This collection of pantry staple recipes features treats, dinners, pastas, and sides that are all made from basic pantry ingredients.
We Love Easy!
Pantry staple recipes come in handy during weeks when the budget is tight, or in cases of emergency where you can’t get to a grocery store (or there isn’t much at the store).
It’s the best way to go through all of your groceries rather than just acquiring more than you need and letting stuff expire.
If you need a quick dinner , don’t have time to run to the store, or are working to stick to a budget, these easy dinner ideas are for you! They all use pantry staples, and all are delicious.
THIS POST has a more comprehensive printable list of pantry staples! Be sure to check it out!!
Our Top 10 Pantry Dinner Ideas
1 Taco Soup Recipe
Taco Soup Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Taco Soup is one of the EASIEST dinner recipes of all time! Just dump, simmer, and enjoy in under 20 minutes!
Get the recipe
2 Green Chili Smothered Burritos Recipe
Green Chili Smothered Burritos Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Pull together canned items in your pantry to make super easy green chili smothered burritos. This flavorful meal comes together in a pinch!
Get the recipe
3 Fry Bread
Fry Bread
Total Time: 4 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
Crispy, golden fry bread—also known as Navajo Tacos—is a versatile treat perfect for sweet or savory toppings. This easy, authentic recipe delivers light, fluffy, and irresistibly delicious fried dough!
Get the recipe
4 Sopa de Fideo
Sopa de Fideo
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Mom's famous sopa de fideo (Mexican noodle soup) has been a quick and simple family favorite for generations!
Get the recipe
5 Best Chili Recipe
Best Chili Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
You're going to fall hard for this spicy, hearty homemade beef chili. This best chili recipe is not only simple, but delicious!!
Get the recipe
6 Hawaiian Haystacks
Hawaiian Haystacks
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Totally customizable Hawaiian haystacks are a pile of fluffy rice stacked with chicken, gravy, and all your favorite toppings!
Get the recipe
7 Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Enjoy the flavors of a taco in this easy chicken tortilla soup – preps in minutes and simmers all day for a comforting and easy dinner!
Get the recipe
8 Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Chicken Spaghetti is a new twist on your favorite pasta dinner! This dish is creamy + cheesy, making it the epitome of comfort food.
Get the recipe
9 Tostada
Tostada
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
An crunchy open-face tostada is topped with all of your favorite Mexican ingredients and on the table in 20 minutes!
Get the recipe
10 Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Total Time: 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
With just 5 minutes of prep, our hot and cheesy crock pot chicken enchiladas make dinner a breeze! Just let the crock pot do the work.
Get the recipe
More Pantry Staple Recipes
11 Easy Goulash Recipe
Easy Goulash Recipe
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
This old-fashioned easy goulash recipe is a one-pot family favorite! It's the perfect go-to dinner recipe for any night of the week.
Get the recipe
12 Hamburger Helper Recipe
Hamburger Helper Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Better than the box, Homemade Hamburger Helper is a perfect one-pot meal that comes together in under 30 minutes!
Get the recipe
13 Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Chicken noodle casserole is filled with veggies and topped with a buttery cracker crust making it a flavorful family favorite.
Get the recipe
14 Tamale Pie Recipe
Tamale Pie Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Tamale pie is bursting with spice and hearty meat with a fabulous crust of tamale goodness. It is a delicious easy-to-make one-pan meal!
Get the recipe
15 Cheese Quesadilla
Cheese Quesadilla
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Look no further for the best cheese quesadilla! They are everything you want in a queso-filled golden brown slice of heaven.
Get the recipe
16 Baked Ravioli Recipe
Baked Ravioli Recipe
Total Time: 21 minutes minutes
Easy Cheesy Baked Ravioli is a quick, simple, and delicious dinner recipe that the whole family loves! It's so cheesy and so tasty!
Get the recipe
17 Chicken Tacos
Chicken Tacos
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Skip the wait and cost – whip up restaurant-quality chicken tacos at home in under 30 minutes for a satisfying crunch and explosion of flavor!
Get the recipe
18 Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Flavorful and tender Lemon Pepper Chicken is simple and requires just a few ingredients. Served on its own or over rice, this buttery chicken dish is perfect any night of the week for a simple, quick dinner idea.
Get the recipe
19 Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Ground Beef Tacos are fried to golden perfection and filled with lettuce and tomatoes. They are a family favorite!!
Get the recipe
20 Cheese Crisp
Cheese Crisp
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
A cheese crisp is a crunchy open-face quesadilla that is an Arizona favorite!! They are quick, easy, and perfectly dippable.
Get the recipe
21 Kid-Friendly Spaghetti
Kid-Friendly Spaghetti
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Our favorite spaghetti is kid-friendly and simple with a delicious homemade sauce making it the perfect family dinner recipe!
Get the recipe
22 Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Cheesy broccoli rice casserole will please the pickiest eaters. It's creamy and delicious, a perfect family dinner!
Get the recipe
23 Breaded Pork Chops
Breaded Pork Chops
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Crispy breaded pork chops are made with just a handful of ingredients and cook in 30 minutes for a go-to family favorite!
Get the recipe
24 Chicken Drumsticks in Oven
Chicken Drumsticks in Oven
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
These perfectly seasoned chicken drumsticks in oven are a healthier alternative to fried chicken and are finger-licking good!
Get the recipe
25 Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes
Get the recipe
26 Cheeseburger Casserole
Cheeseburger Casserole
Total Time: 33 minutes minutes
This 30-minute cheeseburger casserole with ground beef, pasta, and loads of cheese delivers all the burger flavor without the bun!
Get the recipe
27 Mexican Soup Recipe
Mexican Soup Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Filling and flavorful Mexican soup is packed with chicken, beans, and veggies with just a little bit of heat!!
Get the recipe
28 Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Bisquick chicken pot pie is a unique twist on a classic with the addition of hard-boiled eggs and a quick biscuit topping!
Get the recipe
29 Cheese Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
These authentic red cheese enchiladas are a family-favorite recipe—deliciously cheesy, saucy, and loved by all!
Get the recipe
30 Meatball Soup
Meatball Soup
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Veggie loaded Meatball soup is filling and delicious. Your entire family will love and devour this kid-friendly dish!
Get the recipe
31 Beef Enchilada Casserole
Beef Enchilada Casserole
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
A simple twist on a favorite, our layered beef enchilada casserole is prepped in 15 minutes for a comforting classic, perfect for weeknights!
Get the recipe
32 Easy Meatloaf
Easy Meatloaf
Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes
This easy homemade meatloaf recipe is hearty, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned—just like the classic comfort food you grew up with!
Get the recipe
33 Hamburger Macaroni Soup Recipe
Hamburger Macaroni Soup Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Hamburger Macaroni Soup is packed with flavor and it only requires a handful of pantry staples. It's hearty and delicious!
Get the recipe
34 Homemade Biscuits Recipe
Homemade Biscuits Recipe
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Easy homemade biscuits are buttery, deliciously flaky, and SO simple! They make the perfect side dish for any meal.
Get the recipe
35 Homemade French Bread Recipe
Homemade French Bread Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Soft, simple and no-fail, this homemade French bread has simple step-by-step directions and comes out perfect every time!
Get the recipe
36 Easy Yeast Roll Recipe
Easy Yeast Roll Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
These easy yeast rolls can be made in under an hour with just 4 ingredients! With how quick and simple they are, they will become your new go-to dinner rolls.
Get the recipe
37 Flour Tortilla Recipe
Flour Tortilla Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Great Grandma Bean Burro's soft and easy FAMOUS flour tortilla recipe is whipped up with only 5 Ingredients!
Get the recipe
38 White Bread Recipe
White Bread Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
This simple white bread is perfect for both the bread novice and pro baker. It's tender, delicious, and SO easy!
Get the recipe
39 Cornbread Casserole Recipe
Cornbread Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour hour
This gooey cornbread casserole recipe is an elevated take on a classic boxed cornbread that will have you coming back for more!
Get the recipe
40 Italian Bread Recipe
Italian Bread Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
It is so easy to make our Italian bread recipe at home! This soft, crust bread is delicious and takes just 6 simple ingredients.
Get the recipe
41 Spanish Rice Recipe
Spanish Rice Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Restaurant-Style Spanish Rice (aka Mexican Rice), that is easy to make and tastes like it came straight from the restaurant, and is the best side dish to any Mexican entree.
Get the recipe
42 Jiffy Corn Pudding
Jiffy Corn Pudding
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Jiffy corn pudding is a creamy, buttery, and sweet side dish perfect for any dinner or holiday, and comfort food at its finest.
Get the recipe
43 Lemon Rice Recipe
Lemon Rice Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
This bright Lemon Rice is the perfect addition to any meal. It's quick and delicious and always a crowd pleaser.
Get the recipe
44 Easy Green Bean Casserole
Easy Green Bean Casserole
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
This easy green bean casserole is a holiday classic, featuring sauce-covered green beans and crispy onions baked to golden perfection.
Get the recipe
45 Crock Pot Pinto Beans Recipe
Crock Pot Pinto Beans Recipe
Total Time: 12 hours hours
Nutrient-rich pinto beans are cooked to perfection. These make a great meal or a tasty side dish to any of your Mexican dishes.
Get the recipe
46 Homemade Tortilla Chips
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Make restaurant-quality homemade tortilla chips with just 3 ingredients and 30 minutes! They're our favorite, irresistibly delicious snack.
Get the recipe
47 Baked French Fries Recipe
Baked French Fries Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Baked french fries are a healthy twist on a crunchy comfort food. They are still packed with flavor and will satiate all of the fried potato cravings.
Get the recipe
48 Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
Total Time: 22 minutes minutes
This golden flaky buttermilk biscuits recipe is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Enjoy them on their own, with jam, or smothered in gravy!
Get the recipe
49 Canned Refried Beans
Canned Refried Beans
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Get perfectly creamy restaurant-style beans by adding just THREE extra ingredients to your canned refried beans!
Get the recipe
50 Homemade Fried Rice Recipe
Homemade Fried Rice Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Skip the restaurant takeout and try making fried rice at home. Flavorful Homemade Fried Rice is ready in under 30 minutes!
Get the recipe
51 Corn Souffle
Corn Souffle
Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Creamy corn souffle is a light and fluffy casserole version of classic cornbread for a deliciously versatile side dish.
Get the recipe
52 Crock Pot Creamed Corn
Crock Pot Creamed Corn
Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Dinner wouldn't be complete without rich, flavorful crock pot creamed corn! It's creamy, buttery, and preps in minutes – a holiday favorite!
Get the recipe
