Having a list of pantry recipes you can make in a pinch can help you save money and time. No need to run out for take-out, just turn to the pantry and cook up a pantry meal.
I’ve rounded up 30+ pantry recipes that rely mostly on shelf-stable ingredients. Keep reading for what ingredients to keep on hand and what pantry substitutes you can use instead of certain fresh ingredients.
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Fridge busted? Kitchen remodel? Difficulty stocking up on fresh items?
There are myriad reasons why you might want to prep pantry recipes instead of fresh, farmer’s market type fare, including but not limited to supply chain issues, lack of refrigeration, or simply more storage space for shelf-stable groceries.
But what can you make that calls for shelf-stable ingredients? Having an arsenal of pantry recipes is a great money-saving strategy.
Why It Matters
There are lots of reasons to cook from your pantry. You can save time, money, and a whole lot of stress when you keep some basic pantry staples on hand for easy pantry recipes.
When you find yourself staring into the cupboard wondering what to make for dinner, you can relax, knowing that you can pull together a great meal, no matter what’s in the fridge.
Jot down your favorite pantry recipes made with pantry staples and tack it inside the cupboard. Mischief managed!
Ingredients to Keep on Hand
You might not normally give thought to keeping shelf-stable ingredients on hand and focus on filling the fridge.
You certainly don’t need to buy a case of these pantry items, but just a few of these ingredients worked into your regular shopping will make it easier to make great meals on the fly — at any time.
Keep the following on hand for prepping pantry recipes:
- beans (dried and canned)
- noodles (ramen, spaghetti, penne, macaroni, etc)
- grains and cereals such as rice, oats, and quinoa
- crackers, pretzels, and bread crumbs
- olive and nut oils
- canned tuna and chicken
- canned tomato products (sauce, paste, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes)
- spices and herbs
- dried fruits and vegetables such as onion flakes, celery flakes, dried cranberries, raisins
- canned fruits and vegetables
- nut butter, nuts, and seeds
- milk or cream in aseptic containers or canned coconut milk
- stock or bouillon
These ingredients are generally very affordable and easy to keep on hand since they require no refrigeration. They may even be cheaper than their fresh counterparts.
They are the perfect building blocks to a Frugal Pantry and essential to an emergency 14-day supply.
Types of Pantry Recipes
Here’s a review of nine types of pantry recipes that you can include in your repertoire of emergency meals:
Beans and Rice, Rice and Beans
This traditional budget meal, Beans And Rice is super tasty and easy pantry recipe to make. Don’t think it’s fancy enough? Pile on the toppings! That’s what Chipotle does, and they call it a “burrito bowl”. Who knew something so easy and cheap could cause people to stand in line and fork over 8 bucks?
Make enough to feed an army with your eight dollars!
Mix it up with Mexican Rice, Homemade Pintos or Instant Pot Black Beans, freshly made Salsa, and other fun toppings.
Everyday Marinara Sauce
Pasta is a go-to meal for being hearty as well as inexpensive. You can easily find pasta for $1.00/pound or less — even organics. Stock up!
While you’re at it, load up on canned tomato products, such as crushed tomatoes so that you can whip up a homemade marinara sauce in minutes.
This Everyday Marinara Sauce is such a simple pantry recipe, you’ll wonder why you ever purchased commercial spaghetti sauce. Add meat or a sprinkling of parmesan or keep it simple for a filling, yet frugal meal.
Homemade Pizza
If you’ve got flour and yeast on hand, you’ve got the makings of pizza! I know, pizza might not be first pantry recipe on your mind when you look in the pantry, but when you make my favorite Burrito Pizza, you’re just a handful of cheese away from an awesome pantry meal.
Alternatively, whip up a quick pizza sauce and you’ve got the start to a traditional pie.
Pro tip: Don’t restrict your pantry recipes to just nonperishables. Shredded cheese is easy to keep on hand in the fridge or freezer, so you can basically make pizza whenever you like!
Tuna Sandwiches
Tuna salad is a mainstay pantry recipe when you’re eating on a budget or with a limited kitchen. That humble can of tuna can do wonders in a Tuna Salad that you can stuff into Pita Pockets, tuck into a sandwich, or meld into a panini with cheese.
You can dress up or dress down your tuna sandwiches, depending on what you have on hand and how your mood strikes.
Fried Rice
Fried Rice is God’s gift to pantry challengers. All you need for this pantry recipe is cold cooked rice and a few mix-in’s, such as ham, veggies, and an egg.
You can vary the mix-in’s based on what you have on hand — go vegetarian or make it meatier with a bit of chicken.
Drizzle on some soy sauce or sriracha for a little extra pizazz. Fried Rice is a cheap and filling meal you’ll want to put on repeat.
Snacky Lunch/Dinner
Snacky lunches and dinners are some of the best pantry recipes. You don’t need large amounts of any one ingredient because everyone can grab little bits of what they like here and there. It’s a perfect pantry meal.
Raid the fridge for whatever meats, cheese, veggies, fruits, eggs, and pickles you have on hand and clear out all those boxes of crackers, spreads, pickles, and olives you’ve been collecting in the pantry.
If the veggie bin is on point, you can whip up a small batch of English pickle for some extra zing!
Vegetable Soup
Soup is a fantastic pantry meal — without a red label in sight! It’s incredibly easy to stir up a pot of soup with a can of beans, a tin of tomato sauce, and some veggies from the basket.
This Easy Vegetable Soup mixes up quickly and easily in a matter of minutes! Add a few buttered crackers on the side and you’ve got the perfect pantry recipe for dinner!
Breakfast Burritos
Breakfast for dinner is a winner of a pantry dinner. And Breakfast Burritos are no exception to the rule.
Fry or scramble some eggs and tuck them into tortillas with whatever meats and cheeses you have on hand. Breakfast never looked so good.
Don’t forget to blend up a batch of Super Easy Salsa to add a little kick.
Tuna Mac
Macaroni salads come together in a matter of minutes, thanks to quick-cooking pastas. Make yours a little more by tossing in a can of tuna and some seasonings and vegetables.
You’ll be amazed how satisfying this Tuna Macaroni Salad is for breakfast or lunch. And it’s super easy on the wallet.
Got your list ready to tape to the cupboard door? I’d love to hear what pantry meals you’ve included.
Pantry Recipes
Want a little more direction? Check out these
What are your favorite pantry recipes?
Leave a comment and let us know what your favorites are.
This post was originally published on January 8, 2019. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Susan
Rice mix, canned chicken, onion, celery, and frozen broccoli or peas.
Jessica K
Kale & tofu stir-fry. A block of tofu is about $1.10. crumble it and saute it with an onion and garlic. Add in 4 cups of cooked brown rice, some Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (low sodium soy sauce), and a couple big handfulls of kale. I grow my own kale so this meal feeds my family of 7 for just under $2.
Jessica Fisher
Thanks! What a great budget meal!
Anna Gregory
Being right in the middle of Lent and needing quick fish dinners, I love this go-to tuna pasta dish (and I even do it all in the same skillet!!)
Boil pasta in skillet (fettucini is good) and drain (save some pasta water). In same skillet, heat olive oil, add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper and saute. Add garlic, tuna and dried basil and saute. Add pasta and heat through. Season as needed and add pasta water if necessary.Done.
I’ve also done this with rice and we love it too!!
Jessica Fisher
Thanks for the great idea!
Cindy Contorno
Pasta and peas with sheared egg (sauted onion and garlic ofcoure) tossed with olive oil, sprinkled with Italian cheese.
Cost for 8 servings: $2.00
Jessica Fisher
Sounds yummy!
Pam Davin
Pasta alone is $ 1.50. For 2. I think that is wishful thinking these days. Add peas 89. Add oil or butter another dollar., onion 50.,egg is 50. So so that’s $ 3.50 for 3 people at least.
Jessica Fisher
I think you’ll find that pricing and shopping strategies will vary dramatically. Under normal circumstances, I can find pasta on sale for $0.50 pound, sometimes less at my local Ralphs when paired with sales and digital coupons. My eggs last week were 12 cents each.
It really depends on your pricing and shopping strategies. When you can’t shop around, it can be definitely be more.
Posts here going forward are going to show non-sale prices to help gauge the cost of the item. For instance, these Triple Chocolate Baked Donuts You Can Make Yourself cost 17 cents each. This Macaroni Salad with Cheddar, Red Onion, & Celery is 48 cents a serving.
Lisa M Mettam
My kids love when I throw together some Chicken Pot Pie Soup – onion and a can of sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter, a large can of mushroom soup, milk, a bag of frozen mixed/soup veggies, canned chicken (or leftover rotisserie chicken), herbs and a bit of chicken broth to make it more soup-like. Throw in a bit of leftover ham too and it’s even more of a winner. The can of mushroom soup might not be the healthiest thing, but if it gets dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes in a pinch, that’s a win for me.
Jessica Fisher
I love winning! Great job, Lisa!
Pat
If I buy some tuna I could make everything on this list and more!
My go to meals now seem to be breakfast for dinner , a pasta meal or a variety of chili. We grew goobs of tomatoes, green peppers, and onions in the garden this year so I’ve got lots of homemade tomato sauce in the freezer to make whatever sauce I need .
Jessica Fisher
Sounds like you’re well stocked then!
Sue
My go to pantry dinner is chili. I always have frozen ground beef in my freezer, canned diced tomatoes canned beans, and chili spices in my pantry.
Jessica Fisher
Great things to keep on hand!
Susan
Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, eggs, homemade biscuits or muffins, fruit) is usually a go to idea or omelets are great for using up bits of meat and veggies. I don’t often have time to make pancakes anymore in the morning so the kids love it when I make them for dinner.
I am having my own pantry challenge and 3 of your ideas were on my meal plan for the week.
Jessica Fisher
My kids love breakfast for dinner! High five!
Laura
Spaghetti is another one for us.
Chili. I almost always always have ground beef in the freezer. We grow peppers in the summer and chop and freeze the excess to use during the winter. I also always have garlic and onions since they have a decent shelf life and all other ingredients come from the pantry.
Frittata. Eggs and whatever else I have on hand goes in there.
Baked potatoes. The possibilities for toppings are endless, making it easy to use what you have on hand.
Jessica Fisher
Great suggestions. Thanks, Laura!
Janet
We almost always have milk, eggs, onions, and potatoes on hand so that is where I usually start for pantry meals. A few of our favorites not on your list include:
Potato soup– potatoes, evaporated skim milk, butter, onions and a few spices.
Salmon patties—a can of salmon, bread crumbs, an egg, and salt & pepper.
Pancakes or waffles served with eggs.
When all else fails, I make hash—potatoes, sautéed vegetables and whatever bits of meat on hand served with an over easy egg or two on top.
Jessica Fisher
Sounds delicious, Janet!