Vegan Pantry Staple Recipes (Ingredient list included!)

Easy and healthy vegan pantry staple recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts. Quick to make and using everyday ingredients, be sure to check out the ingredient list included! Paleo, Keto, Low Carb, and Gluten-Free options. 

What are some vegan staples?

Whether you are just starting your vegan journey or have been following a vegan diet for a period of time, we’ve collated the best vegan staples you need for your cupboard, pantry, and fridge.

After sharing my keto pantry staples list, I realized that while it was suitable for those following a vegan diet, there were also quite a few gaps too. 

When I get asked ‘What should vegans have in the fridge, pantry or freezer?’ I thought I need to have something for you!

Here, I have collected an extensive list of vegan cupboards and pantry staple ingredients, along with some excellent fridge and freezer friendly options.

With those ingredients, I have also included a bunch of healthy and hearty breakfasts, satisfying lunches and dinners, filling snacks and of course, simple dessert recipes!

Vegan Cupboard and Pantry Essentials

Beans, Legumes, and Pulses

• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Broad Beans
• Black Beans
• Kidney Beans

Grains

• Pasta- Elbow, macaroni, penne, lasagne sheets, etc.
• Rice- Brown rice, white rice, sushi rice, arborio rice (risotto rice)
• Oats- old fashioned (rolled), quick and steel-cut varieties
• Noodles- Ramen, udon and Hokkien noodles.
• Other– Bulghar, spelt, quinoa, farro, and barley.

Nuts and Seeds

• Nuts– Peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and pine nuts.
• Seeds– Pepitas, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.

Nut/Seed Butter and Jams/Jellys

• Nut butter– Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, and pecan butter.
• Seed butter– Sunflower seed butter, wow butter (made from soy nuts) and tahini. 
• Jam/Jelly– Strawberry jam, raspberry jam, marmalade, lemon curd.

Dried Fruit

• Citrus dried fruit- lemon, orange, and tangerine
• Tropical fruits– pineapple, mango, and coconut
• Every day dried fruit– Sultanas, raisins and shredded coconut
• Berries– Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cranberries.

Shelf-stable protein

• Tempeh– Flavored and unflavored
• Tofu– Silken and firm varieties

Cooking basics

• Vegetable stock– Both cubes and cartons
• Miso paste– Can also be in stock cubes
• Nutritional Yeast– Definitely stock up on this!

Sweeteners 

• Granulated sweeteners– Coconut sugar, sugar (white and brown) and sugar-free sweeteners, like monk fruit.
• Liquid sweeteners– Maple syrup, agave nectar, coconut syrup, and brown rice syrup. 

Oils and Spices

• Oils– Coconut oil, vegetable oils, and other plant-based oils
• Spices– anything and everything!

Baking Essentials

• Flour- White, wheat, all-purpose, self-rising and specialty flours (almond, coconut, rye, buckwheat, etc)
• Sugar- Brown, white, coconut, sugar-free, etc.
• Chocolate Chips- Dairy-free chocolate chips in both mini and standard size. 
• Baking Powder and Baking soda
• Flaxseed– A must when making egg substitutes, like flax eggs.
• Chia seed– Similar to flaxseed, can be used to make egg substitutes

Miscellaneous 

• Non-dairy milk– Carton and shelf-stable non-dairy milk like soy, almond, coconut and cashew milk.
• Canned goods– Canned beans, vegetables, pureed vegetables (pumpkin!) and fruit in natural juices.
• Protein Powder- Vegan protein powder, especially in vanilla and chocolate. 

Vegan Fridge Staples

• Fresh fruit– Stone fruit like apples and oranges last longer, as so lemons and limes.
• Fresh vegetables– Potatoes and other root vegetables have a much longer shelf-life than most.
• Vegan Dairy substitutes– Vegan cheese, non-dairy butter, yogurt, cream, and milk.
• Protein– Refrigerated tofu and tempeh. 
• Bread– Vegan sliced bread, pitas, tortillas.

Vegan Freezer Staples

• Fruit– Bananas, berries (all of them), pineapple and coconut
• Vegetables– Anything and everything, including cauliflower, broccoli, beans, and spinach
• Vegan burgers– Veggie burgers, plant-based burgers, and plant-based hot dogs.
• Grains– Pre-cooked rice, quinoa, etc.
• Bread and baked goods– All kinds of bread (As long as they are freezer friendly!)

Key Kitchen Appliance Staples

• High-speed blender– From making your own hummus to filling smoothies, this is a must!
• Food Processor– To make homemade veggie burgers, energy balls, and decadent desserts.
• Non-stick saucepan– Especially useful if you don’t want to use a microwave.
• Instant Pot– Soups, stews, curries and more!
• Air fryer– Use up veggies on their last legs by crisping them up the healthy way!

Easy Vegan Pantry Recipes

Hearty Breakfasts

• Blueberry Donuts (Baked, not fried!)

• Carrot Cake Breakfast Bars (No baking!)

• Vegan Protein Oatmeal 

• Ginger Banana Bread

• Flourless Banana Bread (Paleo AND gluten-free too!)

• Sweet Potato Oatmeal Muffins

• Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

• Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

• Single Serving Breakfast Cookie (no baking!)

• Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

• Flourless Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Filling Lunches and Dinner

• Veggie Burgers

• Sweet Potato Pizza Crusts

• Zucchini Sweet Potato Tots

• Veggie Chips

• Baked Curly Fries

Satisfying Snacks

• Cinnamon Swirl Bread

• Homemade Almond Butter

• Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls

• Homemade Rice Crispy Treats

• Paleo Almond Butter Energy Balls

• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

• Homemade Protein Bars

• Homemade KIND Bars (paleo too!)

• 4 Ingredient No Bake Granola Bars

Easy Desserts

• Edible Cookie Dough 

• Millionaire’s Shortbread (Keto and Low Carb)

• Best Vegan Banana Bread (Gluten-Free!)

• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (Reader favorite!)

• Nutella Fat Bombs

• Homemade Nutella

• Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies (Keto!)

• Caramel Cookie Dough Bars