Easy Pantry Recipes
Worried you don’t have enough ingredients on hand to make a delicious meal or crowd-pleasing snack? You’ll be surprised what you can whip up with just a handful of basic ingredients.
Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Dried black-eyed peas and frozen collard greens come together in this filling and comforting soup. If you don’t have a ham hock on hand, don’t stress — a bit of extra bacon will provide the same smoky flavor.
Get the Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e Pepe is a beloved Roman dish made with things you can easily find in your pantry, but there are as many ways to make it as there are cooks in Italy. In this version, olive oil adds a little grassiness and Parmigiano-Reggiano, in addition to the classic Pecorino-Romano, is used to round out the flavors and add an umami richness. If you don't have Parmigiano in the house, simply make the dish with all Pecorino and lower the salt in your pasta water by a tablespoon.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Chocolate-Pretzel Cereal Treats
Use chocolate cereal and salty pretzels for these marshmallow-bound treats for the perfect sweet-and-salty bite. Drizzle with chocolate and chill before serving.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate-Pretzel Cereal Treats
Senate Bean Soup
This hearty bean-and-potato soup is inspired by the one that's still served in the Senate cafeteria to this day.
Get the Recipe: Senate Bean Soup
Puttanesca with Angel Hair Pasta
Canned tomatoes, capers, black olives and anchovies combine to make a tangy and traditional puttanesca sauce. Don’t have angel hair in the pantry? No problem! Serve with any pasta you have available.
Get the Recipe: Puttanesca with Angel Hair Pasta
Buttermilk Cheddar Corn Cakes
Trisha's cheesy corn cakes can be served as a side dish for a meaty main course or eaten on their own with butter and maple syrup.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Cheddar Corn Cakes
Rockin' Rice Pudding
Tyler's creamy, comforting rice pudding is your go-to when you need a dessert but don't have much more than pantry staples on hand.
Get the Recipe: Rockin' Rice Pudding
Spinach Tortellini Soup
This satisfying main-dish soup is ready in just 15 minutes thanks to a few shortcut ingredients that most of us have stocked in our refigerator or freezer.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Tortellini Soup
Chocolate-Hazelnut Paninis
Toast these chocolate-hazelnut spread-filled challah sandwiches for a from-the-pantry treat your whole family will love.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate-Hazelnut Paninis
Pasta with Escarole and Chickpeas
Get the Recipe: Pasta With Escarole and Chickpeas
Creamy Tomato Soup
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tomato Soup
Quinoa and Rice Pilaf
Here's how to cook quinoa with rice: Put them in the pot together and let them simmer until tender. It's really as simple as that! Use the fluffy grains as a side dish or base for a grain bowl. Or try our favorite way to enjoy them — sprinkled into a salad for a hearty lunch.
Get the Recipe: Quinoa and Rice Pilaf
Applesauce Waffles
These Belgian-style waffles are crispy on the outside, but the applesauce keeps them moist and almost muffin-like on the inside. Even better, you can make them when you are out of milk and eggs.
Get the Recipe: Applesauce Waffles
Monster Cookie Dough
No eggs needed for Molly’s sweet treat — she uses milk or heavy cream to bind her crave-worthy cookie dough, which is packed with oats, peanut butter and chocolate-coated candies.
Get the Recipe: Monster Cookie Dough
Penne a la Carbonara
Most of the ingredients for Giada's hearty pasta toss are probably already in your pantry and refrigerator. Just pick up some pancetta, or swap in bacon as a substitute.
Get the Recipe: Penne a la Carbonara
Skillet Hash and Eggs
Sausage, eggs and potatoes work together in this easy-to-make hash that's satisfying anytime of day.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Hash and Eggs
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Teriyaki with Rice and Broccoli
You really can cook a whole frozen chicken breast in the Instant Pot® without thawing it first! This is a one-pot meal that comes together with little preparation. Be sure to rinse the rice until the water runs clear to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot while it cooks.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Teriyaki with Rice and Broccoli
Pantry Pasta with Romesco Sauce
Romesco is a Spanish sauce made with bread (as a thickener) and roasted peppers and nuts. This version twists those components into a kind of pesto that is wonderfully smoky and tangy. We've made it with roasted almonds and smoked paprika, but you can also try it with smoked almonds and regular Spanish paprika.
Get the Recipe: Pantry Pasta with Romesco Sauce
Chickpea Curry with Rice
This vegetarian curry could not be easier — whip up a sauce of curry powder, vegetable stock, coconut milk and honey, then incorporate a can of chickpeas. Serve over rice for the perfect pantry meal.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea Curry with Rice
Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic (Aglio Et Olio)
Olive oil, spaghetti and garlic are all that’s needed for this classic pasta dish. Dress it up with whatever you have on hand — fresh lemon and Parmigiano-Reggiano are always a good idea, but frozen peas or canned tomatoes will fit right in, too.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic (Aglio e Olio)
Quick and Easy Minestrone
Soy sauce is great for more than just Asian-inspired dishes. In this hearty pantry-based soup it adds instant depth and the savory flavor called umami, which is associated with foods like Parmesan cheese and mushrooms.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Minestrone
Lentil Sloppy Joes
Get the Recipe: Lentil Sloppy Joes
Cold Curry-Peanut Noodles
Get the Recipe: Cold Curry-Peanut Noodles
Spicy Three-Bean Pantry Chili
This vegetarian chili gets its rich flavor from caramelizing tomato paste and warming herbs, rather than long hours of cooking. You can amp up the heat by using a spicy salsa or some of the adobo paste (though the chile itself is pretty hot). Add corn for some sweetness, or canned hominy for a chunkier and funkier chili.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Three-Bean Pantry Chili
S'mores Bark
We've combined all the elements of a s'more into this delicious bark. It's got crunch from the graham crackers, richness from the chocolate and fire-roasted flavor from broiling the marshmallows-easier than toasting them over a campfire.
Get the Recipe: S'mores Bark
Tuna Salad
Get the Recipe: The Best Tuna Salad
Garlic Ramen Popcorn
Revamp your snack routine by adding garlic and ramen seasoning to microwaved popcorn.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Ramen Popcorn
Pantry Pasta
Get the Recipe: Pantry Pasta
Spinach with Tahini Sauce
Dress up baby spinach with a quick sauce made from tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.
Get the Recipe: Spinach with Tahini Sauce
Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes
Get the Recipe: Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes
Black Bean Hummus
Get the Recipe: Black Bean Hummus
Agnolotti with Artichoke Sauce
Get the Recipe: Agnolotti With Artichoke Sauce
Peanut Butter Ramen
Trisha’s sweet-and-spicy ramen is an absolute dream. If you don’t have chicken on hand, feel free to substitute with whatever you have left in the fridge or freezer — shrimp or beef would absolutely work with her versatile recipe!
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Ramen
Curry Fried Rice
Get the Recipe: Curry Fried Rice
Power Balls
Trisha whips up these peanut butter treats when she needs a quick, filling snack. She mixes in mini chocolate chips and dried cranberries, but you can absolutely use whatever you have in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Power Balls
Tomato-Ginger Couscous
Get the Recipe: Tomato-Ginger Couscous
Rigatoni with Spicy Shrimp
Get the Recipe: Rigatoni with Spicy Shrimp
Vegan Pancakes
You don't need eggs and dairy for super-fluffy pancakes-the extra baking powder in this recipe helps with that. We love the flavor and tenderness that coconut oil gives these easy-to-make pancakes.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Pancakes
Ravioli Alfredo with Peas
Get the Recipe: Ravioli Alfredo With Peas
7-Can Soup
The name says it all with Ree’s recipe. She combines canned beans, veggies and chili to make her quick and easy five-star soup — the only tools needed are a can opener and a large pot!
Get the Recipe: 7-Can Soup
Root Beer Baked Beans
Get the Recipe: Root Beer Baked Beans
Turkey Chipotle Chili
Get the Recipe: Turkey Chipotle Chili with Pepper Jack Cheese Corn Cake Toppers
Carbonara Beans
Create the pantry side dish of your dreams with a few humble ingredients--eggs, bacon, Parmesan and beans! It’s everything you love about traditional carbonara, but with protein-packed cannellini in place of the pasta.
Get the Recipe: Carbonara Beans
Any Liquor Pantry Cocktail
This recipe is really just a 3-2-1 ratio with almost endless adaptations. Start with a base liquor of your choice. Add something sour -- citrus or another unsweetened, tart juice. You can even add a splash of brine from pickled vegetables or a little vinegar to take the cocktail in the direction of a shrub, which has popped up on drink menus all over because it's so refreshing. Finally, add something sweet -- basic simple syrup or just about any other liquid sweetener you have on hand. Once you are ready to shake it with ice, you can personalize it further by throwing a few herb sprigs or pieces of fruit in the shaker. Finish with a topper of seltzer, prosecco or another fizzy beverage, if you like. The proverbial cherry on top can be any garnish you have on hand -- fruit, pickles, candy, herbs, you name it. Begin with simple combinations -- see our suggestions below -- and then experiment to find the ones you like the most.
Get the Recipe: Any Liquor Pantry Cocktail
