A budget family dinner for four using the exact quantities in the MynRecipes dinner plans.
Makes: 4 portions · Estimated time: 40–45 minutes · Equipment: Oven + hob. Adjust for household appetites.
Cooking times are estimates; check doneness and follow packet instructions.
Ingredients for four
Rice, pasta and lentils are weighed dry. Canned beans, chickpeas and tuna use drained weights. Fresh vegetables use prepared weights.
- 350 g Dry fusilli
- 480 g Tinned chickpeas, drained
- 150 g Onions, peeled
- 300 g Frozen mixed vegetables
- 400 g Tinned chopped tomatoes with juice
- 120 g Mild Cheddar
- 15 ml Sunflower oil
- 150 ml water for sauce, plus water for pasta
How to make it
- Heat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Cook pasta according to its packet and drain.
- Chop onion and soften in oil for 8–10 minutes. Add tomatoes and 150 ml water, simmer for 5 minutes, then add frozen vegetables and cook for their packet time.
- Stir in drained chickpeas and pasta. Transfer to a suitable ovenproof dish and scatter over grated Cheddar.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until bubbling, with melted cheese and a steaming hot centre. Divide into four.
Shopping and the dinner plan
These quantities match our budget-plan shopping lists. Whole-pack prices, sources, date and the fresh-vegetable yield allowance are shown in the linked plans. Optional extras, substitutions and serving changes need a new cost calculation.
- £30 Family Dinner Plan UK: 5 Dinners & Shopping List
- £40 Weekly Meal Plan UK: 7 Dinners & Shopping List
- £50 Family Meal Plan UK: 7 Dinners & Shopping List
Allergens and storage
Check every product label, including stock and spice mixes. Depending on the recipe and products, allergens can include wheat/gluten, milk, celery, fish or eggs. This recipe has not been screened for allergies.
Follow the Food Standards Agency guidance: cool ordinary cooked leftovers and refrigerate within two hours; eat within 48 hours or freeze. Cool cooked rice quickly, ideally within one hour, refrigerate for no more than 24 hours before reheating, and reheat once until steaming hot.