Just as day follows night, so too does the appearance of the slow cooker follow the first sign of Autumn. And every year I’m blown away. Not only because my 20 plus year-old slow cooker is in the same fine form it ever was, but how much I love a good old-fashioned beef stew. Yes, beef, you were great on the barbie over summer, but how I love you in this form. In this slow cooker French onion beef recipe, chuck steak is slowly cooked in red wine, with sweet carrots, fresh thyme and, of course, the flavour bomb that is French onion soup mix. I swear this tastes as though you’ve put so much more effort into it than you have. Make a double batch and store in the freezer. I have it on good authority that it makes a perfect pie filling!
Prove you are a master baker by making traditional hot cross buns from scratch. Packed with fruit and spices, the whole family will love them.
We've given the classic comfort food a better-for-you makeover with the addition of tuna and green veggies. It’s cheap, cheerful and delicious! If your kids aren't fans of broccoli, you can swap it out for some finely chopped cauliflower as a sneaky way to hide the veg. To add an extra layer or crunch, sprinkle the top with some blitzed stale bread or breadcrumbs before baking for a crunchy topping!
Meltingly tender and crispy all at the same time - that’s the brilliance of pork belly. The trick to super crispy pork crackling is placing the pork belly in the fridge overnight to help to dry out the skin and maximise the crackle. Plus, cooking it in the air fryer allows the skin to dry out even further while keeping the meat underneath incredibly moist. This is a great way to enjoy pork belly in minutes of cooking rather than hours in the oven.
Combining two best-ever speedy and delicious dinners – spaghetti bolognese and the humble yet hearty pasta bake – my easy spaghetti bolognese bake is the budget-friendly, kid-friendly, Italian-inspired midweek meal you didn’t know you were missing out on.While dreaming up a collection of meals that don’t skimp on flavour for our Savvy Dinner Plan, I developed the idea for this bake that covers everything you could want in an easy and enticing meal: pasta, vegies, flavourful meat, Mediterranean-inspired sauce, cheese and garlic bread. Fewf. It’s all there in one bake.How to make my budget-friendly spaghetti bolognese bake: key ingredient swapsI’ve started this dish in an obvious place: with spaghetti! I found that the Coles Simply Spaghetti dried pasta was a savvy way to keep costs lower. It held its shape well, which makes it ideal for a bake (nobody wants a soggy pasta bake!)Using pork and beef bolognese mince was an easy way to boost the flavour of this meal, while sticking to my budget. Further flavour comes from a jar of sauce (reducing the amount of ingredients required to make sauce from scratch), and blitzed-up garlic bread makes a delicious and crispy breadcrumb topping. The result is perfect for people craving the flavours of a slow-cooked lasagne, who have little time to spend in the kitchen.Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use the cheddar cheese listed in this recipe in the creamy tuna Florentine pasta bake, the dump-and-bake creamy chicken pasta, the tuna and rice patties and the jumbo chilli con carne burritos. No shred of cheese left behind!What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips.This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead and freeze your meal, see the notes below the recipe.
There are few dinners more soothing than a bowl of curry, and a gently spiced chicken curry is a favourite dinner of taste.com.au cooks. So, I’ve given the classic homemade curry recipe a hearty, meal-stretching spin – earning it a place on our Savvy Dinner Plan.To create a richer depth of flavour, I’ve used tomato paste alongside a cast of pantry staples and budget-friendly fresh and frozen ingredients that carry this curry further.How to make my budget-friendly chicken mince keema curry: key ingredient swapsWhile serving curry with a plentiful helping of rice is a great way to bulk up a curry, I’ve also added sweet potato and peas to my keema, which make for a heartier curry mixture.The hit of tomatoey richness comes from Coles Simply Tomato Paste - a savvy pantry ingredient that's great to have on hand to add flavour to almost any cuisine.If you prefer to enjoy your rice tossed through the curry, you can cut your rice back to just 1 cup (to ensure your curry is adequately saucy).Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. To use up ingredients across the month of meal planning, the basmati rice can also be used in the butter chicken pilaf. The curry powder is also used in weeks 1 and 3, the tomato paste is used in week 1 and 2, and the vegetable stock cubes can be used in recipes for weeks 2, 3 and 4.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead, see the notes below the recipe.
It’s not hard to see why chicken chow mein is a classic take-away favourite – with its delicious combo of saucy noodles, vegies and chicken. And yet, when Chinese take-away cravings strike, you can make this easy twist on chow mein at home (for less than the cost of your local restaurant!) As part of our Savvy Dinner Plan, I’ve created this bang bang chicken version of chow mein, using a clever short-cut ingredient.Bang bang (sometimes referred to as ‘bon bon’ or ‘bam bam’) chicken is known for its crispy texture (usually created by coating the chicken in potato starch and flour). But, to make this recipe even more time-efficient, I’ve used plain crumb chicken burgers to achieve a speedy golden, crispy chicken in the oven. Skipping steps and saving coin? Yes please!How to make my budget-friendly bang bang chicken chow mein: key ingredient swapsI’ve used a combined honey and soy sauce because it can be kept on hand in the pantry for future dinners and reduces the need to buy multiple ingredients to flavour my chow mein. And my new favourite hack (using pre-crumbed, baked chicken patties instead of coating and frying chicken pieces) saves time and money. These burgers are versatile and great value!Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use the honey soy sauce and the sriracha in the beef sausage stir-fry recipe, frozen corn is used in our quick French onion chicken pie, and sriracha is used across our 4-week Savvy Dinner Plan (and is always handy to have on hand if you love a little heat). I’ve also included fresh ginger in our chicken mince keema curry, and you can freeze any leftover fresh ginger for future use.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead, see the notes below the recipe.
For busy budgeters like myself, the terms ‘pasta bake’ and ‘tuna’ are music to our ears. Not only is a pasta bake easy to make and grill on a weeknight, but budget-friendly tuna brings flavour and bonus protein to your dinner table.That’s why I’ve developed this creamy Florentine iteration as part of our Savvy Dinner Plan that’ll have you looking forward to dinner as soon as lunch is over. You can even cook your pasta in advance to make dinnertime simpler and faster.Easy? Check. Tasty? Check. Dollar-saving? Check. On the table in half an hour or less? Check.How to make my budget-friendly creamy tuna Florentine pasta bake: key ingredient swapsI used Coles Simply Tuna in Springwater because it flakes well and distributes perfectly through the creamy sauce - a savvy little saver ingredient that goes a long way in a dish like this.To further slash the price of each serving of this pasta bake, I’ve grated a block of cheddar cheese, rather than buying pre-grated cheese.Then, to shave off extra time getting dinner on the table, I grilled the pasta ‘bake’ rather than actually baking it. This saves time and also keeps the mixture saucier.Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. The cheddar cheese block is also used in the quick spaghetti bolognese bake, the tuna and rice patties and the jumbo chilli con carne burritos.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead, see the notes below the recipe.
You need not hop on a plane bound for Barcelona to savour the deliciousness of a large dish of paella (although you wouldn’t hear us complaining about it), because this flavourful rice-based dish is surprisingly easy to make at home. I’ve devised a one-pan, vegetarian, budget-friendly paella that makes a perfect meat-free addition to our Savvy Dinner Plan.I’ve used a selection of hard-working ingredients to create a vegetarian paella that’s every bit as satisfying as its seafood-laden and meat-topped siblings.How to make my budget-friendly one-pan vegetarian paella : key ingredient swapsUsing vegetable stock cubes is an inexpensive way to add extra flavour to your paella and they can be kept on hand in the pantry for other dinners, too.And what would a classic Spanish meal be without tomato? I’ve added a dollop of Coles Simply Tomato Paste to canned tomatoes as a savvy way to step up the tomato flavour, without adding a heap of additional ingredients.As a recipe developer, I’ve learned just how much money I can save by cutting down on the amount of meat I cook with, so I’ve gone meat-free and upped the veg quota so it’s still super satisfying. In 2023, ‘vegetarian dinner’ recipe searches were up more than 220% on taste.com.au – which I suspect, among other reasons, has a lot to do with the budget-friendly act of reducing your meat intake!Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use the tomato paste in many dinners featured in our Savvy Dinner Plan. We also use vegetable stock cubes, smoked paprika and frozen peas in recipes included in other weeks of the plan.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep your paella ingredients ahead of time, see the notes below the recipe.
As far as fuss-free family friendly dinners go, I consider rissoles a top-tier contender for my favourite all-rounder meal. And this rollicking good rissole recipe features an unexpected twist – a two-in-one ingredient that adds flavour and stretches your beef mince rissole mixture that little bit further – which is exactly the kind of budget-friendly hack we’re focusing on as part of our Savvy Dinner Plan.Ready to meet your new rissole-making must-have ingredient? Say hello to baked beans. I’m excited to share this recipe with you and demonstrate how both the beans and their tomato sauce can bolster your rissoles and gravy.How to make my budget-friendly beef and baked bean rissoles: key ingredient swapsThe brilliant thing about baked beans is that they serve double duty in this recipe. Use Coles Simply Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce in the rissole mixture as a savvy way to make it go that little bit further (alongside some cleverly hidden veggies), and use the sauce from the can of beans to add extra flavour to your gravy. Using the herb and garlic breadcrumbs cuts down on the amount of ingredients you need, and they’re great to have on hand in the pantry.Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner Plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use the herb and garlic breadcrumbs d in the hidden-veg meatloaf (another budget-smart recipe from the Savvy Dinner Plan). And the gravy powder can also be used in the speedy family cottage pie and the garlic bread savoury mince.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to freeze your rissoles for another day, see the notes below the recipe.
There’s something to be said for the joy that a simple chicken pie can bring to the table – it’s a dinner that taste.com.au members love to share with their families. This was one reimagined dish we knew we had to include as part of our Savvy Dinner Plan, and I have a hunch that my quick French onion chicken pie, with its creamy vegetable and chicken filling, will soon become a firm family favourite.This is no humble pie. It really ticks all the boxes: it’s cost-effective, uncomplicated, quick to make, and is filled with wholesome fare. Plus, its picture-perfect pastry top makes it look too good to eat. (Almost).How to make my budget-friendly quick French onion chicken pie: key ingredient swapsLike all good French-inspired recipes, this one is enhanced with buttery flavours. I used Coles Simply Unsalted Butter to pan-fry the vegetables – adding a touch of richness with just one savvy ingredient.I also chose to buy separate frozen vegetables (rather than a mixed bag) to not only bulk up the filling, but also ensure there’d be plenty of vegies in the freezer you can use for future dinners (think speedy corn or pea fritters, for example).And putting the French flavour in this French onion pie is my go-to shortcut ingredient: French onion soup mix. This low-cost ingredient adds further depth of flavour and also allows the pie sauce to thicken and become silky smooth.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 4.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead, see the notes below the recipe.
As a recipe developer I’ve learned that a simple way to keep the cost of your grocery shop down is to incorporate more meat-free meals into your week. So it comes as no surprise to me that ‘vegetarian dinner’ recipe searches were up more than 220% on taste.com.au in 2023.For me, there’s no greater easy-to-make, vegetarian budget-friendly dinner than my easy vegetarian dahl dinner bowls, which is why they’re part of our Savvy Dinner Plan.How to make my budget-friendly easy vegetarian dahl dinner bowls: key ingredient swapsTopping the dahl with a plentiful helping of seasonal roasted vegetables helps to keep the cost down while bulking up the meal. And, using stock cubes is a cheaper way of adding flavour on a budget (without having to buy more ingredients). I’ve also used Coles Simply Tomato Paste, which I’ve added to the sauce that the vegetables are roasted in, as a savvy hack to pack a powerful flavour punch without increasing your grocery bill.Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use leftover curry powder from this recipe in the French onion curried sausages and the Chicken mince keema curry dishes from the monthly menu plan, too.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 3.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead and freeze your meal, see the notes below the recipe.
Porcupine meatballs have long been a favourite recipe among those looking to feed their families on a budget – and I’ve taken the recipe one step further for our Savvy Dinner Plan with my super-veg porcupine meatballs. The vegies not only bring extra flavour and nutritional value to your meal, but they also stretch the dish further while keeping costs low. Super!Read on to find out how I’ve revised this classic family dinner recipe with some clever ingredients that’ll make you want to pop this main on your menu regularly.How to make my budget-friendly super-veg porcupine meatballs: key ingredient swapsI’ve added plenty of grated vegetables to the meatballs to stretch that mixture further (and keep them hidden from younger, fussier eaters). I’ve also used Coles Simply Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce, which saves on the cost of buying fresh basil while still bringing those classic Italian flavours to the fore. Even better yet, I’ve served these up with a side of garlic bread to dunk in and soak up the sauce – making the meal even more substantial.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 3.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead and freeze your meatballs for later, see the notes below the recipe.
I love a recipe that lets the oven do the heavy lifting, which is why pasta bakes are an especially popular recipe for those who don’t have the luxury of time to spend in the kitchen during the week. This set-and-forget, dump-and-bake creamy chicken pasta - created as part of our Savvy Dinner Plan - is the perfect antidote to a hurried day.I’ve developed it so that all you need to do is chop up a few ingredients and pop it all in a metal baking dish – then set your timer and get on with the other important things in life (like relaxing).Et voila! With minimal effort exerted you have a creamy penne pasta bake made even more flavourful with roast chicken. Plus the addition of sweet potato and spinach ensures you’re getting a well-rounded meal, too.How to make my budget-friendly dump-and-bake creamy chicken pasta: key ingredient swapsI’ve compared the prices of all of the ingredients in this week’s Savvy Dinner Plan menu, and have found that by grating your own cheese from a block and using Coles Simply Penne dried pasta, you can keep the costs down. This pasta is a savvy ingredient to help you spend less, and it holds its shape well in a pasta bake.I’ve also added sweet potato to help stretch my pasta further and use less chicken. This useful vegie also helps make this meal heartier (and adds extra nutrients to your plate!).Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner Plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use the remaining cheddar cheese in the creamy tuna Florentine pasta bake that’s also part of the Savvy Dinner Plan.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 3.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead and freeze your bake, see the notes below the recipe.
Planning a menu with a budget in mind needn’t mean compromising on big, bold flavours – and this jumbo chilli con carne burritos recipe brings flavour to the fore! Chilli con carne is a delicious wallet-friendly meal, and I’ve given it a fun spin with this easy midweek dinner recipe that’s part of our Savvy Dinner Plan.What’s better than a regular burrito? A jumbo burrito. And this is a burrito recipe you can have on the table in half an hour.How to make my budget-friendly jumbo chilli con carne burritos: key ingredient swapsTo give you more burrito for your buck, I’ve added black beans to the beef mince (to bulk it out and make your meal stretch further).Coles Simply Tomato Paste is a great, savvy ingredient to have on hand to add that tomatoey richness to all manner of dishes - with just a small amount needed to inject flavour and colour.I’ve chosen to use a block of cheese in this recipe, which was better value than the pre-grated, to save even more money.Save even more across the month with the Savvy Dinner PlanThe taste + Coles Savvy Dinner Plan is full of clever ways to use ingredients across multiple meals. You can use leftover cheddar cheese in the dump-and-bake creamy chicken pasta and use the coriander from this recipe in the easy veggie dahl bowl.What’s the Savvy Dinner Plan?The taste.com.au food team has redesigned our most searched-for family dinner recipes to help you stretch your grocery budget further. By making savvy ingredient swaps and switching up how you plan and cook, the Savvy Dinner Plan can help shave dollars off your favourite dinners, without compromising on flavour.The Savvy Dinner Plan offers you four weeks of budget-friendly recipes, plus use-it-up hacks and cost-saving tips. This recipe features in week 3.Not a planner? You can still save. Check out all our Savvy Dinner Plan recipes and pick the perfect dish for you.For instructions on how to prep ahead and freeze your ingredients, see the notes below the recipe.
