Cheap Family Dinners with Pasta: 25 Easy Budget Meals

Pasta is one of those pantry staples that can turn almost anything into supper. A little chicken, some ground beef, a jar of sauce, frozen vegetables, tuna, cheese, or butter can become a filling family meal when you add noodles.

Our family tries to eat gluten-free and whole-foods based most of the time, so we usually stick with brown rice pasta. We like options like Jovial or Kroger Simple Truth brown rice pasta because they fit our family better than regular wheat pasta, but still give us that easy noodle dinner everybody loves.

And when you have a lot of kids to feed like we do, noodles are a sure-fire way to help fill those bellies quickly and make happy kids.

One of my daughters went through a phase where almost all she wanted to eat was buttered noodles. I tried not to stress too much about it because I remembered hearing on a podcast a long time ago that Ree Drummond — The Pioneer Woman — used to only eat buttered noodles as a kid. She obviously outgrew that, and thankfully, so did my daughter. It was short-lived.

That is the thing about pasta. It can be plain and simple for picky eaters, or it can be turned into casseroles, skillet dinners, soups, pasta bakes, and all kinds of cheap family meals.

These cheap family dinners with pasta are simple, filling, and made for busy weeknights when you need something affordable that your family will actually eat.

Why Pasta Is So Good for Cheap Family Dinners

Pasta is one of the easiest ingredients to build a meal around because it is filling, quick to cook, and easy to pair with whatever you already have.

You can make it with chicken, ground beef, sausage, tuna, vegetables, cheese, cream sauce, tomato sauce, broth, or just butter and seasoning. It also helps stretch more expensive ingredients. A couple of chicken breasts or one pound of ground beef can feed more people when it is mixed into a pasta dish.

For our family, gluten-free pasta makes it possible to still enjoy easy noodle meals while sticking closer to the way we prefer to eat most of the time. Brown rice pasta is one of our favorite options because it is simple, dependable, and works in so many meals.

How to Stretch Meals with Pasta

Pasta is a great grocery budget helper because it can make a little bit of food feel like a full dinner.

Here are a few easy ways to stretch meals with pasta:

• Add pasta to soups to make them more filling.
• Mix pasta with chicken, ground beef, or sausage.
• Use frozen vegetables to bulk up pasta dishes.
• Turn leftover meat into a pasta bake.
• Use simple sauces like marinara, Alfredo, butter, broth, or cream soup.
• Add beans or vegetables to stretch the protein.
• Make one-pot pasta skillets for easy cleanup.

You do not need a complicated recipe every night. Pasta plus a protein, sauce, and vegetable can go a long way.

25 Cheap Family Dinners with Pasta

1. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Spaghetti with meat sauce is a classic cheap family dinner.

Brown ground beef and stir it into marinara sauce. Serve it over spaghetti or whatever pasta you have on hand. If you need to stretch it further, add diced tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, or extra sauce.

Brown rice spaghetti works well here if you are eating gluten-free.

2. Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Chicken Alfredo is creamy, filling, and easy to make.

Cook pasta, add diced or shredded chicken, and stir in Alfredo sauce. Add frozen broccoli or peas if you want to make it stretch further.

This is a great way to use leftover chicken or frozen chicken breast.

3. Taco Pasta

Taco pasta is a fun way to change up taco night.

Cook ground beef with taco seasoning, then stir in cooked pasta, salsa, beans, corn, and a little cheese. You can top it with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, or green onions.

It is filling, easy, and kid-friendly.

4. Cheeseburger Pasta

Cheeseburger pasta is a simple skillet dinner.

Brown ground beef, then add pasta, cheese, a little milk or broth, ketchup, mustard, and seasonings. Pickles on the side make it taste even more like a cheeseburger.

It is a good homemade alternative to boxed dinner mixes.

5. Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole is an old-fashioned pantry dinner.

Use pasta, canned tuna, peas, cream soup or a homemade creamy sauce, and a little cheese or cracker topping if you have it.

It is simple, inexpensive, and helpful when you need dinner from pantry staples.

6. Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken spaghetti is creamy, cheesy, and filling.

Use cooked chicken, spaghetti, cream soup or cheese sauce, diced tomatoes if you like them, and shredded cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly.

This is a great comfort meal for a busy weeknight.

7. Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is easy to make and easy to stretch.

Use pasta, marinara sauce, mozzarella, ricotta or cottage cheese if you have it, and ground beef or sausage if you want. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

You can also keep it meatless to save money.

8. Creamy Sausage Pasta

Sausage adds a lot of flavor, so you do not need a lot of it.

Slice smoked sausage or cook ground sausage, then mix it with pasta, cream sauce, broth, cheese, and vegetables.

Broccoli, peas, spinach, or bell peppers all work well.

9. Broccoli Chicken Pasta

Broccoli chicken pasta is simple and dependable.

Use cooked chicken, pasta, broccoli, and a creamy sauce or cheese sauce. Frozen broccoli works great and helps make the meal more filling.

This is one of those dinners that feels complete without much effort.

10. Chili Mac

Chili mac is a great way to use leftover chili.

Stir cooked pasta into chili and top with shredded cheese. You can also make it from scratch with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and pasta.

It is hearty and budget-friendly.

11. Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ground beef stroganoff is creamy comfort food.

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic, then add broth, sour cream or cream soup, and seasonings. Serve over egg noodles or your favorite gluten-free pasta.

It is simple, filling, and cheaper than using steak.

12. Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Chicken bacon ranch pasta is a family-friendly dinner.

Use pasta, cooked chicken, ranch seasoning, cheese, and a little bacon. You do not need much bacon to add flavor.

Add peas or broccoli if you want to stretch it further.

13. Pizza Pasta Bake

Pizza pasta bake is a fun dinner for kids.

Mix pasta with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, ground beef, sausage, or vegetables. Bake until bubbly.

It gives you pizza flavors without ordering takeout.

14. Mac and Cheese with Ground Beef

Mac and cheese becomes a full dinner when you add ground beef.

Use boxed or homemade mac and cheese, then stir in cooked ground beef. Add peas, broccoli, diced tomatoes, or corn if you want to stretch it.