One of the greatest challenges I had when I first started cooking was not having a well stocked pantry. I was intimidated when looking at new recipes that called for ingredients I didn’t have or know about. I also found it hard to find an item in the grocery store when I didn’t even know what I was looking for.
Below are the items that I consider a staple for my pantry. I’ve also included my pantry checklist, where I mark items off as I use them so I know what I need to buy on my next grocery store run. I’ve included links to the products I use, but feel free to use your preferred ingredients. Many of these ingredients are in your local store, some at a better price than Amazon offers. I suggest you shop around locally first.
Spices and Seasonings
- Basil, dried
- Bay leaf
- BBQ Rub
- Black Pepper
- Cajun Seasoning
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Creole Seasoning
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Cumin, ground
- Curry Powder
- Dill, dried
- Fajita Seasoning
- Garam Masala
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Mustard
- Italian Seasoning
- Kosher Salt
- Lemon Pepper
- Minced onion, dry
- Nutritional Yeast
- Onion Powder
- Oregano, dried
- Oregano, ground
- Paprika
- Parsley, dried
- Rosemary, dried
- Salt
- Sesame Seeds
- Smokehouse Maple Seasoning
- Taco Seasoning
- Thyme, dried
- Turmeric
- Worchestershire seasoning (dry, not liquid)
Liquids, Sauces and Pastes
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Beef Broth
- Chicken Broth
- Chili Garlic Sauce
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Fish Sauce
- Frank’s Red Hot
- Gochujang Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Honey
- Hot Sauce
- Ketchup
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Liquid Smoke
- Maple Syrup
- Massaman Curry Paste
- Mirin
- Non-dairy milk, plain
- Olive oil
- Oyster Sauce
- Panang Curry Paste
- Peanut Oil
- Red Curry Paste
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Red Wine
- Rice Vinegar / Rice Wine Vinegar
- Salsa
- Sesame oil
- Soy Sauce
- Sriracha Sauce
- Sweet Red Chili Sauce
- White Vinegar
- White Wine Vinegar
- White Wine
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Yellow Curry Paste
Canned Goods
- Lite Coconut Milk
- Chipotle peppers
Dairy-Free Items
- Mozzarella Cheese Shreds
- Cheddar Cheese Shreds
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Butter (Country Crock or Earth Balance)
- White sliced cheese (I find this at Walmart)
Egg-Free Items
Dry Goods
- Long Grain White Rice
- Gluten Free Pasta
- Brown Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Flour
- Sugar
Please note: I receive a small commission for items purchased from Amazon through one of the links provided.
Pantry Notes
- Mayo – I use Best Foods Vegan mayo. It is usually the less expensive vegan mayo option, is shelf-stable so I can keep a spare on hand and doesn’t separate.
- Gluten Free Panko Crumbs – I find these in the Asian aisle. My regular grocery store has the standard ones in the baking aisle and Asian section. But the gluten free ones are only in the Asian section. Some grocery stores will have them in the Gluten Free section.
- Gluten Free Flour – I’ve used a lot of different Gluten Free Flours and will sometimes buy what is on the grocery store shelf for convenience. But I prefer Jules Gluten Free Flour. It doesn’t leave a weird texture in your mouth. I also appreciate that she has a lot of recipes available. I highly suggest that when baking, you use the same flour and the mixtures are different and results will vary based on the flour.
- Lime Juice – I have to admit, most times I cheat and use lime juice out of the bottle. My limes usually go bad or get used in a drink and aren’t available for my recipes.
- Rice Vinegar is the same thing as Rice Wine Vinegar. Recipes use both terms interchangeably. When I first looked into this I found one dissenting opinion for every 5 that agreed they are the same. Here is an article the overs the topic pretty well.
- Personally, I do not buy canned broth. I don’t think it tastes as good. I’m not one of those people that can tell the difference between a soda in a can vs bottle. But I can tell a difference with broth, the can gives it a tinny flavor. I think this is because broth doesn’t have a strong flavor to begin with so you can taste the difference.
- Canned goods – you’ll notice I have more canned goods on my pantry list that I put above. That’s because I use these all the time and in a pinch they are my go-to supplies to throw a quick dinner together. However, you may choose to only purchase them when making a recipe.