What can you make from pantry staples on a weeknight?
Each idea lists the base, the main ingredient and the flavor, with a rough time. They are starting points rather than full recipes, so adjust amounts to what you have.
- Black bean quesadillas: tortillas, canned black beans, cheese and salsa. About 15 minutes.
- Tomato and garlic pasta: pasta, canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and chili flakes. About 20 minutes.
- Fried rice: cooked rice, frozen peas and corn, eggs and soy sauce. About 15 minutes.
- Chickpea curry: canned chickpeas, canned tomatoes, onion and curry powder, over rice. About 30 minutes.
- Eggs in tomato sauce: eggs poached in canned tomatoes with onion and cumin, with bread. About 25 minutes.
- Red lentil soup: red lentils, onion, carrot, broth and cumin. About 30 minutes.
- Tuna pasta: pasta, canned tuna, frozen peas and lemon. About 15 minutes.
- Rice and bean bowls: rice, beans, salsa, cheese and any vegetable. About 20 minutes.
- Potato hash with eggs: potatoes, onion, eggs and paprika. About 25 minutes.
- Peanut noodles: noodles or spaghetti, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic and frozen vegetables. About 15 minutes.
How do you plan five weeknight dinners?
Pick five ideas that share ingredients, so one can of tomatoes, one bag of onions and one bag of frozen vegetables cover several nights. Put the dinners with fresh vegetables early in the week and the cupboard-only ones at the end. Cook a double batch of rice or lentils on the first night and the fried rice or soup later in the week is half done.
What should you make tonight?
Start with whatever needs using first, then pick the quickest idea that fits it. If you have 15 minutes, quesadillas, fried rice, tuna pasta and peanut noodles are the fastest of the ten. If nothing fits, a can of beans or a couple of eggs with any base usually does.
Which staples cover all ten dinners?
Rice, pasta or noodles, tortillas, canned beans and chickpeas, red lentils, canned tomatoes, canned tuna, eggs, onions, garlic, potatoes, frozen peas and corn, soy sauce, peanut butter, curry powder and cumin. Add a staple to the shopping list when it runs low rather than when the last one is gone.
What if you are missing one ingredient?
Swap it for something that does the same job: lime or vinegar for lemon, any canned bean for another, any frozen vegetable for peas. The ingredient substitution chart covers 20 common swaps with ratios. A missing garnish can usually be skipped.
