Don’t get caught short without the basic ingredients to make a good meal. This list of 50 Homemade Pantry Staples will soon have you making your own pasta, bread, sauces, yogurt, muesli and so much more.
50 Homemade Pantry Staples
In these uncertain times only one thing is for certain – we still need to eat! Right now the idea of a well stocked larder/pantry or store cupboard can be the stuff of dreams. Why didn’t I buy more pasta? There is no bread left in the freezer. Wish we had some yogurt.
You might well have that kitchen drawer that is packed with little jars of spices but usually rely on good old curry powder. Want more seasonings. Then I can help you make your own Dukkah, Harissa and flavoured salts too.
Pull together bits and pieces to make your own granola or muesli. There is SO much you can do with what you probably have lurking in the cupboards already or that is still available in some shops.
Come on let’s have a go at making some easy store cupboard basics with my 50 homemade pantry staples.
Pantry Pasta
Pantry PastaNow there is a store cupboard staple if ever there was one. Follow my easy step by step guide to making your own pasta. Don’t have the proper OO flour, no matter use plain flour instead, this is not the time to be precious.
Bread
The stuff of life. Well a lot of people are scared of the idea of making their own bread. Anything involving yeast seems to throw a lot of people into a panic. Add to that the lack of strong flour in the shops just now and you have a bread problem. This really is a pantry staple.
Instead why not try this easy bread recipe.
Go Scottish and make oatcakes instead. These are little powerhouses of nutrition and taste great too. You can add all sorts of flavourings too. Serve them with soup, spread with your favourite jam or with cheese and anything else you fancy.
Got bread that is on it’s last legs? Then turn it into homemade crispbreads that will last much longer.
Homemade Pantry Staples – Spreads
My daughter might possibly go into a decline without her favourite Nutella. Funny how that stuff is almost like an addiction. Anyway you can make your own homemade nutella and it tastes just as good.
Or try my Avocado Chocolate Spread.
Peanut butter is my spread of choice. I don’t just have it on toast though. I use it for cooking too. Adding it to curries, making satay sauce and using it in dips and soups too. Make your own nut butter using any nuts you have in the house. Super easy and fun to make.
Take that nut butter a step further with my All Nut Pate.
Homemade Pantry Staples For Breakfast
There is nothing worse than feeling like a cereal killer (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun) when you don’t have everyone’s favourite breakfast in a box. Don’t panic, make your own homemade muesli and granola. These are great wee recipes for the kids to help with. Get creative and use up all sorts of bits and pieces you have on hand.
Yogurt
I don’t know where I would be without yogurt in the fridge. I use it in everything from savoury dishes to desserts. It’s a great replacement for buttermilk, sour cream and all sorts of things. Take a look at my easy homemade yogurt step by step guide. Want Greek yogurt then You can easily make your own Greek yogurt and get that delicious Mediterranean tang.
Cheese
Turn your yogurt into cheese the super easy way by making Middle Eastern Labneh which is basically strained yogurt packed together to form a cream cheese. So easy to make and tasty too. Add your own flavourings like honey for sweet version or herbs and spices for something savoury. Here’s how to make your own labneh.
If you’ve got bits and pieces of cheese to use up and want them to last longer then check out these easy recipes;
Oil and Vinegar
The real basics here but you can add flavour to them too and thus put more taste on your plate. oils and vinegars really are part of your homemade pantry staples.
Pantry basics – getting spicy!
While we are on the subject of seasonings it can all be a bit daunting. If you are used to ready made mixes but find yourself with just the bare bones what goes together? Fear not, you can whip up your own spice mixes so easily and again the kids can help.
Salts & Sugars
Flavouring salts and sugars is a great way to add punch to your plate.
If you have a bit of wilting chilli pepper then turn it into my super Hot Salt.
Want the taste of summer, then try my Mediterranean Salts.
Or just go for Savoury Salt.
For a sweet touch for baking try this Citrus Sugar or my Lavender Sugar that makes shortbread sing!
Homemade Pantry Staples – Sauces
Oh how we love our sauces from tomato sauce to mustard, pesto to mayo. Here are some super easy homemade sauces to pour, drizzle, dip and spread.
Pistou (The French version of pesto)
Pesto
Yes Pesto gets a whole section to itself as I love the stuff and use it in everything from sandwiches to soups, pasta to dips on the side. You can’t beat homemade pesto. I make pesto out of almost anything from corriander to lettuce, rosemary to strawberries. There are a whole batch of Pesto recipes. I even wrote an e-Book called A Passion For Pesto with over 50 different types and how to use them. From standard herbs to all sorts of veggies and even weeds. There is also a section on sweet fruit pestos too.
Homemade Pantry Staples – Dips
Life might not be a party just now and dips shouldn’t just be considered party fodder. Use them to brighten up any dish from raita with a curry to taramasolata, skordalia and tzatziki for a bit of Greek magic. These are pantry basics that make life a little bit of a party any day of the week.
Pantry Preserving
While I have loads of recipes for making everything from chutneys and relishes to jams, jellies and curds. I’m thinking here about fruit and veg you might have that you want to keep for later. We are not going for condiments, it’s all about getting stuff into jars so you can serve them up with a meal not just as a flavoursome spoonful.
When it comes to preserving things in jars make sure that you take a look at my post on How To Sterilise Jars. Why not check out my other tips on jams, jellies, chutneys and more in the Resources section.
Going Nuts!
Yes, all this isolation etc really can drive you nuts. But here I’m talking about nuts of the edible kind. We’ve already talked about making your own Nutella and homemade nut butter. But did you know that you can make your own almond milk and other varieties.
Follow my easy step by step guide to Making your own Almond Milk.
Easy Homemade Pantry Staples
Well I started this off as a list of 10, then thought go for 20 and now it’s 50 homemade pantry staples!!!
I hope you will find these little recipes helpful. Once you start making your own pantry staples it actually becomes a habit. You’ll find that the things you make yourself taste so much better than the store bought varieties.
Hopefully when all this is over and we are all out and about again I will have converted at least a few folks to making their own homemade store cupboard basics. Well a few things at least.
If you want some great tips for saving food (what goes in the dark, on the counter, in the fridge or in the freezer and so much more) then sign up for my weekly newsletter and get my FREE e-books; Saving Food, Homing 101 and 10 Easy Preserves.
I’m thrilled to have this post be part of Cook Blog Share this week.
Stay home, stay safe and stay healthy my friends.
K x
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What a fab roundup with so many ideas – I don’t know where to start!
Hi Chloe
Thanks so much, glad you like the post so much.
K x