Use up your canned foods, frozen vegetables, and dried pastas in these delicious and simple pantry meals!
Hi friends — if your pantry feels a little random right now, you’re not alone. I gathered easy, flavorful recipes that rely on pantry staples: canned beans, jarred tomatoes, dried pasta, frozen veggies, and a few basic spices. These recipes are practical, comforting, and many are freezer-friendly so you can cook once and enjoy later.
I’m also featuring recipes from Feast and Farm and Real and Vibrant — two creators I love for approachable, pantry-forward cooking.
1. 30-Minute Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
A simple, hearty chili that comes together fast with just a handful of pantry ingredients. Sweet potatoes, black beans, canned tomatoes and warming spices create a satisfying vegan bowl—top with avocado, tortilla chips, or yogurt as you like.
- Ingredient total: 8
- Freezer-friendly: Yes
- Main pantry items needed: sweet potatoes, canned beans, canned tomatoes
2. Homemade Tomato Sauce
If store-bought jarred sauce is out of stock, this homemade tomato sauce is an easy, versatile substitute. It’s flavorful, stores well, and is a base for pasta, baked dishes, or soups.
- Ingredient total: 7
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oil, dried herbs
3. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
A comforting, hands-off slow cooker soup with tender chicken and tender tortellini. It’s an easy weeknight dinner and makes a great freezer meal for busy days.
Recipe by Feast and Farm
- Ingredient total: 9
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: dried tortellini, chicken bouillon, dried herbs
4. Roasted Eggplant Pasta
Roasted eggplant adds depth to a simple pasta sauce. If you have dried pasta and tomato sauce, a little garlic, oil, and oregano turn them into a delicious, satisfying dinner.
- Ingredient total: 6
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: tomato sauce, dried pasta, garlic powder, oil
5. Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Soup
A silky, slightly sweet soup made with pantry staples and canned coconut milk for richness. It’s quick to make and pairs perfectly with crusty bread.
Recipe by Real and Vibrant
- Ingredient total: 7
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: broth, sweet potato, oil, canned coconut milk
6. 15-Minute Vegan Burrito Bowl
A fast, customizable bowl using canned beans, frozen vegetables, and dried grains. Ready in about 15 minutes and great for meal prep or a quick dinner.
- Ingredient total: 9
- Freezer-friendly: no
- Pantry items needed: canned beans, rice/quinoa, frozen peppers, frozen corn
7. 10-Minute Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli
One of our fastest favorites: chicken, frozen broccoli, and a good store-bought teriyaki sauce. Serve over rice for a quick takeout-style meal at home.
- Ingredient: 4–9 (depending on options)
- Freezer-friendly: no
- Pantry items needed: chicken, frozen broccoli, teriyaki sauce, oil, rice
8. Easy Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos
A flavorful meatless taco that highlights roasted sweet potatoes and black beans. Simple, filling, and perfect with a squeeze of lime and a quick slaw or pickled onions.
- Ingredient total: 9
- Freezer-friendly: no
- Pantry items needed: sweet potatoes, black beans, spices, oil
9. Spicy White Bean Chicken Chili
This zesty chili has white beans, tender chicken, corn, and green chiles for warmth and depth. It’s generous, crowd-friendly, and freezer-safe.
Recipe by Feast and Farm
- Ingredient total: 12
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: broth, canned tomatoes, jarred salsa, frozen corn
10. Easy Baked Ziti
A classic baked pasta that’s perfect when you have dried pasta and jarred sauce. Mix with cheese, bake until bubbly, and you’ve got an effortless family meal.
- Ingredient total: 7
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: dried pasta noodles, pasta sauce, dried herbs
11. Overnight Oats with Superfoods
The perfect make-ahead breakfast: rolled oats soaked in almond milk with a touch of maple syrup, chia or hemp seeds, and your favorite toppings. Portable, nutritious, and easy to adapt.
Recipe by Real and Vibrant
- Total ingredients: 7
- Freezer-friendly: no
- Pantry items needed: rolled oats, maple syrup, chia & hemp seeds
12. Feel-Good Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Simple pantry ingredients and a slow cooker make this chicken chili an easy, flavorful meal that feeds a crowd. Serve with avocado, chips, or warm tortillas.
- Ingredient total: 9
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: canned tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, spices
13. Almond Butter Banana Oatmeal
A hearty pantry-friendly breakfast. Cook oats and top with almond butter, banana, granola, seeds, and any dried fruit or nuts you have on hand.
- Ingredient total: 8
- Freezer-friendly: no
- Pantry items needed: oats, spices, maple syrup, seeds, granola, almond butter
14. 6 Ingredient Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
A sweet, pantry-friendly bar made from simple ingredients. Vegan and gluten-free friendly, these bars work as a snack, a breakfast on the go, or a lighter dessert.
- Ingredient total: 6
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: oats, almond flour, honey, peanut butter, coconut oil, raspberry jam
15. Chana Masala
This classic Indian dish uses canned chickpeas, tomatoes, and fragrant spices to make a satisfying, budget-friendly meal. Serve with rice or quinoa for a complete dinner.
Recipe by Real and Vibrant
- Ingredient total: 9
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: canned garbanzo beans, canned tomatoes, spices
16. The BEST Vegetarian Fajitas
Use canned black beans and frozen peppers to make quick vegetarian fajitas. A ready-made taco seasoning and warm tortillas make this an easy, weeknight hit.
- Ingredient total: 10
- Freezer-friendly: no
- Pantry items needed: black beans, frozen peppers, taco seasoning, tortillas
17. Creamy Cauliflower Soup (Vegan)
A creamy, dairy-free soup that works with fresh or frozen cauliflower. It’s simple, nourishing, and perfect with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.
- Ingredient total: 7
- Freezer-friendly: yes
- Pantry items needed: broth, canned beans, frozen cauliflower
I hope these pantry-forward recipes give you inspiration and confidence to make delicious meals with what you already have. Many of these dishes freeze well or can be stretched to feed a family, making them especially useful when shopping is limited.
If you’re craving baking ideas, check the dessert category on the original site for sweet recipes and bars you can make with pantry staples.
Stay healthy, take care of yourself and your loved ones—we’re in this together.
xoxo,
Bethany