12 Pantry Meals That Save My Weeknights When I Have Nothing Planned

Stock your pantry with basic ingredients for a head start on these quick and easy weeknight meals.

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht turned her home baking into a career in 2016 when she began working as the head baker at The Greenbean Coffeehouse in Seattle, WA. Afterwards, she started Baking with Rachel (her blog), began teaching kids' cooking classes, and recipe tested for the cookbook "Let's Stay In" by Ashley Rodriguez.
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Published October 02, 2025
Rachel Knecht
upside down chili pie

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

I like to make weeknight dinners work with what I have on hand, especially if my plans are coming together last-minute. So I always keep certain staples on hand, like canned tomatoes, beans, and rice. I for sure keep bread around. In the fridge I've got eggs, cheese, tortillas, and at least a few miscellaneous vegetables, and there are always onions and fresh garlic in the kitchen.

So what can I make with these staples? Quite a bit, it turns out. I can make pasta dishes, quesadillas, omelets, sandwiches, and even an easy casserole.

I’m sure my pantry differs from yours, but I hope this collection inspires you to add some new quick and tasty meals to your repertoire, especially for those times when you have nothing planned.

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  • Linguine With Tuna and Capers

    Linguine with tuna and capers on a plate at a table setting with a bowl of parsley, a denim table napkin, salt and pepper shakers, and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    Why drain the flavorful oil from the canned tuna when you can use it to make a pasta sauce?

  • Marry Me Beans

    Marry Me Beans in a white bowl

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Think of these as beans so good that you’ll want to spend your life with the person who made them for you. This simple dish of white beans and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes come together to create a creamy, dreamy combination in under 20 minutes.

  • The Ultimate Quesadilla

    A plate of quesedillas and toppings.
    Sally Vargas

    Simple, delicious, and the perfect weeknight meal to use up the ingredients you already have in your refrigerator. By slightly crisping the tortilla before adding the toppings, you ensure that the quesadilla stays crispy. 

  • Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

    Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens in a Pot With a Serving Spoon, All on a White Kitchen Towel on the Counter, and Next to It, a Bowl of Cracked Pepper, a Glass of Water, and a Block of Pecorino Romani Cheese

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Save water (and time!) by sautéing cheese tortellini in a skillet instead of boiling it in a pot of water. You can use fresh or frozen tortellini and whatever dark, leafy greens you have in your crisper.

    Continue to 5 of 12 below

  • Kimchi and Spam Fried Rice

    Overhead view: bowl of kimchi and spam fried rice at a table setting with another serving in a bowl, two spoons on a blue kitchen linen, and a plate with a fried egg

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    My husband talks fondly of the Spam he ate growing up so I feel like I need to catch up on lost time. This fried rice uses refrigerator and pantry staples and is easy to adapt to the ingredients you have on hand.

  • Spaghetti all'Assassina (Assassin's Spaghetti)

    Bowlful of assassin's spaghetti at a table setting with more in a bowl, a glass of water, utensils, and light blue kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    As unique as the name itself, this pasta simply cooks in tomato sauce until slightly charred. Make sure you use a pan that is large enough for the spaghetti to lay flat, such as a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

  • Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet)

    Plate of Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet) with Cucumber Slices, Romaine Leaves, Rice, and a Small Bowl of Sriracha on a Circular Wooden Serving Board and Surrounded by a Table Setting with a Glass of Water, a Table Napkin, a Small Bowl of Slice Scallions and Thai Chili, a Small Bowl of Fish Sauce, and Another Plate of Kai Jeow

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    I turn to eggs when I need a quick meal and this Thai omelet packs a bold flavor without the added chopping that a Denver omelet does. Serve with rice and cucumber slices.

  • Pork Stir Fry With Green Onion

    Pork Stir Fry with Green Onion
    Elise Bauer

    Pork loin is a quick cooking protein that I use often on weeknights. A short marinating time of 10 minutes in soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch is a pantry-friendly way to tenderize the pork and keep it from drying out. 

    Continue to 9 of 12 below

  • Greens, Eggs, and Ham Grilled Cheese Sandwich

    Greens Eggs Ham Sandwich

    Sandwiches are a low effort, high reward dinner. Adding a fried egg and spinach makes this feel even more satisfying than a classic grilled cheese. Use whatever bread, cheese, and greens you have on hand.

  • Black Bean Burrito Bowl

    A burrito bowl with black beans mixed vegetables and a lime wedge served in a decorated bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Here's the thing with a burrito bowl, it can be made in 15 minutes with pantry items and toppings from the fridge. Canned beans, reheated frozen cooked rice, prepared salsa. It's fast, it's easy, it works."—Elise

  • Quick Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

    quick stovetop macaroni and cheese

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Cheddar cheese can be notoriously stringy when melted. To keep the cheese from getting too stringy, it helps to coat it lightly with some flour or cornstarch. Adding some water to the sauce helps, as well as some lemon juice. Stirring encourages stringiness so keep the stirring to a minimum."—Elise

  • Upside-Down Chili Pie

    upside down chili pie

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    Put some warmed canned chili in a baking dish, add a cornbread topping made from a muffin mix, and bake—that's it. If you want to change up the topping, you can add shredded cheese and canned chopped jalapeños.

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