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Meatless dinners tend to be easy on the grocery bill, and this list shows how far. We priced 8 vegetarian dinners at Walmart, and every one comes in at or under $2.50 a serving.
They run from $0.54 to $1.28 a serving, and we've put them in order, cheapest first. Prices are from October 6, 2026.
Gallo pinto
Gallo pinto
- 25 min hands-on
- 30 min total
- 11 ingredients
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 6
Gallo pinto is the cheapest dinner here at $0.54 a serving, and beans are the protein. It makes 4 servings from 11 ingredients, and the time is 25 min hands-on, 30 min total. We don't have a rating or a source credit for it yet.
Shakshouka
Shakshouka costs $0.57 a serving and uses eggs as its protein. It has just 6 ingredients and makes 4 servings, so the shopping list stays short. The time is 20 min total. There's no rating or source credit on file for it.
Lentil Soup
Lentil Soup
- 20 min hands-on
- 1 hr total
- 15 ingredients
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 6
Lentil Soup is $0.68 a serving, and it makes 8 servings from 15 ingredients. The time is 20 min hands-on, 1 hr total. Allrecipes readers rate it 4.6 stars from 3289 ratings, which makes it the best-reviewed dinner on this list.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- 20 min hands-on
- 30 min total
- 11 ingredients
Recipe from Spend With Pennies
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 5
This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese comes from Spend With Pennies and costs $0.72 a serving. It makes 8 servings from 11 ingredients. The time is 20 min hands-on, then 10 min in the Instant Pot. We don't have a rating for it yet.
Falafel
Falafel
- 15 min hands-on
- 20 min total
- 8 ingredients
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 5
Falafel is $0.85 a serving and built around chickpeas. It makes 4 servings from 8 ingredients, and the time is 15 min hands-on, 20 min total. It shares its chickpea base with the Leblebi Soup further down, and there's no rating or source credit on file.
Spicy Arrabiata Penne
Spicy Arrabiata Penne
- 10 min hands-on
- 35 min total
- 8 ingredients
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 5
Spicy Arrabiata Penne costs $0.96 a serving and makes 4 servings from 8 ingredients. It has the least hands-on time of the bunch, at 10 min hands-on, 35 min total. We don't have a rating or source credit for it.
Shakshuka Feta Cheese
Shakshuka Feta Cheese
- 20 min hands-on
- 30 min total
- 12 ingredients
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 5
Shakshuka Feta Cheese is $1.24 a serving, with eggs as the protein and 12 ingredients in the cart. It makes 4 servings, and the time is 20 min hands-on, 30 min total. It overlaps with the Shakshouka above, so the two pair well in one week. There's no rating on file.
Leblebi Soup
Leblebi Soup
- 10 min hands-on
- 1 hr total
- 10 ingredients
Walmart price for what the recipe uses, checked Oct 5
Leblebi Soup is the priciest dinner here at $1.28 a serving, and it's still well under the $2.50 cap. Chickpeas are the protein, and it makes 4 servings from 10 ingredients. The time is 10 min hands-on, 1 hr total. We don't have a rating or source credit for it.
How we priced these
Each price is what the ingredients a recipe uses cost at Walmart, divided by its servings, checked on October 6, 2026. Pantry staples like salt and oil aren't counted. Across all 8 dinners, the average is $0.86 a serving. Prices move, so we re-price this list every month.
Any of these can anchor a week of cheap dinners, and mixing two or three keeps the cart simple. Walmart delivery or pickup depends on your store and its open slots, so check what's available near you.
