Stock your pantry with basic ingredients to jumpstart these easy weeknight meals.
I like to whip up weeknight dinners with what I have on hand, especially if I have a last-minute plan. That’s why I always keep staples like canned tomatoes, beans, and rice on hand. I always have bread on hand. There are eggs, cheese, tortillas and at least some vegetables in the fridge, and there are always onions and garlic in the kitchen.
So what should we make with these staples? Quite a few things turned out. You can make pasta dishes, quesadillas, omelets, sandwiches, and even simple casseroles.
I know my pantry is different than yours, but I hope this collection inspires you to add some quick and delicious meals to your repertoire, especially when you don’t have anything planned.
01/15
Linguine with tuna and capers
Get the recipe: Linguine with tuna and capers
“This pasta gives the vibe of pasta aglio e olio, primarily with tuna. The basis of the recipe is to cook the garlic in oil, fill the tuna jar with oil, and add white wine to create flavor. Then, toss the pasta in a flavorful oil and starchy pasta water to coat it. The capers and white wine provide important acidity to cut through and balance the richness of the oil.” —Sarah Bill, editor
02/15
Marry Me Beans
Get the recipe: Marry Me Beans
“After playing around in the kitchen, I added this dish to my regular menu. It’s hearty thanks to the beans, creamy and rich thanks to the beans (again), a little cream, and Parmesan, and packed with flavor thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.” —Laurel Randolph, former Associate Editorial Director
03/15
ultimate quesadilla
Get the recipe: The ultimate quesadilla
“Awesome! This was my first time making quesadillas and wow, they turned out great! Thank you so much for showing me an easy way to get the tortillas the right amount of crispiness. I love that this dinner doesn’t take long to make and there are so many things you can customize. It’s definitely going into our “favorites” rotation. ” — Timlin, reader
04/15
Wilted vegetable skillet cacio e pepe tortellini
Get the recipe: Save money on busy weeknights with this 20-minute dinner
“How can you make easy-to-cook pasta even faster? No need for a pot of boiling water. This 20-minute tortellini dinner comes together in one skillet, giving you less dishes to wash and more time to sit down and cook.” —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer
05/15
Kimchi and spam fried rice
Get the recipe: Kimchi and Spam Fried Rice
“The beauty of fried rice is that it’s easy to adapt to whatever ingredients you have on hand. You don’t have to go to the store specifically if you don’t have everything on your ingredient list. I make this kimchi and spam fried rice a lot, but I don’t always make it the same way.” —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer
06/15
Spaghetti all’Assassina
Get the recipe: Spaghetti all’Assassina
“What makes this dish special is how it’s prepared: the pasta is cooked in the sauce until it’s charred (or ‘burned’) on one side. Then flip it over and, similar to risotto, add watery sauce (called broth) periodically as the pasta absorbs water. —Laurel Randolph, former Associate Editorial Director
07/15
Kai Jo (Thai style omelette)
Get the recipe: Kai Jeow (Thai omelette)
“Thai omelette (kai jo) is so easy to make that you can make it as a last meal or a midnight snack. Kai jo is a pan-fried omelet infused with a complex combination of flavors. Kai jo’s combination of sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and umami is typical of Southeast Asian cuisine. The first bite will transport you to the streets of Bangkok.” —Lany Phlong, Recipe Developer
08/15
Stir-fried pork with green onions
Get the recipe: Stir-fried pork with green onions
“The following pork stir-fry recipe couldn’t be simpler. All you need is lean pork, scallions, garlic, and a simple marinade. The great thing about stir-fries is that you don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients to create a perfectly presented dish. All you need is a skillet that can handle high heat and some cooking oil.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
09/15
Grilled cheese sandwich with vegetables, eggs and ham
Get the recipe: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Vegetables, Eggs and Ham
“This is a combination that everyone will love, especially for a Gruyère grilled cheese sandwich. Just layer slices of ham, fried egg, Gruyère cheese, and, for vegetables, spinach leaves between two slices of rye bread. Spread with a little butter, grill, and go!” —Elise Bauer, Founder
10/15
black bean burrito bowl
Get the Recipe: Black Bean Burrito Bowl
“This is a burrito bowl. You can make it in 15 minutes using pantry staples and toppings you have in your fridge. Canned beans, reheated frozen rice, and prepared salsa. It’s fast, easy, and works.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
11/15
Macaroni and cheese that can be easily made on the stovetop
Get the recipe: Stovetop macaroni and cheese
“Great recipe! My cheese sauce came out velvety and smooth. The key is to drizzle it over the steaming milk and then slowly mix in the cheese! I often make cheese fondue, so the technique was similar! The kids loved it too!” –Cliff, reader
12/15
upside down chili pie
Get the Recipe: 4-Ingredient Retro Dinners You Can’t Stop Making
“Any avid chili fan will love this casserole. Instead of heating the chili and baking the cornbread separately, you cook everything at once for a complete dinner. Ready with just a few ingredients and minutes.” —Malina Syvoravong, Recipe Developer
13/15
Beef and chickpea one bread
Get the recipe: Beef and Chickpea One Pan
“This dish is heavily influenced by keema kole, which originates from the Indian subcontinent and is particularly popular in Pakistan, northern India, and Bangladesh. Keema kole is a mixture of ground meat and chickpeas, often with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and spices added. After some experimentation, I created this 20-year-old recipe that will keep me (and hopefully you) coming back for more weeknight pasta bites. I came up with a minute version. It doesn’t cut it.” —Devan Grimsrud, recipe developer.
14/15
Tuna and tomato pasta casserole
Get the recipe: Tuna and Tomato Pasta Casserole
“This was delicious! It felt like a warming sensation inside. The only thing we changed was adding canned tuna. We love tuna! We didn’t have pickled tuna on hand, so we added oil an hour before making it. We added a little garlic because we don’t think we’d make anything without garlic! Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe!” —Danna, reader
15/15
Lemon orzotto with spinach and peas
Get the recipe: Lemon orzotto with spinach and peas
“I love classic risotto as much as the next person, but I don’t feel like stirring the pot for 30 minutes on a weeknight (please call me crazy!). The great thing about American-style orzotto is that it takes just a few minutes to cook and only requires stirring a few times throughout the cooking process.” —Alexandra Shytsman, Recipe Developer
