15 Easy Pantry Meal Ideas to Make from Staples You Have on Hand

When talk of the coronavirus pandemic started, most of us thought we were overreacting by “prepping” with extra pantry goods. Well, two years later, here we are. Even if you went to the grocery store, there weren’t many options available. We learned to cook and eat in a new way by making meals with whatever we had lying around. I am committed to cooking with what I have any time of year. Eating this way is more affordable, sustainable, and sometimes even more creative. Enter: pantry recipes.

What somebody considers to be a “pantry staple” can vary greatly from person to person. I like to buy things that will last for at least two weeks when I’m stocking up for a long period of staying indoors. Mostly healthy things that we love and would buy anyway, with a few treats thrown in. For me, that includes:

Dry goods:

• boxed organic soups
• canned and dried beans of all kinds
• grains like quinoa, rice, and farro
• snacks like popcorn, granola bars, high fiber cereal , lots of nuts, and dried fruits
• jarred pasta sauce
• corn tortillas—I keep them in the fridge for max lifespan (they’ll be good for a couple of weeks)

Fruits and veggies with a long shelf life:

• root vegetables including sweet potatoes , butternut squash , potatoes, beets
• onions and garlic
• carrots
• hearty greens like kale and brussels sprouts
• apples
• citrus fruits
• I also bought a few small potted herbs—basil, mint, and dill—for a couple dollars each at the hardware store so I can sprinkle everything with fresh herbs and give it that extra zing.

Dairy with a long shelf life:

Did you know that most organic dairy products on grocery shelves have a shelf life of one month or more? Make sure you know what dates to check and then get enough of what you need.

• organic milk
• yogurt
• eggs
• shelf-stable almond milk that will stay good unopened for months

Protein:

• tempeh and tofu in the fridge
• Beyond Burgers , beef burgers, salmon fillets, and organic chicken thighs in the freezer
• canned tuna and salmon packed in olive oil in the pantry
• lentils in the pantry

Frozen produce:

• broccoli
• cauliflower
• peas
• corn
• edamame
• mixed peppers
• strawberries
• blueberries
• pineapple
• *not produce, but I also keep a loaf of good seeded bread, so I’ve always got toast in a pinch.

Treats (’cause we’re always in need):

• fun popsicles and ice cream
• a batch of homemade cookie dough rolled into balls in the freezer
• some good dark chocolate that I will probably eat myself while submerged in the bathtub

Now that we have determined the type of ingredients we are discussing, it is time to brainstorm what we can do with them! There is a large variety in the meals below, so keep scrolling, click through the pantry recipes, and let me know in the comments what you are cooking up with all your pantry staples this week!

15 Easy Pantry Meal Ideas to Make from Staples You Have on Hand

Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

Why We Love It: Make double, and freeze the other half without the rice. When you’re low on pantry items, it’s easy to thaw, reheat, and serve this over rice for a delicious dinner. If you don’t have jalapeños, feel free to omit them or use any other toppings you have. These are pantry recipes after all. You can also use frozen, skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs.

A good squeeze of lime can enhance the flavor of many dishes.

Here is the recipe for Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup:

Sunday Night Avocado Toast

This recipe is loved because it is always accessible and the ingredients always taste great together. No avocado? Spread on a little mayo. Got some bacon? Throw it on. having boiled eggs in the fridge at all times will help you make a healthier lunch

Hero Ingredient: The 8-minute egg is absolute perfection.

Get the recipe for Sunday Night Avocado Toast .

Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas from Love & Lemons

Assuming you have a can of black beans, this dish makes use of root vegetables. Jeanine has a lot of other great recipes for pantry staples here.

The adobo sauce in these enchiladas gives them a great smoky flavor.

Get the recipe for Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas.

Easiest Tomato Basil Penne With Spicy Italian Chickpeas from Half-Baked Harvest

We love this dish because the chickpeas make it hearty and nutritious. The beans add protein and fiber, making this a great plant-based meal. If you can’t find burrata, you can use mozzarella, parmesan, or ricotta.

The main ingredients in this dish are smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and onion powder. Together, they make the chickpeas taste great.

The recipe for Easiest Tomato Basil Penne With Spicy Italian Chickpeas is available upon request.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

This recipe is one of my favorites because it is so comforting and packed with veggies. I have made it for many friends and families who are sick or have just had babies. Bonus points that it freezes and reheats beautifully. The toppings are just a suggestion, you can also add a scoop of sour cream or some tortilla chips.

The hero ingredient in this dish are the sweet potatoes, but you could substitute carrot or butternut squash. The pinto beans could also be substituted for the black beans.

See the recipe for Vegetarian Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili below.

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos With Cilantro Pesto

We love cauliflower because it lasts forever in the fridge, can be riced and added to stir-fries, or roasted until it is sweet and caramelized. It is also a greatmeat alternative for vegetarian tacos. No avocado? To make this sriracha crema, mix some minced garlic and a squeeze of sriracha into plain yogurt or mayo.

The main ingredient in this dish is pickled red onion, which gives it a sharp, fresh flavor.

This is a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Tacos With Cilantro Pesto.

Make a Tasty Bean Salad

We love it because it is packed with protein and healthy fats and it will keep us feeling full longer. This salad is made with two different types of beans and a variety of spices and herbs. Simply use whichever beans you have on hand! Add greens and grain to your dish to create a complete meal!

Beans are a great source of plant-based protein and carbohydrates, making them a perfect food for boosting energy levels!

Get the recipe for Make a Tasty Bean Salad

Simple Chickpea Burger

This delicious and simple chickpea burger recipe contains mostly pantry or fridge staples, with only a few ingredients that you might not have, like sweet onion or nutritional yeast. They’re easy to pick up the next time you go out or place an online order.

Chickpeas and black beans share a lot of similarities in their nutritional value! There is a lot of protein and fiber in them, which will make you feel full and help your digestion.

Get the recipe for Simple Chickpea Burger

Bake a Simple Egg Shakshuka

We love this recipe for its simplicity – it’s perfect for a quick breakfast, a special brunch, or a hearty dinner! More common in parts of North Africa and the Middle East, Shakshuka gets its unique and flavorful taste from various spices and herbs. The dish is also characterized by its use of acidic tomatoes, making it a great meal to cook when you’re short on time and ingredients.

Tomatoes are believed to protect against cancer due to their high antioxidant content.

Get the recipe for Simple Chickpea Burger

Make Protein-Packed Buckeyes for Dessert

This delicious Peanut Butter Buckeye recipe is perfect for a healthy dessert option with a few simple ingredients from your pantry! The NS community quickly came to love this recipe because it is easy to make with only a few ingredients, it is healthy, and it contains two flavors that are universally loved: chocolate and peanut butter. Who doesn’t love that?

Nuts are a great hero ingredient because they are mostly made of mono and polyunsaturated fats, which are good for heart and brain health.

Get the recipe for Protein-Packed Buckeyes for Dessert

Make a Breakfast Porridge!

We love quinoa for breakfast because it’s a delicious hot porridge! Adding quinoa to your dish will change its texture, as well as give you an extra boost of protein and fiber. To make a warm quinoa breakfast cereal, cook quinoa in water or milk like you would oatmeal. Then, add nuts, seeds, raisins, cinnamon or other spices to taste.

Quinoa is an excellent plant-based source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and antioxidants.

Get the recipe for Breakfast Porridge

Bake Black Beans into Brownies

Why We Love It: Baking with black beans became a trend a few years ago and for good reason! Adding protein to snacks gives them a chewy texture. This black bean brownie recipe is simple and only requires a few ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. A few key ingredients will help to enhance the flavor and texture of the brownies. You can omit the maca and Moon Juice Beauty Dust and the smoothie will still taste great.

The main ingredient in this dish are beans which are a great source of vegetarian protein. Pears are rich in healthy fiber, especially soluble fiber.

Get the recipe for Black Bean Brownies

Make a Comforting Chana Masala Pantry Meal

This dish is tasty and easy to make, perfect for a meatless meal. Chana Masala is best served with steamed rice, sweet potatoes, or steamed veggies!

There are a few key fresh ingredients in this recipe, like ginger. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger as a substitute. This recipe calls for fresh onion, but you can use 1 tablespoon of onion powder instead.

Chickpeas are nutritionally similar to black beans. They are rich in protein and fiber, which keeps you satiated and aids in digestion.

Get the recipe for Chana Masala

Bake a Simple Egg Shakshuka

The reason we like Shakshuka so much is because it is full of amazing spices and herbs which work brilliantly with the sharp taste of the tomatoes. It is perfect to make when you don’t have much else in the cupboards.

This recipe for Shakshuka is perfect for a change of pace at breakfast, a special brunch, or a hearty breakfast for dinner!

Tomatoes contain specific antioxidants that protect against damage to bones, liver, kidneys, and blood vessels.

Get Recipe for Simple Egg Shakshuka

Enjoy a Good Old Fashion PB and J!

We love it because it brings back memories of childhood when we used to eat PB and J sandwiches all the time. We all need to take a break from complicated recipes and go back to the basics sometimes. Simple pantry meals are a great way to do this. If you’re looking to switch up your PB and J routine, try making it on sweet potato toast instead of regular bread.

Peanut butter is a good source of mono and polyunsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart and brain health.

Get Recipe for PB and J

Learning how to make meals from ingredients you already have in your pantry is a very useful skill! If you can’t make it to the store or just want to use up what you have, learning to be creative with your pantry staples will make you more confident in the kitchen.

An important aspect of this is understanding how to best use those common kitchen ingredients so you don’t become bored with preparing the same dishes. We like to keep things fun!