Often the most budget-friendly meals are the ones compiled with what’s already in the kitchen. Like this salad pasta—not pasta salad—of sardines with raw bitter greens. It starts with short pasta ($1.85)—I’m partial to bow ties (aka farfalle), but anything goes. While the noodles boil, let’s talk about sardines. There’s no way around the fact that fish is expensive, but having tinned fish on hand can be an economical option. The tins are shelf-stable, sometimes for years, so you can stock up when you find a good deal. It’s also true that a number of tinned fish brands are quite expensive, and justifiably so when you consider ethical sourcing and labor, but it’s possible to find reputable brands of sardines—Season is a great one—for about $2 to $3 a can (we’ll use two here). And here’s a bonus sardine tip: Buy oil-packed for a free start to salad dressing; better yet, if you pick tins seasoned with lemon peel, tomato, or pickled peppers, that’s even more bonus flavor built right into the price.
Here's how this dish gets away with being so cheap (and so good): Drain the oil from the sardine tins into a large bowl, then whisk it with grated garlic, chile flakes, and the zest of a lemon ($0.50). Toss the warm pasta in the spicy sardine oil, then add a torn head of escarole or romaine ($2). Could you just as easily swap in radicchio, arugula, or baby spinach if you happen to have it in the fridge? Of course. For brightness, finish the whole mess with lemon juice and a fat handful of chopped dill ($0.40). —Rebecca Firkser
Nickel & Dine is a budget column by Rebecca Firkser, assigning editor at Food52 and sardine-hoarder. Each month, Rebecca will share an easy, flavor-packed recipe that feeds four (or just you, four times)—all for $10 or less. —The Editors
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