If you keep a well stocked pantry you’re half way to a yummy dinner! Here I share with you my 10 favourite pantry staples that I love to keep on hand at all times.
Use these suggestions as a guide to find out what pantry staples you need in your kitchen. Start with ingredients you use often, and that serve you well in more than one dish. Over time you will find that some you thought you would use, but actually don’t, while others you reach for frequently. That’s totally ok. There’s no such thing as a universally perfect pantry, only the one that serves you best: your capsule pantry!
artichoke hearts
From all the antipasti options, these are probably my favourite. Maybe because I cook fresh artichokes so infrequently. They make these gorgeous spaghetti , this super quick and easy lasagne or a nice little dip. They just add a little something special to fresh sandwiches or a simple dinner platter.
Having a jar of artichokes in the house makes me feel I’m prepped and prepared for anything.
chopped tomatoes
Cue rescue spaghetti. Along with a couple of other pantry staples, dinner is on the table without fuss and in very little time. Whether you’ll add them to vegan ribollita or beef ribs, they will always come in handy.
dried red lentils
Add red lentils to your chopped tomatoes and you have the base for a beautiful lentil soup that even my 4 and 1 year olds gobbled down (stay tuned for the recipe). Dried red lentils keep for ages and are great added to bolognese for a bit of hidden legumes. Or you can whip up a super simple but nourishing dhal. We all need a break from pasta sometimes, don’t we.
nutritional yeast
If this is an odd one for you, I highly encourage you to give it a go. It has been a game changer for us. I bought it the first time to make vegan parmesan (recipe coming soon) for my dairy intolerant husband. But since then it is a regular replacement and used in many of our pesto, dips or the spaghetti I mentioned above. No more leftover parmesan getting stale in the fridge! It has a cheesy flavour and adds a welcome salty savouriness to plant based dishes. Sometimes you might have some wilted herbs flying around and with the help of nutritional yeast and a handful of nuts you can whip up some pesto in no time.
If you’ve been thinking about cooking more plant based meals, nutritional yeast will become your new best friend!
You can buy it in the supermarket, in health food shops or even better in bulk food shops where you can ‘dip your toes in’ by only buying a small amount and seeing if you like it.
chickpeas
Whether you make hummus or pasta con ceci, or just add them to soup, chickpeas will always be a welcome addition. They are also great added to salads to make them more substantial. If you order Indian take away, there is often a lot of leftover sauce: just stir in a drained can of chickpeas and you have lunches for days! They also make a great snack if you are ploncked in front of the telly but don’t have any chips.
In short, if you have chickpeas in the house, you can always feed a crowd!
tahini
Tahini is nutspread’s more affordable cousin and I love it for its versatility. It makes great dressings (this one or this one, or just mix some tahini with lemon juice and you’re good to go) and VERY addictive healthy caramel. I will often use it on my morning toast, either under slices of banana or topped with jam (I’m allergic to peanuts so this is heaven!). You can add it to smoothies, top your porridge or make delicious choc tahini crunch.
tomato paste
Spread tomato paste straight onto pita breads for instant pizza bases. Top with whatever you have in the fridge (or those artichoke hearts!) and you’re good to go.
You’ll need it to add depths to stews and soups, or as a meal base for your pasta con ceci.
canned crab
Ever since I made crab crostini, I love having some ‘fancy canned seafood’ in the pantry. Forget tuna and try something different!
Apparently canned clams, white wine and parsley make a great quick pasta sauce, so that’s on my list to try!!
garlic powder
When you want dinner on the table quick, chopping garlic might not be high on your list of favourite things to do. Fresh garlic will always win for me, but when life gets busy there are countless evenings when I’m grateful that I just need to toss in some garlic powder into whatever I’m making.
A quick family favourite are chicken drumsticks, rubbed with olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt and garlic powder. Roast until crisp and tuck in!
frozen peas
Well, it’s a freezer staple, but that counts too!
I can’t say that I’m a fan of all frozen vegetables but a few work really well and peas are definitely my favourite. I ALWAYS have them in my freezer. They add some green to pasta, and because you can just throw them into the pasta water they require no additional cooking time! They make a great filling but fresh side dish and I will often add them to the pan if I fry up leftover vegetables. If you’re a fan of frittatas and quiches, they are also a great little add on, along with your leftover veggies.
There you have it. These are some of my go-to pantry staples. With those on hand it is a lot easier to whip up dinner. It’s not a complete list of course, but a great start to some yummy food when you’re short on time and low on energy.
Which items do you keep in the pantry for quick dinner options?
Much love,
Katrine x
cover photo by Laura Mitulla on Unsplash
