It’s time to make dinner but nothing in your refrigerator or freezer is inspiring you? Turn to your pantry. There are so many helpful ingredients there (including some seriously underrated canned goods) that are ready and waiting to be turned into something delicious. Whether you reach for beans or canned tomatoes, you’ll find that they can help you make lots of easy pantry recipes. Wondering what you can make with all those cans? We’ve rounded up some great ideas — like this one. Ree grabs 7 common canned items, some salt and pepper and a little bit of cheese and, in less than 30 minutes, she puts a hearty and delicious meal for 6 on the table.
Cans are a great way to get vegetables onto your family table. This ragu uses canned tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms to make a pasta sauce as nutritious as it is delicious.
You have probably heard that beans are good for your heart but we’d argue they’re just as good for your taste buds, especially when they’re used in this hearty and satisfying soup!
Giada’s colorful salad includes a handful of ingredients that come straight from the pantry: diced tomatoes, beans, spices and olive oil. By adding a little bit of fresh herbs and some tender baby greens, she makes a meal that’s undeniably better than the sum of its parts.
This soup is packed with flavor. Ree starts with a can of minestrone soup and dresses it up with other pantry staples like canned tomatoes, beans, artichoke hearts and more.
A variety of canned tomatoes adds richness to this classic sauce — and makes it a breeze to prepare. A long simmer helps the flavors meld and results in a sauce that is perfect on pasta or nestled around chicken cutlets or meatballs.
The canning process seals in food's flavor and natural goodness, making canned pantry essentials like green chiles, tomatoes and chicken broth perfect for elevating the flavors of this hearty, Mexican stew.
Canned foods make it simple to eat healthier. And this salad is both easy-to-make and versatile. Canned beans, artichoke hearts and tuna make this lunch (or dinner) one you can whip up anytime.
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.
This salad can definitely stand on its own with its hearty ingredients such as canned beans or peas, artichoke hearts, and hearts of palms. It's guaranteed to fill you up.
Traditionally, minestrone is slow-simmered with Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds to impart a rich umami flavor to the broth. In our shortcut version, soy sauce is used instead, adding instant depth to this pantry-friendly soup.
This pantry-friendly soup is as easy on the cook as it is on the wallet. All you need are the three cans (tomatoes, beans and mixed vegetables) and some staple seasonings. To give the soup extra body and a creaminess without adding dairy, mash some of the beans directly in the can. The result is a hearty, satisfying soup with minimal effort.
