Thrifty recipes: 3 hearty salad recipes for less!

Become a thrifty cook with these cheap but filling, salad recipes.

Check out these delicious salads that are all under $5 per serving:

Sausage, asparagus, tomato & haloumi salad recipe

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 500g lamb sausages

• 250g haloumi cheese, sliced

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, shaved

• 4 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 100g bag kale, spinach & chard leaves

• lemon cheeks, to serve

Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Method:

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium. Squeeze meat from sausage casings in small portions into pan. Cook 2-3 mins, stirring, until cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. For the dressing: In a jug, whisk oil, lemon juice and mustard together. Season to taste.

3. In same pan, cook haloumi 1-2 mins each side until golden. Add haloumi, asparagus, tomato and leaves to sausage. Toss until combined. Drizzle with dressing and serve with lemon cheeks.

Pork meatball salad recipe

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 500g pork mince

• 1 bunch coriander, roots, stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved

• ¼ cup Thai red curry paste

• ¼ cup dried breadcrumbs

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 150g dried rice vermicelli noodles, soaked, drained

• 1 cup shredded wombok

• 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

• 6 green onions, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup mint leaves, plus extra to serve

• ¼ cup chopped peanuts

• ½ cup Vietnamese salad dressing

• prawn crackers, to serve

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine pork mince, coriander roots and stems, curry paste and breadcrumbs. Using 1 tbsp mixture at a time, roll into balls. Arrange on a tray. Chill 10 mins.

2. In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium. Cook meatballs, turning, 8-10 mins until cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine noodles, wombok, tomato, green onion, reserved coriander leaves, mint and peanuts.

4. Just before serving, toss with meatballs and dressing. Scatter with extra mint leaves to serve and accompany with prawn crackers.

Spiced cauliflower salad recipe

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• ¹/³ cup olive oil

• 1 tbsp tomato paste or 2 fresh tomatoes, grated

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tsp curry powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp grated ginger

• 1 head (900g) cauliflower, cut into florets

• 500g potatoes, cut into 1.5cm dice

• 1 cup baby peas

• naan or roti, to serve

Minty yogurt:

• ½ cup Greek yoghurt

• 1 small clove garlic, crushed

• 2 sprigs fresh mint, shredded, plus extra leaves to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large oven tray with baking paper.

2. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast tomato paste and spices 1-2 mins or until fragrant. Stir through garlic and ginger.

3. Place cauliflower, potatoes and baby peas in a large bowl and toss in the seasoned oil, coating well. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Scatter onto lined baking tray. Bake 25 mins or until vegetables are tender.

5. For the minty yogurt: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste.

6. Serve with minty yoghurt.

TIP: You could also serve this with grilled naan or roti, if you like.