7 Cheap Vegetarian Meals Under $2 Per Serving

One of the most persistent myths in home cooking is that eating vegetarian is expensive. People picture overpriced organic produce and specialty health food store ingredients. The reality is the exact opposite. Meat is consistently the most expensive item on any grocery receipt, and cutting it out — even a few nights a week — is one of the fastest ways to shrink your food budget. Dried beans cost about $1.50 per pound and yield six to eight servings. A bag of lentils is even cheaper. Rice, pasta, oats, and potatoes are some of the most affordable foods on the planet, and they are all naturally plant-based. When you build meals around these staples instead of around a protein like chicken or beef, the per-serving cost drops dramatically. These seven vegetarian meals all come in under $2 per serving, most well under that mark. They are satisfying enough for meat-eaters, simple enough for beginners, and cheap enough for the tightest budgets. Every single one has been tested and loved by the HomeMealHacks community. ## 1. Aglio e Olio — About $1.50 Per Serving [Aglio e Olio](/recipes/aglio-e-olio) is the ultimate proof that simple ingredients create extraordinary food. This classic Italian pasta dish uses just five ingredients: spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parsley. That is it. No cream, no cheese, no meat. Just technique and quality staples. The cost breakdown is almost laughable. A pound of spaghetti costs about $1.25. A head of garlic is $0.50. Olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parsley add maybe another $1 to the total, and you will use only a fraction of each. For four servings of restaurant-quality pasta, you are spending roughly $3 total — about $0.75 per plate if you already have olive oil in your pantry. The key to great aglio e olio is toasting the garlic slowly in olive oil until it turns golden and fragrant, then tossing the hot pasta directly in the pan so it absorbs all that garlicky goodness. It takes 20 minutes from start to finish and tastes like something you would pay $16 for at a trattoria. ## 2. Lentil Soup — About $0.90 Per Serving If there is one recipe that proves budget cooking does not mean boring cooking, it is [Lentil Soup](/recipes/lentil-soup). A one-pound bag of dried lentils costs about $1.50 and produces a massive pot of thick, hearty soup that feeds six to eight people. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, canned tomatoes, and basic spices, and your total ingredient cost lands around $5-6 for the entire pot. Lentils are nutritional powerhouses. A single cup of cooked lentils packs 18 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber. That is more protein than two eggs and more fiber than most people eat in an entire day. They also cook in about 25 minutes without any soaking, which makes them far more convenient than dried beans. This soup reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld together. Make a big batch on Sunday and you have lunches covered for the entire work week. It freezes well too, so you can stash portions in the freezer for nights when cooking feels like too much effort. ## 3. Chickpea Curry — About $1.75 Per Serving [Chickpea Curry](/recipes/chickpea-curry) is the dish that converts skeptics into vegetarian cooking enthusiasts. A can of chickpeas, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of coconut milk, an onion, garlic, and a tablespoon of curry spices come together into something that tastes like it took hours to prepare but actually comes together in about 30 minutes. Two cans of chickpeas cost around $1.50. Coconut milk runs about $1.50 per can. Diced tomatoes add another $0.85. The onion, garlic, and spices bring the total to roughly $7 for six generous servings. Serve it over rice — another $0.50 worth — and you have a complete, protein-rich meal for well under $2 per person. The beauty of chickpea curry is its versatility. Add spinach for extra greens. Throw in diced potatoes to stretch it even further. Swap the curry powder for cumin and chili powder and you have a completely different flavor profile. It is a template as much as a recipe. ## 4. Black Bean Quesadillas — About $1.25 Per Serving [Black Bean Quesadillas](/recipes/black-bean-quesadillas) are one of those meals that take ten minutes to make and satisfy everyone at the table. A can of black beans, a handful of shredded cheese, and a stack of flour tortillas are all you need for the basic version. Season the beans with cumin, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lime, and you have something genuinely delicious. A can of black beans costs about $0.85. A bag of shredded cheese runs $2.50 and covers multiple meals. A pack of flour tortillas costs $1.50 and gives you eight to ten wraps. The total cost for four quesadillas comes in at about $5, and each one is filling enough to serve as a full dinner alongside some rice or a simple salad. For extra value, mash half the beans before adding them to the tortilla. The mashed beans act as a glue that holds everything together and gives the quesadilla a creamier texture. Top with salsa, sour cream, or hot sauce, and you have a meal that rivals anything from a fast-casual restaurant. ## 5. Baked Mac and Cheese — About $1.60 Per Serving Homemade [Baked Mac and Cheese](/recipes/baked-mac-and-cheese) is comfort food royalty, and it costs a fraction of what you would expect. A pound of elbow macaroni, butter, flour, milk, and a block of sharp cheddar cheese produce a bubbling, golden casserole that feeds six people easily. The cost breakdown: pasta at $1.25, butter and flour at about $0.75 combined, milk at $0.50, and cheddar cheese at roughly $3.50 for a generous amount. That puts the total at around $6 for six servings, or just over $1 per plate before adding optional extras like breadcrumb topping or a sprinkle of paprika. The secret to great homemade mac and cheese is the roux-based cheese sauce. You melt butter, whisk in flour, slowly add milk while stirring, then melt in the cheese. It takes five minutes and produces a silky sauce that the blue-box version cannot touch. Once you learn this basic technique, you can apply it to dozens of other recipes — cheese sauces for broccoli, creamy pasta dishes, and more. ## 6. Spicy Peanut Noodles — About $1.40 Per Serving [Spicy Peanut Noodles](/recipes/spicy-peanut-noodles) are the kind of meal that tastes like expensive takeout but costs pocket change. The sauce comes together from peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, a clove of garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Toss it with cooked noodles and whatever vegetables you have on hand, and dinner is served in 15 minutes. A jar of peanut butter — the biggest ingredient cost — runs about $2.50, but you will only use a couple of tablespoons per batch. Spaghetti or lo mein noodles cost about $1.25 per pound. The soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil add up to about $1 per batch since you use such small amounts. Total cost for four servings hovers around $5.50. This recipe is also one of the most adaptable on the site. Add shredded carrots and cucumber for crunch. Toss in frozen edamame for protein. Use whatever noodles are cheapest — spaghetti works just as well as fancy ramen noodles. You can serve it hot or cold, making it perfect for meal prep lunches. You might also enjoy pairing it with [No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars](/recipes/no-bake-peanut-butter-bars) for a peanut-themed dinner with dessert. ## 7. Banana Oat Pancakes (Bonus Breakfast) — About $0.60 Per Serving Vegetarian budget cooking is not just about dinner. Breakfast matters too, and [Banana Oat Pancakes](/recipes/banana-oat-pancakes) are the cheapest, easiest morning meal you can make. Mash ripe bananas, mix with rolled oats and eggs, add a pinch of cinnamon, and cook on a skillet just like traditional pancakes. Two bananas cost about $0.50. A cup of oats is about $0.30. Two eggs add another $0.40. That makes a stack of eight pancakes for roughly $1.20 total. Split between two people, you are paying $0.60 each for a filling, naturally sweet breakfast that requires zero added sugar. These pancakes are also a brilliant way to use up overripe bananas that might otherwise get thrown away. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful the pancake. Keep a bag of oats in your pantry and a bunch of bananas on the counter, and you will always have a cheap breakfast option ready to go. ## Making Vegetarian Cooking Work Long-Term Going meatless a few nights per week is the easiest budget hack most people overlook. You do not have to commit to a fully vegetarian lifestyle to reap the savings. Even swapping three dinners per week from meat-based to plant-based can save $30-50 per month, and that adds up to $360-600 per year. The trick is not to think of vegetarian meals as meals without meat. Think of them as meals built around different ingredients — beans, lentils, cheese, eggs, and vegetables. When the focus shifts from what is missing to what is there, the food becomes far more satisfying. Stock your pantry with the staples listed above, pick two or three of these recipes to try this week, and pay attention to your grocery receipt. The numbers speak for themselves. Budget vegetarian cooking is not a sacrifice. It is a strategy, and a delicious one at that.