12 Dinners That Feed Six or More (Ranked by Cost Per Serving)
Twelve big-batch dinners that serve at least six people, ranked cheapest first, with cost per serving, calories, protein, and cook time.
Cooking for eight isn't harder than cooking for four — it's the same pot and about ten more minutes. What changes is which recipes work: you want things that scale in one vessel and hold heat on a table, which rules out anything seared to order.
Anychef catalog data: 117 dinners in our library serve six or more, at a median $2.10 a serving — six servings for about $13 — and a median 50 minutes. 58 of them come in under $2 a head. Ranked cheapest first.
The list
1. Three Bean Chili
16g protein320 cal$1.20/serving40 min
Kidney, black, and pinto beans in a smoky tomato base, a meatless chili so hearty nobody misses the beef.
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2. Pasta Fagioli
19g protein420 cal$1.30/serving45 min
The hearty Italian-American soup of tender beans, small pasta, and smoky bacon in tomato broth, cozy enough to make twice a week.
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3. Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
16g protein430 cal$1.30/serving50 min
Fluffy rice and tender broccoli baked in a rich cheddar sauce with a golden top, comfort food that sneaks in the greens.
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4. Split Pea Soup with Ham
25g protein360 cal$1.40/serving80 min
Thick, smoky, and deeply savory, split peas simmered down with ham until every spoonful is pure comfort.
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5. Chicken and Rice Soup
26g protein310 cal$1.50/serving40 min
Tender chicken, soft rice, and sweet carrots in a golden broth, the gentle bowl that fixes cold days and sniffly noses.
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6. Ham and White Bean Soup
24g protein330 cal$1.50/serving45 min
Smoky ham and creamy white beans in a rustic vegetable broth, the thrifty farmhouse soup that tastes like Sunday supper.
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7. Three Cheese Ziti Bake
25g protein580 cal$1.60/serving45 min
A meatless ziti loaded with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan that bakes into gooey, golden comfort on a budget.
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8. Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
24g protein490 cal$1.60/serving85 min
Thin potato slices and smoky ham layered in a silky cheese sauce, the old-fashioned bake that never goes out of style.
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9. Old-Fashioned American Goulash
28g protein460 cal$1.70/serving40 min
Grandma's beefy macaroni and tomato skillet, humble, hearty, and even better the next day.
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10. Hamburger Vegetable Soup
24g protein340 cal$1.70/serving45 min
A big nourishing pot of beef, potatoes, and garden vegetables in savory tomato broth, the soup that tastes like home.
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11. Beef Taco Soup
29g protein420 cal$1.80/serving35 min
Everything you love about taco night simmered into one cozy pot, topped with cheese, sour cream, and crunchy chips.
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12. Stuffed Pepper Soup
26g protein380 cal$1.80/serving40 min
Everything you love about stuffed peppers, savory beef, rice, and sweet bell peppers, unrolled into one easy simmering pot.
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Every recipe above comes from the Anychef library of 1,700+ recipes, each with cost per serving and full macros — browse the budget collection and comfort food. Or skip the browsing entirely: scan your fridge with the Anychef app and get recipes built from what you already have, macros and grocery list included.
