The Pantry Staples List That Makes Dinner Possible Any Night

A well-stocked pantry is not about having everything. It is about having the right twenty or so things that combine in dozens of ways. With the list below, a near-empty fridge still means dinner: pasta with garlic and parmesan, fried rice, a chickpea curry or eggs on toast.

When you are standing in front of the open fridge with no plan, type what you have into our recipe generator and turn on “Only what I have.” It writes a recipe using your ingredients plus these staples, with nothing to buy.

On the shelf

Grains and starches

• Long-grain rice
• Two shapes of pasta: one long, one short
• Rolled oats
• All-purpose flour
• Breadcrumbs or panko

Cans and jars

• Crushed or diced tomatoes, and a can of tomato paste
• Chickpeas and black beans (see what to make with chickpeas)
• Tuna or salmon
• Coconut milk
• Chicken or vegetable stock (cartons or concentrate)
• Peanut butter

Flavor builders

• Olive oil and a neutral oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Soy sauce, honey and one vinegar (rice or cider)
• Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, cinnamon
• Dijon mustard and mayonnaise

In the fridge

• Eggs, the most versatile dinner in the house. Here is what to make with eggs.
• Butter, milk and a hard cheese like parmesan, which keeps for weeks.
• Shredded cheddar or mozzarella for quesadillas, pasta and casseroles.
• Plain Greek yogurt, which stands in for sour cream, makes sauces and marinates chicken.
• Lemons: a squeeze at the end brightens nearly any dish.
• Tortillas, which keep for a week or more and become a dozen fast dinners.

On the counter

• Yellow onions
• Garlic
• Potatoes, stored away from the onions
• Bananas for breakfasts and baking

In the freezer

• Frozen peas, corn and broccoli, picked at peak and just as nutritious as fresh
• Chicken thighs or breasts, frozen flat in portions
• A pound of ground beef or turkey
• Shrimp, which thaws in 10 minutes under cold water
• A loaf of bread and a bag of cooked rice

Five dinners from staples alone

1. Garlic butter parmesan pasta with frozen peas.
2. Egg fried rice with frozen vegetables and soy sauce.
3. Coconut chickpea curry over rice.
4. Black bean quesadillas with cheddar and salsa.
5. Shakshuka: eggs poached in spiced canned tomatoes, with toast.

How to keep it stocked

Keep a running list on the fridge or in your phone and add an item the moment you open the last one, not when it runs out. Buy shelf-stable staples in bulk when they are on sale, and rotate older cans to the front.