5 Cheap, Easy Dinners That Actually Work on Weeknights

sour cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: plain yogurt

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork can be cheaper.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Canola oil is often less expensive and has a neutral flavor.

rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: bulgur

Bulgur is often cheaper and cooks faster than rice.

Prepare to make lazy cabbage rolls by gathering ingredients.

Use about a third of a small cabbage head, chop it into small pieces.

Grate carrots and onions on the smallest setting to avoid large chunks.

In a pot, bring water to a boil, add 2 cups of rice, and cook until done, then drain and rinse with cold water.

In a bowl, combine 2 lbs of ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 egg; mix well.

Cook the grated vegetables in a skillet with olive oil or avocado oil until softened and caramelized.

Mix half of the cooked vegetables into the ground beef mixture and reserve the other half for the sauce.

Form the meat mixture into oval-shaped patties for the cabbage rolls.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat and brown the cabbage rolls on both sides for added flavor and to prevent them from falling apart.

Transfer the browned cabbage rolls to a Dutch oven or a baking dish with a lid.

Prepare the sauce by mixing 2 cans of tomato sauce with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and half a cup of sour cream; add the reserved vegetables.

Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls in the Dutch oven.

Cover and bake at 350°F for about 1 hour.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens