Recipes and Tips for Maximizing Your Pantry Staples
For creative, resourceful, pantry-led cooking: We gathered some of our favorite recipes that use old standbys, like beans, rice, pasta, and canned tomatoes, and some odds and ends you might have from last season’s cooking projects (ahem, Thanksgiving can of pumpkin purée). We hope these recipes inspire you to make something new while using what you’ve already got. If you find certain recipes call for ingredients that you don’t have, don’t feel like you need to go out to the store. The goal here is to riff and swap—and know that you can still make it delicious. If you have questions about substitutions, take a look at our notes below for guidance, or reach out to our food editor for advice at [email protected].
BEANS AND LENTILS
These are the MVPs of the pantry. They’re affordable and ubiquitous, they’re used in many cuisines, and they pretty much keep forever. We use them in stews, dips, and salads and even roast them sometimes. You could use dry beans for any of these recipes. Just see our guide to cooking dry beans and adjust the instructions accordingly.
Chickpea “Tuna” Salad
This is our go-to lunch. It’s great wrapped in pita, with crackers or crudités, or in a sandwich.
Harissa-Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas with Tahini Yogurt
Crispy chickpeas, creamy sweet potato, and perfectly charred cauliflower, all tossed in a garlicky harissa paste and finished with a drizzle of cool tahini yogurt. Yum.
Crockpot Chana Masala
A vegetarian chickpea stew makes a great family dinner—it’s cheap and easy to prepare, plus it’s packed with protein, fiber, and iron (if you add the spinach).
Easiest-Ever Chicken, Leek, and Escarole Soup
It delivers all the best flavors of a classic Italian-wedding soup in a fraction of the time.
Creamy White Bean Dip
Roasting garlic may be an extra step, but it’s so worth it. We love this bean dip slathered on toast, with crudités, or dolloped on a grain bowl.
Cannellini Bean and Quinoa Burgers
Sometimes you can’t eat anymore bean stew. These burgers make great use of canned beans and another pantry favorite—quinoa.
French Lentils and Soft Eggs with Dukkah and Arugula
The eggs add a heft and creaminess to the lentils, and the arugula balances it all out. It’s delicious on its own, but the spelt flatbreads round it out nicely, too.
Crockpot Veggie Chili
Inspired by the one in GP’s first cookbook, this chili gets a little added sweetness and lovely texture from sweet potato.
Red Lentil and Caramelized Onion Soup
We love combining these earthy gems with the deep, roast-y, slightly sweet flavor of caramelized onions. This soup will warm you up and keep you satisfied.
NOODLES
Pasta, soba, rice noodles: They all have their place in the pantry and can be used for many things. It was hard to leave some noodle recipes behind—we’re just scratching the surface of potential—but these win.
Cold Dan Dan Noodles
Super tasty, totally packable cold dan dan noodles have a way of making a lunch an event. Topped with fresh cilantro and cucumber for a crisply satisfying crunch, the noodles are tossed in a peanut sauce bursting with umami and a subtle but fiery kick.
Kale Chorizo Pasta
Spicy Spanish chorizo and hearty kale are a classic combo—toss in a little pasta and you’ve got a weeknight dinner dream. Hello, one pot!
Gluten-Free Mac ’n’ Cheese
In this recipe, we use brown rice pasta instead of wheat and arrowroot powder to thicken the cheese sauce. It’s fabulous.
Aglio e Olio
If you don’t have fresh parsley and basil, use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, or skip them. We love this plain, but it’s killer with some spinach, kale, or finely chopped cauliflower—just sauté in the pan before adding the cooked pasta.
Buckwheat Soba Noodle Salad
Here’s a salad that’s pretty quick to put together and sits well, which makes it great for prepping ahead of time.
Sesame Noodles
These noodles are so easy to make. Great on their own, they also happen to be an ideal vehicle for pretty much any raw or cooked veggie.
Night + Market Pad Thai
We were so excited to learn how easy Night + Market’s famous pad Thai is to make at home. If you don’t have a wok, just use the biggest sauté pan you’ve got.
Penne Arrabiata
You could definitely doctor up some jarred marinara for this super quick dinner.
Carbonara-ish Pasta
What this riff on carbonara lacks in pork, cheese, and gluten, it makes up for in caramelized shallots, sweet peas, and creamy egg yolk.
RICE
Rice is a miracle pantry food. There are many types, and while you can certainly still swap in whatever variety you have on hand, do pay attention to the cook time and adjust accordingly.
Overnight Sweet Brown Rice Porridge
We love this option because it’s a warm breakfast made ahead in the slow cooker overnight.
Eggplant and Chickpea Rice with Cilantro and Yogurt
Scratch the itch of weeknight takeout: This dish has got biryani vibes, and it takes care of those leftover greens you have in your fridge.
Chicken with Brown Rice, Mushrooms, and Thyme
Tender chicken, incredibly flavorful rice, and hearty mushrooms combine to make an easy dinner the whole family will go for.
Ginger-Chicken Congee
It doesn’t get more comforting than congee. The creamy rice porridge is simple to make, and finishing with fresh ginger at the end adds brightness. Don’t skip the crispy shallots—in fact, make extra, because you’ll want to sprinkle them on everything.
Brown Rice Khichdi
Brown rice, lentils, veggies, spices, ginger, and cilantro pack a nutritional punch.
Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
A healthy spin on the classic chicken noodle, our chicken and brown rice soup is comforting, too.
Kitchen-Sink Thai Fried Rice
Throw whatever leftover veggies you happen to have in the fridge into this fried rice and it will taste awesome.
Wakame and Zucchini Fried Rice
Wakame contains many vitamins and minerals. We added the seaweed and grated zucchini for a veggie-packed fried rice that even our picky eaters enjoy.
Kimchi Fried Rice
The absolute best way to use leftover rice. Super simple, satisfying, and full of probiotic goodness, we’d eat this kimchi fried rice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
GRAINS
Farro, quinoa, and freekeh are a few of the most versatile grains. They’re great in soups and stews, and using them in salads makes for meals that are healthy and hearty and keep well in the fridge. Use whatever produce you have on hand to bulk out the recipes below—they’re flexible.
Edamame Beans with Baby Bok Choy, Quinoa, and Honey-Ginger Dressing
A gluten-free salad that won’t leave you feeling like you’re missing out: The quinoa is super hearty but neutral enough to let the flavors of the veggies and the sweet-savory dressing shine. You could also use this same method and dressing with just about any stir-fry-friendly vegetable, like green beans or broccoli.
Freekeh with Deli Vegetables, Kale Pesto, and Chili-Parmesan Sunflower Seeds
Packed with delightful briny marinated vegetables, freekeh, kale pesto, and some crunchy-salty-spicy sunflower seeds, this salad really has it all. Mix and match it with whatever marinated or pickled veggies you have on hand.
OATS
Oats are so cozy and comforting. May we suggest three fun ways to serve them that keep things interesting. We prefer steel-cut, but you could certainly adapt the recipes to work with rolled if it’s all you have (just keep in mind that rolled oats cook much faster).
Savory Oats with Mushrooms and Egg
These oats are brimming with savory flavors: rich chicken stock, earthy mushrooms, and salty-umami seaweed.
CANNED TOMATOES
Canned tomatoes—whether diced, crushed, or whole—are the backbone of so many excellent recipes. If we’re out, we’ve been known to use tomato paste thinned with water or even a little jarred marinara sauce in a pinch.
Celery Root Puttanesca
Puttanesca is the ultimate pantry sauce. This version uses spiralized celery root, but any pasta, gluten-free or otherwise, will work beautifully here.
Pesce all’Acqua Pazza
“Pesce all’acqua pazza” translates to “fish in crazy water,” but this dish is actually elegant and simple. The fish gently poaches in the tomato broth, so it’s hard to overcook, and the broth itself is delicious and dunkable. Serve it with grilled bread.
Vodka Sauce
Slightly creamy and slightly spicy, this classic Italian-American sauce is always a crowd-pleaser. And it freezes super well.
Pressure Cooker Red Sauce
Making the sauce in a pressure cooker gives it that rich, slow-cooked flavor in just an hour, so you don’t have to spend your entire afternoon watching over the stove to get your Sunday sauce fix.
COCONUT MILK
We use coconut milk in desserts and as coffee creamer, but it really comes in handy for Southeast Asian–inspired curries and stews.
Chickpea and Kale Curry
The recipe makes a lot of curry, and it gets better as it sits in the fridge and freezes well, too. We love it with brown rice, but it’s also great on its own or with quinoa. Feel free to add more stock and coconut milk if you like a slightly soupier consistency.
Black Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk & Mango
Simmering black rice slowly in water and coconut milk and topping it with ripe mango plays to both sides—a little sweet, a little salty.
CANNED PUMPKIN
Canned pumpkin is not just for the holidays (there, we said it). It’s nutrient-dense and incredibly flavorful, and it makes dairy-free pastries work.
Pumpkin Spice and Greens Smoothie
A creamy and spiced smoothie that’s reminiscent of pumpkin pie and still a filling, nutritious breakfast with spinach, almond butter, and pumpkin purée.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles with Banana & Candied Pumpkin Seeds
These gluten-, dairy-, and refined-sugar-free waffles are a seasonal twist on the ones in GP’s cookbook It’s All Good. Make the batter the night before so it’s ready whenever you are.
PICKLED, BRINY THINGS
This one goes out to the random jars of olives, capers, and artichoke hearts at the back of your cupboard. These ingredients might not always be the star ones, but you can count on them for acidity, tang, and salt.
Roast Cauliflower with Chili, Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
Great warm, this is even better at room temperature, when all the flavors start to mingle. The capers really make it.
Greek Lasagna with Lamb, Zucchini, and Artichokes
For this version of lasagna, we went lighter on the dairy and used feta, a super flavorful cheese, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. With the artichokes: It’s noteworthy.
CHIPOTLE CHILIES
They might be left over from the last time you decided to make posole, but there’s so much you can do with these incredibly flavorful chilies. The adobo sauce they come packed in makes a great spicy mayo, too.
Sweet Potato Taco with Salsa Negra
The heat of the chipotle chilies goes perfectly with the rich molasses and sweet-and-starchy sweet potato.
Braised Mexican Chicken
Insanely delicious. While it benefits from a few extra prep steps, it’s perfect for tacos, burritos, and that whole jam.
Chipotle Marinade
You could slather this marinade on just about anything: chicken breast, pork shoulder, corn, and summer squash, to name just a few.
TINNED FISH
Tinned fish adds depth and complexity to a recipe. And it can turn a humble side dish into a full-blown meal.
Provençal Tuna Sandwiches with Radicchio
The mix of capers, olives, radicchio, onion, and herbs in this classic French tuna salad gets even better as it sits. It’s fantastic on crusty sourdough, but you could use a good gluten-free bread, too.
Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Oreganata Pasta
Anchovies go especially well with tomato-based dishes, adding that whole umami thing, and the combination is especially nice with pasta.
Sardine, Avocado, and Crunchy Veggie Millet Bowl
Sardines pack this dish with micronutrients and healthy fats.
ALTERNATIVE FLOURS
We use buckwheat, spelt, and chickpea flour pretty regularly in the goop test kitchen, but you might have half a bag of one of these at home and nothing to do with it. Until now, of course.
Buckwheat and Banana Pancakes
The combination of nutty buckwheat and sweet, sticky banana is just great. These pancakes happen to be vegan but don’t taste like it.
Buckwheat Banana Bread with Salty Butter
For many of us, freshly baked banana bread conjures up memories of home. This one is slightly malty and not too sweet.
Spelt Flatbreads
Stupid easy. That’s how easy these little pita-inspired flatbreads are to make.
Gluten-Free Matzo Ball Soup
Inspired by the gluten-free matzo balls in Lindsey S. Love’s book Chickpea Flour Does It All, we made a springy version packed with lemon zest and tons of fresh herbs.
Banana Cinnamon Socca Pancakes
We’ve always loved savory socca (chickpea flour pancakes), and we were pleasantly surprised by how well this sweet riff worked. Warm cinnamon and sweet, slightly tropical banana go so well together, and the chickpea flour results in the most delightfully crisp little silver dollars we’ve ever had.
Grilled Zucchini Socca Tacos
These tacos are so satisfying that you won’t miss the corn or wheat flour of standard tortillas.
NUTS AND SEEDS
Storing nuts and seeds in the freezer will extend their life, but these recipes are great for using them up. They are also very substitution-friendly, so feel free to add some pistachios to your granola or hemp hearts to your cookies.
Beauty Seed Bars
These seed bars are gluten-free, full of antioxidants thanks to all of the seeds, and just sweet enough.
Clean Granola
Baking the granola for a long time at a low heat makes it super crunchy. Eat with milk, over yogurt in a parfait, or plain by the handful.
The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie
Liz Moody’s cookies are completely grain-free and refined-sugar-free.
POPCORN
Cheap, versatile, and a long shelf life: the ultimate pantry food.
Cocoa Pop
For candy fiends: The salty, sweet, chocolaty combination works well with the subtle nuttiness of the coconut oil.
