These pantry recipes use simple ingredients, but they’re still fun to make and fun to eat! Find easy, delicious ideas for soups, tacos, pastas, and more.
There’s nothing I love more than making a delicious meal out of what I have on hand. It’s thrilling to reach into the cupboard and pull out a can of tomatoes and a bag of dried lentils and imagine what pantry recipes I can make. Flash forward thirty minutes, and they’ve transformed into a creamy curried soup that’s flavorful, comforting, and nourishing.It’s certainly been a stressful week for us here in Chicago, and I’m sure it has been for many of you too. When I’m faced with stressful situations, cooking is the first thing I turn to. It’s soothing and meditative – a creative distraction from the buzz of the outside world. If you also find solace in the kitchen, I hope you’ll cook some of these pantry recipes in the coming weeks. They all use simple ingredients like canned goods, dried grains, and long-lasting veggies (plus a few tips for subbing in frozen veggies), but they’re still healthy, delicious, and even fun to eat. Jack and I have made and loved these recipes time and time again, and I hope you love them too.
How to Stock a PantryFor me, a well-stocked pantry includes three parts of the kitchen: the cupboard, the fridge, and the freezer:In the cupboardGrains and pasta: My favorites are whole rolled oats, farro, quinoa, couscous, polenta, and white and brown rice. I also like to keep a few pasta shapes in the cupboard.Canned produce: Whole peeled tomatoes, diced fire roasted tomatoes, and pumpkin puree are my top picks.Beans and legumes: Canned and dried beans and legumes are nutrient powerhouses, and they last for months. Stock up on lentils, chickpeas, beans, and refried beans.Fats: I use extra-virgin olive oil for almost everything, but I also keep coconut oil, toasted sesame oil, and butter on hand. Nuts, seeds, nut butters, and coconut milk are essential fats in my pantry too.Dried fruit: My favorites are dried tart cherries, apricots, and Medjool dates. They’re excellent additions to baking recipes and snacks on their own!Baking ingredients and spices: Sea salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes are a great place to start. If you like baking, keep sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and active dry yeast on hand as well.In the freezerFrozen vegetables: Did you know that frozen vegetables are just as – if not more – nutritious than fresh ones? I especially love to add frozen peas, spinach, and corn to soups, salads, and pastas. Frozen berries also work well in smoothies and baking recipes.Bread and tortillas: Bread freezes perfectly, so it never hurts to have one loaf of sandwich bread and one loaf of crusty bread in your freezer. I also like to keep frozen corn and flour tortillas on hand to whip up tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas any time.A few freezer meals: Soups, stews, veggie patties and balls, casseroles, and baked goods all freeze well. Next time you cook, freeze any leftovers, or make a double batch, and freeze the extras!In the fridgeLong-lasting fresh produce: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, winter squash, cabbage, and root veggies all keep for weeks, so keep a good supply on hand. And of course, you always want to have a stash of lemons or limes in the fridge.Tofu and tempeh: Both are excellent sources of plant-based protein, and they have a long shelf life.Dairy and eggs: Cheeses, Greek yogurt, and eggs are all filled with protein and other nutrients, and they keep for several weeks in the fridge.Flavorful extras: Dijon mustard, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, pickled vegetables, tamari, and vinegars. These ingredients will all add extra dimension to your pantry cooking.Of course, you don’t need to keep all these ingredients on hand all the time. But with a mix of a few items from each category, you
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