This is a comprehensive list of the food staples I keep on hand in the kitchen: for the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer.
PANTRY
Pastas
Rice noodles
Glass noodles
Rice
Quinoa
Panko breadcrumbs
Black olives
Artichoke hearts
Canned tomatoes (crushed, diced, whole, stewed)
Canned tomatoes with green chiles
Canned tomato sauce
Canned tomato paste
Canned beans (white/cannellini, black, pinto, kidney, red, ranch)
Dried beans (pinto, black, white, red, kidney)
Lentils
Split peas
Canned green chiles (whole, chopped)
Canned chipotle chiles in adobo
Chicken broth and stock (if not homemade)
Red wine
White wine
Dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, apricots, apples)
Molasses
Honey
Maple syrup
Condensed milk
Coconut milk
Pumpkin
COOKING OILS & VINEGARS
Light flavored olive oil (labeled virgin or regular)
Extra virgin olive oil
Sesame oil (toasted, regular)
Coconut oil
Balsamic vinegar
White balsamic vinegar
Champagne vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Rice vinegar
White wine vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Distilled vinegar
FRESH – ON THE COUNTERTOP
Onions (yellow, red)
Shallots
Potatoes (red, Yukon, russet, fingerling, purple)
Ginger
Garlic
Tomatoes (grape, vine ripe)
Apples
Bananas
Limes
Lemons
Oranges
COLD – STAPLES
Sriracha sauce
Tabasco sauce
Sambal Oelek chili paste
Garlic chili paste
Mirin sweet wine seasoning
Sweet chili sauce
Soy sauce
Oyster sauce
Plum sauce
Hoisin sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish
Jams (peach, strawberry, apricot)
Salsa
Mustard (Dijon, yellow, course ground)
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Better than bouillon base, beef and chicken
Pickles (sweet, dill)
Pepperoncini
COLD – PERISHABLES
Eggs
Butter, salted
Milk (whole)
Cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, parmesan,
pecorino romano)
Sour cream
Plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
Fresh vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, bell peppers, summer squash, asparagus, green onions)
Fresh fruits (grapes, strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, peaches, melons)
Fresh herbs (Italian parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, dill, thyme)
Leafy greens (romaine, spring mix, baby spinach)
FROZEN
Beef (ground, roasts)
Chicken (breasts, thighs, whole)
Pork (bacon, sausage, roasts, chops, tenderloin)
Seafood (salmon, tilapia, halibut, shrimp, ono)
Turkey (whole bird)
Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
Fruits (peaches, bananas, grapes)
Vegetables (corn, peas)
Edamame
Nuts (all varieties)
Chicken stock and broth (if homemade)
SPICES
Salt (kosher, course sea, fine sea)
Freshly cracked black pepper
White pepper
Cayenne pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
Mexican spice mix
Garlic (granulated or powder)
Onion (granulated or powder)
Smoked paprika
Cumin
Chile powder (usually NM red chile powder)
Basil
Thyme
Oregano
Sage
Bay leaves
Rosemary, crushed and leaves
Herbs de Provence
Italian seasoning mix
Dill
Parsley
Chives
Dried mustard
Mustard seeds
Celery seeds
Celery salt
Poppy seeds
Sesame seeds
Gharam masala
Curry
Turmeric
Cinnamon (ground and whole)
Nutmeg (ground and whole)
Allspice (ground and whole)
Cloves (ground and whole)
Ginger
BAKING
Vanilla extract
Vanilla beans
Almond extract
Lemon extract
Peppermint extract
All-purpose flour (noted as flour or AP flour in most recipes)
* Hard white wheat
* Soft white wheat
Cornmeal
Rolled oats
Quick-cooking oats
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Active dry yeast
Sugar
Light brown sugar
Dark brown sugar
Powdered sugar
Cocoa powder
Dutch-process cocoa powder
Dark chocolate chips
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
White chocolate chips
Shredded coconut
Peanut butter (creamy and chunky)
Almonds (sliced, slivered, whole and chopped)
Cashews
Pecans
Walnuts
Pine nuts
GLUTEN-FREE BAKING **
Brown rice flour
Tapioca flour/starch
Potato starch
Sorghum flour/starch
Oat flour
Buckwheat flour
Coconut flour
Blanched almond flour
Certified gluten-free oats
Xanthan gum
* In the past, I used freshly ground wheat whenever possible. I typically ground my own wheat using a Nutrimill grain mill. In recipes where “flour” or “AP flour” is listed, that simply refers to regular store-bought all-purpose flour.
** The majority of my gluten-free recipes are listed with both AP flour and gluten-free flour variations. If you have questions on any of these recipes, please leave a comment on the original post or email me at [email protected]. Learning to bake and cook gluten-free does not need to be overwhelming.