Looking for pantry recipes that are quick, easy and delicious? I’ve got you covered. Some of the best meals I’ve ever made at home were prepared with staples that most people already have in their kitchens.
Whether you’re on a tight budget or just don’t feel like hitting the store, you’ll love these 15+ recipes.
15+ Easy Pantry Recipes You Can Make Using Stuff You Already Have at Home
1. Grilled Cheese Sandwich
A classic pantry recipe that also happens to be one of the easiest and most satisfying to prepare.
Two pieces of sandwich bread. Two pieces of cheese. A little butter and a good skillet. That’s all you need to make a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.
Feel free to get fancy if you have other types of cheese in your fridge.
2. Shepherd’s Pie
Pantry recipes like this one are so simple and so satisfying. And you’ll love the fact that you can leave it in the slow cooker practically all day.
You’ll need quite a few ingredients that you likely already have on hand, like:
- Beef
- Carrots
- Onions
- Celery
- Bay leaves
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tomato puree and chopped tomatoes
- Beef stock mixed with cornstarch
Once the base of the pie has cooked, you’ll top it with mashed potatoes and let it cook again until the edges are browned.
Want a meat-free version? Use lentils instead of beef and veggie broth instead of beef stock.
3. Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Soups are the perfect pantry meals because you can toss just about anything together and it will taste delicious.
This recipe calls for:
- Carrots
- Celery
- White onion
- Garlic
- Chicken breast
- Spices
- Butter
- Wild rice
- Chicken broth
What’s great about a recipe like this is that you can swap out any ingredients you want. Use regular white rice or brown rice instead. Add different veggies. Get creative with the flavors, and you’ll love this soup even more.
Related: 25 High-Protein Meal-Prep Lunches to Help Manage Blood Sugar
4. Baked Feta and Broccoli Pasta
Pasta dishes are always crowd pleasers, and if you have some frozen broccoli on hand, you can make this pantry recipe.
Start by roasting broccoli florets in a casserole dish with a big block of feta at the center. Bake until the broccoli is cooked and the feta has softened.
Then, mix the feta with the broccoli and a little pasta water. Add the pasta, mix and serve.
This dish is so easy to make, but I promise, everyone will love it.
5. White Bean and Pesto Bake
White bean pesto is easy to make and you’ll use your favorite store-bought pesto, so there’s not much work to do. You’ll need to use long grain brown rice, veggie broth, tomatoes, panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cannellini beans and pesto.
Combine your ingredients, pour into a baking dish, combine well and spread it out.
Bake for 70 minutes or so before adding breadcrumbs and cheese on top and broiling until they’re golden brown.
6. Easy Chickpea Fritters
Chickpea fritters are new to me, but they taste really good, especially with dipping sauce. Pour your can of rinsed chickpeas into a mixing bowl and mash them together with:
- Parm cheese
- Parsley
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Water
Form your chickpeas into small patties. You’ll then fry or bake them until they’re golden brown. Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
The author of this recipe decided to use premade Tahini sauce, which tastes great.
7. Homemade Healthy Granola
One thing to pay attention to with pantry recipes is the comments. People provide a lot of great recommendations, such as not adding water or sugar to the recipe because it tastes better.
For the rest of the granola, you need a base of the following:
- Rolled oats
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Butter
Mix the ingredients together, spread on a lined baking sheet and bake until golden. Add anything you like on top: raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, nuts, seeds or chia seeds.
8. Cinnamon Roll French Toast Roll Ups
French toast roll ups are always a sweet treat that feels more like a dessert than a dinner. You’ll roll up your French toast bread and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. You’ll need:
- Sandwich bread
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
Use a rolling pin to roll the bread flat and then cut off the crust. Add melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to a bowl. Dip your bread slices into the mixture and then roll them up. In a different bowl, combine your eggs, cinnamon and vanilla and then dip your roll ups in it before frying in butter until golden brown.
9. Chili Rice Casserole
A casserole dish, like this 9×13-inch one, is perfect for this recipe. Preheat your oven to 375F and lightly grease your dish. Dice your jalapenos, onion and pepper. Add a small amount to the side if you want to top the casserole with it.
Rinse your rice and drain your beans.
Add your rice, beans, jalapeno, diced tomatoes, veggie broth, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder and chipotle chili powder to the baking dish. Cover and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked, stir in your juice and the zest of a lime. Add half of the cheese you have and then sprinkle the rest on top before baking until the cheese is bubbly.
10. Potato and Bean Soup
Potato and beans come together perfectly in this soup, which calls for:
- Canned beans
- Potatoes
- Onions and garlic
- Spices and herbs
- Olive oil
- Tomato paste
- Broth
- Salt and pepper
- Carrots
- Celery
Sauté your onions, celery and carrots. Stir your dried herbs, paprika and garlic together. Cook for an additional minute before adding in your beans, broth, tomato paste, potatoes and seasoning.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
Related: 25+ Easy Lunch Recipes Perfect for Busy Days
11. Meatloaf with Pantry Staples
Fifteen minutes is all you need for this pantry recipe. Start by making the meatloaf with ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, dried parsley, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper.
You’ll then make a glaze out of ketchup, deli mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika.
Once the glaze is ready, brush the meatloaf and bake for 60-75 minutes.
12. Pesto Rice Bake
Pantry recipes like these are fast and easy. Bring broth to a boil in a kettle and rinse the rice under running water. In your baking dish, add the following ingredients:
- Rice
- Pesto
- Chickpeas
- Mushrooms
- Diced shallot
- Parsley
- Lemon pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Stir well to combine all of the ingredients together. Pour in your vegetable broth, stir and bake for 25 minutes. Top with shredded cheese, bake until the cheese bubbles and then remove from the oven before serving with red pepper and basil.
13. Garlic Butter Chicken with Zucchini and Corn
Start by slicing your chicken breasts into strips. Season with black pepper, salt, chili powder and smoked paprika. Add two tablespoons to a cast-iron skillet and then add your chicken. Flip after about four minutes and add minced garlic.
Cook for two more minutes, squeeze on your lime juice and add some butter.
Continue cooking and stirring until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through. Assemble with corn kernels, zucchini, veggies, cilantro and spices. Serve with chili powder on top for an extra pop of flavor.
14. Buttery Garlic Noodles with Parmesan
Twenty minutes is all you need for this recipe. You can serve as a main or side dish, but it’s pretty simple:
- Cook the pasta in a large pot with salt and water
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water when draining
- Sauté the garlic in a large skillet
- Combine your sauce and pasta together
- Add parmesan cheese
- Season and garnish
You’ll sprinkle parsley, chili flakes and lemon zest on top to taste. For a fast pasta dish, it doesn’t get much better than this buttery garlic noodle recipe.
15. 10 Minute Chicken Bake
Ten-minute Mediterranean chicken with zucchini in a bake is a great weeknight dinner. You’ll need a ceramic baking dish, but that’s it for this one-pan recipe. Preheat your oven to 375F and lightly grease your pan with olive oil.
Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces, and add in zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion and minced garlic.
In a large bowl, toss everything together with olive oil and Mediterranean seasoning. Be sure that everything is evenly coated before baking.
Be sure to spread your chicken and veggies evenly, sprinkle shredded cheese on top, cover with foil and bake for twenty minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the cheese is golden.
Related: 21+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Beginners Anyone Can Make
16. Turkish Pasta
Turkish dishes are always filled with flavor. I love Turkish coffee, so when I saw this recipe from Anna Paul, I wondered if it was just as flavor-packed. And it is the ultimate comfort food. You’ll combine:
- Creamy garlic yogurt
- Spiced ground beef
- Paprika butter
Add in some feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, yellow onion, parsley and lemon, and you’ll quickly fill the room with an amazing aroma.
Start by sauteeing your onions, beef and seasoning together. In the meantime, mix your Greek yogurt with garlic. Cover your butter in paprika and melt it. Start assembling everything so that you can serve it together.
17. One Pan Dumpling
Wontons and spicy sauce are always a welcome dish in my home. Pantry recipes like these do require you to have frozen wontons or dumplings, but you’ll make the sauce for it on your own with heavy cream, spices, green peppers, spicy sauce and a handful of other ingredients.
And you can make it all in one pan, so there’s little to clean up.
Your baking dish and a whisk are all you need to put this dish together.
