Cheesy Mexican Penne: a dinner for 4 for about $7.26
All 14 ingredients come to about $7.26. That’s $1.82 a serving.
- $7.26
- all in
- $1.82
- a serving
- 4
- servings
- 14
- ingredients
Ingredient cost for the amounts the recipe uses, estimated from average North American grocery prices — your store will vary.
Ingredients
Serves 4.
16 oz penne (dried)
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
2 cup half and half
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1/4 red onion (diced)
1/2 red pepper (diced)
1 jalapeno (deseeded and diced)
1 roma tomato (diced)- 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp habanero salsa
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Cilantro, for garnish (fresh)
Method
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- 2
Once the water is boiling, liberally salt the water with the Salt and add the Penne.
- 3
Cook the Penne until al dente.
- 4
Melt the Butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- 5
Whisk the Flour into the melted Butter to form a paste.
- 6
Slowly add the Half And Half, whisking after each addition until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- 7
Season the sauce with the Salt and Black Pepper.
- 8
Add the Cheddar Cheese.
- 9
Stir the mixture until the cheese is completely melted.
- 10
Drain and rinse the Penne, then set it aside.
- 11
Reduce the heat and add the Red Onion, Red Pepper, Jalapeno, Roma Tomato, Dijon Mustard and Habanero Salsa.
- 12
Cook the mixture for five minutes, until the vegetables are slightly softened.
- 13
Taste the sauce and season with additional Salt and Black Pepper if needed.
- 14
Pour the sauce over the cooked Penne and stir to combine thoroughly.
- 15
Garnish with the Cilantro and serve immediately.
How we work out the cost
The total is what the amounts in this recipe cost, not the price of full packages from the store. Each ingredient’s quantity is converted to a weight and multiplied by an average North American grocery price, and every ingredient in the recipe is priced — nothing is left out of the total.
We only call a dish “under $10” when it comes in at least 10% below that line, to leave room for price changes. Prices were last worked out on Nov 3, 2026; your store will vary.
Where the recipe comes from
Adapted from a recipe by Susan Keefe on Foodista · CC BY 4.0. In Tamarin it comes with every step read aloud, so you can cook it hands-free.
