As winter approaches and the days grow shorter, it’s traditional to hunker down and eat well. Historically, the extra layers of fat would have kept us warm; now we enjoy the bounty of the season and lots of delicious food!
During what is already a busy time, having staples to hand saves time and energy. I always stock up at the start of winter with my favorite pantry heroes – ingredients that work hard and earn their cost.
As a keen home cook, this is my tried and tested list of pantry staples. Many have multiple uses and will see you through winter with plenty of comforting taste and flavor.
1. Olive Oil
I live some of the time in Spain, and olive oil is king here. Just over the Pyrenees in France, pan-frying and baking with mounds of butter is the norm, but Spaniards think this a very odd habit!
Olive oil is used everywhere you might use butter and gives a delicious silky smooth texture and peppery taste. When in Spain, I use single-source extra virgin olive oil from the local cooperative and add it to literally everything I cook.
2. Canned Beans
I didn’t like beans until I was well into my 40s. It was a textural thing, and I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy the floury insides. That was until I accidentally ate refried beans in a Mexican restaurant and fell in love! Now, I cook with beans at least twice a week.
A healthy option packed with goodness, beans (including chickpeas) are cheap and versatile. For many recipes, it doesn’t even matter which variety of beans you use. My favorite bean dishes include traditional huevos rancheros with Spanish chorizo and free-range eggs for a lazy brunch, and a hearty Tuscan pork and bean stew.
3. Granola
Ideal as a breakfast cereal or sprinkled on fruit and yogurt, granola can also be used in desserts like crumble. If I have time, I like to make my own, as shop-bought granola is too sweet for my tastebuds.
I mix a huge batch of roughly chopped nuts, seeds, and dried fruit with a little honey and maple syrup and cook for around 15 minutes, following this excellent homemade granola recipe. Once cooked, you can store it in an airtight container for at least a month.
4. Pasta
As any home cook knows, pasta is possibly the most versatile base ingredient of all. Pasta, a jar of ready sauce, and a sprinkle of parmesan makes a healthy meal in less than ten minutes.
With another fifteen minutes, you can pull together a homemade sauce or create lasagne or spaghetti bolognese. For the best results, buy pasta made from organic durum wheat, which is higher in protein and fiber than regular pasta.
5. Canned Tomatoes
Long after the last fruits have been picked from the yard, a can of tomatoes can bring a dish to life or make the basis of a rich sauce. In Spain, the final glut is cooked down slowly with olive oil and garlic to become jarred tomate frito, similar to marinara sauce.
This mix is very similar to canned tomatoes and passata, the traditional pizza topping, and I find they are all interchangeable!
My top tip is to buy the best canned tomatoes you can afford. Cheaper options tend to be more watery and a little acidic, missing the deep and punchy flavor you need.
6. Whole Grains
Grains are the basis of many winter recipes, and The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of all the grains you eat are whole grains. Keep a selection of these essentials in the pantry, including brown rice, steel-cut oats, quinoa, and bulgar wheat, for easy and stress free winter meal prep.
Whether you’re craving something hearty and comforting or spicy and flavorful, these three powerhouse grains offer plenty of versatility. Experiment and make curries, chillis, stir-fries, salads, soups, one-pots, and casseroles brimming with flavor and warmth.
7. Nut Butters
Forget peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; nut butter can be used for so much more. Full of monounsaturated fats, minerals, vitamins, and plant-based protein, nut butters like peanut, almond, and cashew provide a quick energy boost, and they are a tasty addition to savory and sweet dishes.
I like to use peanut butter in curry sauces and to make satay-style dressings. Almond butter is perfect for your breakfast smoothie, and cashew butter makes a good creamy base for dressings. All can be added to cakes and cookies if you’re feeling indulgent. My favorite cookie is peanut butter with chocolate chips and salted caramel, and I am also partial to peanut butter on sourdough toast as a quick snack.
8. Coconut Milk
Another versatile option, canned coconut milk, which comes from the fruit’s white flesh, adds a delicious, rich creaminess to soups, curries, and stews.
Famous as the basis for Thai curries, coconut milk is also used in moqueca, a Brazilian fish stew, and Caribbean coconut chicken. I love to use it in a chickpea and cauliflower curry to add depth and indulgence to what would otherwise be a basic plant-based dish.
9. Dried Fruit
When local fresh produce is at a minimum, and anything remotely exotic is imported, dried fruit is a top winter savior, whether you’re baking or snacking.
Use dried fruit to sweeten food, add to cookies and granola, or to top off your morning porridge. Snack on dried apple rings or mango slices, add raisins and currents to curries and cranberries and figs to salads.
10. Soup Supplies
Winter and soup go together like peas and carrots and a hot bowl of soup for lunch on a winter’s day is a real treat. The base for most soups is the same; you just need to add whichever fresh ingredients are available.
Make sure to keep chicken, fish, beef, and vegetable stock pots or cubes along with a good selection of dried herbs in your pantry. It’s also handy to stock soup mix, a blend of dried lentils, peas, beans, and grains, that makes creating delicious and hearty soups easy.
11. Baking Mixes
I love to bake from scratch but don’t always have the time, especially over the busy holiday season. I like to keep a stock of bread, cake, and cookie mixes for when I feel like baking but have so much else to do. Of course, a bread maker and mixer come in handy, too!
There is a wide variety of brands and mixes on the market, from a simple white bread and roll mix to more complex devil’s food cake and red velvet cake mixes. You can even get a homemade Christmas cake mix to help your festivities go with a swing!
12. Frozen Products
I always prefer to buy fresh, but frozen can be an excellent substitute if the ingredients you want are out of season or unavailable. In fact, a recent study found that the vitamin content of frozen fruits and vegetables is comparable to and occasionally higher than that of their fresh counterparts.
It’s handy to have frozen meat, fish, poultry, fruits, and vegetables in the freezer. If you’re having an off-day or forget something at the grocery store, you can still make a wholesome and tasty meal.
13. Vinegars
The perfect companion to olive oil, using the right vinegar is the difference between an okay dressing and an epic dressing. Whether that’s a salad vinaigrette, a final drizzle over a pan-fried dish, or a tablespoon to lift a sauce, vinegar is one of the pantry’s most underrated stock items.
I keep malt vinegar for my French fries (a very British habit), a small bottle of DOP aged Balsamic vinegar I snagged in Bologna for drizzling on pretty much anything, distilled white vinegar to marinate meat or fish, and apple cider vinegar as a basis for dressings.
14. Jarred Sauces
Whether you make your own in the summer to use in cold-weather cooking or you buy at the grocery store or farm shop, jarred sauces can be a lifesaver on busy days.
There are sauces for curries, chillis and pasta dishes, sauces to pour over chicken or marinate other meats and fish. Add ketchup, hot sauce, marinara sauce, and barbecue sauce to this list, and you have the means to make a delicious meal.
15. Winter Spices
Winter and the holidays are synonymous with the comforting aroma of cloves and cinnamon, but there are many other seasonal spices you should keep in your pantry.
According to Piedmont Healthcare, winter spices may have a warming effect on the body, help control blood sugar, enhance circulation, and promote good digestive health.
Stock up on ginger (which freezes well), turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne, star anise, and cloves to add a gentle kick to your cooking, baking, wine mulling, and cocktail making.
