How to stock a pantry for 30-minute dinners
The twenty shelf-stable ingredients that turn "there is nothing to eat" into dinner on the table in half an hour.
A good pantry is less about owning everything and more about owning the right twenty things. With these on your shelf, a bag of greens and a few eggs become a proper dinner.
The base layer
- Tinned tomatoes, chickpeas and white beans
- Dried pasta in two shapes, rice and orzo
- Good olive oil, a neutral oil and two vinegars
- Stock cubes or concentrate
The flavour layer
Miso, anchovies, capers, harissa, soy sauce and chilli flakes do the heavy lifting on busy nights. A spoonful of any of them makes a quick dinner taste like it simmered all afternoon.