Even the best cooks however, are only a shadow of their ultimate culinary selves without a properly stocked kitchen.
Now that your kitchen cabinets have been purged of out-of-date and out-of-flavor fare, it’s time to restore and re-group the pantry essentials. Now what do I mean by “pantry essentials”? You might even question whether you have a “pantry.” As far as I’m concerned any space in the kitchen that serves as a hub for necessary seasonings, sauces and dry ingredients qualifies as a “pantry,” no matter how meager.
Consider the below an apartment-worthy arsenal of ingredients that will equip you with everything you need to transform a small handful or even a fistful of fresh ingredients that you’ve grabbed on the way home from work, into a delicious meal in less time than it would take you to select a take out joint. A real investment, these treasures below will allow you to whip up a recipe without having to rush around scouring for every last ingredient.
Check your cabinets once a month, or every other month and replace what you’ve used up. Why not print out the below, stick it on the inside of one of your kitchen cabinets and use it as a monthly checklist?
Spices- if you can’t squeeze ’em all in, choose your favorites!
Cumin (ground and whole)
Coriander (ground)
Turmeric (ground)
Paprika (ground)
Cayenne pepper (ground)
Chili flakes
Cinnamon
Garam masala (Indian spice blend)
Curry powder
Mexican spice blend
Ginger (ground)
Black peppercorns (whole – found just before using)
Nutmeg (whole – best when grated just before using)
Garlic salt
Bay leaves – O.K – not a spice, but the only herb I’ll use dried
Sauces, Condiments and Oils (once opened, many of these need to be stored in the fridge)
Soy sauce
Oyster sauce
Fish sauce
Hot sauce
Tomato ketchup
Sesame oil
Olive oil (for cooking)
Vegetable oil
Extra- virgin olive oil (the extra-nice stuff for drizzling)
Balsamic and/or red wine vinegar
Cider vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
Honey
Maple syrup
Dijon mustard
Dry Goods
Rice: Keeping a couple of varieties will allow you more flexibility. I like Basmati(preferably brown) to go with Asian style dishes, and short-grain arborio or other risotto rice which are great for not only for risottos but also for paellas and making rice pudding.
Noodles: If you like noodles you have oodles (sorry) to choose from. I like flat rice noodles for Pad Thai and noodle soups, thin rice noodles and Japanese ramen noodles are a treat when combined with a stir fry, and soba noodles are ideal for cold noodle salads.
Lentils: Rich, hearty and filling, lentils are ideal as a nutritious alternative to meat, potatoes or other starches. It also doesn’t hurt that a little goes a long way, and they are incredibly cheap. Brown lentils are versatile and lend themselves to various preparations. other tasty varieties are red lentils, French Puy lentils, green lentils, and split yellow peas.
Pasta: At the very least opt for a “long” pasta such as papardelle, spaghetti or fettuccine, and a “short” variety like macaroni, fussilli, penne or rigatoni. Slippery, simple sauces like a marinara, arrabiata or al fredo like long strands, whereas thick, chunky sauces do well with short pastas that have lots of nooks and crannies for delicious sauce-chunks to get trapped in. Oh, and don’t forget the couscous.
Cans, Jars and Cartons
Diced or whole tomatoes, and/or marinara sauce
Tomato paste
Olives
Garbanzo beans
Cannellini beans
Chicken and/or vegetable broth
Coconut milk
Tuna
Baking Ingredients
All-purpose flour
Cornmeal
Sugar – granulated white, soft brown and Confectioner’s
Baking powder
Baking soda
Corn starch
Cocoa powder
Bittersweet chocolate
Vanilla extract
Hi Nadia,
Can you make your own Mexican spice blend? I found it so useful in the fall to know how to make my own pumpkin spice blend with the spices I already had on hand. Any thoughts?
Also, do you have thoughts on the interchangeability of cayenne pepper and chili flakes? Put another way, the difference in pungency? Sometimes I don’t have chili flakes, so I use cayenne, but less.
I’m totally down with your list! One of my new most important things to have on hand is honey, as you say. Also, lately I’ve been frustrated when I don’t have nuts and flavorings on hand. Orange and almond essences, in particular, and pecans, almonds and walnuts. I caved and bought sherry for soups in the winter months (but that moves beyond pantry and over to the liquor cabinet..)
Best, Katherine
Hi Katherine – all fantastic questions! Yes, you can definitely make your own Mexican spice blend. I would combine chili powder (2 tsp.), paprika (1 tsp.), sugar (1tsp.), cumin (1 tsp), coriander (1/2tsp.),onion powder (1/4tsp.) garlic powder (1/4 tsp), cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp.) Of course, feel free to play around with the proportion of spices – that’s the glory of making up your own mix.
As for your question on the interchangeability of cayenne and chili flakes – I find chili flake to give a more fiery, immediate punchy kind of heat, whereas with cayenne pepper I can blend it more easily with other spices for a more balanced heat. Either way – if you don’t have one, it absolutely works to use the other – just add in small increments so you can test the heat and adjust to your liking.
And I totally agree about the nuts – just be sure to keep them in the freezer – they’ll last more months without going rancid or stale, and they soften within just few minutes of bring brought out of the freezer.
Thanks so much for your thoughts!
Nadia x
Nadia, thanks so much for the reply. I had no idea about keeping the nuts in the freezer. That is super helpful, especially since nuts are expensive and it would be a shame to waste them. And you are awesome for the Mexican spice blend recipe– thanks!