Versatile Soup Recipe Using Cheap Ingredients You Probably Already Have

Quick dinners can be healthy and low-priced--it just requires stocking up on the right foods, and the right recipes, of course. Using spice packets (vs. teaspoons here and tablespoons there), canned goods, frozen foods, and a few fresh vegetables or meat or both can go a long way when you have to fix a cheap meal in under 20 minutes. Collect 5 to 10 recipes that taste different but utilize the same inexpensive ingredients, and you can stock up to save even more on cost.

One of my favorite versatile stews is this one--most of the ingredients cost under $1--except for the meat which is optional.

Southwestern Stew

1.5 lbs of ground beef (or ground turkey, or omit meat for a vegetarian dish)
1 onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 can of corn, undrained
1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of kidney beans, undrained
1 packet of taco seasoning

Instructions: Brown the meat, and then add the onion and pepper. Simmer for five to ten minutes. Then add the celery, canned ingredients, and spice packet. Add 1 to 3 cups of water (depending on whether you prefer soup or stew), bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Prefer to avoid preservatives? Use frozen vegetables instead of canned--and increase the amount of water added. Garnish with cilantro or cheese, and serve with tortilla chips.

What are your favorite dishes made with ingredients already on hand? Do you have certain ingredients you always keep for that one evening when you have to whip up a meal in no time? Share your tips with us in the comments below!