Essential Pantry Pasta Ingredients To Keep On Hand

By  Leonora Epstein
Ingredients for traditional italian pasta alla carbonara. Uncooked spaghetti, pancetta bacon, parmesan cheese, egg. Black background. Top view Vladimir Mironov/iStock/GettyImages

"Pantry pasta" is a catchall term we like to use for crazy-simple pasta recipes that are generally thrown together with stuff mostly from your pantry (although most recipes are enhanced by some fresher ingredients like citrus and cheese). Be prepared to whip up the tastiest (and sneakiest) pasta dishes ever by keeping these essentials in stock at home:

Spices:

  • Red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Fennel seeds
  • Dried oregano
  • Dried basil

Fresh:

  • Herbs (parsley, basil)
  • Lemons
  • Garlic
  • Shallots
  • Onions

Canned fish:

  • Sardines
  • Anchovies
  • Tuna
  • Alaska salmon

Other non-perishables:

  • Olives
  • Capers
  • Tomato paste
  • Canned diced or whole tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Sun dried tomatoes
  • Nuts (walnuts, almonds)
  • Canned or dry beans

Dairy

  • Butter
  • Parmesan

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