Having a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator is essential for whipping up quick, easy, delicious, and fulfilling meals at a moment’s notice. Whether it’s dinner for your family or for guests that dropped by, a well-stocked pantry will have you fully prepared. Below is my list of pantry essential items. This is what I keep on hand and all of these items might not fit you or your needs. Feel free to customize it to your needs. The general idea is to make sure you have enough pantry items to pull together fulfilling meals even on a busy weeknight.
Pantry Essentials
Oils and Vinegar
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used for cold and low-heat applications. Olive Oil has a low smoke point (about 374 degrees) making it undesirable for high heat applications. That said, it is perfect for salads, pastas, and dressings.
- Grape Seed Oil: Has a smoke point of about 520 degrees making it more desirable than Olive Oil in higher heat applications, think sautéing or stir frying.
- Oil for Frying: Whether it’s canola, peanut or vegetable, these oils are perfect for deep frying, sautéing, or stir frying.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Vinegars are acids and helps to balance a dish and give it a pop. Apple Cider Vinegar is light in flavor and can be used in marinades, sauces, and condiments.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Used much like Apple Cider Vinegar but gives your disk more of a sweet, smoky flavor.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Has a delicious and tangy flavor making it a popular choice for vinaigrettes. It pairs well with heavier foods and red meat and often used in marinades and pickling solutions.
- White Wine Vinegar: Milder and less acidic to Apple Cider or Red Wine Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar is a wonderful choice for lighter dishes such as chicken and fish. Also used in marinades, pickling solutions, and beautifully dressing a salad.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: This is the mildest of all vinegars and used in Asian inspired dishes. This is a vinegar made by fermenting rice and is perfect for lighters marinades and dipping sauces.
Spices
Every kitchen is a little different and tends to be culturally or regionally inspired. I tend to cook mostly Southern food, so my go to essential spices tend to revolve around that cooking style. Unless you are really cooking for a crowd on a regular basis, please stay away from those large containers of spices as spices tend to start losing their flavor after about 6 months.
- Salt: I do not keep Iodized, or Table Salt, in my kitchen. I just don’t care for the flavor and tends to be too “salty”. I know that sounds weird but it all has to do with the iodine levels. Iodized salt contains 45 micrograms of iodine per gram of salt. Only a daily intake of 150 micrograms is recommended for adults. That’s only ½ to ¾ teaspoon of salt! Excessive iodine intake may increase your blood glucose level and blood pressure. My go to salt is Kosher salt which contains no Iodine. I prefer to get my Iodine from more nature sources, such as eggs and dairy. Used properly, salt should enhance the flavor of other ingredients.
- Pepper: Unlike salt, pepper adds flavor to a dish. You can buy it ground or as whole peppercorns, I like whole for fresh ground pepper which also also allows me to control the coarseness of the pepper.
- Dried Herbs: Basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme are my go-to dried herbs.
- Spices: This is the best part! My essentials include onion powder, garlic powder, ground mustard, cumin, smoked paprika, white pepper, bay leaves, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and, of course, cayenne pepper.
Baking Essentials
- All-Purpose Flour: Can be used for a variety of food applications including baked good and thickening sauces. You can’t have a roux without flour!
- Baking Soda: Is a leavening agent and give baked goods such as cakes, muffins, and cooking a light, fluffy texture.
- Baking Powder: Is also a leavening agent allows baked good that doesn’t use yeast to rise and adds an airy dimension.
- Chocolate: Who doesn’t need chocolate in their pantry? Having a good selection of chocolate around allows you to whip up desserts and even homemade granola in a jiffy. Unsweetened baking chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, and cocoa powder and my staples.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken sauces and soups when a roux is not desirable.
- Sugar: You will always find granulated sugar, brown sugar, confectioners’ sugar, raw sugar, and honey in my pantry.
- Yeast: Active dry yeast is an essential ingredient in a variety of breads.
Rice and Grain
- Rice: Long-grain white rice is the staple in my household. I am not a fan of brown rice, but if you like it then include it. I also like to keep wild rice around.
- Pastas: Spaghetti, fettucine, penne, and egg noodles are my go-to pastas.
- Breadcrumbs: Plain or panko or both. I usually just have plain on hand.
- Dried Fruits and Nuts: Dried cranberries, raisin, apricots, almonds, and pecans are my favorites. They make a quick addition to salads and are wonderful snacks.
Condiments
- Worcestershire Sauce: Made primarily of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, garlic, tamarind extract, chili pepper extract, sugar and salt, Worcestershire Sauce is a universal flavoring ingredient.
- Soy Sauce: Essential for Asian food I also like to use it for roasting vegetables and marinating meats.
- Fish Sauce: This seems like an odd one for a Southern pantry essential but think Unami! It adds a depth of flavor that just makes you go mmmmmmm and no one will ever guess that it is your secret ingredient!!
- Barbeque Sauce: My daughter’s favorite condiment, it’s always handy to have a bottle laying around.
- Ketchup: Sweet and tangy, ketchup is used for making homemade barbeque and cocktail sauce.
- Mustard: A usual ingredient to have around, I keep yellow, stone ground and Dijon mustard on hand at all times.
- Maple Syrup: Besides drizzled over your favorite pancakes, maple syrup is a wonderful addition to homemade sauces.
Canned Goods
My motto is always fresh is better, but having a few canned goods on hand is always a good idea.
- Stocks: Chicken, beef, and vegetable broths are a must have. Sometimes you just don’t have time to make it from scratch.
- Beans: Cannellini, navy, chickpeas, and black beans.
- Tomatoes: You can create a wide variety of dishes with canned tomatoes. I like to keep tomato sauce, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes on hand.
- Corn: Corn is pretty much the only vegetable that I keep on hand in canned form. If I don’t have fresh, I chose frozen over canned vegetables.
- Tuna: Great with pasta and who doesn’t love a good tuna fish sandwich!
