Happy Memorial Day, Everyone!  As it’s the unofficial start of summer, now’s a great time to incorporate some healthy changes into your diet.  Many people ask me what they should keep in their fridge and pantry for vegan recipes.  So I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share with you all what items to have in your vegan pantry.  Many vegan cookbook chefs and cooks will tell you their personal faves so I’m going to share mine with you!

People often believe that healthy food and/or vegan food costs more.  And yes, it can be expensive depending on the ingredients.  But meat can also be pretty pricey.  And staples like rice and beans, which are a great foundation for lots of recipes, are uber cheap and last a long, long time.  So the best way to use this list if you don’t have any of the ingredients is to start with Round 1 (the basics), then build with Round 2, finishing off with the extras in Round 3.  That way, you won’t break the bank and you can start incorporating yummy vegan ingredients right away!

VEGAN PANTRY

ROUND 1

Canned or jarred goods
Black beans
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) – great in salads or in hummus
Cannellini beans (white beans)
Black olives
Diced tomatoes
Fruit preserves – strawberry is my fave!
Peanut butter – great in PB&J’s or in peanut satay
Roasted red peppers – I love putting these in a food processor to make sauces

Condiments
Balsamic vinegar
Soy sauce – I use it on its own as well as in mushroom gravy and with ginger green beans

Dairy substitutes
Non-dairy butter – Earth Balance is THE best, simply amazing!
Non-dairy milk – soy, rice, almond, hemp – I use vanilla and plain soy milk the most often in recipes and on my cereal as it contains lots of protein

Dry staples
Baking powder – vital for pancakes
Baking soda – along with apple cider vinegar, it’s vital in baking cupcakes
Cereal – my fave is Kashi’s Oat Flakes & Blueberry Clusters
Cocoa powder
Unbleached all-purpose flour

Herbs & spices
Most herbs and spices I use are dried although using fresh ingredients is always better. Items with an asterisk I only use fresh as the dried doesn’t do it justice.

*Basil
Cinnamon
Dill
*Ginger
Rosemary
Thyme
Salt – sea salt is my fave!
Pepper – fresh or course ground enhances any dish

Liquid staples
Apple cider vinegar – with baking soda, it’s vital in baking cupcakes
Canola oil – flavorless oil that’s perfect for baking
Extra virgin olive oil
Vegetable broth – could NOT live without it, I use it in rice dishes, pasta dishes, gravy, and so many more recipes

Pasta & rice
Fettuccine pasta
Eggless lasagna noodles
Penne pasta
Arborio rice – the quintessential rice to cook risotto
Long-grain white or brown rice

Produce
Baby spinach leaves – it’s fab raw in salads or on sandwiches; cooked it’s wonderful in lasagna or with curry and stir fried veggies
Bananas
Broccoli
Blueberries
Celery
Garlic – along with onions, forms the foundation for so many recipes
Green beans
Lemons – buying lemons as opposed to lemon juice, you can juice and zest the rind, getting twice the bang for your buck
Baby bella mushrooms
Portabella mushrooms
Onion – along with garlic, forms the foundation for so many recipes
Peas
Potatoes – Yukon Gold are my faves for creamy mashed potatoes
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Sweeteners
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Vegan sugar or raw sugar (sadly, most sugar is refined with bone char…ick!)
Vegan powdered or confectioners’ sugar – you can also make your own at home by putting 2 cups regular sugar in a coffee grinder with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

ROUND 2
Now that you have the basics, you can build your pantry to create even more recipes!

Baked goods
Baguette
Trader Joe’s British muffins – vegan English muffins!
Pita bread
Taco shells
Tortillas

Canned or jarred goods
Artichoke hearts
Coconut milk
Coconut oil
Kalamata olives
Pumpkin

Condiments
Dijon mustard
Vegan mayo – Vegenaise brand is amazing!

Dairy substitutes
Non-dairy cheese – Daiya brand melts and stretches just like dairy cheese, it’ll blow your mind!
Tofu – extra firm is great for use as an entrée like in a stir fry or tofu scramble; smooth tofu is great for use in blended drinks like smoothies

Dry staples
Cornstarch
French lentils
Nutritional yeast flakes – adds texture and gives a subtle almost cheesy flavor which is great for homemade mac & cheese

Herbs & spices
Most herbs and spices I use are dried although using fresh ingredients is always better. Items with an asterisk I only use fresh as the dried doesn’t do it justice.

Cardamom
Cayenne pepper
*Cilantro
Coriander
Cumin – with coriander, turmeric and cayenne, you can make your own curry powder
Marjoram
*Mint
Nutmeg
Oregano
Sage
Turmeric

Nuts
Almonds
Cashews
Pine nuts – I use ground pine nuts to make romesco (roasted red pepper sauce), pesto, and a creamy alfredo sauce alternative

Pasta & rice
Capellini pasta
Orzo pasta
Large shells – perfect for stuffed shells recipe
Basmati rice
Jasmine rice

Produce
Apples
Butternut Squash
Carrots
Cauliflower
Chives
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Grapes
Limes
Peaches
Pears
Peppers
Plums
Raspberries

ROUND 3
These ingredients are either expensive or you probably won’t use them too often. But they are absolutely fabulous and will elevate your recipes.

Agave nectar – a delish alternative to honey, can be used in recipes and to sweeten drinks
Almond extract – my fave way to use this is in almond thumbprint cookies w/ strawberry preserves
Peanut oil
Rice vinegar
Saffron
Sesame oil
Sherry
Truffle oil – used in risotto or stroganoff, the aromatic oil heightens and enhances flavors
White wine – I often use wine in cooking, particularly risotto

Let me know if you have any questions in how to incorporate these ingredients into delectable dishes!