Kitchen Tips All About Ingredients The Essential Ingredients in a Perfect Pantry By Allrecipes Editorial Team Published on May 21, 2014 Close Stock your kitchen with these basic ingredients and you'll always have a dinner backup plan. We'll cover everything here, starting with the essential, bare-minimum pantry ingredients that you'll need and including key canned and other dry goods, spices, fridge and freezer foods, spices, condiments, and those little extras that are nice to have on hand. Let's take a look! Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Soup | Photo by Allrecipes Magazine. The Bare Minimum These are the essential six staples to always have on hand. SaltPepperOlive oilVegetable oilAll-purpose flourGranulated sugar Canned Goods Chicken broth and beef broth are good to have if you make gravies or sauces in which liquid is cooked down, or "reduced." The salty flavor of broth gives these dishes extra punch. Chicken stock or brothBeef stock or brothCanned tomatoesTomato sauceTomato pasteCan/jar of marinara sauceCanned beans: white, black, kidneyTuna Photo by Getty. Starches and Dry Goods Does your family eat a lot of pasta? Do you prepare stir-fries and other Asian dishes? Stock up on what you like to eat. Pasta (in various shapes, strands, and tubes)Rice (white and/or brown in long-grain or short-grain varieties)LentilsSplit peasDried bread crumbs Photo by Getty Images. The Root Cellar Store these in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area--never in plastic bags or in the refrigerator. PotatoesOnionsGarlic Photo by Getty Images. Condiments Vinegars (balsamic, cider, white, sherry, and wine vinegars)Soy sauceWorcestershire sauceHot sauce Photo by Getty Images. The Spice Rack Dried basilBay leavesCayenne orCrushed red pepper flakesCurry powderSeasoned saltChili powderCuminCinnamonGarlic powderOnion powderOreganoPaprikaDried parsley Photo by Getty Images. The Almost-Bare Fridge EggsMilkButter or margarineKetchupMustard (yellow, Dijon, whole grain)MayonnaiseParmesan cheeseOther cheese Photo by Getty Images. The Freezer Frozen cornFrozen spinachFrozen peasGround beefChicken breasts Photo by Getty Images. Extras Flavors and ingredients that keep well and are nice to have on hand. Herbs and spices: allspice, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, coriander, dill, marjoram, dry mustard, italian seasoning, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thymeLemonsFresh gingerShallotsCapersCanned chilesPrepared horseradishAnchovy pasteAlmond extractVanilla extractKosher saltCooking sprayCornstarchConfectioner's sugarHoneyBrown sugar Get recipes for easy meals using canned and frozen foods you may have in your freezer or cupboard right now. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit