Cheap fills: 10 flavour-packed and healthy pulse recipes

Brought to you by McKenzie’s.

Looking for healthy and delicious, family-approved, affordable dishes to please the entire crew? We’ve got you.

When it comes to cooking on a budget, pantry staples like lentils, chickpeas and green split peas are thrifty, healthy and versatile – the unsung heroes of the kitchen! Take McKenzie’s pulses and grains, for example. They can be used to create a multitude of easy dinners from soups to traybakes to an impressive Jambalaya that will boost your repertoire and are sure to become family favourites.

Here are 10 money-saving, mouth-watering meals to try that are tasty, nourishing and easy on your grocery bill.

Cheesy eggplant and lentil bake

This cheesy eggplant and lentil bake combines layers of eggplant, potato and lentils in a tomato sauce and a ricotta bechamel.

Pea and ham soup

Made with green split peas and ham hock, this luxurious tasting soup surprisingly comes in at less than $3 per serve – it’s the perfect winter warmer for those chilly days (and nights!).

Curried lentil cottage pie

This healthy twist on a classic is packed with vegetables and has a crunchy, sweet potato topping. It’s sure to become a weeknight favourite.

Power packed burritos

Adding chickpeas and black beans to these burritos brings extra health to your family table. Also great as a delicious topping on a jacket potato.

Curried lentil pies

Nothing says comfort food like a pot pie. These vegetarian dishes are the real deal, combining pumpkin and potato mash with lentils, herbs and spices.

Jambalaya with prawn and chorizo

This impressive one-pot dish takes just minutes to prep and cook and includes green split peas and red split lentils for a healthy boost.

Vegetable tagine with split peas

Pumpkin, squash, peas, beans and spices pack a flavour punch in this warming, mouth-watering tagine.

Lentil salad with beetroot and feta

Is there a more classic combo than lentils, beetroot and feta? This recipe uses French-style lentils, takes minutes to make and is less than $3 per serve. Très bon!

Lemon lentils

Packed with comforting flavours, this dish makes an enchanting side dish or a vegetarian main if you add a naan.

Korean beef bowl

Green and yellow split peas are a welcome addition to this traditional dish. Try BBQing the steaks instead of pan-frying for extra flame-grilled flavour.

Brought to you by McKenzie’s.

Author Delicia Smith Senior Commercial Editor

Delicia Smith is a senior commercial editor at Are Media. Covering everything from beauty, fashion, lifestyle and interiors to health, wealth, travel and entertainment, she loves writing about the buzzy brands you need to know for titles including ELLE, marie claire, Gourmet Traveller, The Australian Women’s Weekly, WHO, Now to Love, Better Homes and Gardens, Homes to Love, Home Beautiful, and more. Delicia is a seasoned publishing expert with over two decades of journalism experience. Getting her start at Red magazine in London, she progressed through staff and contributor positions at Psychologies magazine, InStyle UK, British Vogue, ELLE UK, Wallpaper*, and Sunday Times Style. Since moving to Sydney, Delicia has held pivotal roles across a multitude of renowned publications, including POPSUGAR Australia, Who What Wear, Byrdie and MyDomaine, as well as senior positions at Grazia, Cosmopolitan Bride and Cosmopolitan Pregnancy. Her freelancing endeavours have included content launch strategies for diverse projects, including the AFL Women’s careers portal, Workplay. Throughout her career Delicia has interviewed everyone from entrepreneurs, rising stars and health experts to CEOs, Hollywood icons and a Spice Girl. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her enjoying long lunches with friends, ocean dips, travelling as much as possible and walking with her dog, Lenny.

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