is seriously impressive, and just under $25 if you already have olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Italian seasoning! It’s my favorite appetizer to serve when I want to serve something fancy before dinner, but don’t want to spend too much on the appetizers.

Bruschetta with Burrata, Seared Tomatoes & Roasted Garlic

This delicious bruschetta recipe with fresh burrata, seared cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic is the most decadent appetizer at your Italian dinner party, the most elegant appetizer at the bridal shower or a luxurious evening snack for one!

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9. Sparkling Pink Grapefruit co*cktail with Cucumber

Price: $18.47

Most of my co*cktail recipes cost much less than $25 to make per co*cktail, but as you know, a bottle of St. Germain or whisky can run over $25 per bottle, so I won’t include them in this list.

But! This divine sparkling pink grapefruit co*cktail can be made with inexpensive sake (which you can easily find for $15 or less) and all the other mixers are just fresh juice and soda.

Even when muddled with a little mint and cucumber, it still costs less than $25 to make at least 6 or 7 glasses of this lovely co*cktail.

Sparkling Pink Grapefruit co*cktail with Cucumber

This exquisite sake and pink grapefruit co*cktail is shaken with muddled cucumber and mint, splashed with soda and pairs perfectly with summer sunsets and stolen kisses.

See the Recipe

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10. The Elegant Sake Lychee Martini

Price: $15

Now, this is my very favorite co*cktail party signature, and it has only 2 ingredients! When I want to have a delicious, fancy, elegant co*cktail that everyone will love, this sake lychee martini is it!

You can even get a big bottle of sake that will serve 12-15 people for $20 and the total cost of this co*cktail still doesn’t reach $25! Truly the best co*cktail for a big party on a budget!

The Sake Lychee Martini

This elegant sake lychee martini is truly one of the most refreshing, simple and impressive signature co*cktails for any party, or romantic date night. With just 2 ingredients and a pretty lychee co*cktail garnish, this precious co*cktail will easily become a fast favorite.

See the Recipe

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10 Fancy & Frugal Recipes! (2024)

FAQs

Why do recipes lie about prep time? ›

They're lying to make it seem easier and to get more clicks on their recipes. Exactly this. You simply aren't going to speed up the chemical reactions that happen during cooking. Even if you do find a way, your result will often be different or the result of using ready-made ingredients at the store.

What to make for dinner when you're broke? ›

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  • Chicken and bacon carbonara.

What is the cheapest food to survive? ›

Cheapest Foods to Live On:
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  • Eggs.
  • Bread.
  • Rice.
  • Bananas.
  • Beans.
  • Apples.
  • Pasta.

What to make when you're hungry and have no food? ›

15 Delicious Things to Throw Together When You're Pressed for Food Options
  • Buttery, gooey grilled cheese.
  • PB&J because duh.
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  • Waffles.
  • A Hagrid-size bowl of cereal.
  • Spaghetti carbonara.
Apr 28, 2020

What are 10 good dinner foods? ›

Baked Salmon with Grapefruit Salad.
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  • Baked Salmon with Grapefruit Salad.
3 days ago

What should be the biggest meal? ›

Even if you can't eat an early dinner, you should try to make breakfast and lunch your biggest meals of the day and dinner your smallest. If you're used to eating a small lunch and a big dinner, then switch the order. You can make your dinner a meal that's heavy on vegetables to lighten it up.

How to feed 100 people for cheap? ›

Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.

How to cook on a tight budget? ›

Budget-friendly tips & tricks
  1. Plan your week.
  2. Batch cook budget-friendly recipes.
  3. Make the most of your freezer.
  4. Love your leftovers.
  5. Look at best-before and use-by dates.
  6. Cook with tinned food.
  7. Big up legumes.
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Jun 20, 2022

What to make when you have no idea what to cook? ›

33 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make
  1. Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken Breast. tasty.co. ...
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  6. Oven-Baked French Bread Pizzas. ...
  7. Upgraded Ramen. ...
  8. Easiest One-Pot Beef with Broccoli.
May 16, 2024

What to do when you don't know what to eat? ›

For example, if you are craving something sweet, a bowl of fruit with yogurt or a smoothie might hit the spot. A bag of chips or a bowl of popcorn might do the trick if you are craving something salty. And if you are craving something savory, a bowl of pasta or a grilled cheese sandwich might be just what you need.

What is the cheapest way to cook a meal? ›

Using slow cookers, microwaves and air fryers when you can, are all great options for low-maintenance, low-cost, low-carbon cooking. Microwaves: When it comes to cooking quickly and cheaply, microwaves are going to be your best friend.

What kind of food can you afford on $1? ›

Basic pantry items: Bread, flour, sugar, leavening, seasonings, coconut oil, olive oil, lard, peanut butter and jam, homemade granola, cornmeal, oats, whole wheat, rice, dried beans, lentils and split peas, several varieties of pasta, pasta sauce, home canned tomatoes, fruits and vegetables.

What is the cheapest food that can feed a lot of people? ›

Pasta is one of the cheapest and most filling pantry staples you can buy, and that's exactly why it's the perfect food to feed to a crowd! Plus, everyone loves a good pasta dish. Grab yourself a buffet server warming tray so you can pop your cooked pasta inside and keep it warm all evening long!

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