30 Pantry-Friendly Dinners Ready in 45 Minutes or Less (2024)

How to Cook Dinner with What You Have in Your Pantry

Looking for a way to save time and money on meal prep? Try cooking your family's meals using what you already have in your pantry! By utilizing these simple hacks and pantry staples, you can take the guesswork out of your delicious dishes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner prep will be a breeze!

Simple Beef Stroganoff

Pantry Items: Egg noodles, cream of mushroom soup
Ready In: 30 minutes

"This is a very simple and quick beef stroganoff that can be made after a busy day at work," says Brenda. "It uses ground beef and mushroom soup!"

Yummy Lemon Salmon Burgers

Pantry Items: Canned salmon, Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
Ready In: 20 minutes

"A quick, delicious, and nutritious way of serving up canned salmon," says MELDS. "You can enjoy this with or without the dressing, in a hamburger bun, or with a salad."

Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl

Pantry Items: Olive-oil packed tuna, long-grain rice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil
Ready In: 40 minutes

"What we have here is equal parts tuna and rice by weight, which for me, gives this the perfect balance between protein and starch," says Chef John. "While this may remind some people of a fried rice dish, this is significantly lighter, and actually very low on the fat content, but that doesn't mean it's not satisfying, and like most rice dishes, it's very comforting."

Tomato-Cream Sauce for Pasta

Pantry Items: Diced tomatoes, pasta, olive oil
Ready In: 20 minutes

"So easy and so delicious!" says MariyaC. "The whole family keeps asking for more. Each time, I've followed the recipe 'as is' but added baby shrimp to the saute mix. The results never cease to amaze!"

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Pantry Items: Canned black beans, onions, dried bread crumbs
Ready In: 35 minutes

"You will never want to eat frozen veggie burgers again," says LAURENMU. "These are so easy, and you'll be proud to have created such a vegetarian delight."

Baked Italian Chicken Thighs

Pantry Items: Ragú Simply Chunky Marinara Sauce, olive oil
Ready In: 40 minutes

"These juicy chicken thighs are topped with a flavorful blend of three cheeses and your favorite marinara sauce," says France C. "Serve over pasta or rice or alongside roasted potatoes for a tasty weeknight meal. I like to shred my own cheese, as I find it melts better, but feel free to use pre-shredded to save time."

Quick Spicy Black Bean Soup

Pantry Items: Chicken broth, black beans, corn, white rice
Ready In: 40 minutes

"Easy to prepare and very tasty!" says fabeveryday. "Makes a big portion so it's great for meal prepping for lunches the next few days."

Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Pantry Items: Spaghetti, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups

"It is easy to prepare and everyone I have made it for really likes it!" says Daniella Stevens. "I like to cook my chicken ahead of time and freeze it, so that it is even quicker to make when I'm ready)."

Quick Chicken Divan

Pantry Items: Cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups, frozen broccoli
Ready In: 45 minutes

"My family loves this recipe," says Shannon Fountain. "My kids love it because the broccoli is 'hidden' under all the chicken and cheese! This is an excellent way to use up leftovers."

Easy Tuna Casserole

Pantry Items: Canned tuna, cream of chicken soup, French fried onions, macaroni
Ready In: 45 minutes

"Tuna, macaroni, creamy soup, cheese and fried onions are all you need to make this super easy tuna casserole," says LMCDEVIT. "It's great as leftovers, too."

Jeanie's Falafel

Pantry Items: Canned garbanzo beans, onions, dried bread crumbs
Ready In: 30 minutes

"This is a tasty dense falafel that contains no eggs," says JeanieMomof3. "Serve on pitas with tzatziki or tahini sauce with lettuce and tomato."

Red Lentil Curry

Pantry Items: Lentils, curry paste, tomato puree, onions
Ready In: 40 minutes

"This is a rich and hearty lentil curry, great as a main meal rather than as a side dish like the more traditional Indian dhal," says Emma Maher. "This really is an easy dish to make. This dish is great served with basmati rice."

Lori's Beef and Spaghetti Macaroni

Pantry Items: Spaghetti sauce, macaroni, onions
Ready In: 30 minutes

"This recipe was right up my alley!" raves Kelli. "Quick and easy to make plus my family LOVED it!"

Skillet Lasagna

Pantry Items: Spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, onions, noodles
Ready In: 45 minutes

"This no-bake skillet lasagna is made right on your stovetop and is a fast and easy alternative to store-bought hamburger mixes!" says Brittany.

Chicken Cacciatore with Rice

Pantry Items: Whole peeled tomatoes, tomato sauce, instant rice
Ready In: 40 minutes

"What an easy and delicious recipe!" says Kim. "5 stars for simplicity alone! I actually used some leftover brown rice in place of the insta-rice to make it even easier, Served this topped with some freshly grated Parmesan and a side of roasted broccoli. Perfect easy dinner!"

Ranch Taco Soup

Pantry Items: Crushed tomatoes, canned pinto beans, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles, black olives, ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning mix
Ready In: 45 minutes

"This thick and hearty taco soup comes together in a flash," says Soup Loving Nicole. "The subtle hint of ranch sets it apart from your average taco soup. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired."

Tender Tomato Chicken Breasts

Pantry Items: Stewed tomatoes, chicken broth (with mixed veggies from the freezer)
Ready In: 45 minutes

"Being a mom of a seven month old, I've learned to take a lot of shortcuts and still be able to cook quality food," says Erin. "This is quick, easy, and tasty. Serve with rice, if desired. To kick it up a bit, add chopped green peppers in with the tomatoes."

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Pantry Items: Spaghetti, olive oil, Parmesan
Ready In: 20 minutes

If you've got these ingredients, you can whip up this fancy-sounding dish for a truly last-minute dinner.

Black Bean Chili

Pantry Items: Canned black beans, olive oil, chicken or vegetable broth, cumin, chili powder
Ready In: 40 minutes

Enjoy a big bowl of this hearty bean chili with some tortilla chips, sour cream, and grated cheese. We won't judge you for eating tortilla chips while it cooks.

Pita Pizza

Pantry Items: Tomato sauce, black olives, pimiento peppers, dried basil, dried oregano
Ready In: 15 minutes

If you've got pita bread in the freezer, you can make pizza! Top with sauce, cheese, and some vegetables for a quick, tasty meal.

Barbeque Beef Casserole

Pantry Items: Whole kernel corn, diced tomatoes, corn bread mix, barbeque sauce

Ready In: 40 minutes

Simply brown ground beef in a large skillet with chopped onions and bell peppers, add the pantry ingredients, and top with cornbread batter. "A wonderful, quick, and inexpensive recipe for those time crunched dinners," says themamalion. "Just throw together and bake. Adjust your seasonings for your own taste."

Penne Pasta with Spinach and Bacon

Pantry Items: Penne pasta, olive oil, diced tomatoes
Ready In: 25 minutes

"Delicious and easy, how could you ask for anything more?! I had made this several times before and I always seem to forget to rate it (and make it often). It is the perfect pasta dish if you want something fast, easy and tasty." — korilynne

Ten Minute Szechuan Chicken

Pantry Items: Cornstarch, vegetable oil, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, white sugar
Ready In: 30 minutes

If you are lucky enough to have chicken in the fridge, this recipe is quick, easy, and inexpensive. No fancy ingredients here!

Lasagna Flatbread

Pantry Items: Marinara sauce, Parmesan, Italian seasoning

If you haven't got ricotta, you can use cream cheese instead for this quick and tasty flatbread, which tastes just like lasagna.

Potatoes and Corn Soup

Pantry Items: Canned corn, potatoes, onion, chicken bouillon
Ready In: 20 minutes

"Great with breadsticks! Serve alone, with a dollop of sour cream, or some grated cheese and pepper," says recipe creator Soraya Sanchez.

Delicious Black Bean Burritos

Pantry Items: Canned black beans, flour tortillas, vegetable oil
Ready in: 25 minutes

"All of the reviews are right. These burritos are awesome," Caroline says.

Easy Tuna Patties

Pantry Items: Canned tuna, Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan, vegetable oil
Ready In: 25 minutes

"These patties are great dipped in ketchup, mustard, or hot sauce. They are also great as a sandwich," recipe creator Phyllis Spencer Brixey says.

Tex-Mex Pantry Casserole

Pantry Items: Tomato sauce, taco seasoning, corn, black beans, Spanish rice mix, salsa, and broth
Ready In: 45 minutes

Half a pound of ground beef is extended for miles with the addition of Tex-Mexy pantry staples. Top with shredded sharp Cheddar cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and sliced avocado.

Spicy Asian Ramen Noodles

Pantry Items: Ramen noodles, creamy peanut butter, chili-garlic sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, peanuts
Ready In: 15 minutes

"Fast, easy, and spicy with salty, sweet, and sour flavors kicking in," says lutzflcat. "The spiciness level can be adapted to your taste by adjusting the chili garlic sauce."

More Super-Quick Pantry-Friendly Meals

• Deliciously Different Things to Do with 1 Pound of Ground Beef
• Easy Dinners to Make with a Jar of Salsa
• Quick, Delicious Dinners to Make with Canned Cannellini Beans
• Quick Meals That Start With a Can of Black Beans
• More 45-Minute Meal Recipes