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These gourmet recipes on a budget feature gourmet-style recipes that are full of flavor and flair, but won'thurt your wallet!
Does your bank account start sobbingas soon as your car pulls intothe grocery store parking lot?
Does your credit card start to hide deeper and deeper in your wallet as you approach the checkout?
If buying your usual groceries stretches your budget, buying "fancy food" for a party or date night mightsend you into a panicked frenzy!
Never fear, fellow budget-conscious foodies!
If you too, have "champagne tastes, but a beer budget," these 18 Gourmet Recipes on a Budget will help you serve flavorful, gorgeous food — without stripping your savings account dry.
Some of these recipes use foraged food, others use food that is sometimes discarded (like shrimp shells), and others use inexpensive ingredients like vegetables and legumes.
You'll also find recipes with (relatively) less pricey seafood options, such as flounder ordomestic caviar.
Obviously, everyone's budget will be different, and cooking a delicious meal for two will (almost) always be cheaper than cooking for a crowd.
Whatever your budget, however, these budget-friendly, gourmet recipes will help you serve your guests with style!
Starter Recipes on a Budget
Whether you're serving tapas, appetizers, or just want to start things off with a salad, these budget-friendly starters are here to help!
If you want to try foraging for greens (or picking up foraged greens at a farmer's market), try this Miner's Lettuce and Mezuna Salad from Diversivore.
To start your dinner with a soup, I like this French Shrimp Soup from Sprinkles and Sprouts.
And for an easy smoked salmon appetizer, try these Smoked Salmon Canapes from Garlic and Zest.
And then, there's my absolute favorite party appetizers, listed below. The sardine fish cakes are my go-to appetizer!
A Canned Sardine Recipe: Mini Fish Cakes
These mini Sardine Fish Cakes are served with a Spicy Yogurt Sauce, and are perfect to serve as Tapas or Hors D’Oeuvres.
Make It
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Artichokes
These easy spinach stuffed mushrooms are stuffed with spinach artichoke dip, and topped with freshly grated Parmesan. They're a perfect vegetarian appetizer or side dish!
Make It
Brie en Croûte
Brie en croûte is an easy and delicious cheese and puff pastry appetizer. It's gorgeous as a cheese board centerpiece, and is a perfect game day appetizer!
Make It
Main Courses + Sides
When it's time to move onto the main course, try making these impressive baked potato roses from Curry Trail and this vegan pumpkin pasta with wild mushrooms from Cilantro and Citronella.
Below are some of my favorite fancy-schmancy (and affordable) dinner ideas.
The vegan ratatouille and salmon wellington are perfect served together!
Lemon Risotto with Roasted Cauliflower
This vegan Lemon Risotto is a creamy citrus rice dish that's served with spiced and roasted cauliflower. Serve this dish as a main course for Date Night, or as a fancy side dish at your next dinner party!
Make It
Butternut Squash Galette with Bourbon Drizzle
This Butternut Squash Galette is perfect for fall and winter! It's filled with caramelized onions and goat cheese, wrapped in a Parmesan crust, and topped with a bourbon drizzle.
Make It
Vegan Ratatouille Tian
This vegan Ratatouille Tian is a combination of two easy French dishes, and is perfect for flavorful vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, and summer squash.
Make It
Salmon Wellington
This Salmon Wellington recipe features puff pastry packets filled with spring greens, mushrooms, goat cheese, and salmon, along with an easy mustard sauce.
Make It
Desserts
Of course, a gourmet dinner must end with dessert!
Try these red wine poached pears by From a Chef's Kitchen, along with some of my top desserts that I've listed below.
The apple puff pastry tartlets are one of my all-time favorite party desserts!
Chocolate Lava Cake
This easy chocolate lava cake is based on the French moelleux au chocolat, and is the perfect dessert for two! Plus, check out my secret for an extra chocolatey center!
Make It
Strawberry Tarts
These easy strawberry tarts are the perfect spring dessert, and are made with puff pastry, mascarpone whipped cream, and glazed fresh strawberries.
Make It
Flognarde: Berry Clafoutis
This Flognarde, or Berry Clafoutis, is a classic French cobbler that is the perfect way to show off your spring and summer berries!
Make It
Apple Galette with Brown Butter
Love apple pie? This apple galette is made with spiced brown butter and is an easy and delicious make-ahead dessert.
Make It
More Cooking Basics
- Lobster Butter Sauce
- Garlic Scape Butter
- Peanut Butter Granola
- How to Debone Salmon Steaks
About Sarah Trenalone
Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.
Reader Interactions
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Comments
Meg | Meg is Well
This is an amazing list of recipes! It totally puts me into a party planning mood.
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champagne-tastes
Thanks Meg! Time to par-tay!
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Lynn | The Road to Honey
Such a beautiful collection of recipes Sarah. I see several that I am definitely going to check out as soon as I am finished giving this post the thumbs up. P.S.. love the idea of saving money on meals so I have more to spend on gifts. 😉
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champagne-tastes
Thanks Lynn! Anytime I can save money and still get everything I want it's a win! Lol
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Swayam
Gorgeous round up Sarah!! Definitely need to try a few of these.
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champagne-tastes
Thank you!!
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Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine
What beautiful recipes you chose! These all look great.
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champagne-tastes
Thanks!
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Julie
So many great meal planning ideas here. Thanks for the ideas.
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Sarah | Away From the Box
This post speaks to me in so many ways! I recently finally shelled out the dough for some fancy, well made (EXPENSIVE) cheese to have a little wine and cheese party all by myself. Haha! I'm definitely going to save this list. Thanks for sharing!
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champagne-tastes
Ahhh that's amazing lol- I'd totally do that! How fun! Now that you're poor again, make these lololol
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Kavey
It's amazing what delicious food can be created on a budget, no reason to eat bland and boring food even if one is watching the pennies!
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champagne-tastes
Exactly!!! A little spice will do wonders!
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jayne
What a great round up! love the idea of gourmet on a budget, it doesn't always have to be expensive to be fancy
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Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts
Fabulous roundup, so useful at this time of year!!!!
I need to make the lentil caviar!!!! And those potato roses!!!
Thanks for including my recipes 🙂
The Shrimp soup is one of my favourite meals ever!!!
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champagne-tastes
You're welcome! I'm gonna try that soup once I've got enough shells saved up!
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Dawn - Girl Heart Food
A great collection of recipes, Sarah! And perfect timing with all the upcoming holiday parties 🙂 Groceries are so expensive and it's nice knowing that it's possible to make good food without spending a fortune 🙂 Happy Monday!
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Melissa
Beautiful roundup! Thanks so much for including my pumpkin and wild mushroom pasta! Will share.
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champagne-tastes
Thanks Melissa!
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