How to Eat Well with a Full Stocked Pantry

Having a full stocked pantry is key to making incredible recipes at any given time. Here I share my favorite pantry staples that we always have on hand!

Because we cook a lot, a fully stocked pantry is key!

It’s no surprise that we cook at home..A LOT, which means we like to keep a fully stocked pantry and freezer at all times. For quick, weeknight dinners or even something longer and elaborate for a weekend day lounging at home.

So with that being said, I’d love to share how we stock our pantry and freezer to make just about ANYTHING from one pot chicken dinners to French souffles.

Is there anything I missed? Are there items that YOU can’t live without? I’d love to hear what they are!

Dry Goods

Flour (AP and/or GF): perfect for pizza night, cheese souffles and a fun day of baking rosemary garlic challah.

Red Lentils: cook incredibly quick and are the base of Turkish lentil soup which freezer incredibly well and makes enough for an army!

Basmati and Jasmine Rice: for one pot chicken with rice or rice pilaf or to finally get your hand at trying Persian rice (tahdig).

Pastas: of all shapes and sizes for countless dinner nights in.

Dried Beans (chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, navy beans): Inexpensive and bulk up foods to feed the entire neighborhood. Just make sure you soak the dried beans overnight before cooking.

Panko Breadcrumbs: for coating Eggplant Parmesan.

Capers: One of my favorite ingredients to add a pop of briny flavor. Add capers to chicken piccata or chorizo bolognese with capers or on top of pizza too!

Olives (Castelveltrano, Kalamata): For snacking, antipasti, add to roast chicken dishes, baked fish and salad such as Greek Fattoush.

Anchovies: A favorite to melt in olive oil and spread on garlic bread or Linguini Puttanesca.

Olive Oil: Countless salad dressings such as in Israeli Chopped Salad.

Vinegar (Balsamic, Red Wine, Apple Cider): Base for salad dressings

Quinoa and Couscous: Great to add in soups, toss with eggs and bulk up salads such as Quinoa Tabbouleh and Greek Quinoa Salad.

Canned Goods

Tomatoes (crushed, diced, whole): Always have multiple cans on hand! For everything from pasta sauces ( vodka pink sauce for instance), to pizza sauce and sweet and sour stuffed cabbage rolls.

Beans (chickpeas, black, kidney): All you need is a can opener and beans can be added to soups, chili’s, one pot chicken dishes (try the One Pot Lemon Chicken with Chickpeas) or if you’re feeling a bit extra, mashed up for a faux re-fried bean side dish.

Broth (chicken, vegetable): I really like the jarred Better Than Bouillon, it’s concentrated and a little goes a long way.

Coconut Milk: For curries (such as Lemongrass Chicken Coconut Curry) and soups and to make a fantastic dairy free coconut whipped cream.

Freezer Items

Unsalted butter: Freezes incredibly well. Just take out a few hours before you’re ready to use it.

Chicken (whole, parts, cutlets): A Protein we always have in the freezer of all cuts and sizes. One of my favorite recipes with chicken is Olive Oil Braised Chicken with Turmeric.

Ground meats (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, sausage): All freeze very well. Just be sure to thaw in the fridge overnight at least.

Raw Shrimp: Surprisingly not expensive and you can often get a 5 pound bag at most stores. raw shrimp defrost easily and are perfect for pastas or to add to cioppino.

Frozen Vegetables (Corn, Edamame, Peas, Cauliflower Rice): All freeze and defrost very well and perfect to add to stir fry and soups. And cauliflower rice defrosts quickly and is a fantastic substitute for rice, such as in Jeweled Cauliflower Rice.

Frozen Fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries): We use these mostly for smoothies and last minute dessert cravings.

Fridge Items:

Eggs: Fried up on buttered toast, shakshuka, carbonara fritattas and on top of fried rice.

Whole Milk Yogurt: One of my favorite ingredients for marinades!

Coconut Water: For hydration, to add to smoothies and to add to rice for a slight coconut flavor.

Counter Top Produce:

Garlic and Onions: Always have these on hand for starting just about any recipe.

Cherry Tomatoes: Hold up pretty well on the counter and if they’re out of season, roast tomatoes with olive oil and garlic.

Potatoes: Yukon, sweet, russet all hold up well and great for roasting, frying and mashing.

Winter Squash: These have incredibly hard exteriors and meant to last months on end. One of my favorite recipes, roasted kaboacha squash with coconut oil.