The 5 Best Recipes to Make at Home Using Your Pantry Staples
After running to the grocery store and buying all your plant-based essentials from The Beet's stock-up grocery list, you might find yourself wondering what recipes to cook. If you're feeling overwhelmed about how you're going to use your canned and packaged goods like beans, oats, baking powders, pasta, and dried fruits, here are 5 recipes to make at home using these pantry staples. Learn how to creatively use these ingredients for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and treats. Don't dust off your cookbooks, just throw on an apron, turn up the tunes and follow along as we show you how to make plant-based meals by the talented recipe developer, Hannah Sunderani @twospoons.ca.
1. Vegan and Gluten-Free Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
Did someone say pasta? This vegan Thai noodle salad with peanut sauce is vegan and gluten-free. The recipe calls for chickpea pasta, which is packed with protein. Enjoy this noodle salad cold, with fresh crunchy veggies. Best of all, it can be made in under 30 minutes. This dish is tasty and flavorful, plus, you can meal prep this recipe and enjoy during the week for lunch or a quick dinner.
Ingredients
- 5 cup chickpea pasta
- Pinch sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 cup purple cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrots grated
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1/3 cup peanuts chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
For the Peanut Sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- In a large pot bring water to boil. Add a generous pinch of sea salt and pour in the pasta. Cook chickpea pasta until just al-dente (about 3 minutes. Pasta will continue to cook as it cools).
- Strain pasta and rinse with cold water. Place back in the pot, drizzle with sesame oil and stir gently. Cover with a tea towel and let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl add shredded cabbage, carrots, chopped cucumber, and onions. Add cooked pasta.
- Prepare peanut sauce in a small bowl by whisking together peanut butter, water, rice vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and cayenne.
- Pour peanut sauce over pasta salad and mix gently to combine. Sprinkle with green onion, peanuts, and cilantro. Mix again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm3R88imfW0
2. Raspberry Oat Muffins: Vegan and Gluten-Free
Take the box of oats down from your shelf and make these plant-based raspberry oat muffins. They are easy to make, and if you have leftovers you can freeze them to enjoy during your week at home. Heat the muffins in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds and then cut them in half and stick a little patch of vegan butter in the middle and watch the gooeyness of the berries melt into the oats.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup gluten-free large flake oats
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cup oat milk, or almond milk
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- icing sugar (optional to sprinkle)
Instructions
- Combine oats and chia in a large bowl. Add milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine. Cover bowl and place in the fridge to soak overnight. (Or for at least 2 hours)
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Add muffin cups to the tray and scoop the oat mixture into cups. Top each muffin with 3-5 frozen raspberries.
- Place muffins in the oven to bake until golden and fluffy, approx. 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Optional to sprinkle with icing sugar.
3. Vegan and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Now it's time to use your baking ingredients and ripe bananas: This banana bread is a simple bake. No special ingredients or equipment is needed to make this classic treat. Simply a couple mixing bowls, a rectangular baking pan, and an oven. It’s likely that you already have the ingredients for this recipe handy in your pantry. Better yet – this recipe is a great way to use up any spotty bananas lying around. If they are past their prime then they are perfect for this recipe!
If you have leftovers this banana bread will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container. It can also be frozen and thawed for when ready to eat. Wrap tightly in tin foil or air-tight container before freezing.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ground chia (or ground flax)
- 6 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup large flake oats
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, finely ground
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup of coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt (or unsweetened soy yogurt)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed banana (I used 3 bananas)
- 3/4 cups semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make chia egg by combining ground chia and water in a bowl. Whisk with a fork and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Sift gluten-free flour into a large mixing bowl with baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a blender or food processor pulse oats until powder form and add to bowl. Mix dry ingredients to combine.
- In a saucepan melt coconut oil on medium-high heat. Remove and pour into the large mixing bowl with coconut sugar, coconut yogurt, vanilla, and chia egg. Whisk together to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Then add mashed banana and mix it again. Pour in chocolate chips and gently fold into batter.
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Rub a rectangular baking pan (I used a 9x5 inch pan) with coconut oil along the base and up the sides, (this will allow for easier removal after cooking).
- Pour batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (If the top of the banana bread is getting too brown you can cover it with tinfoil. But I didn't need to do this.).
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from pan.
4. Chili Packed with Vegan Protein and Topped with Fresh Herbs
It's time to put the stockpile of beans to use! If you’re looking for the best vegan chili recipe then you’ve come to the right place. This vegan chili is easy to make, healthy and wholesome. It’s packed with protein using 3-beans: white beans, kidney, and black beans. Needless to say, it’s a hearty dish that you can enjoy for a quick dinner. And if you make enough to have leftovers, this recipe will keep in the fridge for up to one week.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups carrots chopped (about 3 carrots)
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 can kidney beans (400 ml)
- 1 can white beans (400 ml)
- 1 can black beans (400 ml)
- 2 can diced tomatoes (400 ml each)
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper flakes
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- In a large pot add onion, garlic, coconut oil, and sea salt. Bring to medium heat and cook to soften (10 mins). Add chopped carrots and bell peppers and continue cooking to soften (10 more minutes).
- Open canned beans, strain and rinse well. Add beans to pot with canned tomatoes and water. Stir to combine. Bring to a low simmer, then spice chili with cayenne pepper flakes, cumin, and paprika. Add lemon juice and sea salt to taste.
- Serve chili in bowls with bread, tortilla chips or scooped onto the rice.
5. Quick Chickpea Curry
Grab your can of chickpeas and box of rice and make this delicious and filling recipe for lunch or dinner. The spices in the curry sauce are simple and stay true to the simplicity of this recipe. The flavor is made by mixing cumin and turmeric into a coconut cream sauce and adding sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste. It's a cozy and wholesome dish everyone in your family will love as you sit together and enjoy each other's company at home.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 zucchini, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 can coconut milk (200ml)
- 3/4 cup filtered water
- 2 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 handful spinach
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan add onion, garlic and coconut oil. Bring to medium heat and cook onion and garlic, stirring often until translucent (approx. 10 minutes).
- Add chopped zucchini and sauté stirring often until softened (approx. 10 minutes).
- Add tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, sea salt, coconut milk, and water. Stir to combine.
- Optional to add more spices (cumin, turmeric, tomato paste, and/or salt) and more coconut milk to taste if desired. Bring the curry to a light simmer.
- Pour in chickpeas and stir to combine. Then add a handful of spinach and stir until wilted. Add cayenne pepper to taste. Serve curry with brown rice, naan or pita bread.
The 7 Best Vegan Instant Pot Recipes That Are Easy and Delicious
1. Moroccan Chickpea Tagine by @abiteofkindness
This flavorful dish is inspired by Northern Africa using Moroccan spices and herbs. It has a hint of sweetness and bitterness with the tasty combination of the savory sauce and sweet lemon finish. This recipe serves 4 people and is easy to make so if you're a beginner, don't let the long ingredients list turn you away. Scroll down for the ingredients and instructions.
2. Vegan Jambalaya by @veganrunnereats
Jambalaya is full of flavor. This recipe is made with Italian Beyond sausage for extra flavor but you can also use the regular Beyond flavor because all the spices are strong enough. This dish is a comfort food crowd pleaser! Here are a few notes from the recipe developer: "I usually use white basmati rice with great results. I like the flavor and texture of the spicy hot Italian Beyond sausages in this recipe, but feel free to use a different brand of spicy vegan sausage if you'd like. For a fake meat-free/gluten-free version, omit the sausage completely, or add 1 can of drained and rinsed canned chickpeas or kidney beans."
3. Cashew Yogurt by @ahsustainablelife
This cashew yogurt is delicious and healthy and has the same texture as Greek yogurt. The recipe is easy to follow and makes a perfect breakfast. You can store it in your refrigerator for up to a week and make yogurt parfaits for breakfast. Add fresh berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and a drizzle of agave for sweetness. Here is a note from the recipe developer, "I've been experimenting a lot this past couple of days, as I've been wanting to make really thick and tangy yogurt on my own. I don't like purchasing yogurt too much since there's a lot of plastic waste. Yes, the containers can be recycled to a certain degree, but that's not the end goal for me. I want to simply reduce my impact."
4. Healthy Steel Cut Oats by @veganrunnereats
Breakfast is served using your instant pot! Start your day off with a healthy bowl of oatmeal topped with cinnamon and fresh fruit (if you like). This recipe will become your go-to way of making oatmeal in the morning, and it's great if you don't have a lot of time to prepare breakfast before work. This recipe takes 2 minutes to prepare and needs about 10 minutes to cook. Here's a message from the recipe developer, "This easy recipe for Instant Pot steel cut oatmeal yields delicious and healthy steel cut oats that are dairy-free, soy-free, oil-free, made with no added sugar, and call for only 3 ingredients! This healthy vegan oatmeal can be pressure cooked in 2 ways - a quicker and slower method explained below, both with minimal hands-on time. For gluten-free steel-cut oatmeal use certified gluten-free oats".
5. Family Style Lentil Lasagna by @abiteofkindness
This lasagna is healthier than the traditional style and tastes fresh. Lentil lasagna is full of vegan protein and topped with creamy vegan cheese. This recipe is perfect to make if you're cooking for a family or a larger party. These lentils are melt in your mouth and the cheesy topping is the perfect finish to this dish. This recipe calls for many of your stored pantry essentials like spices, lentils, and powders which makes it much more flavorful. Lentils are high in vegan protein and add a nice texture to this meal. Serve it with a side salad or fresh roasted vegetables. Scroll down for everything you will need to make this healthy and plant-based dinner.
6. Vegan Spinach Dal by @ahsustainablelife
Serve this dish with naan, a soft flatbread, and dip it into the mix. Use up your pantry essentials like spices, rice, and powders to make this flavorful dal. The recipe developer wants you to save your wilted spinach or kale leaves for this dish for better texture and taste, "Do you start off the week buying a huge bunch of spinach or kale with the hopes of having salads every day, and then toward the end of the week, you are left with limp, wilted leaves? Don'
7. Stuffed Butternut Squash by @abiteofkindness
If you like stuffed peppers, these stuffed butternut squash are very similar. They're full of fresh vegetables and topped with creamy vegan cheese. The squash itself is delicate and warm so you can pull it apart and it becomes spaghetti squash. This dish will make you feel light and nourished. Serve these stuffed butternut squash with a side of sliced avocado and top with nutritional yeast for a 'cheesier' finish.
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