15 Easy Pantry Recipes That Use What You Have

Simple peanut sauce is easy to make with common pantry ingredients like peanut butter, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add fresh or frozen veggies to this peanut noodle recipe to round it out into a complete meal.

Even the pasta gets cooked right in the pot for this low-mess dinner that'll use the last of that bottle of BBQ sauce you've had in your fridge forever.

Alexandra F. said:  Ever since I discovered how easy it is to make pasta carbonara, it has become my go-to meal when we've used up most of the week's groceries. I've found it to be pretty forgiving, too, and no longer measure out my ingredients (which I almost never do). Pasta, garlic, eggs, bacon, and parmesan cheese are practically all you need - though I'll often make it without bacon, and also add in veggies like spinach or peas (I know, I know, it's no longer carbonara!) if I have them.

Fried rice is a versatile "clean out the fridge" meal. This cheap family dinner idea uses leftover rice and frozen peas and carrots, but you can use whatever veggies you need to use up in the freezer or fridge. If you'd like, you can also add in a protein like chicken, shrimp, tofu or edamame.

A fun spin on a healthy breakfast at dinnertime, these simple eggs baked in marinara are tasty on their own or served with whatever sort of bread you have on hand.

This forgiving vegetable soup recipe can be adapted to use whatever veggies you have on hand in the fridge or freezer. It makes quite a lot, so leftovers can be eaten for days or frozen for an easy make-ahead meal on another night.

This ramen noodles recipe discards the seasoning packets and uses just the noodles mixed in with ground beef, sauces, and sautéed vegetables.

Shila said:  You can also be inspired to hack your own Ramen Noodles however you please with frozen vegetables, any meat of your choice, eggs, etc.

This kid-friendly instant pot recipe uses pantry staples like canned beans, corn and tomato sauce for a Southwestern style rice bowl. Delicious as-is for a one pot meal, or add on toppings you find in your fridge, like sour cream, lime and cheese.

You don't need a bunch of specialty ingredients to make a tasty lasagna. Frozen ravioli, ground beef, spaghetti sauce and shredded cheese are all you need to make this easy layered pasta recipe the kids can help make.

This dump and go chicken crockpot recipe is so easy to throw together, with chicken, white beans and a handful of other pantry ingredients. Using a blender to puree a portion of the soup gives it a nice creamy consistency. If you don't have the canned green chiles that the recipe calls for, you can substitute green salsa or jalapenos.

Pink pasta is created by mixing red marinara sauce with alfredo sauce (or substitute heavy cream). Use any pasta noodle you wish for this simple yet rich meal. 

Shila said:  What better way to take advantage of half-used sauce jars from previous meals, too?

This tasty soup uses canned tomatoes, frozen spinach and tortellini for an easy dinner recipe that simmers together for just a few minutes before it's ready to hit the dinner table. Feel free to substitute with any frozen vegetables or canned tomatoes you have on hand.

Canned beans, pantry-friendly sweet potatoes and a jar of salsa star in this simple vegetarian chili. You can kick it up with some optional spices and toppings if you have them in your kitchen.

Boxed mac and cheese hacks are a great way add some variety to the kid-friendly pantry staple. This easy and cheap recipe combines boxed mac and cheese (use whatever kind you have on hand) with peas and tuna for a spin on tuna casserole. Or you can get creative and stir in whatever you have available that sounds good!

Sort of an elevated version of SpaghettiOs that appeals to kids and adults alike, you might have the ingredients for this easy cheap family meal on hand in your pantry already. If you have some spinach or kale to use up, throw it in!