PANTRY STAPLES I SWEAR BY (vegan + gluten-free)
Keeping my pantry stocked is a must—because when hunger hits, I need quick, easy, and delicious options. Here are my go-to staples for effortless meals and snacks!
Having a well-stocked pantry makes healthy eating effortless. No scrambling to figure out what to make, no last-minute grocery runs. If you’re just starting to build yours, pick a few staples from each category and build from there. And if you’re already a pantry pro, maybe you’ll find a new favorite to add to your stash!
Many of these ingredients are linked to recipes on my site so you can see exactly how I use them. Would love to hear your must-haves. Drop a comment and let me know what you always keep stocked! 💛
Find my favorite pantry staple recipes here (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts!)
🥜 Nuts & Seeds – Buy in Bulk & Store Smart
I keep my nuts and seeds in airtight containers or mason jars and for extra long-storage I move to the fridge/freezer. I recommend always looking for organic, raw, and unsalted when possible. Raw gives you the most flexibility—you can always toast or salt them later, but you can’t go backward!
The links below take you to my favorite recipes that use each ingredient.
✔️ Almonds (raw, sliced, slivered, salted)
✔️ Chia seeds (Costco forever)
✔️ Hemp seeds (for smoothies + salads)
✔️ Flaxseeds (whole + ground for fiber)
✔️ Salted pistachios
✔️ Walnuts, cashews, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pepitas, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, white sesame seeds (all raw)
🥄 Nut & Seed Butters – All Day, Every Day
With nut and seed butters, I always check the ingredients—the only thing listed should be the nut or seed itself (and salt if you prefer). The brand matters for texture and flavor, and I’m super particular about which ones I buy!
The links below take you to my favorite recipes that use each ingredient.
✔️ Almond Butter – Trader Joe’s raw creamy almond butter is my go-to for its smooth texture and mild flavor. I also love making my own!
✔️ Tahini – Soom’s organic tahini is the only one I buy. Perfect for dressings, sauces, and smoothies. I go through two jars a week!
✔️ Cashew Butter – Super creamy and neutral-flavored, great for sweet + savory recipes.
✔️ Sunflower Seed Butter – Always unsweetened for the best versatility.
🔗 If you want to try homemade almond butter I’m sharing how to make it below:
🌱 Legumes – Protein-Packed Essentials
I love cooking my own beans and lentils, but I also keep canned options on hand for quick meals. I always have at least a dozen cans of chickpeas and black beans ready to go.
The links below take you to my favorite recipes that use each ingredient.
✔️ Black beans, chickpeas, white beans (navy beans are my favorite!), black-eyed peas
✔️ Red lentils, black lentils (Beluga only because they’re the best), green or brown lentils
✔️ Split peas (for soups)
✔️ Chickpea pasta (gluten-free win—look for chickpeas as the only ingredient) - I also love teff pasta
🔗 How to cook legumes:
How to Cook Green and Black Lentils
🌾 Gluten-Free Flours – Baking Must-Haves
Vegan + gluten-free baking can be tricky, but the right mix of flours makes all the difference. These are my go-to staples (the links below take you to my favorite recipes that use each ingredient):
✔️ Oat Flour – A must for gluten-free, vegan baking thanks to its natural binding properties. You can make it yourself (I have a tutorial!) or buy it pre-ground for the best texture. Always look for glyphosate-free & certified gluten-free.
✔️ Almond Flour – Costco has the best price, but I prefer organic when possible.
✔️ Coconut Flour – Absorbs a ton of liquid, so use it sparingly.
✔️ Arrowroot + Tapioca Flour – Essential for binding in egg-free baking.
✔️ Brown Rice Flour, Chickpea Flour (for socca!)
✔️ Buckwheat Flour (Arrowhead Mills is my fave)
🍚 Grains – Stock Up & You’re Set
Grains are pantry staples in my kitchen. I always keep these on hand (the links below take you to my favorite recipes that use that ingredient):
✔️ Quick-Cooking & Rolled Oats – Certified GF + glyphosate-free
✔️ Brown Rice, Quinoa, Basmati Rice, Jasmine Rice, Black Forbidden Rice, Wild Rice
✔️ Sprouted Buckwheat Cereal
✔️ GF Pasta – Jovial’s brown rice pasta (one ingredient!) + Andean Dream quinoa pasta for the best texture
✔️ Puffed Amaranth – Great for snacking + adding crunch (and a complete source of plant-based protein) to recipes like this
🥑 Oils & Vinegars – Non-Negotiables
Look for organic, single-ingredient oils whenever possible.
✔️ Avocado Oil – For high-heat, neutral tasting cooking
✔️ Extra Virgin Olive Oil – A daily essential
✔️ Coconut Oil – I like refined (no coconut flavor) or unrefined (if you want that flavor) – Cha’s Organics is my fave since their refined version does not use any chemicals
✔️ Toasted Sesame Oil – A little goes a long way!
✔️ Vinegars – White Distilled is my go-to but you can also use Apple Cider, Balsamic, Red Wine depending on the recipe
🥫 Sauces, Condiments & Canned Goods – Quick Meal Savers
Always check labels for clean ingredients—no weird additives!
✔️ Coconut Milk (full-fat, light + coconut cream) – Check my blog post ranking the best brands!
✔️ Marinara Sauce – Sprouts brand is my go-to, but I also have homemade recipes!
✔️ Canned Tomatoes – Pomi + Jovial are my favorite brands (no citric acid, no calcium chloride).
✔️ Olives, Salsa, Dijon Mustard, Pumpkin Purée, Sweet Potato Purée, Apple Sauce, Low-Sodium Veggie Broth
🔗 Homemade versions of these staples:
How to Make Marinara Sauce (Arrabbiata) & Homemade San Marzano Tomato Sauce
How to Make Dairy-Free Heavy Cream (using cashews)
🧂 Spices – Because Flavor Matters
I look for organic and fair-trade when possible.
✔️ Cinnamon, cayenne, paprika (sweet + smoked)
✔️ Garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, curry powder
✔️ Flaky sea salt, fine salt, kosher salt, pink salt (Real Salt for added minerals)
✔️ Ras el hanout (for Moroccan dishes), red pepper flakes
🔗 Homemade seasoning blends (BBQ, taco, curry, etc.):
🍪 Baking Essentials – Sweet Tooth Friendly
✔️ Almond Milk, Oat Milk, Cashew Milk (always unsweetened)
✔️ Applesauce (unsweetened)
✔️ Baking Soda + Baking Powder
✔️ Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Raw Cacao Powder + Cacao Nibs
✔️ Maple Syrup (100% pure only)
✔️ Medjool Dates (pitted, store airtight!)
✔️ Maple Sugar, Coconut Sugar, Date Syrup, Organic Molasses
🔗 Homemade versions of these staples:
How to Make Walnut Milk (or walnut coffee creamer)
Keeping these staples on hand makes healthy eating effortless! Which pantry essentials do you always stock? Let me know in the comments! 💛 And please comment below with any questions about how to use any of the ingredients.