Have you ever been halfway through a recipe only to realize you’re missing a key ingredient? Instead of rushing to the store, you think, No big deal—I’ll make it myself. With a few basic ingredients already in your kitchen, you whip up a quick substitute. It’s surprisingly easy, and often cheaper than the store-bought version! These Money-Saving Recipes With Simple Ingredients can transform your cooking habits while staying with your means.
Keep reading to see homemade alternatives, elevate your cooking while keeping your budget in check!
Table Of Content
Easy Salad Dressing Recipe with Simple Ingredients
If you cook regularly, you likely already have everything you need to make this delicious homemade salad dressing. With just a few kitchen staples, you can whip up a fresh, flavorful vinaigrette in minutes. Once you try this quick and easy recipe, you might never go back to store-bought dressing again! This is the basic version, but if you’re feeling fancy, customize it with your favorite ingredients. Try adding a bit of Parmesan cheese, or Dijon mustard, or mayo. It’s great as is, but feel free to adjust it to suit your taste!
Simple Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
1. In a small bowl or jar, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
2. If storing, pour the mixture into a sealed container. When you’re ready to use, give it a good shake to remix the ingredients.
How to Make a Simple Plain Yogurt Recipe at Home
So, you’re almost out of yogurt—just a little left at the bottom of the container. Don’t toss it! That small amount can serve as a starter for an entirely new batch of plain yogurt. All you need to do is mix it with milk and let it ferment. Once your fresh batch is ready, you can personalize it with fruits, sweeteners, or any flavors you prefer.
This approach is not only part of Money-Saving Recipes With Simple Ingredients, but it’s also budget-friendly and sustainable. Plus, as long as you save a bit of plain yogurt from each batch, you can keep making more without ever needing to buy another container. Fresh, homemade yogurt made easy!
Homemade Plain Yogurt
Ingredients:
2–4 tablespoons of plain yogurt (the bit left at the bottom of your container)
4 cups of milk (whole milk for creaminess or any milk of your choice)
Instructions:
1. Heat the Milk: Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it reaches about 180°F (82°C), stirring occasionally. This helps denature the proteins, ensuring your yogurt will be smooth.
2. Cool the Milk: Remove the milk from heat and allow it to cool down to around 110°F (43°C). It should feel warm to the touch but not hot.
3. Add the Starter Yogurt: In a small bowl, mix the 2–4 tablespoons of plain yogurt with a small amount of cooled milk (about 1/4 cup). Stir until smooth and the yogurt is dissolved.
4. Combine the Mixture: Pour the yogurt mixture back into the pot of cooled milk and whisk gently to combine.
5. Incubate: Pour the milk and yogurt mixture into a clean container or jar. Cover it with a lid or cloth, then place it in a warm spot (like an oven with the light on, a yogurt maker, or an insulated cooler) to incubate for 6–12 hours. The longer it sits, the thicker and tangier the yogurt will be.
6. Check the Consistency: After 6 hours, check the yogurt. If it has thickened to your liking, it’s ready. If you prefer a thicker texture, let it incubate longer.
7. Cool and Store: Once your yogurt is done, remove it from the warm spot and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to fully set. You can store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
8. Optional Add-ins: Once your homemade yogurt is ready, you can customize it with fruits, sweeteners, or any flavor you like!
Save Money and Brew Your Own Kombucha at Home
I love kombucha, but spending $4 on a single can of my favorite brand? No thanks. As a result, I was determined to save money and decided to make my own. While kombucha kits are convenient, they can cost $30 or more. Fortunately, you don’t actually need a full kit to get started!
This is one of the many Money-Saving Recipes With Simple Ingredients that can save you money in the long run. A SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), which you can easily find on Etsy for around $13, is essential for fermenting sweet tea into delicious kombucha. Once you have your SCOBY (and as long as it’s properly maintained), you’re ready to brew batch after batch of kombucha right at home—and save big in the process.
Easy DIY Kombucha Recipe
Ingredients
1 SCOBY (along with starter liquid, usually included with your purchase)
8 cups of water
1 cup of sugar (white sugar works best)
4–6 black or green tea bags (or 1 tablespoon of loose tea)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Sweet Tea:
Boil 8 cups of water and steep the tea bags (or loose tea) for about 10–15 minutes. Stir in the sugar until fully dissolved, then let the tea cool to room temperature.
2. Combine the SCOBY and Sweet Tea:
Once the tea has cooled, pour it into a clean glass jar. Add the SCOBY and any starter liquid that came with it.
3. Cover the Jar:
Cover the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel and secure it with a rubber band. This keeps out debris while allowing the fermentation process to breathe.
4. Ferment:
Place the jar in a warm, dark spot (70–80°F is ideal) and let it sit undisturbed for 7–10 days. Taste it periodically starting on day 7; the longer it ferments, the tangier it will become.
5. Remove the SCOBY:
Once the kombucha reaches your desired flavor, remove the SCOBY and set it aside with about 1–2 cups of the kombucha as starter liquid for your next batch.
6. Optional Second Fermentation:
For carbonation or added flavor, pour the kombucha into bottles, leaving space at the top. Add fruits, herbs, or spices (like ginger or berries), seal the bottles, and let them sit at room temperature for 2–3 days. Refrigerate once fizzy.
7. Store and Enjoy:
Transfer the kombucha to the fridge and enjoy it chilled. You can keep reusing the SCOBY to make endless batches!
With just a SCOBY and a few pantry staples, you’ll have homemade kombucha that’s delicious, cost-effective, and customizable.
I hope you found this blog post, ‘Money-Saving Recipes With Simple Ingredients,’ helpful! On CuteTrendFinds.com, I share practical tips on saving and earning money. Be sure to explore my other posts here. Have any money-saving shopping tips or hacks? I’d love to hear them—share in the comments below!