Don't you hate it when you open the fridge at 5 pm and find nothing there, and you still have to make dinner? That's when making a pantry pasta dish can save the day.
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It can come together super quickly, and you don't have to worry about cooking a protein from scratch, especially when you have zero energy. You also won't need to go on a massive grocery shop to make a good hearty dinner.
Five simple dinners. One grocery list.
No recipe hunting, no messy shopping notes, no complicated chef projects. Just family dinners that fit real weeks.
Whether you need something that's rich and creamy or something with a bit of texture, these 17 recipes will give you something you can make from what you already have in your cupboards.
1) Creamy Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Starts With What’s Already in the Fridge
The very first time that you cook a pasta dish and realize that you don't need cream to end up with a silky sauce is the moment you become a better cook.
If you're tired, try making this creamy garlic parmesan spaghetti. All you need to do is gently sauté some garlic in butter, and add some cheese and a splash of the starchy pasta water. It's pretty much foolproof.
The pasta water helps to loosen everything up and create that silky smooth sauce. The dish feels rich, and it's a great way of making the most of your pantry staples.
Try finishing it with some fresh cracked black pepper and freshly chopped parsley for an elevated look.
2) Brown Butter Sage Pasta with Crispy Breadcrumbs
One of my favorite tricks to elevate a simple pasta dish is to toast some breadcrumbs. Adding them on top of the pasta totally changes the texture and how you remember the dish.
When browning the butter, be careful to watch it so that it doesn't burn. I like to add the sage at the end of cooking so that it doesn't turn bitter, too. Using the starchy pasta water helps create a sauce that sticks to the noodles.
I always like to add a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some fresh lemon zest, which helps to cut through the rich butter. Really simple, but lots of texture and flavor.
3) Sun-Dried Tomato and White Bean Penne
I love to keep canned white beans in the pantry. It's amazing how you can turn them into a fulfilling and satisfying meal without asking too much of yourself in the kitchen. Even stirring them into pasta can give you something creamy without the need for dairy.
This sun-dried tomato and white bean penne gives a huge amount of savory flavor, using the pasta water to thicken it into a nice sauce. Throwing in a good handful of spinach at the end is a great way of getting your greens in too. You'll be amazed that this dinner was made from mostly pantry staples.
4) Pantry Puttanesca Leans on What’s Already Open in the Cabinet
I love puttanesca, and this is one of those recipes using pantry staples, but it is genuinely super tasty. Using canned tomatoes, olives, and capers, these pantry staples can create a dish rich in salty and briny flavors.
It's great to make when you are out of energy and short on time. Bring it all together using leftover pasta water, and you'll be amazed that you made such a good dish from random jars in your pantry.
5) Lemony Tuna Pasta with Capers Keeps a Crowded Schedule Manageable
Canned tuna is another one of my pantry staples. Once you discover the pairing of canned tuna and potatoes, you'll be amazed at the dinners you can create with minimal effort.
Try tossing these pantry staples with some lemon, olive oil, and garlic, along with pasta water, to give you a nice sauce and something that is tasty but nicely balanced too. If you don't have fresh parsley, you can still use some dried herbs to give plenty of flavor and a pop of color. I'm a fan of adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for a nice underlying heat.
This one is a great example of taking basic pantry ingredients and turning them into a satisfying meal.
6) Can Creamy Tomato Pasta Really Come Together From Spice Jars Alone?
It's totally possible to create a creamy tomato pasta using nothing but spice jars and canned pantry staples. Dried herbs get a bad rep, in my opinion. They can still give lots of flavor to your food.
When using canned tomatoes, don't forget you just need to let them simmer for a little while to thicken. This improves their texture and flavor. If you don't have cream, you can easily substitute this with milk, grated Parmesan, or even cream cheese.
I sometimes even add a healthy dose of butter to increase the richness of the sauce.
Change up how much red pepper flakes you use depending on how spicy you like it. You can also throw in any frozen veg you have, making it budget-friendly but healthy too.
7) Crispy Chickpeas Turn Plain Spaghetti Into Something Worth Talking About
Chickpeas are one of those canned ingredients in most people's pantries that are definitely underrated and underused. For most people, they just throw them into salads, but I'm a big fan of taking them, draining them, and then frying them to turn them crispy. Getting them crispy and coated in smoked paprika is a great way of amping up your pasta.
A little pasta water and you end up with a great-tasting sauce. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice to help balance everything with a little acidity. Not only is this one super easy, but it's also high in protein and filling.
8) Anchovy Breadcrumb Bucatini Sounds Fancier Than It Actually Is
A lot of people are either intimidated by anchovies or actually don't like them, but once you cook with them and realize they just melt into hot oil and give a deep umami flavor without tasting like fish, you will end up improving your cooking by miles.
This anchovy breadcrumb bucatini sounds fancy, but you can make this really, really quickly. Toast your breadcrumbs until crispy and use them to finish as a garnish. I love the crunchy contrast against the bite of the pasta.
Don't forget your pasta water. It's so important to create a gorgeous sauce that sticks to your pasta.
9) Reach for Peanut Butter When Noodle Night Needs a Twist
When you're looking for a quick and tasty pasta dish that feels like takeout, one ingredient you definitely need is peanut butter. The base of this sauce is made from peanut butter, soy, garlic, and chili flakes. These are all pantry staples.
The trick here is to add your hot pasta water into your peanut butter and watch it turn into a smooth, creamy sauce. This dish is so flexible, and I like to add a splash of wine juice or even rice vinegar to help balance the richness.
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Peanut sauces show up in home kitchens across the South more than people admit, mostly because peanut butter is already sitting in the pantry for lunches. Pairing it with soy sauce and garlic isn’t a stretch at all, it’s just two shelves of the same cabinet meeting each other.
10) Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Pasta Feels Fancier Than the Ingredient List Suggests
Keeping jarred roasted red peppers is always one of my top tips for pantry dinners. Blending the peppers with toasted walnuts gives you something naturally creamy without the need for dairy. Jarred peppers not only save time but give you a great sweetness in your final dish.
Using a walnut paste also does all the heavy lifting to give you plenty of texture.
Using the starchy pasta water helps to create a sauce. I like to add some lemon and a little red pepper flakes to give everything a nice balance. You can also use pre-toasted walnuts if you need to save time.
Toasting them yourself only takes a few minutes and is very easy to do.
11) What Do You Do With a Lonely Can of Salmon in the Pantry?
You look through your pantry, and you find a single can of salmon, but you have no idea what to make with it. Salmon is an amazing shortcut to a quick dinner.
One of my top tips is to stir it in very gently to your pasta so you don't end up with salmon mush. Try pairing it with some garlic and lemon and a little fresh dill to help bring the natural salmon flavors to life. Use your starchy pasta water to create a white sauce.
Sometimes I will add capers or even frozen peas for a pop of color, but also extra flavor and nutrition.
12) White Bean Alfredo with Garlic Skips the Cream Entirely
This white bean Alfredo with garlic doesn't even need cream to be super smooth and indulgent. It blends canned white beans with garlic, milk, and Parmesan to mimic a rich Alfredo-style sauce. Adding the beans is a great way to get extra protein and fiber into your meal, and nobody will complain about it either.
The beans are nice and mild in flavor, and even your kids will enjoy this one. I like to add plenty of red pepper flakes as I like my food with some spice. Don't forget to keep some pasta water back, and you can use this to thin out your blended beans if need be.
Serve it up with some fresh greens on the side or even blend the greens into the sauce completely. It's totally up to you.
13) Butter Finishes What Canned Tomatoes Start in This Rigatoni
Using butter instead of cream is one of those clever little hacks for finishing off your tomato sauces for pasta. This rigatoni uses just canned tomatoes, garlic, and some red pepper flakes. Give the tomatoes a nice simmer, and they will no longer be sharp and acidic, and the flavor will develop.
I like to finish this by throwing in a large knob of butter at the end. This turns your sauce into something glossy and rich.
Rigatoni is one of my favorite pasta shapes as it's great for trapping the sauce. This one is foolproof and gives you a comforting dinner from pantry staples.
“Half the trick to feeding a family well isn’t the recipe. It’s knowing which five pantry staples you can always count on.”
14) Toasted Walnuts Do the Heavy Lifting in This Pesto-Style Pasta
When it comes to making pesto-style pastas, I like to swap out the pine nuts for toasted walnuts. Pine nuts tend to be expensive, and walnuts work just as well. Don't forget to toast them, though, as this really does bring out the flavor.
Blend them along with garlic, oil, and any herbs that you have.
The secret to this one is to make sure you add some hot pasta water to bring everything together into a cohesive sauce that coats your pasta. Finish off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and you have something really tasty and simple.
15) Try Sardines Before You Write Them Off
People are sometimes intimidated by tinned sardines, or they just don't like them, but not only are they a great example of a shelf-stable protein, but they also give you a huge amount of flavor. I like to try and pair them with bright flavors like lemon and garlic with fresh parsley.
They also don't taste overly fishy, which is great for anyone not sure or trying them for the first time. Adding some starchy pasta water allows you to emulsify the oil and end up with a light, cohesive sauce full of umami. Top it off with some toasted breadcrumbs, and you've got a great contrast in textures along with great flavor.
Most of these seventeen dinners use five ingredients or fewer beyond pasta, oil, salt, and pepper. That’s not an accident. A shorter list means less decision fatigue on a weeknight, and less decision fatigue means dinner actually gets made instead of turning into cereal.
16) Cornmeal Isn’t Just for Cornbread, It Makes a Silky Pasta Sauce Too
If somebody says you can make a great pasta sauce with cornmeal, you probably think it sounds strange, but you should really give this one a try. Using cornmeal to make a pasta sauce gives you something so silky. All you need is patience.
Cornmeal is one of those pantry staples in most home cooks' cupboards.
Whisking it into some simmering broth, it will start to thicken and give you a great smooth sauce. Just remember you have to constantly keep stirring. I like to finish this off with some freshly grated Parmesan, butter, and a little hit of pasta water.
If you're a big fan of adding veg to your pasta sauces, throw in some frozen peas or spinach.
17) Garlic Butter Pasta with Frozen Peas Closes Out the List the Way We Started, Simple
If I am really super tired and I just need something that can be ready in 10 minutes flat, then I go for this garlic butter pasta and frozen peas. This is the ultimate example of a simple weeknight meal.
I love using frozen peas in my cooking. They are amazing and just as good, if not better, than fresh. They stay nice and sweet and firm but also keep their shape, and you don't even need to thaw them.
Just toss them through your pasta. The pasta water emulsifies with garlic and butter to give a rich sauce.
If you want to elevate it, do what I do and toast some breadcrumbs to use on top as a garnish. It's a great way to elevate the flavor but also the presentation.
