10 Dinners You Can Make Without a Trip to the Grocery Store

Sheela Prakash
Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
updated Nov 30, 2023
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Despite all my best intentions when it comes to meal planning, there are many, many times when I just don’t get around to it. Suddenly it’s Monday and I have no idea what’s for dinner — plus, right now I am trying to limit my trips to the grocery store.

That’s when pantry meals come to the rescue. Dig around your dry pantry as well as your fridge or freezer and I guarantee you, even if you think you have nothing to eat, you most likely have the makings of a simple-but-satisfying dinner. These 10 recipes prove it!

Quick Pantry Dinners

1 / 10
<a href="https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/authors/joe">Joe Lingeman</a>
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
A classic Italian recipe for spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley.
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2 / 10
Lauren Volo
Classic Tomato Soup

If you have a couple of cans of tomatoes in your pantry, you have the makings of amazing homemade soup. Bonus points if you have some bread and cheese on hand to make grilled cheese sandwiches to serve alongside.

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3 / 10
Joe Lingeman
Frittata
As long as you have a few vegetables and some eggs on hand, you can have a frittata on the table in about 20 minutes.
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4 / 10
Joe Lingeman
Sheet Pan Quesadillas
Use a sheet pan and a few storebought shortcuts to make a large format quesadillas to feed a crowd.
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5 / 10
Joe Lingeman
Garlic Butter Shrimp
A fast and easy skillet recipe for shrimp in garlic butter sauce.
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6 / 10
<a href="http://www.laurenvolo.com">Lauren Volo</a>
One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

If you don’t have chicken or cheddar for this stovetop casserole, no problem. You can swap in things like deli ham or bacon bits for the meat and any other kind of cheese you have.

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7 / 10
Joe Lingeman
One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo
A recipe for quick and easy tomato orzo studded with chickpeas, which is made in just one pot.
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8 / 10
Joe Lingeman
Salmon Patties
Easy, gluten-free salmon patties made with canned salmon and flavored simply with dill, lemon, and Dijon.
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9 / 10
Joe Lingeman
A Last-Minute Ravioli Casserole
Frozen ravioli is baked in a lemon and white wine sauce and finished with peas.
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10 / 10
Maria Siriano
Alice Waters' Chickpea and Broccoli Rabe Soup

Think of this recipe as a template instead of hard-and-fast rules. Really any beans — canned or dried — can be used, along with a mix of whatever vegetables are wilted in your crisper drawer.

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