The solution for busy weeknights: Pantry Pasta Meals! Stock your kitchen with a few key ingredients so you have wholesome meals always within reach!
Pantry Pasta Meals
The Dinner Debacle
Picture this: your day is wrapping up, and suddenly you realize you have no plan for dinner. You also realize that you had nothing noteworthy for lunch that day, and are finding yourself particularly hungry for something delicious. This hunger, paired with the fact that you have no clue what to make or what even sounds good at this exact moment in time, makes you impatient and even more famished. It’s moments like these when frozen pizza or takeout sounds excceptionally good, am I right?!
However, let’s change the narrative a little bit. Let’s say you have a pantry, refrigerator, and freezer stocked with some of your favorite ingredients to make delicious meals. Would you be interested? Would you feel better about the aforementioned illustration of the weeknight we all experience on a regular basis? If so, you’re in luck! Read on to learn more about my approach to simple, scrumptious, and fast weeknight meals featuring everyone’s favorite pantry staple: pasta!
Pantry Pasta Meals: Where To Begin
Some of my favorite toss-together meals that I’ve ever made feature pasta. It’s a blank slate for whatever ingredients you decide to throw together, which makes mealtime a sort of fun experiment. Now I realize for some (perhaps most?) that “fun experiment” may not be the exact terminology you’d use to describe a busy weeknight when your only goal is to get something on the dinner table fast. That said, I’ve rounded up a list of ingredients that I like to have on hand at all times so when I don’t know what to make for supper, I’m covered. Your list may look different based on your dietary needs and preferences, but this is a great place to start!
- Jarred Sauces
- Olives
- Canned or Jarred Artichokes
- Jarred Garlic
- Stocks and Broths
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Jarred Pesto
- Canned Tomatoes
- Tomato Paste
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Breadcrumbs
- Anchovy Paste
- Canned Pumpkin
- Capers
- Evaporated Milk
Ingredients For The Refrigerator and Freezer
While the above pantry staples are key for making quick and simple pasta dishes, there are also a few refrigerated and frozen items I like to keep in my kitchen to make sure I can round out my pantry pasta meals:
Refrigerated Items
- Fresh herbs
- Cheese: specifically fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan
- Vegetables: hearty greens, squash, onions, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini
Frozen Items
- Shrimp
- Bone-in Chicken
- Ground Beef
- Ground Italian Sausage
- Ground Turkey
- Frozen Vegetables
How To Make A Pantry Pasta Meal
When you have your pantry stocked and have backup from a few key items in your refrigerator and freezer, making healthy and fast pasta meals is a cinch. I like to include the following components in each pantry pasta meal for a well-rounded and mouthwatering supper:
- Something briny. For me, this typically means olives, artichoke hearts, or capers. I love the salty kick they offer.
- Roasted vegetables. I’ll use whatever I have on hand, but I’ll always try to squeeze in something green. Whether it’s sauteed kale or frozen spinach, I love the nutrients that come with the pop of color they offer!
- Cheese. Depending on my mood, I’ll add a little or a lot of cheese to add flavor and texture. Creamy goat cheese is a go-to, along with the classic Parmigiano Reggiano!
- Seasoning.Salt, pepper, and olive oil are arguably used in all my pantry pasta meals, but I love using dried herbs, red pepper flakes, and finishing salts depending on the flavors present.
- Protein. Protein is key in my meals, and I typically reach for lean meats and seafood to offer heft to my meals. Ground turkey, beef, and chicken are common in my dishes, but there’s always room for sausage, too! Shrimp is a delicious option as well.
Pantry Pasta Meal Inspiration
The key, of course, is finding flavors that you liked and keeping those on hand at all times, but I’ve listed a few flavor combinations to consider if you’re lacking inspiration!
- Kalamata olives + roasted red peppers+ goat cheese + ground beef + oregano
- Shredded chicken + roasted tomatoes + sauteed spinach + jarred artichokes + lemon zest + red pepper flakes
- Sauteed shrimp + garlic + frozen peas + canned tomatoes + basil
Pantry Pasta Meal Recipes
Try one of these unbeatably delicious, wholesome, and simple recipes using ingredients from your pantry!
Tried any of these recipes and loved them? Use the hashtag #sohappyyoulikedit and tag @sohappyyoulikedit on social media so I can see your creations!
Let’s be friends! Find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to check out my YouTube Channel!
Read More
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Chimmichurri & Cocktail Sauce
Raspberry Coconut Scones with Coconut Glaze
