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With food inflation climbing to 2.8 per cent – the highest in over a year – households are feeling the pinch at the checkout. Fresh produce and red meat prices have surged, driven by factors like rising wholesale beef costs and increased operational expenses for retailers.
In this month’s Budget Bites, in collaboration with Sorted Food, we’re helping you stretch your ingredients further with three vibrant, cost-conscious dinners that share a smart, consolidated shopping list.
From a smoky tahini Caesar salad and zesty pork chops with herby beans to a Korean-style burger with crispy smashed potatoes, these recipes are designed for maximum flavour and minimal waste.
It’s all about thoughtful meal planning – because cooking on a budget shouldn’t mean compromising on taste.
Shopping list
400g new potatoes
10 spring onions
4 cloves garlic
10g fresh ginger
30g fresh basil
2 lemon
2 heads little gem lettuce
70g hard Italian cheese
50g cheddar
2 tbsp mayonnaise
250g beef mince
2 pork chops
4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp sesame oil
11 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
10g almond flakes
2 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp Dijon mustard
800g tinned butter beans
50g dried panko breadcrumbs
20g capers
60g tinned anchovies
Smoky chicken tahini caesar salad
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Chargrilled lettuce and a smoky tahini dressing give this classic Caesar a bold, budget-friendly upgrade (Sorted)
A smoky twist on a Caesar classic! It’s salty, savoury, creamy and crisp – everything a Caesar salad should be, plus a little more.
Ingredients:
2 heads little gem lettuce
5 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
1½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
60g tinned anchovies
50g dried panko breadcrumbs
1 lemon
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
50g hard Italian cheese
Method:
1. Place a large frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat. Cut 2 heads of little gem lettuce in half lengthwise. Brush the cut side of the lettuce with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once the pan is smoking hot, lay the lettuce in the pan, cut-side down. Season with a pinch of salt.
2. Cook for 4-6 minutes until charred on one side, then transfer to a chopping board. If needed, you can do this in batches to fit your pan.
3. Cut the charred lettuce into large, bite-sized pieces, then pop them into a large mixing bowl.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cut 4 chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the chicken on the board – give it a mix to coat well. Remember to wash your hands after handling raw meat.
5. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat.
6. Tip 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a small frying pan and place it over a medium heat. Drain and remove ¼ of a 60g tin of anchovies to a cutting board. Finely chop the anchovies into a paste-like texture.
7. Once the oil starts to shimmer and loosen, add the anchovy paste and fry for a minute before adding 50g of panko breadcrumbs. Fry for 4-5 minutes, tossing regularly until golden and crisp.
8. Once the crumbs are golden, take the pan off the heat. Finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon and give everything a good toss, then season to taste with salt and black pepper and set aside.
9. Add the remaining anchovies to a measuring jug, along with 2 tablespoons of tahini, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Finely grate in 1 clove of garlic, 40g of hard Italian cheese and squeeze in the juice from ½ the zested lemon.
10. Using a hand blender, whizz up the dressing until smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice the remaining ½ lemon into wedges.
11. Add the dressing and cooked chicken to the large mixing bowl with the lettuce in, then give it a good toss to mix.Your hands are the best tools for this!
12. Divide the salad into two plates. Top generously with the breadcrumbs, grate over the remaining 10g of cheese and serve a lemon wedge on the side. Tuck in!
Pork chops with zesty pesto beans
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This one-pan dinner layers herby richness with pantry-friendly beans – proof that simple can still be sensational (Sorted)
This one-pan wonder is full of bold, herby flavour with minimal fuss – perfect for sunny evenings or low-effort weekend dinners.
Ingredients:
6 tbsp olive oil
2 pork chops
1 tsp dried oregano
5 spring onions
1 tsp chilli flakes
800g tinned butter beans
30g fresh basil
10g almond flakes
20g capers
1 clove garlic
30g hard Italian cheese
1 lemon
Method:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season 2 pork chops all over with 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and salt.
2. Lay in the pork chops and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden all over and cooked throughout. Remove onto a plate when done to rest. Don’t wash the pan, we’ll use it for the beans in the next steps.
3. Finely chop 3 spring onions, keeping aside a handful of the greens for garnish.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan that you fried the pork chops in over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chopped onions, 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes, and a pinch of salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until the onions are soft and just translucent.
5. Once the onions are translucent, add 2 undrained 400g tins of butterbeans. Bring everything to a boil.
6. Simmer the beans for 6-8 minutes until they are soft and the liquid coats them in a tight glaze.
7. Add 30g of basil, 2 spring onions, 10g of almond flakes, 20g of capers, 1 peeled clove of garlic and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a measuring jug. Finely grate in 30g of hard Italian cheese, then finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze in the juice.
8. Blitz everything together using a hand blender until smooth. Loosen with a splash of water if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Add the pesto to the beans and stir through to coat well.
10. Slice the pork chops crossways at 1cm intervals.
11. Divide the beans between shallow bowls and top each portion with a pork chop. Scatter over the reserved spring onion greens and serve. Enjoy!
Cheesy bulgogi smash burgers and crispy potato salad
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A fiery glaze, melty cheddar and crisp potato salad bring big takeaway energy without the spend (Sorted)
Smash burgers get a bold Korean twist – this comforting plate brings the heat and crunch in every bite. A seriously satisfying warm-weather dinner.
Ingredients:
400g new potatoes
5 spring onions
2 cloves garlic
10g fresh ginger
50g cheddar
250g beef mince
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp gochujang
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 lime
2 brioche burger buns
Method:
1. Preheat the air fryer to 210C.
2. Chuck 400g of new potatoes onto a microwave-safe plate, add a small splash of water, and cover with cling film. Microwave the potatoes on full power for 8-10 minutes until soft throughout. Get on with the rest of the steps.
3. Finely chop 5 spring onions, peel and finely grate 2 cloves of garlic and 10g of ginger. Add half the spring onions and all the garlic and ginger to a large mixing bowl. Save the remaining spring onions for the salad later.
4. Add 250g of beef mince and 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes, then coarsely grate in 50g of cheddar cheese – give this all a good mix to combine.
5. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them onto a cutting board. Using the flat bottom of a glass or a small pan, smash the potatoes down flat. Brush them all over with 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
6. Pop them into the air fryer for 12-15 minutes, until they are crispy and golden brown, tossing halfway. Make the dressing in the meantime.
7. In a medium mixing bowl, add 1 tablespoon of gochujang, 2 tablespoon of mayonnaise, finely zest in 1 lime and squeeze in the juice from the half. Season with salt and pepper and give it a good mix until smooth. Set this aside until ready to serve.
8. In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 tablespoon of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds and the juice from the other ½ lime.
9. Pop the pan over a medium heat and bring it to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes. The sauce should be reduced until it’s thick and coats the back of a spoon, or has the texture of runny honey.
10. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and form the burger mix into 2 balls. Always wash your hands after handling raw meat.
11. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan. Place the beef balls into the pan, then use a small pan or spatula to flatten them to a thickness of ½ cm. Wash your hands after handling raw meat. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until deep golden brown on the underside, before flipping and repeating on the other side.
12. Cut 2 brioche buns in half through their middles and add them to the air fryer to toast. Once the buns are ready, spread a spoonful of the mayo dressing on the bottom of each bun. Top each with a burger, then spoon over the glaze and finish with a bun lid.
13. Put 1 burger onto each plate with a heaped pile of crispy smashed potatoes on the side. Drizzle over the dressing and sprinkle over the reserved spring onions. Tuck in!
In response to the rising cost of living, we have teamed up with Sorted Food to bring you easy, affordable, quick and (most importantly) tasty recipes once a month. Find out more about Sorted and their nifty meal-planning app Sidekick, designed to help cancel boring dinners, at sortedfood.com/sidekick.
