It’s time to stop staring into your pantry, feeling uninspired. The truth is, some of the most delicious, comforting, and inventive meals can be conjured from the everyday staples you likely already have on hand. Learning how to transform common pantry items into culinary delights is a superpower for any home cook. Vanilla Zulu helps you unlock the potential of your pantry and get those creative cooking juices flowing!

How to stock your pantry

1. The Magic of the Humble Can

Canned goods are the unsung heroes of the pantry. Keep cans of crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste to form the base of sauces, stews, soups, and curries. Canned chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, and lentils are perfect for bulking up salads, making hearty chilli, creating creamy hummus, or even forming the base for vegetarian burgers. Coconut milk is essential for curries, soups, and even desserts, coconut milk adds richness and a subtle sweetness. It can transform simple vegetables into a creamy, flavourful dish or be the base for a tropical rice pudding.

2. Grains and Pasta

Pasta, rice, and other grains are the backbone of many meals, offering endless versatility. Pasta can go beyond just boiling. Think about baked pasta dishes, pasta salads, or using smaller pasta shapes in soups. Leftover cooked pasta can be fried for a crispy addition to a dish. White rice, brown rice, and basmati can serve as simple sides or power up a stir-fry, a comforting risotto, or even rice pudding for dessert. Leftover rice is perfect for quick fried rice. Oats can be used as a binder in veggie burgers or meatballs. Quinoa and couscous are quick-cooking alternatives that can form the base of salads or side dishes.

3. Spices are a Cook's Best Friend

Transform bland ingredients into masterpieces with a pantry that is well-stocked in various spices like cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, chilli powder, garlic powder, onion powder. Dried herbs like oregano and thyme can completely change the character of a dish. In addition to spices, keep your pantry stocked with olive oil for dressings and sautéing, vegetable oil for higher-heat cooking, and sesame oil for Asian-inspired dishes. Vinegars like apple cider, red wine, and balsamic add acidity and brightness, balancing flavours in sauces and dressings.

4. This & That

Remember to keep your pantry filled with a few ready-made frozen foods and instant sauces for those days when your energy is running empty and you need something quick. Also, keep a few baking ingredients on hand like dried yeast and baking powder, just in case your recipe calls for some homemade bread, rolls or pizza dough.

Whip up Delightful Meals

If you’re all ready to cook but feeling a bit stuck, try these simple meals made from pantry staples:

Lentil or bean soup: Legumes are bland on their own, but boil them to perfection, throw in some sauteed onion, tomato, garlic and spices and herbs, and you’ve got a hearty soup.

Mac & cheese: Children to grandparents and everyone in between will love macaroni and cheese any day of the week. Use your pantry pasta, ready-made or homemade sauce and toss in your cheese. Grill tomato slices over the top and add some frozen peas for a surprising twist.

Chickpea sandwich filling: Open a can or two of chickpeas, mix with mayonnaise and finely chopped onion and herbs, sprinkle some salt and a drizzle of lemon, and you've got a tasty filling for sandwiches or salads.

Feel Inspired Again

Take your pantry cooking to the next level with insider information on how to turn basic ingredients into masterpieces. Book a cooking class at Vanilla Zulu in Brisbane today!