Cooking
Keeping a well-stocked pantry is one thing; leveling up those convenient dinners is another. Here’s how to do it.
If you cook, you know that a well-stocked pantry makes the job a whole lot easier and more convenient. But keeping enough rice, beans and pasta on hand for quickie weeknight meals is one thing; making them sparkle is another. My latest column delves into the secrets to leveling up those pantry dinners, and to go with it I created three new pantry recipes. Even if life is too crazy to get to the store, you still deserve an excellent dinner.
My fiery take on a cheesy bean bake laced with chile crisp will get you there; so will this fragrant one-pot ground turkey and rice. Yogurt-feta pasta with frozen spinach throws some vivid greens in the mix (don’t forget: The freezer is part of your pantry). Be sure to read the comments on the article, where readers have shouted out their favorite pantry dinners. There’s loads of unbeatable inspo. Feel free to add yours, or send it to me directly at hellomelissa@nytimes.com. I always love hearing from you, even if I can’t reply to every message.
Featured Recipe
Cheesy Chile Crisp White Beans
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If you have shrimp in the freezer and gochujang (or another chile paste, such as harissa or Sriracha) in the cupboard, you’re almost halfway to Alexa Weibel’s speedy gochujang shrimp pasta. Using only five ingredients, Lex has managed to coax beguiling flavors out of each one, making this a vibrant meal to put on repeat.
Miso is one pantry essential that lends maximal flavor for the minimal effort of opening the package. Why not take Andy Baraghani’s suggestion and add a spoonful or two next time you pan-sear some cabbage wedges? In fact, since heads of green cabbage keep forever in the fridge, they qualify as another pantry staple, one that’s often overlooked. Combined with white miso and a squeeze of lemon, they make a tangy, umami-rich vegetable dish for your dinner table.
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