23 Recipes that Utilize Pantry Staples (for when you’re stuck at home!)

Life feels a little uncertain right now, doesn’t it?

Here in Massachusetts schools are all closed for at least 3 weeks, bars are closed, restaurants are only allowed to offer take-out, most public buildings like libraries and museums have closed, all large gatherings have been cancelled or postponed, and everyone is being asked to just stay inside (which, depending on your job and level of financial stability, isn’t really possible).

Oh, and did I mention the grocery stores are cleared out as if the apocalypse is coming, and for some reason there is absolutely no toilet paper, anywhere.

Strange times, friends.

As I mentioned on Instagram over the weekend, I’m planning to take a break from posting any new recipes for a little while, as it just doesn’t feel right to share recipes with ingredients you might not have access to, or to go out and buy excess groceries for photoshoots that could be better used to feed the families in my community. I’ll still be posting here as often as feels right, or maybe sharing some more flexible recipes that don’t require lots of produce, etc.

Since so many of us are stuck inside, I figured now would be a great time to bust out some recipes that utilize basic pantry ingredients like beans, rice, pasta, flour, cocoa powder, potatoes, onions, garlic, etc.

Below you’ll find 23 simple, healthy recipes that can be made with pantry staples. Many of them are easily adaptable to use whatever flour/sugar/vegetable/fruit/grain/etc you have around, so I’ve left a few notes below each with a few substitution ideas. Don’t let a missing ingredient stop you from cooking something nutritious for your family!!

BLUEBERRY ALMOND BUTTER BAKED OATMEAL

A great make-ahead breakfast option using up the oats + nuts in your pantry. Use any frozen or sad-looking fresh fruit you have around in place of the blueberries, and any nut or seed butter you love in place of the almond butter!

CARROT APPLESAUCE PANCAKES

Carrots + applause + whatever whole grain flour you have on hand. I love a drizzle of peanut butter on these!

WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Applesauce keeps these extra moist- feel free to use any other fruit instead of blueberries to make these muffins work for what’s in your pantry! Lemon zest makes them taste extra special but if you don’t have a lemon on hand, just leave it out and they’ll still be great!

FLUFFY WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES

The pancakes are made with NO EGGS (so, they’re vegan, but also great for anyone without much in the house!), can be made with any milk you’ve got (or even water, if you’re in a pinch), work with whole wheat, all-purpose, or even oat flour, and make thick, fluffy pancakes every time.

BLUEBERRY BANANA BREAKFAST COOKIES

Another choose-your-berry adventure: clearly there are a lot of blueberry recipes here but you can totally use what you have. This one is also a great way to use up the random overripe bananas you might have sitting around right now!

NO-KNEAD WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

My favorite pizza dough- great for making a fun family pizza night while you’re stuck inside! This works best with wheat-based flours (think all-purpose, whole wheat, einkorn, spelt, etc), but otherwise is super simple to make. This would be a fun one to mix up with kids!

24 HOUR NO-KNEAD FAUX SOURDOUGH

What better time to make a loaf of homemade bread than when you’re: 1. stuck inside for weeks, and 2: unable to actually find any bread on the grocery store shelves. This one requires yeast and apple cider vinegar, so check to see if you have those (or borrow some from a neighbor!) before getting to work.

SPICY PEANUT TOFU BOWLS

Given the fact that the shelves of tofu are completely empty at all of the grocery stores in my town, I’m guessing someone out there has a carton or two in their fridge and needs ideas for what to do with it! Feel free to use dry garlic and ginger in the sauce if you don’t have fresh!

GRILLABLE BBQ BLACK BEAN BURGERS

These are made almost entirely with pantry ingredients- canned beans, nuts, quinoa, and spices, but are super meaty and satisfying- a great options for when you walk into the grocery store and the entire meat section is cleared out. Feel free to mix-and-match the ingredients to work for your pantry (rice instead of quinoa, any other bean instead of black, pecans or sunflower seeds instead of walnuts, etc)

MUSHROOM WHITE BEAN BISCUIT POT PIE

Homemade coconut oil biscuits + a veggie-loaded gravy make for such a satisfying pantry meal. Other beans like chickpeas would be great here, and a bag of frozen mixed veggies works just as well as the mix of fresh ones here.

SPICY CAULIFLOWER CURRY WITH CHICKPEAS AND POTATOES

We’re making this for dinner tomorrow with a side of naan I grabbed at the store over the weekend. If you have chickpeas, potatoes, cauliflower (or any other veg like carrots, broccoli, peppers, etc), coconut milk, canned tomatoes, and spices, this meal comes together in no time!

5 INGREDIENT CREAMY KALE PASTA

any pasta you have + butter + salt + pasta cooking water = this creamy, dreamy bowl of goodness. Add some cheese for a 1-pot Mac and cheese situation, and throw in any greens or cooked vegetables you have on hand

20 MINUTE CREAMY RED BEANS AND RICE

This is my favorite way to make a meal out of pantry ingredients- whether I’m stuck at home or not. Just a few simple ingredients and 20 minutes, and you’re golden. Serve with a side salad, some steamed broccoli, or eat as is!

15 MINUTE CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP

Cashews + spices make this soup extra creamy and flavorful. Throw in more vegetables or a can of beans if you have them, and want to make this soup even heartier.

CHIPOTLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER + CHICKPEA ENCHILADAS

This recipe utilizes homemade enchilada sauce, but use what you have: a jar of store-bought, or even a jar of salsa + a few hearty shakes of chili powder and cumin.

30 MINUTE GOLDEN LENTIL CURRY WITH KALE AND SWEET POTATOES

Another tasty curry that uses mostly pantry ingredients (swap potatoes or butternut squash for the sweet potatoes, any other greens for spinach, etc).

7 MINUTE CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

This plus pasta and a few handfuls of baby spinach is one of our favorite quick and easy weeknight meals! It’s basically just raw cashews and jarred roasted red peppers, so super pantry friendly!

QUICK PICKLED RED ONIONS

Put your onions to good use by making a tangy, acidic topper for all your meals (we love them on burrito bowls, tacos, salads, curries, etc). Also a great way to make your onions last longer if they’re about to sprout or looking sad.

PEANUT BUTTER OAT BALLS

I literally made a batch of these this morning- I always have all the ingredients in my pantry to make them, and they’re such a tasty snack to keep around the house. Feel free to use any nut/seed butter instead of peanut butter, regular or quick oats, other seeds (like hemp or chia) instead of flax, maple syrup instead of honey, etc. They’re super adaptable and always come out great no matter what variation I make.

CHOCOLATE COVERED OATMEAL-WALNUT COOKIE BARS

Just a few simple ingredients (oats, nuts, coconut oil, etc) make these fun cookie bars! Keep them around for snacks or a salty-sweet dessert option.

FLOURLESS ALMOND BUTTER BROWNIES

This is another recipe we make all the time, and always have the ingredients for, coronavirus or not. They’re super fudgy and chocolatey, made with mostly almond butter and cocoa powder, and everyone loves them!

WHOLE GRAIN RASPBERRY CRUMB BARS

Frozen berries + a simple 1 bowl crumb that serves as the base and the topping. We love these as a grab-and-go breakfast or an afternoon snack. Kids love these as well!!

COCONUT OIL CHOCOLATE CHUNK BLONDIES

This recipe doesn’t need any butter or eggs (‘cuz it’s vegan!) but still yields chewy, soft blondies that taste like the classics.

That’s it! These are the recipes that came to mind when I was brainstorming what to make that relies mostly on pantry ingredients, but SO MANY of my recipes rely on simple pantry ingredients that it was hard to choose. If you’re craving something specific, have a certain ingredient on hand you aren’t sure what to do with, or just want inspiration, feel free to utilize the search bar at the top of the site to peruse the hundreds of other recipes I’ve shared over the years.

If you’re in the Boston area and in need of something to help you get through these strange times, or just want to come out for a walk with me and Peanut to get some fresh air, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Stay safe, friends!

XO,

Chelsea

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