Easy recipes from your pantry

Bean soup

This hearty, comforting soup combines dried black-eyed beans and frozen kale. If you don't have pork knuckle, don't worry—a little more bacon will give you the same smoky flavor.

Recipe: Black Eye Bean Soup

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e pepe is a popular Roman dish, the ingredients for which can be found in almost any kitchen. However, there are as many preparation methods as there are chefs in Italy. In this version, olive oil adds a herbal note, while Parmesan, in addition to the classic Pecorino Romano cheese, complements the flavor and provides a rich umami note. If you don't have Parmesan, prepare the dish with just Pecorino and reduce the salt by one teaspoon.

Recipe: Spaghetti Caccio e Pepe

Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Cereal Bars

Use chocolate cereal and salty pretzels for this sweet and salty marshmallow treat. Drizzle with chocolate and chill before serving.

Recipe: Chocolate and Pretzel Breakfast Cereal Dessert

Bean soup from the Senate cafeteria

This hearty potato and bean soup is inspired by a dish still served in the U.S. Senate cafeteria today.

Recipe: Senate bean soup

Angelfish pasta with puttanesca sauce

Canned tomatoes, capers, black olives, and anchovies come together in a savory, traditional puttanesca sauce. No angel hair pasta? No problem! Serve with any pasta you have on hand.

Recipe: Angel hair spaghetti in tomato sauce

Corn Cheddar Pancakes

Trisha's Corn Fritters with Cheese can be served as a side dish with meat, or eaten on their own with butter and maple syrup.

Recipe: Corn Cheddar Pancakes

Rice pudding

Tyler's Cozy Cream Pudding is a great choice when you're in need of dessert but only have a few ingredients on hand.

Recipe: Quick Rice Pudding with Raisins and Cinnamon

Spinach and tortellini soup

This hearty soup takes just 15 minutes to prepare, using ingredients most of us have in our fridges or freezer.

Recipe: Tortellini and spinach soup

Panini with chocolate-hazelnut spread

Toast these challah sandwiches with chocolate-hazelnut spread for an easy treat the whole family will love.

Recipe: Chocolate Hazelnut Panini

Pasta with chickpeas and escarole salad

Chickpeas add a delicious flavor and protein to this simple pasta.

Recipe: Pasta with escarole and chickpeas

Tomato cream soup

Classic tomato soup is true soul food and is made very simply using canned tomatoes.

Recipe: Tomato cream soup

Rice and Quinoa Pilaf

Here's how to cook quinoa and rice: place them together in a saucepan and simmer until tender. It really is that simple! Use the fluffy porridge as a side dish or the base of a grain bowl. Or try one of our favorites: add it to a salad for a hearty lunch.

Recipe: Quinoa pilaf for a bowl

Waffles with apple sauce

These Belgian waffles are crispy on the outside, but the apple sauce keeps them moist in the center, almost like a muffin. Even better, they can be made without milk or eggs.

Recipe: Applesauce waffles

Cookie dough

Molly's sweets don't require eggs—she uses milk or heavy cream to bind together cookie dough containing oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate-covered candies.

Recipe: Edible cookie dough with peanut butter and M&M's

Carbonara with penne pasta

Most of the ingredients for this pasta from Giada are probably already in your fridge and pantry. Just use a little pancetta, or substitute bacon.

Recipe: Pasta Carbonara with Bacon and Cream

Hash with fried eggs in a frying pan

Sausages, eggs, and potatoes combine in a simple hash that's good any time of day.

Recipe: Oven-baked hash with fried eggs

Chicken teriyaki with rice and broccoli in a slow cooker

Whole chicken breasts can be cooked in the Instant Pot without even defrosting! This one-pot dish requires little prep work. Be sure to rinse the rice until the water runs clear to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the bowl during cooking.

Recipe: Chicken teriyaki with rice and broccoli in a slow cooker

Pasta in Romesco sauce

Romesco is a Spanish sauce made with bread (as a thickener), roasted peppers, and nuts. This recipe combines these ingredients into a pesto-like sauce with a smoky, piquant flavor. We make it with roasted almonds and smoked paprika, but you can also try smoked almonds and regular Spanish paprika.

Recipe: Pantry-Stashed Linguine Pasta in Romesco Sauce

Chickpea and Rice Curry

This vegetarian curry is super simple: make a sauce with curry powder, vegetable broth, coconut milk, and honey, then add a can of chickpeas. Serve over a bowl of rice.

Recipe: Coconut curry with chickpeas

Spaghetti with butter and garlic (allio e olio)

Olive oil, spaghetti, and garlic are all you need for this classic pasta. Season it with whatever you have on hand—fresh lemon and Parmesan are always welcome, but frozen peas or canned tomatoes also work.

Recipe: Spaghetti "Alio e Olio" (with olive oil and garlic)

Quick and Easy Minestrone

Soy sauce isn't just good for Asian-inspired dishes. In this hearty soup, it adds depth and a savory flavor called "umami," which is found in ingredients like mushrooms and Parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Quick and easy minestrone soup

Sloppy Joe's Lentil Burgers

Dried lentils are the key ingredient in this nutritious version of a childhood favorite.

Recipe: Sloppy Joe Lentil Sandwich

Spaghetti in peanut curry sauce

Top whole wheat spaghetti with homemade peanut sauce made from peanut butter, curry paste, and rice wine vinegar.

Recipe: Noodles with cold curry sauce

Spicy Chili with Three Beans

This vegetarian chili gets its rich flavor not from a long simmer on the stovetop, but from caramelized tomato paste and warming herbs. The heat can be enhanced with hot salsa or adobo paste (though the chili itself is quite spicy). Add corn for a subtle sweetness, or canned hominy corn for a unique, chunky chili.

Recipe: Spicy vegetable chili with beans

S'mores chocolate bars

We've combined all the ingredients of s'mores into these wonderful bars. Graham crackers add crunch, chocolate provides richness, and toasted marshmallows create a fire-roasted flavor—easier than roasting over a campfire.

Recipe: S'mores chocolate bar

Tuna salad

Make a classic tuna salad for lunch or dinner. Of course, it's also great on sandwiches, and for a change, you can serve it on lettuce leaves.

Recipe: The most delicious tuna salad

Popcorn with garlic and seasoning

Spice up your snacks by adding garlic and instant noodle seasoning to your microwave popcorn.

Recipe: Spicy Garlic Popcorn

Pasta from the pantry

Ri makes this pasta between grocery runs, using ingredients she has on hand. Try this quick recipe.

Recipe: Pasta in tomato sauce "From stocks"

Spinach with tahini sauce

Dress baby spinach with a quick sauce made from tahini paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.

Recipe: Spinach with sesame sauce

Polenta with baked tomatoes

Polenta and roasted tomatoes—two ingredients worth keeping in any kitchen—combine with cheese and fresh chard for a hearty vegetarian main course.

Recipe: Polenta with baked tomatoes

Black bean hummus

No chickpeas for traditional hummus? Use canned black beans to make Melissa's delicious, quick dip.

Recipe: Black bean hummus

Agnolotti in artichoke sauce

Use frozen artichoke hearts to make a simple creamy sauce for store-bought agnolotti. If you can't find agnolotti, you can use ravioli.

Recipe: Agnolotti with sauce and artichokes

Peanut Butter Ramen

Trisha's sweet and spicy ramen is a true delight. If you don't have chicken, substitute whatever you have in your fridge or freezer: shrimp or beef work well for this versatile recipe!

Recipe: Ramen in peanut sauce in 20 minutes

Fried rice with curry

Fried rice is the perfect dish made with just about anything you have on hand! This recipe is seasoned with curry powder.

Recipe: Curry with fried rice

Healthy oatmeal balls

Trisha makes this peanut butter treat when she needs a quick and nutritious snack. She mixes in chocolate chips and dried cranberries, but you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand.

Recipe: High-energy balls

Couscous with ginger and tomato paste

Stock your pantry with couscous, tomato paste, and spices, and you'll have everything you need to make this flavorful side dish.

Recipe: Couscous with tomatoes and ginger

Rigatoni with Spicy Shrimp

Using fresh or frozen shrimp, plus a few ingredients you have on hand, you can make this delicious pasta in less than half an hour.

Recipe: Rigatoni pasta with shrimp in tomato sauce

Vegan pancakes

You won't need eggs or dairy for these fluffy pancakes—baking powder will do the trick. We love the flavor and creaminess that coconut oil gives these pancakes.

Recipe: Vegan pancakes

Ravioli with peas in Alfredo sauce

Make gourmet pasta in no time: use store-bought ravioli, frozen peas, and basic ingredients like cream and butter.

Recipe: Ravioli Alfredo with green peas

Soup "7 cans"

Ree's recipe's name says it all. She combines canned beans, vegetables, and chili to make a quick and easy, delicious soup—all you need is a can opener and a large pot!

Recipe: 7 Cans Soup

Baked Beans with Root Beer

This interesting recipe infuses canned beans with an unexpected sweet and spicy ingredient: root beer.

Recipe: White beans baked with root beer

Turkey and Chipotle Chili

Using pantry staples, Rachel makes a hearty and flavorful chili in 30 minutes.

Recipe: Turkey Chili with Chipotle Peppers and Corn Fritters

Bean Carbonara

Create the dish of your dreams with simple ingredients: eggs, bacon, Parmesan, and beans! It has everything you love about traditional Carbonara, but replaces the pasta with protein-rich beans.

Recipe: Beans Carbonara

Basic alcoholic cocktail

Essentially, the recipe is a 3:2:1 ratio, offering nearly endless combinations. Start with a base spirit of your choice. Add something tart: citrus or another unsweetened acidic juice. You can even add a splash of pickle brine or vinegar for a shrub-like cocktail—this refreshing drink is popping up on bar menus everywhere. Finally, add something sweet—regular syrup or virtually any liquid sweetener you have on hand. When you're ready to shake the cocktail with ice, you can also add some herbs or fruit pieces to the shaker. Top the glass with club soda, Prosecco, or another fizzy drink, if desired. Garnish the cocktail with ingredients you have on hand: fruit, pickles, candy, herbs, etc. Start with simple combinations—we offer a few options below—and then experiment to find your favorite recipe.

Recipe: An alcoholic cocktail from the pantry supplies

Sweet tomato soup pie

The name of this pie sounds like a joke, but it's a case of just trusting in it and cooking! A can of tomato soup somehow magically makes the pie incredibly moist, while its flavor fades into the background, and three warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves—dominate. This recipe's history dates back to the Great Depression in the United States, when housewives often added canned soup to baked goods instead of eggs to give them a richer, more textured texture. It reached its peak popularity in the 1950s, and this pie was baked in almost every home. Pantry ingredients, quick preparation, and a perfect balance of flavors—what could be better and more convenient?!

Recipe: Sweet tomato soup pie