3 ‘Struggle Meals’ You Can Make Without Needing To Buy Eggs

©Shutterstock.com

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

Struggle meals are cheap and easy to make from affordable ingredients — think pasta, rice, beans and potatoes. There’s a slew of tasty recipes to concoct that rival high-end restaurants if you do it right, but with grocery prices continuing to soar and eggs still causing sticker shock, your options for good struggle meals shrink.

According to the USDA, egg prices have slightly lowered in some regions, costs have increased in others and remain limited.  With many Americans tightening their budgets, there are cost-effective ways to enjoy a good meal without eggs. Below are three recipes from chefs who share their favorite budget-friendly meals that don’t require eggs.

Also find out the cost of eggs in every state.

One-Pan Italian Chicken Sausages With White Beans and Spinach

One-pan meals are great because they’re typically no fuss and clean up is easy. Plus, they’re delicious. This meal of Italian chicken sausages with white beans and spinach is cost-effective, according to John Adler, head chef and senior vice president of Blue Apron. Plus, it’s healthy.

“This meal is hearty, full of protein, fiber, green vegetables and comes together quickly and easily,” he explained. “I priced the whole meal out on Instacart using my local Acme grocery store as the source and it came in at $20 or $5 per serving for a family of four (this assumes one and a half sausages per person, so it is a solid amount of food).”

In addition, the dish is versatile and requires little prep that can be enjoyed over the course of a couple of days.

“You could easily swap out the Italian sausage for chorizo and the cannellini beans for black beans and you have a Mexican version that can be enjoyed with sour cream and tortillas on the side,” John said. “Or you can turn this version into a sandwich and cook it down until thickened and eat it on sesame-semolina bread with some melted provolone or mozzarella.”

Ingredients:

• One package Italian chicken sausage (hot or sweet)
• Two cans cannellini beans, drained (chickpeas fine as well)
• Four cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 5-ounces of spinach (one bag), roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• One can of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• Juice of one lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large sauté pan over medium, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add your sausages and cook two to three minutes per side or until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
2. Return the pan to the stove and add the chopped garlic to the pan; cook 30 seconds to one minute or until fragrant.
3. Add the white beans and crushed red pepper flakes (if using); season with salt and pepper. Cook one to two minutes or until the beans begin to soften.
4. Return the sausages to the pan and add the chicken broth and spinach. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and loosely cover with a piece of aluminum foil or a lid. Cook five to seven minutes or until the sausages are cooked through and the liquid is reduced by half.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and cook for an additional 30 seconds to one minute. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, drizzle with olive oil.
6. Serve on its own or with some bread on the side. Feel free to garnish with any chopped herbs or grated cheese if desired and on hand.

Hearty Beef Barley Soup

Soup is the ultimate comfort food, but also relatively easy and affordable to make. A favorite for Dennis Littley, chef and recipe expert at Ask Chef Dennis is the Hearty Beef Barley Soup, which serves a large crowd or a portion can be frozen and reheated at a later time, making it even cheaper.

“This recipe is completely egg-free, so it’s perfect if you’re avoiding eggs but still want a protein-packed dish,” Littley explained. “It makes a big batch (around 12 servings), which means you can cook once and eat for days. 

When money is tight, this is a great go-to because the barley and vegetables are healthy, but affordable.

“Using an inexpensive stew cut of beef provides hearty flavor without breaking the bank,” Littley said.  “All these qualities make it an ideal struggle meal as it’s filling, nutritious and satisfying without costing a fortune.”

Ingredients:

• Tender chunks of beef
• Hearty barley
• A mirepoix of carrots, celery and onions
• A savory broth of choice

Instructions:

1. Toss all the ingredients into a pot.
2. Slow cook, until it has a thick, stew-like consistency with deep flavor and melt-in-your-mouth beef.

Littley said this recipe is also flexible, so you can stretch it with extra frozen veggies to make more portions. Or even swap in ground beef instead of stew meat to save additional money.

Warm Lentil Salad With Squash, Arugula and Maple Vinaigrette

Eggs are loaded with health benefits and fill you up longer, which helps curb an appetite and save money. But that’s not only affordable protein. Dry beans such as pinto, black, chickpeas and lentils are cheap.

“I cook with both quite a bit, but I really love lentils for their earthy flavor and ability to soak up sauces and dressings,” said Kyle Taylor, founder and chef at He Cooks. “One of my favorite lentil dishes is a warm lentil salad with squash, arugula and maple vinaigrette.” He said it’s easy to make and doesn’t require much time.

Ingredients for the salad:

• 1 cup of lentils
• One medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
• 2 cups fresh arugula
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• For serving, grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for the maple vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• One clove of garlic, minced
• To taste, salt and ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Just toss cooked lentils with arugula, any kind of roasted squash but preferably butternut and a simple maple syrup dressing. 
2. Simmer 1 cup dry lentils until tender, 20 to 25 minutes
3. Roast cubed squash with oil and salt at 425 F until caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes
4. Whisk one part maple syrup, half part Dijon mustard, three parts olive oil and two parts vinegar for vinaigrette
5. Toss warm lentils with squash, arugula and dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
6. You can add other items like raisins, nuts or goat cheese. This recipe is very flexible.

While eggs are still high in many areas, these flavorful and fulfilling recipes are healthy, plentiful and friendly on your wallet.

Sources

• USDA, “Egg Markets Overview.”
• John Adler, Blue Apron
• Dennis Littley, Ask Chef Dennis
• Kyle Taylor, He Cooks

Share This Article: