Pantry essentials: dry goods
Get your shopping list at the ready...
Hello! I was just rummaging in my pantry and doing a clear-out, as I often do, and it got me thinking: there’s one thing as a chef that I get asked quite a lot. And it’s – you guessed it – what should I always have in my pantry? It doesn’t seem like the most exciting thing to talk about, but actually, a well-stocked pantry is your foundation of cooking. It’s the place you look when you (think) you don’t have anything to cook, only to find the last nest of noodles and some cashew nuts at the back of the shelf, and feel inspired to make a cold Asian noodle salad (this one in particular is refreshing and zingy, perfect for the sunshine we’re finally getting - hurrah!). At most times, a well-stocked pantry will let you chuck together a ton of ingredients and whip up a delicious meal.
I’m creating this pantry series to answer that question – from dry goods, pulses, seeds, flours, oils, condiments, spices, and more. I’ve got quite a comprehensive list of my favourite long-life ingredients, but I don’t suggest you buy them all in one go. Start slowly with the ones you know you love, or perhaps have seen a few recipes using them, and build up as you become more confident in the kitchen.
Beans, Grains and Pulses
All of these are little powerhouses of goodness. I love how they can be the star of a hearty chilli or just bulk up a salad. They are so versatile – from delicious dips to crispy roasted chickpeas, there's always something new to try. A good selection of grains will allow you to make a whole range of different meals (they’re also great for pre-cooking and freezing) – from rice to buckwheat to lentils, they all have different flavours and textures. Some chewy, some nutty, some fluffy. These are all a great way to make a meal feel more substantial and wholesome. And they're so budget-friendly, which is always a win in my book. If you prefer jarred beans, I love Bold Bean, Brindisa and Merchant Gourmant.
Pastas and Noodles
Who doesn’t love pasta? And who doesn’t love noodles? With so many different shapes and sizes, each one perfect for soaking up a different kind of sauce, you can always whip up a meal if there’s a bag of pasta in your cupboard. It's so simple and satisfying, and you can literally pair it with anything you've got in the fridge. The same goes for noodles – you can make delicious Asian salads, hearty soupy noodles, or fry them up with veggies. I love finding my noodles from Asian supermarkets, like soba, ramen and udon. And aside from your traditional pasta, there’s tons of options if you have dietary requirements like gluten-free pasta (the yellower the better), pastas made from chickpeas or durum wheat or buckwheat.
Nuts
Nuts are a brilliant source of protein to add to meals or as an energy-boosting snack. I love the crunch and the different flavours it can add to a meal, from the creamy richness of cashews that I like using to make creams, vegan cheese and in deserts to the slight bitterness of walnuts that I love toasted, they're amazing sprinkled on salads for texture. Pistachios are great in deserts. Almonds are fantastic as a milk and in granolas.
Seeds
Add them to breakfast yoghurts, sprinkle over salads and soups, toast them to add extra flavour to a dish: they’re such a versatile staple in my kitchen. Favourites include pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds which are inexpensive and full of goodness. Top tip for vegans – chia and flaxseeds are great as egg replacers!
Flours
Flour goes beyond baking cakes and cookies with my daughter in the kitchen (though I do love doing that, too). It's a fundamental ingredient that pops up in all sorts of unexpected ways, not just sweet treats. It can transform into a silky smooth sauce, thicken stews and soup, create nutty pancakes, dumplings, homemade pasta, breads, fritters, the list goes on! My pantry has everything from the basics like all purpose and self-raising flour, to almond, potato starch, tapioca, rice flour, and two of my personal favourites (which are also gluten-free): chickpea and buckwheat flour.
Oils
Good oils are a game-changer in the kitchen. I love how a drizzle of fruity olive oil can instantly brighten up a salad or pasta dish. And then there's the nutty richness of sesame oil in stir-fries, or the versatility of a good neutral oil for frying. They really bring out the flavours of everything I'm cooking and add that essential finishing touch. I like using olive oil for medium-heat cooking, grapeseed or coconut for high-temperature cooking, and seed and nut oils for salads and dressings.
Salts
Salt seems so simple, so ubiquitous. That little shaker on the table, the pinch you instinctively add to a simmering pot. But it's not just about making things taste "salty"; it's about enhancing flavours, balancing sweetness, and even influencing texture. For everyday cooking, I usually reach for a good sea salt or Celtic salt. It wakes up other ingredients in a dish. There's also kosher salt, Himalayan pink salt, or even smoked salts that can add a whole new layer of flavour to vegetables and bring out more sweetness in sweet recipes.
If you made it this far, thank you! I hope you’ve found this useful. These pantry essentials are the building blocks of countless delicious meals. I hope this series will inspire you to look at your own pantry with fresh eyes, to appreciate the potential within simple everyday ingredients, and maybe even to try something new. Stay tuned for my second part, where I’ll dive into spices, condiments, milks, sweeteners, herbs and baking ingredients. Happy cooking!
Love,
Bettina x