The under $15 challenge: How to feed a family of four on a budget

Of all the improbable tasks, feeding four people for under $15 seems like a particularly difficult one right now.

So we set a challenge. We called in four of the best recipe writers we know: chef Benjamin Cooper from Chin Chin restaurant, chef and Good Food columnist Danielle Alvarez, cookbook author and teacher Julia Busuttil Nishimura, and author of cult cookbook Community (plus others) Hetty McKinnon, giving them each a strict budget.

We've given each cook access to non-perishable pantry basics such as flour, oil, salt and pepper, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce (as long as they're not used as the main ingredient in the recipe), plus milk and a bit of butter. But we've calculated the cost of all other ingredients on the Coles website, using mid-priced rather than homebrand ingredients, and choosing Australian-grown or made wherever possible.

What they came up with is delicious, inspiring, almost astounding. Family dinner for $6.63, anyone? As McKinnon says: "With a touch of creativity and ingenuity, we can lean into pantry staples to deliver simple meals that are economical yet intensely delicious. These meals are deceptively satisfying, full of complex flavours achieved with minimal ingredients, most of which you'll find in your pantry, fridge or freezer."

Benjamin Cooper's turmeric spiced butter beans

I love braised beans, so when I found a recipe for butter beans in Tin Cho Chow's brilliant Burmese cookbook Hsa* Ba many years ago, I had to create my own version. These can be vegetarian, vegan, or made with stock rather than coconut milk. The addition of chilli never hurts, either. You could add chilli flakes with the other spices or drizzle with sriracha or chilli oil at the end.

The beans work well with so many things, including barbecued chicken, roast lamb, pork sausages, roasted cauliflower or grilled eggplant. And they're absolutely delicious the next day for breakfast with toast, eggs and bacon. They become an amazing vehicle for whatever you feel like adding. Whichever way you go, it's a great dish to have in the fridge, so don't be afraid to make a slightly bigger batch.

Benjamin Cooper, executive chef at Chin Chin

INGREDIENTS

• 100ml oil (extra virgin olive oil or peanut work well)
• 1 medium brown onion, finely sliced
• 3-5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• large pinch sea salt
• good pinch black pepper
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp sweet paprika
• 2 x 400g cans butter beans*
• 400ml can coconut milk (or replace with stock or water)
• 250ml-300ml water or stock to cover
• fish sauce, oyster sauce, sriracha or soy sauce to finish, optional

METHOD

1. In a heavy-based pot gently warm the oil and add the sliced onion and garlic, salt and pepper. Cook the onion mix until golden. Add in the spices, turn down the heat and cook until fragrant and the oil has taken on a deep golden-red hue.
2. Add the beans and cover with the coconut milk (if using) and stock or water and bring to the boil. Allow to boil for several minutes then reduce to a simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn't catch, until tender. (If you're using dried butter beans, you will need to add more liquid and cook for a further 30 minutes or so.) At this stage you can decide how you wish to eat the beans: add more liquid to make them saucier or let the liquid evaporate. If you like, you could fold through some baby spinach or pan-fried kale at the end, or add slices of pan-fried sausage.
3. Add condiments to taste and served with cooked rice or toast.

* Note: You can also use 400g of dried beans soaked in cold water overnight. Add at step 2 with the water or stock but remember to salt at the end rather than the beginning.

Serves 4

Cost breakdown

• Onion $0.41
• Garlic $0.38
• Ground turmeric $0.28
• Ground coriander $0.04
• Sweet paprika $0.02
• Butter beans $2
• Coconut milk $3.50

Total $6.63

Danielle Alvarez's lemony chicken and orzo stew

When being mindful of a budget, it's important to know which ingredients deliver good nutrition and flavour while delivering great value. Even on a budget, I don't want to feel deprived or like I'm adding in cheap, unhealthy ingredients just to achieve flavour.

Thankfully, this recipe uses wholesome ingredients I know I can turn to when I'm watching my pennies. Chicken drumsticks, often neglected, can be bought at a bargain price. I wouldn't generally recommend dried herbs but dried dill is an exception. I love the flavour it imparts and in a stew like this you might not even notice it wasn't fresh. Lastly, frozen spinach – a fraction of the cost of fresh and still delivering ample nutrition and eye appeal.

While saving on those ingredients I do like to splurge on something fresh like lemons, which give this dish vibrancy. I bet you wouldn't feel like this dish was budget cooking in the slightest.

Danielle Alvarez, executive chef at Fred's, Sydney

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg chicken drumsticks
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1 litre water
• 1 tbsp dried dill
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 lemons
• 150g orzo (risoni pasta)
• 250g chopped frozen spinach, defrosted
• sea salt and black pepper
• toasted bread rubbed with garlic to serve

METHOD

1. Season the chicken with salt and set aside for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-based lidded pot over high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown the chicken on all sides. This should take about 10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside in a bowl. Immediately add the diced carrots, onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and reduce heat to low. Sweat the vegetables until the onions look translucent, add the dried oregano and stir to combine.
3. Return the chicken to the pot and pour in the stock and the water. Cover with the lid and turn the heat back up to allow this to come back up to simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat so it gently bubbles away for one to one and a quarter hours, or until the chicken is beginning to fall off the bone.
4. Turn the heat off and remove the chicken to a chopping board. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bone and add it back into the broth, discarding the bones. There should be enough broth that when you add the chicken back in it looks like soup. If too much liquid has evaporated, add enough water to give a soupy consistency.
5. Bring the mixture back up to a low simmer and add the dried dill. While that's happening, zest and juice the two lemons and combine zest, juice and egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.
6. Pour the orzo into the pot and cook according to package instructions, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully ladle some of the hot broth into the egg/lemon mixture while continuously whisking. This is to temper the egg yolks and prevent them from curdling. Keep adding broth until the egg mixture feels hot to the touch, then pour the whole mixture back into the pot. Keep the heat low and keep stirring until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
7. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess liquid and add to the pot, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper as needed. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Cost breakdown

• Chicken drumsticks $6
• Carrots $0.55
• Onion $0.30
• Garlic $0.23
• Dried oregano $0.12
• Chicken stock $1.80
• Eggs $1.13
• Lemons $1.38
• Dried dill $0.89
• Orzo $0.72
• Frozen spinach $1.80

Total $14.92

Hetty McKinnon's spinach and walnut pesto pasta

Because I am a generous person, I have given you two main course options here. Either a sensationally simple pasta dish, or a gentle braise using what may be the humblest ingredient of them all, frozen peas. Take your choice of main then finish with my cheat's take on a fruit crumble.

This pasta dish is fresh and surprisingly herbaceous, even though it contains no herbs at all. Frozen spinach is the magic ingredient, providing earthy flavour while delivering a healthy dose of green power. Frozen spinach also turns out to be a fantastic and economical way to make pesto all year round. A small handful of walnuts adds richness and body to the irresistible pasta sauce while lemon zest and juice injects life and brightness into this crowd-pleasing dish.

Cook and food writer Hetty McKinnon

INGREDIENTS

• 500g linguine, spaghetti or other pasta shape
• extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of chilli flakes
• sea salt and black pepper

Spinach and walnut pesto

• 45g (⅓ cup) chopped walnuts
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 250g frozen spinach, defrosted
• 1 tsp sea salt
• zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

1. Heat a small frypan on medium-low heat and add the walnuts. Toss for about 2 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant and toasted. Remove from the heat immediately.
2. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the defrosted spinach.
3. Add the walnuts, garlic, oil and 80ml (⅓ cup) water to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Next add the spinach and salt, and blend until smooth (if the mixture is too thick, add another splash of water). Pour the pesto into a bowl and stir through the lemon zest and half the lemon juice. Taste and if needed, season with more sea salt.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta, retaining 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Add the spinach pesto to the drained pasta, along with a good drizzle of olive oil and enough pasta cooking water to loosen everything up. Season with sea salt and black pepper. To serve, sprinkle with red chilli flakes and squeeze over the remaining lemon juice.

Serves 4

Cost breakdown

• Spaghetti $2.40
• Chilli flakes $0.05
• Walnuts $1.58
• Garlic $0.08
• Frozen spinach $1.80
• Lemons $0.83

Total​ $6.75

Hetty McKinnon's spicy tomato and coconut braised peas

You will always find frozen peas in my freezer. They are a staple for everyday meals like fried rice or curries. In this dish, frozen peas become a showstopper, gently cooked in a spicy, garlicky tomato and coconut broth that is almost curry-like. This braise is achingly simple and needs little adornment other than a side of white rice. If your budget allows, you could break a few eggs into the peas to cook as you would baked eggs.

INGREDIENTS

• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 long red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
• 1 x 400ml can coconut milk
• 500g frozen peas
• cooked white rice, to serve

METHOD

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the garlic and chilli, frying for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the diced tomatoes, season with about ¼ teaspoon of salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for about 6-8 minutes, until the tomato mixture is thick.
2. Add the coconut milk, and season again with sea salt. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the flavours to meld. Add the frozen peas and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or so, until the peas are soft and everything is heated through (avoid cooking the peas for too long as you want to retain the greenness). Remove from the heat and serve immediately with rice.

Serves 4

Cost breakdown

• Garlic $0.15
• Long red chilli $0.05
• Diced tomatoes $1.40
• Coconut milk $3.50
• Frozen peas $1.85
• Rice $1.26

Total $8.21

Hetty McKinnon's pear streusel

This is a simplified version of a pear crumble. You will find all the ingredients for the streusel topping in your pantry. Pears are great but you could also use apples, or even canned peaches or apricots. If you have it, serve with vanilla ice-cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 (about 850g) just-soft pears, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp plain flour

Streusel topping

• 130g (1 cup) plain flour
• 80g (½ cup) brown sugar
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 85g (6 tbsp) butter, melted

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 190C fan-forced (210C conventional).
2. To make the streusel topping, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and stir to combine, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some large pieces remaining. Set aside.
3. Place the pears into an ovenproof dish, add the sugar and flour, and toss to coat. Scatter the streusel topping over the pears. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is golden, and the pears are tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Cost breakdown

• Pears $2.63
• Flour $0.39
• Brown sugar $0.35
• Butter $1.36

Total $4.73

Julia Busuttil Nishimura's pantry spaghetti

This is one of my favourite meals to make in a hurry or when the fridge is bare. It takes only moments to come together and is so robust, comforting and full of flavour. The lemon brightens up the dish wonderfully and while a grating of parmesan would be more than fine here, I prefer a scattering of crunchy, salty breadcrumbs, known as formaggi dei poveri (poor man's cheese), instead.

Food writer Julia Busuttil Nishimura

INGREDIENTS

• 400g spaghetti
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 anchovy fillets
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• zest and juice of a ½ lemon
• large handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• sea salt and black pepper

Crunchy breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• sea salt

METHOD

1. For the breadcrumbs, heat the olive oil in a small frypan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and crunchy. Season with sea salt and set aside.
2. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of generously salted boiling water. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, warm the olive oil, garlic, anchovies and chilli together in a large pan over a low-medium heat and cook until the garlic is soft but not coloured. You don't want to cook it too high as the garlic will easily burn and the olive oil is best kept on a lower heat. When the pasta is ready, scoop out and set aside half a cup of the pasta water and drain the spaghetti.
3. Add the spaghetti to the pan and toss to coat. If it is looking a little dry, add a little of the pasta water; you may not need all of it. Stir through the lemon juice, zest and parsley, and season to taste. Serve onto plates and scatter with the breadcrumbs and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4

Cost breakdown

• Spaghetti $1.92
• Garlic $1.88
• Anchovy fillets $0.52
• Chilli flakes $0.22
• Lemons $0.42
• Parsley $1.23
• Breadcrumbs $1.83

Total​ $8.01

Julia Busuttil Nishimura's apple and ricotta frittelle

Traditionally eaten during Carnevale in Italy, these frittelle, spiked with cinnamon, marsala and lemon, are irresistible any time of the year. They are incredibly light thanks to the ricotta, and since yeast is not needed here they come together within minutes. I've added sultanas to the batter, which add a lovely sweetness, but raisins or currants could be used instead. And a tablespoon of marsala is another good addition, if you have it.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g full-fat ricotta
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp castor sugar
• 1 apple, coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp sultanas
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch cinnamon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 200g self-raising flour
• vegetable oil, for frying
• icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs and sugar until smooth. Stir in the grated apple, sultanas, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon and then add in the flour and mix until just combined. The batter needn't be perfectly smooth. But it should be mixed well enough so no flour remains in the bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan or deep-fryer to 170C and spoon heaped tablespoons of the batter into the oil. Fry the frittelle in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

Makes 12

Cost breakdown

• Full fat ricotta $3.44
• Eggs $0.75
• Apples $0.49
• Sultanas $0.20
• Vanilla extract $0.74
• Cinnamon $0.01
• Lemons $0.83

Total $6.46