10 Simple Vegan Recipes from Vegan Pantry Staples

posted by Britt Berlin on May 1, 2020 (last updated Mar 21, 2022) 2 comments »

Easy and deliciously simple vegan recipes made from only vegan pantry staples! Plus what you need to stock your pantry!

I think the hardest part for me when I first went plant based was figuring out how to stock my pantry with the proper ingredients to actually make not just nutritious meals, but tasty meals as well.

Well, after much trial and error, I finally figured out a few things that I always need to have on hand delicious and nutrient dense vegan pantry meals.

I think it’s always a good idea to learn what you can make from just the ingredient you have in your cupboard. Plant based eating does not have to be complicated, full of ingredients you’ve never heard of, and certainly doesn’t have to be expensive.

In fact, the list I created for you (free download below) actually contains dozens of affordable ingredients to make vegan pantry meals that come in at under $2 per serving (looking at the vegan lentil soup down below!).

What are some vegan staples?

I’ve created a whole free guide for you to check off all of the vegan pantry staples you’ll need to get started. It’s extraordinarily extensive and broken down into these categories:

Legumes
Grains & Pasta
Oil & Vinegar
Flours & Powders
Sweeteners
Herbs & Spices
Nuts, Fruits, & Seeds
And 4 more categories!

You can download the guide here:

The reason I went so extensively is because I know that not everyone loves the same things, so I want you to be able to choose what vegan pantry staples you love (note: there are many gluten free vegan pantry staples in there as well!).

What should everyone have for a vegan pantry?

That being said, I’ll highlight a few pantry staples that I think everyone should have on hand. These include:

Dried Herbs & Spices (rosemary, thyme, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and ginger are a great start)
Sea salt & pepper
Rolled oats (or steel cut, choose GF if needed)
Dried beans (you don’t need every single type of bean- just choose your favorite!)
Canned or jarred crushed tomatoes
Canned coconut milk
Bean pasta
Frozen veggies (think broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, carrots)

With the above ingredients, you’ll be able to make a tasty meal at all times. I feel like we’re on Chopped or something ha!

But truly, you can cook the beans and serve them as a curry with savory oats, you can make vegan “meatballs” using the oats, crushed tomatoes, and beans, you can make your own homemade tomato sauce from the tomatoes, spices, and coconut milk…there are so many different vegan pantry meals you can make with just a few simple pantry staples.

Now, you’ll also notice I said dried rather than canned beans. If you want to use canned beans, you absolutely can, but I advise using dried if you have time (and Bon Appetit concurs!). They’re really worth the effort, often cheaper because they’re sold in bulk, and they taste so much better!

10 Simple Vegan Pantry Meals from Vegan Pantry Staples

Vegan Lentil “Meatballs”

Pantry Staples: dried lentils, prunes, oats, marinara sauce, dried herbs

Bean Curry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Pantry Staples: dried beans, coconut cream, dried herbs & spices, sweet potatoes (long-lasting produce)

Vegan Protein Lentil Soup

Pantry Staples: dried lentils, crushed tomatoes, dried herbs & spices, pea protein powder, optional long-lasting produce (garlic, onions, frozen veggies)