Turn to your pantry staples, such as beans, rice, pasta and potatoes to pull off healthy meals with little effort and minimal trips to the store.
At the best of times, we could all use an arsenal of healthy recipes that utilize pantry staples. During these distressing times of social distancing and restaurant closures, there's some comfort in knowing that we can put a healthy meal on the table using basic ingredients, such as beans, rice, pasta and potatoes.
In this post, I included some of my favorite pantry staple recipes, as well as a general list of items that I like to keep on hand to avoid last minute trips to the grocery store. I didn't include fridge or freezer items, but encourage you to keep some of your favorite proteins, vegetables and fruits on hand to round out your meals.
I divided the recipes into four sections. Click on the category below to skip directly to those recipes.
For pantry staples, we like to stock the following (affiliate links included):
- a variety of pasta shapes - penne, rotini, spaghetti, bucatini and so on. Also, pasta types - regular semolina pasta, as well as whole wheat pasta, brown rice noodles and soba noodles
- beans, both dried and canned - black, red kidney, garbanzo (chickpeas), pinto, cannellini (Great Northern)
- lentils of all kinds - red, green, yellow
- potatoes - both little potatoes as well as russets and sweet potatoes
- rice - while we typically eat brown rices (jasmine, basmati and medium grain), I always have a bag of white rice on hands because my kids love it
- other grains - farro, quinoa, barley, freekeh and more
- broths - I always have chicken and vegetable broths on hand
- spices - I couldn't possibly list everything here, but it ranges from basics like oregano and rosemary to less common spices, such as smoked paprika and ground coriander
- canned tomato products - crushed tomatoes, petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste and salsa
Bean & lentil recipes
Pull out the crockpot for these vegan Slow Cooker Italian Chickpeas. Serve over rice, pasta and quinoa. 188 calories and 0 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
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Make a big batch of this vegan Red Lentil Dal in your Instant Pot and enjoy it for meatless lunches and dinners the rest of the week. So easy to make!
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This Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes is not only delicious and satisfying, but also happen to be vegan!
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This hearty, healthy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili is a great plant-based weeknight dinner! Also includes directions for slow cooker and stovetop.
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This spiced Crockpot Chickpea Stew is one of the first meatless meals I fell in love with. So much flavor and your kitchen will smell amazing!
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Whip up an easy vegetarian breakfast or dinner with this skinny southwestern crustless quiche recipe. It's as tasty as it is versatile! 142 calories and 2 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
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rice & other grain recipes
This Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup recipe (vegan) couldn’t be easier. Just throw everything in the crockpot and walk away! Healthy, delicious and packed with nutrients.
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Dig into this Instant Pot Chicken Stew with Farro for a dose of whole grains and lean protein. Stovetop instructions included. 336 calories and 4 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
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This southwestern ground turkey casserole is a fantastic mix of rice, spices, vegetables and lean protein. It all comes together in about 30 minutes for a healthy dinner.
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Chicken and Rice Soup is one of our favorite comfort meals and it comes together so easily in the Instant Pot! 241 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
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Made from staple pantry ingredients and a side of chicken, this easy and delicious One Pot Italian Chicken and Quinoa recipe is a lifesaver on a busy night.
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Get your dose of iron and veggies in a healthy and comforting bowl of Beef Taco Quinoa Soup. Great for loading up on vitamins in the cold and flu season. 210 calories and 4 Weight Watchers SP
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Pasta Recipes
Baked ziti with sausage and peppers is fantastic for feeding a crowd! Make-ahead and freezer directions are included, which makes entertaining or weeknight cooking even easier.
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Every home cook needs a go-to healthy pasta recipe, with a great homemade tomato sauce. This chicken penne pasta takes just 30 minutes, from stovetop to table.
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Ditch the mayo and bring this Tuna Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette to the next backyard barbecue or family picnic. A lightened-up classic is always a surefire winner!
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One of the best pasta dishes I've eaten in a long time! This roasted cauliflower pasta is flavored with caramelized onions, spinach and hazelnuts. Uses mostly pantry staples!
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If you've never tried Korean glass noodles, now's the time! This sweet potato noodle recipe, called Japchae, is filled with chicken, vegetables & tons of flavor! 284 calories and 7 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
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Potato Recipes
20 minute meal! These Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are a fantastic option when you need a quick dinner recipe. 226 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
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There is so much flavor in this convenient one-pot braised chicken and potato recipe that you won't believe how healthy it is!
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This one pot chicken tomato curry with potatoes is even better when sopped up with naan. Quick and easy recipe!
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Easy, vegan and delicious! This Southwestern Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Potatoes is fantastic for any night of the week.
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Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Kelley @ Chef Savvy
Love this idea of using pantry staples! I will totally be making the Curry chicken!