Whether you live in a remote area, or find yourself in an emergency, these vegan pantry recipes will help get you through. With 30 delicious dinner recipes to choose from, this list will keep you covered until your next visit to the supermarket.
Living in Canada means I often stock the pantry with non perishables, and vegetables that last through the winter months.
When we get caught in a storm, the last thing anyone wants is to trek to the supermarket.
If you live in a remote area and can’t make daily or weekly shopping trips, cooking from the pantry or freezer is essential. That’s where these vegan pantry recipes come to the rescue!
It’s pretty easy to come up with a meal with a fridge full of fresh produce, but when the fridge is running low on fresh ingredients, a little creativity is in order.
And I’m here to help!
These healthy vegan pantry recipes to follow are perfect for using up pantry staples and frozen ingredients.
If you’re new to a vegan lifestyle or plant based diet, here’s my favourite pantry essentials to help you get started.
Rosa’s top 15 vegan pantry essentials:
- Beans: Both dried for longer cooking and soups, and canned are great for salads
- Lentils: Again, both dried and canned are great for stocking. Since lentils cook quicker than beans, I tend to keep more dried than canned.
- Rice: Any variety you like, but brown is best for unrefined.
- Nuts: From cashews, to almonds, to peanuts, nuts are a staple protein in a vegan diet.
- Seeds: Of course, if you’re allergic to nuts or watching your fat intake, seeds are the next best thing. I like having hemp hearts, flaxseed and pepitas on hand at all times.
- Vegetable Stock: Either cartons of premixed, or seasoning that you mix with water is always essential to have on hand, and for far more than just soup.
- Nutritional Yeast: Some hate it, most love it. I’m of the latter. I just love the cheesy flavour and richness this special ingredient can add to a dish. (Not to mention the boost of nutrients it provides.)
- Maple Syrup: This unrefined sweetener is a great replacement for refined sugars to sweeten a dish. Great in both desserts and savoury dishes like my Baked Beans.
- Plant Milk: From nut milks, to oat milk, to soy milk, the varieties are (almost) endless.
- Oats: I keep both rolled and steel cut oats in my pantry. They’re great for baking desserts, and work as a great binder for burgers too!
- Potatoes: They keep a very long time out of the fridge, and they’re filling. Plus, who doesn’t love potatoes?
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This one may seem odd, but it’s incredible how many vegan recipes call for apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, which, if you don’t have lemons, sub for apple cider vinegar in almost any application.)
- Dates: A great alternative to a sweet treat. They’re naturally sweet, great on their own, and they also make wonderful desserts, like my healthy Nutella.
- Canned Tomatoes: When all else fails, boil some pasta and add some canned tomatoes, and call it dinner!
- Pasta: My favourite pantry item. 🙂 There’s nothing quite as comforting or filling as a bowl of pasta. Opt for whole grain varieties to keep it free from refined flour.
So if your pantry is stocked and ready to go, what to make? Let’s get to the recipes!
Healthy vegan pantry recipes perfect for dinner!
Lentil Shepherd’s Pie [Oil Free]
This vegan shepherd's pie is made using pantry and freezer ingredients like lentils, potatoes, frozen veggies and seasoning. Fluffy mashed potatoes cover a bed of lentils and veggies for a nutritious meal that will please even your pickiest of eaters.
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Pasta e fa*gioli (AKA Pasta + Beans)
This classic Italian dish is made using vegan pantry staples like canned beans and pasta for a hearty, nourishing meal that will please the entire family. Feel free to skip the celery and sub the fresh basil for dried. Stove top and Instant Pot directions available for this one!
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Smoky Slow Cooker Baked Beans (You won’t miss the meat!)
Cooked low and slow, these incredibly flavourful baked beans are smoky, creamy and delicious. Use dried white navy beans, or any other dried beans you have in your pantry.
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Jackfruit Nachos
All you need is a can of jackfruit and tortilla chips to make these delicious vegan nachos. Kid and adult approved, and fun for the entire family. Use store bought BBQ sauce or make your own!
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Sweet Potato Burgers
Another win for vegan pantry recipes! These burgers are bursting with flavour and have wonderful texture, with perfect, crispy edges. Incredibly delicious, with just a hint of spice, and loved by vegans and omnivores, alike. A wholesome patty for the entire family to enjoy.
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Vegan Baked Pasta
This one is the ultimate comfort dish! Tender pasta, vegan ricotta cheese and a hearty Bolognese sauce that will have you salivating! Made entirely from your pantry for an easy, peasy family dinner.
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Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
The most perfectly tender spaghetti squash noodles with just a few ingredients and 25 minutes needed! Spaghetti squash can last for weeks on your counter, making it a great choice for stocking up!
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Vegetable Barley Soup
With vegan pantry staples like barley and beans, you can be sure to whip this up any time of year. This soup is made using veggies that keep for months, like onions and carrots, plus frozen peas and corn, available all year long. Sub the fresh spinach for frozen, or omit if you don't have any.
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Vegan Mac + Cheese
You can never go wrong with mac + cheese, and this one is not only made from your pantry, but it's easy and delicious! With both stove top or Instant Pot directions available, you can choose what works for you!
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Vegan “Chicken” Burgers
Incredibly delicious vegan patties made using canned chickpeas, potatoes and brown rice, then seasoned to perfection with all your favourite poultry spices. Eat with or without a bun, but don't forget the vegan mayo!
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Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
Rice and beans have never tasted this good, or been so easy to make! Your hands off Instant Pot takes out all the guesswork and this dish is ready in no time at all, using vegan pantry staples.
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Slow Cooker Vegetable Pot Pie Stew
This low calorie spin on your favourite, traditional pot pie is made using winter veggies like carrot and potato, frozen peas and corn and the perfect blend of seasoning. This vegan pantry recipe is then slowly cooked to perfection.
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Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Pasta smothered in rich and creamy pumpkin sauce is made in minutes using canned pumpkin puree, broth and seasoning. It's filling, it's satisfying, and it's absolutely mouth watering. This one's a truly comforting choice for your vegan pantry recipes collection.
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Socca AKA Chickpea Flatbread
If you don't have yeast, and want to make bread, this chickpea flatbread (also known as socca) is the answer! Made using garbanzo flour, that you can grind yourself in a high speed blender if you don't have any available. Use it as flatbread for dipping, a pizza base, or switch up the seasoning and turn this into pancakes. So versatile!
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Vegan Pumpkin Gnocchi made from scratch!
Just 2 ingredients to make these pillowy soft, utterly delicious gnocchi! Pumpkin puree and flour are all you need. Use canned pumpkin puree for convenience, or roast your own pumpkin from scratch.
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Brown Rice Vegetable Risotto
With no prep work required, this easy and nutritious risotto is the ultimate of vegan pantry recipes. All you need is rice and frozen veggies, and you have a healthy vegan dinner ready in no time at all. Made in your hands off Instant Pot for a truly fuss free meal.
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Three Bean Chili
Three bean chili is made using canned beans, tomato sauce, broth and seasoning. Sub the fresh mushrooms for canned, and omit the celery and pepper if you can't get your hands on any. Feel free to add in some frozen veggies to the mix, but either way, this dish will satisfy.
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Jackfruit Burritos
Jackfruit smothered in homemade BBQ sauce (or sub for store bought) is wrapped up with rice, corn, black beans and salsa for a satisfying, comforting and simple meal.
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Chickpea Meatloaf with Smoked Maple Glaze
Can you believe this "meatloaf" is made entirely from vegan pantry ingredients? Canned chickpeas, oats, carrots, onion and seasoning become a hearty, delicious, filling meal. Serve it with a side of mashed potatoes for the ultimate dinner.
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Vegan Pumpkin Risotto [Instant Pot or Stove Top]
All you need is a few pantry items plus canned or frozen peas to whip up this delicious risotto in your Instant Pot, or on stove top. It's creamy, dreamy and completely drool-worthy.
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Chickpea and Mushroom Curry w/ Rapini
A one pot curry dish that’s packed with big, bold flavour! It's fresh and tasty, rich and filling, and completely and utterly delicious. Tastes like comfort food, but it’s nutrient dense and healthy. Sub the mushrooms for canned if you don't have any on hand.
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Sweet Potato Mac + Cheese
Mac + cheese is always a welcome meal, but this version sneaks in plenty of nutrients from sweet potatoes and cashews hidden right into the sauce. Your picky eaters will never know the difference. Another vegan pantry recipe, for the win!
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Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes (with stove top instructions)
This versatile dish makes a wonderful stew, or a deliciously messy sandwich, using mostly pantry items. Sub the peppers for carrots if you don't have any on hand and get those napkins ready. Dig in!
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Instant Pot Lentil and Split Pea Soup [Or Stove Top]
Rich and flavourful lentil split pea soup is the friendliest of vegan pantry recipes. Add in some chopped carrots, or use frozen! This easy, peasy dish comes together in no time in your Instant Pot or on stove top.
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Baked Chickpea Nuggets [Allergen Free]
Made using staples like canned chickpeas, sundried tomatoes and oats, these fun, tasty nuggets will be thoroughly enjoyed by all. Just add a sauce to this vegan pantry recipe and dip, dip, dip.
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Pumpkin Black Bean Burgers
All you need is 7 ingredients and 30 minutes from start to finish to whip up these vegan pantry friendly black bean burgers. They're hearty, nutritious and absolutely mouth watering.
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Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles
Spicy Thai noodles made using mostly pantry ingredients is ready in no time at all, using your hands off Instant Pot. (Stove top directions also included.) Skip the pepper if you don't have any on hand, and enjoy.
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Quick + Simple Chickpea Salad Sandwich No Mayo!
Ready in only 5 minutes, using items from your pantry, this delicious chickpea salad tastes great on its own, or in between two slices of bread. It's flavourful, and simple to make, and literally ready in minutes.
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Vegan Penne Alla Vodka
As easy, family friendly dinner that everyone will enjoy. This unique take on penne alla vodka is loaded with nutrients from hidden white beans. Sub the fresh mushrooms for canned to make this a 100% vegan pantry friendly meal.
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Lentil Meatballs
Vegan meatballs made using lentils, oats and pumpkin seeds are savoury and "meaty" without the meat! These delicious bites are baked, not fried, for a healthy, nutritious option. Pair them with your favourite noodles and enjoy.
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Happy cooking everyone. Hope you find some useful recipes to help you eat your way through your vegan pantry ingredients.
If you tried any of these recipes, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
