Whether you’re planning to reorganize an entire closet or just tackle the junk drawer, spring cleaning can feel like a huge undertaking. We may not be able to lend a hand in every room of the house, but we can help keep your kitchen counter decluttered with a roundup of one-pot recipes. No need to dirty up a bunch of dishes to prepare a delicious meal. This week, we’re making cooking for the entire family easy — and cleaning up even easier — with entrées that serve four for an average of less than $5 per person.
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Editor's note: I based the per-person prices below on my closest Walmart location in Secaucus, NJ.
If you’re craving a chicken dinner, our Caesar chicken thighs with broccoli won’t disappoint ($3.16 per person). Once the skin is seared and golden brown, you can simply toss veggies in the same skillet and cook until tender. More in the mood for seafood? Our shrimp fra diavolo is packed with flavor, spicing up the menu in a single pan ($5.24 per person). If you can spare the extra bowl required to make our baked cheese tortellini, we highly suggest you do ($6.07 per person). It’s a weeknight dish designed to check all the boxes (i.e. quick, easy, filling, comforting). And to sop up every drop of Caesar dressing, clam juice and marinara sauce, we suggest pairing this week’s mains with cacio e pepe popovers — the savory side won’t set you back more than $2 more per person. No need to preheat the oven or fire up the stove to enjoy a decadent dessert, though. Our no-bake cannoli cheesecake filling sets in the fridge, and its crust in the freezer ($1.73 per slice).
Want to know the exact total that each meal will cost? Browse ingredients from your local Walmart through the shoppable recipes below. You can even score free delivery on orders $35 and up with a Walmart+ membership. And if you’re not a member, now is a good time to sign up: New customers can snag $10 off their first three online pickup or delivery orders of $50 or more with code TRIPLE10.
What to cook this week
There’s no denying that Caesar salads are a warm-weather staple. But on a cold spring night, we highly recommend enjoying the umami-rich dressing on a hot chicken bake. You can absolutely get away with using bottled Caesar, instead of going through the effort of making your own.
Seafood lovers will never get tired of this one-pan shrimp fra diavolo recipe. You can easily swap out the main protein with lobster, clams or mussels for a dinner that’s delicious alone, served with bread or even tossed into pasta.
You can have this cheese tortellini bake on the table in 40 minutes flat, which is an impressive feat for such a flavorful dish. The trick is to deglaze the pan with red wine vinegar to brighten up the hearty Italian sausage and three-cheese blend.
Popovers may look intimidating to make, but they’re surprisingly easy when you don’t need a special pan. This recipe calls for a standard muffin tin to achieve the same crispy outside and custardy inside you know and love. Give it a cacio e pepe twist and you’ll be in savory pastry heaven.
Cake doesn't have to be saved for a special occasion when it’s this easy to make. We’ve taken the gelatin — and the fuss — out of no-bake cheesecake by opting for a filling that’s cream cheese based. Just mix in orange zest, cinnamon and mini chocolate chips to give it the classic cannoli treatment.