Delicious, wholesome recipes you can prepare using pantry staples you likely already have on hand—everything from baked oatmeal and casseroles to comforting soups and easy slow-cooker meals.
These are uncertain times, and if grocery shelves look sparse right now this collection is designed to help. Here you’ll find simple, nutritious recipes that rely on pantry basics—canned beans, tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, oats, quinoa, rice, pasta, canned tuna, nut butters, and more. Many of these dishes are quick to make, freezer-friendly, and easy to adapt with fresh or frozen vegetables and the spices you have on hand. Use this round-up to plan meals for the week or to build a flexible pantry-based menu for the coming days.
OATMEAL
Breakfast recipes featuring oats—baked, overnight, and portable bars that freeze well and travel easily.
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Salted Caramel Overnight Oats
- Blueberry & Granola Overnight Oats
- Raspberry Almond Baked Oatmeal
- Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
- Vanilla Almond Oatmeal with Blueberries
- Guilt-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
PANCAKES, BREAD & MUFFINS
Comforting baked goods and quick pancake recipes that use pantry staples like oats, whole wheat flour, nuts, and canned or frozen fruit.
- Strawberry Jam Filled Oat Muffins
- Lemon Blueberry Blender Muffins
- Banana Nut Bran Muffins
- Chia Seed Quinoa Muffins
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
- Honey Cornbread Mini Muffins
- Cinnamon Raisin Scones
- Whole Wheat Banana Waffles
- Sheet Pan Strawberry Pancakes (gluten-free option)
- Blueberry Almond Flour Pancakes
- Gingerbread Apple Pancakes
- Healthy Harvest Pancakes
- Grandma’s Easy Banana Bread
- Cranberry Oat and Honey Bread
RICE & QUINOA
Hearty grain-based dinners and breakfast bowls using rice, quinoa, couscous, or instant pot methods for convenience.
- Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quinoa Bake
- Quinoa Egg White Breakfast Wrap
- Slow Cooker Berry Breakfast Quinoa
- Spicy Chickpea Quinoa Bowls
- Coconut Lime Cilantro Quinoa
- Skillet Spanish Quinoa
- Southwest Quinoa Burgers
- Spring Herb Quinoa Patties
- Tex Mex Couscous
CANNED TUNA
Quick, protein-packed ideas using canned tuna—great for lunches, wraps, and simple pasta dishes.
- Spicy Tuna Avocado Wrap
- Lemony Chickpea & Tuna Salad
- Tuna Rigatoni with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
CHICKPEAS, BEANS & LENTILS
Versatile plant-based recipes using canned or dried legumes—stews, salads, soups, and even desserts that sneak in beans for moisture and fiber.
- Spicy Chickpea Quinoa Bowls
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quinoa Bake
- Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew
- Lemony Chickpea & Tuna Salad
- Simple Chickpea Salad
- Vegan Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup
- Moist Chocolate Chip Skillet Brownies (black beans used as a secret ingredient)
SOUPS, STEWS & CHILIS
Comforting one-pot meals that stretch pantry staples into filling dinners—perfect for batch cooking and freezing portions.
- The BEST Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash & Farro Chili
- Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew
- Vegan Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup
- Olive Garden Inspired Minestrone Soup
- Gingered Pumpkin Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
PASTA
Pasta dishes that combine simple pantry ingredients—canned squash, pumpkin puree, jarred sauces, and pantry spices—to make satisfying dinners.
- Butternut Squash & Sage Spaghetti (with zucchini noodles option)
- Asian Peanut Noodles
- Healthy Pumpkin & Sage Stuffed Shells
- Creamy Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese
- Fettuccini with Tomato-Cream Sauce
NUT BUTTERS, NUTS & GRANOLA
Energy bites, bars, and snack mixes made from nut butters, oats, nuts, and granola—easy to assemble and great for kids and adults alike.
- No Bake Peanut Butter Quinoa Energy Balls
- No Bake Almond Butter Granola Bars
- Homemade KIND Bars
- Easy 3-Ingredient Granola
- Easy Pumpkin Granola (gluten-free option)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
- No Bake Apple Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sweet & Spicy Pretzel Mix
- Orange Chipotle Spiced Pecan Mix
I hope these pantry-based recipes help you plan nourishing meals during busy or uncertain times. If you have favorite pantry meals of your own, share them where you keep your recipe notes or with friends and family—simple ideas can make a big difference. Stay well, take care of one another, and enjoy the time cooking with what you have on hand.
