57 Recipes Using Pantry Staples and Frozen Goods

In stressful times like these, one of the best things you can do is find activities you love and do more of them! For me, that’s always been cooking (and obviously eating). It’s a creative distraction from the buzz of the world, and can help ease your mind for at least a little while.

All of these recipes are made (almost) entirely from pantry staples and frozen items. With a mix of vegan, vegetarian and paleo, these recipes will keep your meals exciting during this stressful time. Many are also freezer friendly so you can make a big batch and have a supply of meals ready to go in just minutes!

All of these pantry staple recipes have substitutions listed wherever possible. You are always welcome to swap in frozen veggies/fruit in place of fresh or leave out any ingredients you don’t have on hand.

If you have any questions about how to alter a recipe with what you have, leave a comment on the post and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. Be sure to rate/review any recipes you try, I love hearing your thoughts! Check out my kitchen essentials post for all the home cooking you’ll be doing 🙂

Tips on Stocking Your Kitchen With Pantry Staples

In the pantry: I have a never ending supply of pasta at all times, but during times like these, it doesn’t hurt to have a little extra! I also have rice, oats, quinoa, beans (canned and dried), lentils, chicken stock, canned tomatoes, crackers, nuts, seeds, nut butter, pasta sauce, pumpkin puree, oil, coconut milk, vinegar, soy sauce, honey/maple syrup, protein powder, spices and all baking needs like flour, baking soda/powder and sugar. It’s also a good idea to have plenty of non-dairy milk that is pantry safe and doesn’t require refrigeration.

In the freezer: I like to keep my freezer pretty well stocked with frozen fruit and vegetables plus chicken and fish which can defrost in the fridge before cooking. Frozen fruit/veg will keep for months and are great in the things like smoothies and stir fries. Some vegetables are better frozen than others, so I mostly keep frozen broccoli, edamame, peans, corn, spinach, kale and bell peppers.

In the fridge: Long lasting fresh produce is the best thing to stock up on. Think sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, squash, lemons, banana, apples, cabbage, onions and garlic which will keep for weeks. Other items to have include eggs, tofu, butter, tortillas, bread (will keep longer in the fridge, plus you can freeze any extra) ketchup/mustard and yogurt which store well in the fridge for several weeks.

Pasta/Noodles

Peanut Butter Noodles // Mushroom Broccoli Rigatoni // Spaghetti Pomodoro // White Bean Pasta Sauce // Penne alla Vodka // Sesame Noodles // Mushroom Stroganoff // Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese // White Wine Cream Sauce

Plant Based

Sesame Chickpeas // GF Pizza Dough // Teriyaki Tofu // Peanut Sauce // Peanut Tempeh // Mushroom Risotto // Tofu Sushi Bowl // Spanish Rice // Spicy Tofu Burrito Bowl // Red Lentil Soup // Chickpea Noodle Soup // Tomato Soup // Lentil Dal // Instant Pot Beans // Baked Falafel

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Fish/Chicken

Maple Glazed Salmon // Teriyaki Salmon // Mexican Shredded Chicken // General Tsos Chicken // One Pot Turkey Taco Pasta // Baked Fish Tacos

Breakfast

Lemon Overnight Oats // Chocolate Chip Pancakes // Blueberry Baked Oatmeal // Almond Flour Waffles // Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl // Baked PB & J Oatmeal // Caramelized Banana Oatmeal // Apple Pie Chia Pudding // Quinoa Breakfast Bowl // Chocolate Overnight Oats // Breakfast Potatoes // Belgian Waffles

Snacks

Blueberry Muffins // Chocolate Energy Bites // Lemon Energy Bites // PB & J Granola Bars // Almond Butter Granola // Banana Muffins // Blueberry Avocado Smoothie // Chocolate Chip Energy Bites // Turmeric Smoothie

Dessert

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies // Vegan Snickerdoodles // GF Brownies // The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies // Paleo Blondies // Oatmeal Cookies

Like this post? Check out my chickpea recipe roundup next.