Easy Take out Fake out Recipes on a Budget

Takeout food is so tempting because it’s fast, easy, and usually very satisfying (the most comforting of all comfort food). But it can also be a budget killer. So, when you’re tempted to dial for takeout, or you find yourself browsing those delivery apps, consider making one of these easy takeout fake out recipes so you can stay in control of your budget. These are the recipes I reach for when I’m craving takeout but want to stay home, save money, and still eat really well!

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All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

Takeout-Style Chicken Dinners

These easy chicken recipes are simple, totally delish, and similar in style to the takeout classics we’ve all grown to love. I just LOVE them, and they help hit that takeout craving using simple ingredients I always have in my kitchen.

1. Easy Orange Chicken Easy Orange Chicken This easy Orange Chicken recipe doesn't require deep frying and has the same tangy, sweet, and salty flavor as your favorite Chinese take-out!Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card. $7.88 recipe / $1.97 serving

I’ve been making this orange chicken for years, and it’s still one of my favorites. The chicken stays juicy and lightly crisp, and the homemade orange sauce has so much real flavor without being overly sweet. Not to mention, it all comes together in one skillet. Easy peasy.

2. Homemade Sesame Chicken Easy Sesame Chicken

This Easy Sesame Chicken recipe is faster and tastier than takeout. Tender chicken coated in a homemade sweet, savory, and tangy sauce.

$6.78 recipe / $1.70 serving

There’s no need to consider takeout when you can make this easy sesame chicken at home. I use a simple combo of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and fresh aromatics to make a sesame sauce that coats the tender chicken perfectly.

Firecracker Chicken This easy Firecracker Chicken recipe is sweet, spicy, and pan-fried to crispy perfection in one skillet. Just like takeout, but cheaper and faster!Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card. $6.25 recipe / $1.56 serving

This easy firecracker chicken is a one-skillet dinner with crispy pan-fried chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, and gently spicy sauce that tastes just like takeout. It’s fast, affordable, and packed with big flavor using simple pantry ingredients.

4. Kung Pao Chicken Kung Pao Chicken

This easy Kung Pao Chicken recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's FULL of flavor, with crisp veggies and a bold sauce, and is even better than takeout.

$7.77 recipe / $1.30 serving

This king pao chicken is one of my favorite ways to clear out the fridge and still end up with a super satisfying, budget-friendly dinner! I love that I can toss in whatever veggies I need to use up, and it still turns out full of flavor.

5. Chicken Fried Rice Chicken Fried Rice

Make delicious, ultra-flavorful chicken fried rice that tastes even better than takeout– and costs less too.

$4.74 recipe / $1.19 serving

This chicken fried rice is one of the easiest ways to make a low-cost dinner that still feels hearty and comforting. It’s fast to cook, easy to customize, and perfect for using up leftover rice and veggies.

Easy Noodle Recipes

Stir fry noodle recipes are no doubt the easiest and fastest dinner recipes out there, and there are an endless number of vegetable-protein-sauce combinations to choose from. Here are some of my favorites!

6. Vegetable Lo Mein Easy Lo Mein

This incredibly fast and easy Lo Mein Recipe only takes about 15 minutes and is packed with tender noodles, colorful vegetables, and flavor!

$6.33 recipe / $3.17 serving

Noodles are the ultimate comfort food, and when they’re drenched in a rich, salty sauce and delivered straight to your door, they’re almost impossible to resist. BUT you can make them just as easily at home, and then you can bulk them up with as many veggies as you want.😊 My vegetable lo mein is the BEST example of this. It’s an easy classic with no chopping required!

7. Spicy Sriracha Noodles Spicy Sriracha Noodles

These sweet, tangy, and spicy sriracha noodles take only a few minutes to make and are an inexpensive alternative to take out.

$2.50 recipe / $1.25 serving

These spicy sriracha noodles are my favorite kind of fast comfort food. They’re rich, saucy, and seriously spicy, the kind of meal I throw together when I want big flavor in about 15 minutes.

8. Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles

Sweet, salty, rich, and crunchy, these Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles hit all the bases. It’s fast, easy comfort food for busy nights! 

$3.75 recipe / $1.25 serving

Dragon noodles have been my favorite takeout alternative for YEARS, so much so that I’ve made a few versions now. These pork and peanut dragon noodles are made with 7 easy-to-find ingredients. I just love how the pork and peanuts absorb the simple but oh-so-rich chili sauce. Okay, I need to make this one for lunch, like, now!

Weeknight Pizza Without Delivery

Pizza is probably the hardest takeout for me to resist, but luckily I’ve grown quite fond of making it at home, and have even come up with a few valuable shortcuts. These at-home pizza recipes are proof that homemade pizza doesn’t have to be complicated to be really, really good.

9. Sheet Pan Pizza Sheet Pan Pizza Sheet Pan Pizza is a low-effort recipe guaranteed to make any occasion special and satisfy cravings for take-out pizza at half the cost. Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card. $9.92 recipe / $1.41 serving

Our sheet pan pizza is made with an unforgettable focaccia-style crust and topped with pepperoni, jalapeños, and honey. However, you can top it with whatever you’ve got in the fridge, or hit the grocery store salad bar on the way home to pick up some goodies!

10. BBQ Chicken Pizza BBQ Chicken Pizza Get the classic BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe, plus other fun toppings you can add that pair well with BBQ and make your pizza even more flavorful. Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card. $4.87 recipe / $1.21 serving

I love my BBQ chicken pizza recipe for last-minute pizzas because it takes about 30 minutes and requires no rising. Use your favorite BBQ sauce (sweet, smoky, spicy), then pile it high with chicken and melty cheese for an easy homemade pizza that tastes just as good as takeout.

11. Portobello Mushroom Pizza Ultimate Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Make this gourmet homemade Portobello Mushroom Pizza for a fraction of the price of take out! Use homemade dough for the best value, or store bought for convenience.

$6.37 recipe / $2.12 serving

This portobello mushroom pizza is my favorite vegetarian option when I want something hearty and savory that still feels just as satisfying as a classic slice!

Budget-Friendly Soups With Big Flavor

I love a good takeout soup because it’s the perfect way to start a meal, but it can also be filling enough to be the main event. These soups bring all that cozy, slurpable comfort at home, without the extra cost of delivery!

12. Homemade Egg Drop Soup Easy Egg Drop Soup

This easy homemade Egg Drop Soup recipe is warm and soothing, and way quicker than ordering Chinese takeout. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

$4.61 recipe / $0.77 serving

This homemade egg drop soup is my answer to takeout cravings when I want something fast, cozy, and very budget-friendly. The ginger-infused broth is incredibly comforting, especially when I’m feeling a little under the weather, and it’s SO easy to tweak based on whatever I have in the fridge.

13. Easy Dumpling Soup Easy Dumpling Soup Easy Dumpling Soup is the perfect quick dinner because it’s endlessly versatile, insanely budget-friendly, and can be made in 15 minutes.Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card. $4.36 RECIPE / $2.18 SERVING

This easy dumpling soup dresses up store-bought dumplings with a simple savory broth and whatever greens or toppings I have around. It always hits that comforting takeout craving in about 15 minutes flat.

14. Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu Easy Hot and Sour Soup with Vegetables and Tofu

This easy hot and sour soup is light on the stomach, but big on flavor! The spicy and tangy broth is full of colorful vegetables and tender cubes of tofu.

$6.72 recipe / $1.12 serving

This vegan hot and sour soup is light, tangy, and just spicy enough, with a flavorful broth, tender tofu, and LOADS of colorful vegetables. It’s full of goodness you won’t get from your local takeout, so you can feel great about going back for another bowl (I know I do!)

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Our Take Out Fake Out recipes round up was originally published 12/8/2018. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 12/27/25.

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