35 Smart Recipes That Stretch Your Groceries

Groceries can do more when meals are built with care and simple steps. Quick ideas and smart swaps turn leftovers into something new and exciting. With 35 smart recipes that stretch every bit, the kitchen feels more useful than ever. Less waste, more flavor, and plenty to go around.

Easy Shredded Tofu Tacos

Give leftover tofu a fresh reason to shine. With just a few simple spices and pantry ingredients, Easy Shredded Tofu Tacos come together fast and keep well for lunches. You’ll get multiple meals out of one easy prep.
Get the Recipe: Easy Shredded Tofu Tacos

Trenette al Pesto

With just a handful of basics, you can make this feel like something special. Trenette al Pesto stretches a little bit of greens, herbs, or even frozen veg into a sauce that works for days. You’ll be glad you made extra.
Get the Recipe: Trenette al Pesto

Marry Me Chicken Meatballs

These meatballs go with just about anything and store well too. Marry Me Chicken Meatballs let you stretch a single pack of ground chicken into multiple meals. It’s a great base to mix and match with grains, pastas, or salads.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Meatballs

Oyster and Maitake Mushroom Pasta

A bowl of multicolored fusilli pasta topped with cooked mushrooms and garnished with fresh thyme sprigs. The dish is served in a white bowl on a wooden surface. — Oyster and Maitake Mushroom Pasta. Photo credit: At The Immigrants Table.

Even a small handful of mushrooms can turn dinner into something rich and full. Oyster and Maitake Mushroom Pasta makes a little pasta feel like a lot more. Leftovers hold up well for an easy second round.
Get the Recipe: Oyster and Maitake Mushroom Pasta

Quinoa Flatbread Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Leftover quinoa? Don’t toss it. Turn it into Quinoa Flatbread Pizza Crust and load it with whatever toppings you’ve got on hand. It’s a smart way to skip the store without skipping pizza night.
Get the Recipe: Quinoa Flatbread Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Cheddar Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

It’s easy to batch these and make them work with pasta, rice, or salads later. Cheddar Stuffed Turkey Meatballs don’t need much to feel complete, and they freeze well too. You’ll get more meals out of one round of prep.
Get the Recipe: Cheddar Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

Thai Basil Pork – Pad Kra Pao

You only need a little meat to make this go far. Thai Basil Pork – Pad Kra Pao can fill rice bowls, lettuce wraps, or noodles without asking for much more. A little spice makes it feel bigger than it is.
Get the Recipe: Thai Basil Pork – Pad Kra Pao

Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice

Cilantro lime chicken on a plate next to avocado and cilantro garnish. — Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice. Photo credit: Renee Nicole's Kitchen.

Meals like this come together with minimal effort and stay useful all week. Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice is easy to pack, reheat, or repurpose into tacos or bowls. It’s one of those recipes that helps stretch your budget without sacrificing flavor.
Get the Recipe: Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice

Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese

Let your pantry do the heavy lifting with a dish that keeps things easy and familiar. Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese is simple enough to throw together, but versatile enough to stretch across meals. You can load it up with veggies or leave it as-is for a dependable side. No fuss, no waste.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese

Easy Mushroom Wellington

An overhead image of mushroom wellington in a serving plate. — Easy Mushroom Wellington. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Leftover mushrooms never go to waste when you use them here. Easy Mushroom Wellington turns inexpensive ingredients into something that feels more thoughtful than it is. You’ll likely have enough to cover more than one dinner.
Get the Recipe: Easy Mushroom Wellington

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

Meals that come together with what you already have on hand can be a game changer. Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry fits that bill and doesn’t demand much while delivering plenty. It’s a great way to use up what’s left in the crisper or freezer. You’ll get a lot of return from one batch.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

Classic Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe

A white bowl filled with clear chicken soup, containing pieces of chicken and garnished with a sprig of dill offers a modern twist on retro one-pot classics. — Classic Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

It starts with simple ingredients you likely already have around. You’ll get more than just one dinner out of Classic Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe, and it freezes well too. Leftovers are easy to repurpose or stretch into another round.
Get the Recipe: Classic Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe

Honey Walnut Shrimp

Plate of crispy chicken pieces with walnuts and green onions, served next to white rice on a patterned cloth with a fork. — Honey Walnut Shrimp. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Stretching seafood doesn’t always mean sacrificing flavor. With Honey Walnut Shrimp, you’re getting a dish that feels special using frozen shrimp and ingredients you likely already have. It’s a good way to make a little go further.
Get the Recipe: Honey Walnut Shrimp

Chicken Sorrentino

There’s nothing complicated about combining just a few ingredients in a way that feels like more than the sum of its parts. Chicken Sorrentino pulls together pantry staples and a bit of chicken into something that works well for leftovers too. Even better, you can double it without doubling the effort.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Sorrentino

Creamy Vegetable Korma

When you're looking to make ingredients work overtime, rich and flexible dishes are key. Creamy Vegetable Korma builds a full meal out of whatever veggies you’ve got left. It holds well for leftovers and fits into more meals than you’d expect. That kind of stretch makes it a smart addition.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegetable Korma

Bok Choy Salad

This is one of those side dishes that uses a little and gives a lot. Bok Choy Salad makes use of what’s in the crisper drawer and pairs with almost anything. It adds crunch and freshness to help bulk up any meal.
Get the Recipe: Bok Choy Salad

Thai Drunken Noodles

This one makes your noodles work overtime. Thai Drunken Noodles bring heat and depth to whatever vegetables or proteins you’ve got left in the fridge. It’s fast, bold, and a solid way to clean out odds and ends.
Get the Recipe: Thai Drunken Noodles

Buckwheat Kasha With Caramelized Mushrooms And Onions

Three bowls of buckwheat kasha with mushrooms and greens. — Buckwheat Kasha With Caramelized Mushrooms And Onions. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

You don’t need fancy ingredients when you’ve got a grain like this. Buckwheat Kasha With Caramelized Mushrooms And Onions is built for bulk cooking with inexpensive pantry items. It’s one of those meals that holds up well through the week.
Get the Recipe: Buckwheat Kasha With Caramelized Mushrooms And Onions

Creamy Garlic Soup

Even basics can feel like something special when you pair them the right way. Creamy Garlic Soup comes together from what’s already in the kitchen and manages to stand on its own. Add toast, rice, or beans to make it go even further. No extra groceries needed.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

You can make it once and have meals covered for the next few days. Slow Cooker Chicken Curry is one of those dishes that only gets better with time. It turns a pack of chicken and a few cans into something way more flexible.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Smashed White Bean Quesadillas

Canned beans always come through when you're trying to stretch meals. Smashed White Bean Quesadillas help use up odds and ends from the fridge and still feel filling. It’s a smart way to turn leftovers into something new.
Get the Recipe: Smashed White Bean Quesadillas

Crock Pot Cube Steak

Plate with mashed potatoes topped with beef and mushroom gravy, alongside diced tomatoes. A bowl of extra gravy is in the background, with a fork and knife beside the plate. — Crock Pot Cube Steak. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

There’s no rush when you’ve got a recipe that does the heavy lifting for you. Crock Pot Cube Steak takes a simple cut of meat and turns it into something you can serve several ways throughout the week. It makes your grocery run count.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Cube Steak

Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup)

Lentils stretch far and take on whatever flavors you like. Lentejas is simple to prep, uses long-lasting ingredients, and tastes even better the next day. This one makes batch cooking feel easy.
Get the Recipe: Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup)

Burger Bowls

Burger bowl with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and special sauce. — Burger Bowls. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

A handful of ingredients can go surprisingly far when you skip the bun. Burger Bowls are flexible enough to mix with whatever veggies, toppings, or grains you’ve got around. It’s a low-effort way to repurpose fridge staples.
Get the Recipe: Burger Bowls

Ground Turkey and Butternut Squash

A bowl of cooked butternut squash and ground beef, garnished with herbs and diced red peppers. — Ground Turkey and Butternut Squash. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

You don’t need a big list to build something filling and useful for leftovers. Ground Turkey and Butternut Squash works great over rice, tucked in wraps, or eaten as-is. That one pan can stretch into more than one meal.
Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey and Butternut Squash

Corn Casserole without Jiffy Mix

A close up image of a single serving of corn casserole on a plate with a spoon beside it. — Corn Casserole without Jiffy Mix. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

It’s easy to make something comforting without needing a boxed shortcut. Corn Casserole without Jiffy Mix works with what’s in your pantry and makes a great side that lasts. It’s a helpful option when you’re feeding more people than planned.
Get the Recipe: Corn Casserole without Jiffy Mix

Green Lentil Curry

Lentils go a long way and don’t ask for much. Green Lentil Curry uses just a few staples to build something hearty and worth saving. You’ll probably be eating the leftovers all week.
Get the Recipe: Green Lentil Curry

Hot Honey Chicken Wings with Mustard

Three glazed chicken wing pieces garnished with parsley are arranged on a white plate. A red and white checkered cloth is visible beside the plate. — Hot Honey Chicken Wings with Mustard. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

It’s the kind of dish you make once and keep reaching for again with whatever’s left in the fridge. Hot Honey Chicken Wings with Mustard are built to use up chicken pieces and turn them into something bold. They’re easy to pair with any grain or salad you’ve got on hand.
Get the Recipe: Hot Honey Chicken Wings with Mustard

Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli

You can keep it simple and still make it feel like something you put effort into. Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli lets you use up pasta, frozen veg, or any bits of cheese you’ve got on hand. It’s a go-to for stretching your pantry.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli

Pasta Amatriciana

A few ingredients go further than you'd expect. Pasta Amatriciana makes canned tomatoes and pantry pasta feel like a real sit-down dinner. Meals like this keep things affordable without being boring.
Get the Recipe: Pasta Amatriciana

Costa Rican-Style Gallo Pinto

Rice and beans have always been one of the smartest combos. Costa Rican-Style Gallo Pinto is a reliable way to turn leftovers into something that feels new. You’ll stretch your ingredients without feeling like you're repeating a meal.
Get the Recipe: Costa Rican-Style Gallo Pinto

Thai Red Curry Soup

You don’t need much to pull this one together. The bold flavor in Thai Red Curry Soup comes from pantry staples like curry paste and coconut milk. One pot feeds you now and later without extra effort.
Get the Recipe: Thai Red Curry Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

One batch feeds more than expected without needing constant attention. Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie turns basic fridge ingredients into something that feels more filling than the sum of its parts. It’s a good way to use up frozen vegetables too.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

Instant Pot Jollof

A close-up of a pot with cooked jollof rice with a person's hand holding a red spatula. — Instant Pot Jollof. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

This one works great when you need to cook once and eat a few times. Instant Pot Jollof turns rice and tomato into something rich enough to carry its own weight. The flavor keeps building with every reheated bite.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Jollof

Winter Vegetable Curry

You won’t miss anything when you’ve got a mix of vegetables that cook down together. Winter Vegetable Curry puts produce drawer leftovers to good use and tastes great with grains or bread. It’s a low-cost, high-return kind of meal.
Get the Recipe: Winter Vegetable Curry