🍝 Creamy Garlic Pasta + Lentil Soup Combo: Feed Your Family on a Budget Under $5

Creamy garlic pasta and lentil soup — a cozy, budget-friendly dinner combo ready in 30 minutes. 🍝🍲

❤️ A Real-World Dinner That’s Cozy, Fast, and Budget-Friendly

We all have those evenings when we’re tired, the fridge looks empty, and takeout feels like the easy choice.But dinner doesn’t need to be complicated — or expensive.

Tonight’s meal proves it: creamy garlic pasta and hearty lentil soup, both made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes.It’s the kind of food that feels comforting, homemade, and realistic — even on the busiest days.

🕯️ Why I Love This Combo

As a mom with a full-time job, I know what it means to cook fast and feed a family without breaking the bank.I don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen every night — and you probably don’t either.That’s why I create recipes that are low-cost, low-stress, and full of flavor.

The beauty of this combo is that it uses ingredients most people already have — garlic, cream, pasta, lentils, onion, and a few spices.You can make both for under $10 total, and still feel like you’re eating something cozy and homemade.

🍲 The Perfect Pairing

Silky, garlicky pasta that costs less than $5 to make — real food, real comfort. ❤️

1. Creamy Garlic Pasta

If you’ve seen my TikTok video, you know this dish comes together fast.It’s silky, comforting, and uses only a few staples — pasta, garlic, cream (or milk), and a touch of butter or olive oil.

You can make it richer with cheese, or keep it light with a sprinkle of parsley and black pepper.It’s the kind of pasta that works every time, no matter what’s in your pantry.

🍝 Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe

Servings: 4Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 300 g (about 10 oz) pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or penne)

• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil

• 4–5 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 small red onion (optional, for extra flavor)

• 250 ml (1 cup) cooking cream or milk

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or any cheese you have)

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• ½ tsp paprika (Hungarian touch 😉)

• Fresh parsley to serve

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Save about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.

2. In a large pan, melt butter (or heat olive oil) and sauté garlic and onion until fragrant (about 1–2 minutes).

3. Add cream (or milk) and paprika, stir gently.

4. Stir in cheese until the sauce becomes smooth and silky.

5. Add cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water — toss until the sauce coats the noodles beautifully.

6. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

💡 Tip: You can add spinach, mushrooms, or leftover chicken if you want a heartier version — it’s a flexible base recipe.

🕯️ Why I Love This Recipe

It’s fast, cozy, and cheap — the perfect weekday comfort food.You don’t need anything fancy — just garlic, cream, and a few pantry staples to make something that feels special.

Cooking like this reminds me that homemade meals don’t need to be complicated or expensive — only made with care.

Fresh, simple, and full of flavor — this creamy garlic pasta proves homemade cooking doesn’t need to be expensive. ✨

🍲 Serve It With:

Pair it with my Hearty Lentil Soup (recipe linked here 👉 Lentil Soup Recipe) for a full, nutritious dinner that costs less than takeout.

✨ Join My Kitchen Family

If you love real, budget-friendly meals made with heart, join my kitchen family ❤️You’ll get weekly menu ideas, practical grocery plans, and easy Hungarian-inspired recipes that help you feed your family well — without stress.

🎬 Watch the Recipe in Action!

In this short video, I make my favorite creamy garlic pasta — a fast, cozy dinner that anyone can prepare with simple ingredients.

The sauce comes together in minutes with garlic, cream, and pasta water — no fancy ingredients, just real homemade comfort.

💡 Tip: Serve it with my Hearty Lentil Soup for a complete, budget-friendly family meal under $10.

🎥 Follow me on TikTok for more real-life cooking videos and weekly meal ideas under $100! ❤️

💌 Subscribe on TikTok or sign up on my website to get the “Feed Your Family on a $100/Week Budget” menu when it launches soon.

“Budget doesn’t mean boring — this creamy garlic pasta proves it.”

Category: Budget-Friendly MealsTags: #AffordableCooking #FamilyDinners #SimpleRecipes #HungarianKitchen