Anyone who knows me knows that I am a pantry pasta evangelist. It’s something I eat several nights a week when I can’t be bothered to put a more cohesive meal together. But that doesn’t mean that pantry pasta is boring—to the contrary, it’s a great way to get more creative in the kitchen without having to develop advanced cooking skills. It’s just about deciding which flavors and ingredients work well together and putting them all together in one pan.
If you want to flex your pantry pasta muscles, there are a few ingredients you should always try to have on hand. These simple additions can transform a bowl of plain, buttered spaghetti into a pasta dish that tastes like something you’d order from your favorite Italian restaurant. Let’s take a look at some unfussy, versatile ingredients that can help enhance any pasta dish you decide to make.
1. Sardines
If you want to pack your pasta with protein and a salty, umami note, then you should make sure you always have a tin of sardines on hand. They’re inexpensive, they’re shelf-stable and they make a flavorful addition to basically any pasta dish you can dream up. Sardines are already pre-cooked, so you can add them whole into a pasta salad or cook them down in a sauce. Opt for sardines with extra ingredients, like hot peppers, for even more flavor.
2. Red chili flakes
You may want to skip this suggestion if you don’t tend to like spicy food, but if you’re looking for a way to add a ton of flavor to a pasta dish with an ingredient it’s always easy to keep stocked in your kitchen, look no further than red chili flakes. I particularly like pairing them with oil and cheese for a simple late-night snack.
3. Parmesan cheese
Just because it’s called “pantry pasta” doesn’t mean you can’t use any fresh ingredients. I always like having a block of Parmesan cheese in the fridge to grate into pasta dishes for added salt, umami and creaminess. Of course, you can use any kind of hard cheese (which tends to keep for longer than soft cheese) you like best.
4. Canned or jarred peppers
Even if you don’t have any fresh veggies on hand, you can still add vegetables to your pasta dish. Just use canned or jarred peppers for some extra flavor, nutrition and color in your dish. My personal favorites are banana peppers and jalapeños, although roasted bell pepper slices are also a solid option if you’re not a fan of spice.
5. Beans
Forget the pantry pasta specifically; beans are always an essential ingredient to have on hand no matter what you’re making. Pair them with pasta (or any other type of carb) to make yourself a filling, tasty and cost-effective meal that helps reduce your animal product consumption. Make dried beans ahead of time, or opt for canned beans for those last-minute dinners you don’t have time to prep for in advance.
6. Scallions
Yes, scallions are a fresh ingredient, so they can be tougher to keep on hand than the ingredients on this list that tend to be more shelf-stable. However, if you store scallions correctly (in the fridge with their roots in water), you’ll be able to keep them staying fresh for longer. Sauté the white parts of scallions to add an earthy, vegetal flavor to your pasta dishes, or sprinkle the chopped green parts on top of a finished dish for some extra flavor and a pop of color.
7. Garlic
Garlic makes literally everything taste better, and if you ask me, it’s an essential ingredient in just about any pasta dish you could dream up. Fresh garlic tastes the best, but if you’re pinched for time (or energy), jarred, pre-minced garlic will do. Even a sprinkle of garlic powder can easily transform the flavor of a pasta dish.
8. Lemon
If your pasta dish tastes too flabby or fatty, adding a dash of acid can really help balance out the flavor. This can be done with vinegar, of course, but I think lemon tends to work even better than vinegar in many dishes. If you always have a few lemons laying around, you can add their juice to a sauce or shave some zest onto the top of a bowl of pasta for fresh, flavorful results.
9. Tomato paste
Fresh tomatoes can be difficult to come by at some points during the year, but tomato pasta can up your pasta game all year round. Use it as a base for tomato-based sauces, adding in spices and other ingredients as you see fit.
10. Capers
Sometimes, you need a pop of saltiness in a pasta dish, and that’s exactly what you’ll get from a sprinkling of capers. They pair particularly well with tinned fish, and they’re easy to keep in the fridge to use whenever you need them.
Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.