Hello, Tartlets! We interrupt our regularly scheduled book review and book-inspired recipe posts to bring you this specially curated list of Pantry Staples Recipes, designed to help you figure out what the heck to cook each day while you’re spending 24/7 with those you love…with, um, rather limited resources.
My grandmother always kept a well-stocked pantry and freezer in her basement. Whenever I would visit her, we would go downstairs and unearth tubs and tubs of frozen treats for me to bring home: cookies, brownies, banana breads, cake layers, etc. To get to these treats, we’d push past towers of more practical frozen items: beef patties, chicken cutlets, loaves of store-bought bread, and enough broccoli cuts and green beans to feed a small army.
On the way back upstairs, I’d spy numerous shelves full of canned veggies, jarred fruit, peanut butter, jellies, crackers, and cereals. Everything was neatly lined up and ready to go for…well, I had no idea what, at that time.
What I did know was that Grandma’s house was a veritable food warehouse, which I guess isn’t surprising for someone who lived through both the Great Depression and WW2.
When I was a kid, I used to think my grandmother was a lil’ crazy for hoarding all those pantry staples and frozen food. This morning, all I can think is: GRANDMA KNEW WHAT’S UP. Coronavirus closures, curfews, and quarantines would not have fazed her one bit; she was ready for ’em.
Many of us have shopped til we dropped the past few days, and we’ve either come away abundantly victorious or woefully bereft, depending on what time you made it to the grocery store. Whatever your situation, we’re all faced with the same, semi-daunting task: what do we make with only what we have in the house?
Fear not, Tartlets. This Coronavirus Meal Planning Survival Guide has got you covered! Here’s a list of 15 delicious recipes, both savory and sweet, that rely heavily on pantry staples or items you regularly stock in your fridge or freezer, plus a fresh ingredient (like beef, chicken, or fish) here and there.
A lot of these recipes can be customized to use whatever you have in the house, so don’t be afraid to try something just bcause you don’t have every single ingredient listed to make the dish. Now’s the time to get creative! Feel free to email me or comment below with any questions. I’ll reply as quickly as I can!
COOKING
I always keep boxes of pasta and cans of tomatoes on hand for emergency purposes — or, y’know, for a random Tuesday night dinner since, well, I <3 CARBS. This warm, comforting pasta dish comes together in about 30 minutes and uses almost all ingredients that can be found on your pantry shelf. Feel free to sub in dried basil for fresh, and you can always add milk to the sauce if you don’t have any cream in your fridge.
This mouth-watering, hearty casserole feeds a family and can last up to a week in the fridge. This recipe is so versatile — while it calls for ground beef, you could use chicken or turkey, and you can throw any ol’ veggies and herbs you like in there. And, who can resist a cheesy potato crust topping? I know I can’t. In a time when comfort food is needed, this Cottage Pie has delivers.
Paprika Shrimp and Cheesy Polenta
Since it’s hard to get good, fresh seafood where I live, I’m forever buying bags of frozen shrimp to store in my freezer. You can defrost the shrimp under warm, running water in about 15 minutes. And, I always keep cornmeal on hand to make my cornbread muffins (see below), so it’s great to use it in a savory dish, as well. This entire meal comes together in about 30 minutes.
My original polenta recipe calls for smoked gouda, but I’ve made it with just about every type of cheese there is: parmesan, cheddar, havarti….the list goes on and on. Don’t be afraid to use whatever you’ve got.
Condensed soups are one of the cheapest pantry items you can buy, and they always seem to be going on sale. I keep an ample stash of the ones needed to make this cozy, comforting casserole dish. Like the Cottage Pie, this meal can feed a family and keep in the fridge for about a week. If you have a green salad to serve it with, go ahead, but this casserole is honestly a filling meal all on its own. Plus, it makes your home smell AWESOME while it’s baking in the oven.
With this easy recipe for homemade pizza dough, you don’t even have to worry about answering the door for delivery. Make your own dough, watch it rise (because, really, what else are you doing these days?), then roll it out and pile it high with your favorite toppings: jarred marinara or tomato sauce is usually within reach, and adding canned veggies like artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and olives makes for a tasty pizza. You could even break into your kids’ Lunchables to steal the pepperoni slices; I won’t judge you. And, if you have access to shredded mozzerella, great; if not, use whatever cheese you can find! Homemade pizza is amazingly customizable — and, a ton of fun to make together as a family.
One Pot Swedish Meatball Pasta
This recipe makes a full meal in ONE POT. I mean, you’re sold already, aren’t you? Just in case you’re not, let me remind you that you can’t go to Ikea right now for their meatballs…and you don’t have to. This recipe brings delicious Swedish meatballs, gravy, and pasta right to you. Defrost some frozen ground beef, break open the package of egg noodles that, let’s face it, you bought months ago but still haven’t used, and get to cookin’. You can always browse the Ikea catalog online while you eat.
Another pasta pantry staple recipe! Because, is there a better time to justify the excessive eating of pasta than during a quarantine?? I think not. This dish uses a TON of regular pantry spices, plus a little bonus of…cocoa powder! This meaty chili feeds a crowd and fills you up fast. Plus, the chili only needs to simmer for a little bit, so you’ll have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.
Let’s not forget about the most important meal of the day: breakfast! My simple French toast recipe calls for challah bread, but any type of bread will do in a pinch. The real flavor comes from the cinnamon-vanilla custard you drench the bread in, and then frying it in butter on a piping hot griddle. Oh, and let me remind you that Mrs. Buttersworth’s syrup is a pantry staple that pretty much never expires. And, it’s way cheaper than real maple syrup. Just sayin’.
BAKING
Chocolate Chip Cornbread Muffins
These moist, crumbly muffins dotted with melty chocolate chips are the perfect pick-me-up afternoon snack or sweet breakfast treat. Got the kiddos home with you all week? This recipe is easy enough that they can make it with you — just be aware that you might find more than the alotted amount of chocolate chips dumped into the batter. But, that’s never really a bad thing…
Bars of well-wrapped cheese stay fresh forever in the fridge, so I always make sure to have a few on hand for emergency cheese purposes: as a snack with fruit, grated over salad, wrapped up in a burrito or sprinkled over a taco, and….for making cheese scones. These savory treats are insanely delicious; they’re reminiscent of those addictive Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster. One cheesy, salty, buttery bite, and you’ll be making these scones on repeat for weeks to come. Eat them on their own, or serve them with another pantry staple: canned tomato soup.
Got pretzels? Got chocolate? Then you have what you need to make these highly sought-after, store-bought treats right in your own kitchen. My recipe features Christmas pretzels, but any pretzels you have on hand will work. The same goes for chocolate — bars? chips? chunks? Melt ’em down and get to work. This is another great kitchen activity to keep the kids entertained since my method for melting chocolate uses the microwave instead of a double-boiler.
Who doesn’t love a good chocolate chip cookie? My recipe makes large, chewy, crinkly, brown sugar cookies filled with dark chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. The ingredients for chocolate chip cookies are essential pantry staples, so I’m pretty sure you have them in your home this very minute. Feel free to swap in/leave out another great pantry staple — nuts — as needed for your dietary needs or preferences. And, adding sprinkles to any cookie never hurt. Just a reminder.
Do you have a leftover, half-filled jar of molasses in your cabinets? Of course you do! No one touches the stuff post-December, which makes molasses an almost ever-present pantry staple. This moist, fragrant cake gives you another way to use this rich, flavorful syrup that doesn’t involve gingerbread. Feel free to sub in frozen (thawed) blueberries for fresh. I always have frozen fruit bags on hand for smoothies, but they’re great for baking, too!
These moist, chewy blondies are packed with all the flavor of your favorite chai latte drink. They’re made with warm, invigorating spices and instant coffee, so if you’re missing your daily Starbucks caffeine boost, whip up a batch of these bars and nibble away until you feel energized to face the rest of the day.
These vibrant cookies are fun to eat AND make. This is another great baking activity for the kiddos. You might wanna be the one to drop in the food coloring, but once the dough is brightly colored, you can sit back and let your kids roll and shape away. Let them make cookie pinwheels, snails, snakes, or any other shapes they desire. Everything will bake up bright and delicious in the end!
That’s it, folks! I hope you find these pantry staples recipes helpful. And, of course, be sure to check out all my recipes on the blog.
PSA
My book-inspired recipe posts are going to be a little scattered for awhile. As we’re all aware, food and supplies fly from the shelves as quickly as they’re stocked these days. Mr. Tart and I stocked up little by little before the craziness took hold last week, but we’re still more or less rationing things until we know which way this COVID-19 ish is going to turn. (Please, please, please not the way of Italy. #StayTheFuckHome, people. Spread it around like wildfire…or, like coronavirus. …Too soon? Sorry.)
I’m also not planning on going grocery shopping all that often, and new ingredients will be strictly limited to only what my household requires so that everyone has a chance at getting the nourishment and supplies they need during this difficult time. So, I’ll be posting book reviews as per usual, and I’ll try to sneak a new recipe post in when I can. And, said recipes will probably involve — you guessed it — more pantry staples!
Be careful, be safe, be healthy, and, most importantly, be kind to one another.
OMG, our grandparents did have warehouses, AHAHA. It’s crazy that we are semi-reliving (or about relive) some of their harder times. The economy is definitely about to face a huge challenge. I saw you post about pantry cooking on IG and thought what a brilliant and helpful post this is at a stressful time. Thanks for compiling your select recipes that are easy for us to make. Our pantry is stocked but our fridge is a little low. I’m eyeing the shrimp and polenta one. Yum!
I tell ya — our grandparents were prepared for everything! We can definitely take a page from their book when it comes to prepping, storing, rationing, and NOT hoarding. I haven’t been to a grocery store in over a week, but I hear that you have to go pretty early to get groceries and supplies, or they’re gone. I’m supposed to get a home grocery delivery next Sunday, and I REALLY hope it doesn’t get canceled! And, that we get at least most of the stuff we’ve ordered. Our fridge is running a little low now, too, and I miss fresh ingredients. (It’s been soooooo hard to ration my bread intake!! I’m trying to make the one loaf we have last, lol.)
So glad you liked this pantry staples post!! It’s so great to encourage everyone to use what they have already; we definitely don’t want to be wasting food right now. I hope this list helps people have some great meals and desserts while they’re stuck at home! You should def give the shrimp and polenta a try — it’s a regular meal in our house because it’s delicious, easy, and laughably quick to pull together. And I’m preetttty sure it’s gluten-free (???) because of the cornmeal, so hopefully it will work for you!