When you need a quick meal and don’t feel like running to the store, having a few reliable pantry recipes can make all the difference. This list is designed to give you easy, flexible meal ideas using ingredients you likely already have on hand.
Instead of digging through long posts or complicated steps, you’ll find a simple collection of go-to pantry meals all in one place.
If you’re looking for more detailed tips on stocking your pantry or making the most of shelf-stable ingredients, be sure to check out my other posts. This one is all about keeping things quick, practical, and ready whenever you need it.
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken legs, thighs or carcass
- 1 Onion cut in half
- 1 Cup 100% tomato or vegetable juice
- 3-4 carrots sliced (can substitute frozen veggies to make this faster)
- 2 celery sliced
- Water to cover ingredients
- Salt and pepper to taste – I start with one teaspoon salt and about ¼ teaspoon pepper and adjust at the end.
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to the pot. Add enough water to approximately ¾ up the pot. Bring to low boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 ½ – 2 hours till vegetables are tender and chicken can easily come off the bone. Remove onion, remove chicken. Take meat from chicken bones and shred or leave in chunks if you prefer. Add chicken back to pot and serve. Great with sandwiches or crusty Italian bread.
AMERICAN CHOP SUEY (some people call this goulash)
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ¼ cup bell pepper chopped (optional)
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 cups elbow macaroni – cooked according to package directions
- 1 can tomato sauce – 28 oz
- 1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese to taste – I use about ⅛ cup
- 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery flakes or 1 stalk celery diced
- ¾ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Brown the onion, bell pepper, ground beef and diced celery in a skillet, drain and set aside. Add drained beef mixture along with remaining ingredients in a rectangular casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
SALMON BURGERS
Makes 4 large burgers
Ingredients
- 2 (14-15 oz canned salmon, drained, remove bones and skin, flake with a fork)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 2 Tablespoons mayo
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Oil for cooking
Instructions
Mix all ingredients except oil into a bowl. The mixture should be moist but able to hold shape. If the mixture is too wet, add 1 – 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs at a time until the mixture can hold shape. If the mixture is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of mayo.
Divide into 4 equal portions and form patties – about 4 inches wide and about ½ inch thick
Press a slight indent in the center, this will help even cooking. Chill 20-30 minutes
Heat over the skillet with medium heat and oil. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Internal temp should reach 145 degrees. If they brown too fast, reduce heat slightly.
Serve on buns.
Variations:
You can substitute tuna for salmon.
Options for toppings:
Tartar sauce, mayo, cocktail sauce, chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomato, sliced onion
ZUCCHINI PARMESAN – great way to use up that zucchini from the garden!
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded zucchini
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1–2 cups homemade tomato sauce (or your favorite jarred sauce)
Instructions
-Preheat Oven: Set oven to 400°F (200°C).
-Prepare Zucchini: Place shredded zucchini in a colander and sprinkle it with salt. Let sit for 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
-Mix Zucchini Base: In a large bowl, combine zucchini, eggs, Parmesan, and ½ cup mozzarella. Stir until evenly mixed.
-Press & Bake: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Press zucchini mixture evenly into the dish. Bake for 20 minutes until slightly set.
-Add Sauce & Cheese: Spread your tomato sauce over the baked zucchini layer. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top.
-Bake Until Bubbly: Return to the oven and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the cheese is melted.
-Serve & Enjoy: Let cool for a few minutes, slice, and serve warm.
Tips & Notes
- Budget Tip: Summer zucchini can be shredded and frozen for winter use.
- Stretch Tip: Serve over cooked pasta or alongside crusty bread to make it a hearty meal for the whole family.
- Optional Extras: Fresh basil or a sprinkle of Italian seasoning on top adds extra flavor without extra cost.
CHICKEN BOT BOI (Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken and Dumplings)
This is my own version of chicken Bot Boi that my family loves and is part of our meal rotation. I usually don’t measure the spices in this dish so the measurements are approximate, feel free to adjust to your taste. This is a very filling dish for hearty eaters! Excellent with applesauce on the side.
Ingredients
- 5-7 chicken pieces – legs or thighs
- 4 carrots sliced (frozen veggies make this faster)
- 1 onion diced
- 2 celery sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Water about ¾ up the pot
- 1 teaspoon salt – add more after cooking if needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 – 1 ½ package Bot Boi Noodles
Instructions
Season chicken parts with salt and pepper on both sides and brown in a skillet on both sides. You want the surface to have a brown, crisp appearance. To save time, you can also put the chicken in the over at 400 degrees until browned.
Add chicken parts to a large stock pot. Add all ingredients except noodles. Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer and cook for about 2 hours till vegetables are tender and chicken falls off bone. Remove chicken and bay leaf. Remove skin and bones from chicken parts and flake chicken into smaller chunks. Add chicken chunks back into the pot. Add Bot Boi noodles and cook until noodles are tender and broth thickens.
TOMATO SAUCE
This recipe makes a large amount – you can freeze the rest for an easy meal in the future. I have the longer, traditional Italian family recipe here. The traditional time is about a 6 hour slow-cooking process. But for practical purposes, I have made adjustments in this recipe to allow for a quicker version when you are pressed for time.
Ingredients
- 5 large cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz each) You can also use homegrown tomatoes as well! – ***to make this a quicker version, just use canned tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes. It will slow cook for about 2-3 hours instead of the traditional 6 hours and you don’t have to put the sauce through a food mill to remove the seeds.***
- Olive Oil
- 2 onions diced
- 6 cloves of garlic diced (my family is Italian so there is no such thing as too much garlic, but adjust to your taste)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Dried oregano and basil – I use a lot of basil and oregano, it makes the sauce so flavorful – but adjust to your taste. I would start out with one tablespoon and go from there.
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt – to taste
- Parmesan cheese – grated, about ⅛ cup.
Instructions
Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add onion and cook until slightly soft, then add garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant but NOT browned. Add oregano and basil saute for about 30 seconds. Pour in the canned tomatoes, add the bay leaf and a big pinch of salt – you can adjust salt half way through cooking. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring often so it won’t burn on the bottom. Slow cook about 4 -6 hours.Remove from heat, put through food mill to remove seeds. Add a pinch of baking soda and stir (reduces acid level). Taste test for spices. If salt is needed, add about ⅛ cup parmesan cheese first then add additional salt if necessary.
Variations:
You can add cooked, seasoned ground beef to make this a meat sauce. You can also cook your seasoned ground beef and freeze for later use.
-Brown some Italian sausage links to cook inside the sauce to make it even more flavorful and serve alongside pasta or make sausage and pepper sandwiches for another meal.
-Make meatballs, brown them in the oven – or fry them – and cook them with the sauce. Meatballs can be used for meatball subs or alongside pasta. Meatballs can also be frozen for later use.
CAST IRON CHICKEN
I absolutely love my cast iron pans! They are so easy to use, cook evenly and take recipes up a notch. You can easily make this in a skillet if you don’t have cast iron – just make sure the skillet is oven-safe.
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken pieces – legs or thighs or comb of both
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic power
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- Oil for cooking
- Cast iron pan or oven-safe skillet
Instructions
Dry chicken with paper towels and set aside. Combine spices. Rub/pat spices into chicken on both sides. Heat oil in your cast iron or oven safe skillet over medium heat. Place chicken skin side down in skillet. Cook about 10 minutes per side. You will know when it’s ready to flip when chicken releases from the pan easily and the surface is brown and crispy. Cook the rest of the way in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Check for doneness – 165 degrees or when juices run clear.
HEALTHY RAMEN NOODLES (throw away that packet!)
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. Ramen noodles only – do not use the packet
- 1 cup broth of choice
- 1/8 cup soy sauce – adjust to taste
- ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
- Squirt sriracha sauce – optional
- 4-5 drops sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- Honey – to taste
Instructions
Add broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, sriracha sauce, sesame oil and ginger. Bring to a boil. Add ramen noodles, let boil and absorb the water. You can add honey halfway through to add some sweetness. Leftover vegetables or meat are a great addition. You can saute veggies if you do not have any leftovers.
SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC AND OIL
I make this classic Italian favorite often: spaghetti aglio e olio. It’s amazing how just a few simple ingredients—spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes—can create such a flavorful dish! I follow this recipe: https://www.today.com/recipes/spaghetti-aglio-e-olio-spaghetti-garlic-oil-t117369
I made a few tweaks of my own: I added some freshly chopped parsley (dried is fine too) and a sprinkle of parmesan on top. Put parmesan cheese on the table to serve with the pasta as well. You may need to double or triple the recipe for a large family since the original recipe only asks for ½ lb. of pasta. Add a side of broccoli or a salad to complete the meal.
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“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” 1 Timothy 6:7-8
Stay rooted my friends. 🌱
