15 Healthy Pantry Meal Ideas

These healthy and gluten-free pantry meals are great for when you can’t get to the grocery store as often as you’d like.

To make your meal planning a little easier (we all have enough on our plates), I’ve put together a list of healthy gluten-free recipes that will help make the most of your pantry, fridge and freezer essentials.  These recipes are suitable for occasions when electricity, gas and water are still on, but fresh ingredients are not as easily accessible or trips to the grocery store aren’t as frequent. I've included recipes for filling breakfasts along with hearty soups, easy mains and a few healthy snacks.

The recipes here include:

Shelf stable pantry items like: oil, dried herbs and spices, sweeteners, nut butters and other jarred goods.

Frozen foods like: frozen vegetables and frozen fruit.

Fresh items that can be stored in the fridge for extended periods of time like: yogurt, cheese, eggs and long lasting produce such as sweet potatoes.

For each recipe below I’ve noted what ingredients to substitute with more pantry and freezer-friendly ingredients when fresh isn’t available and noted which items can also be omitted if needed.

Breakfast

Super Seeded Grain-Free Granola Bowls

Out of granola?  Make your own.

Substitutions: Use whatever mix of seeds you have available in equal quantities, use maple syrup or coconut syrup if you don’t have date syrup.  No tahini?  Use whatever nut butter you have on hand.  Top with frozen berries of any kind or leave plain.

Baked Blueberry Pancake

If you love pancakes for breakfast but don’t love all the fussing at the stove then this recipe is for you.

Substitutions:  Use maple syrup if you don’t have honey.  No lemon juice? Use vanilla instead.  Use whatever frozen berries you have on hand or forget the berries and go for chocolate chips instead!

Paleo Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Waffles

Time to dig out that waffle maker you’ve got tucked away and put it to good use for a change. Make the chocolate sauce ahead of time and keep a jar in the fridge (which also makes an excellent ice cream topping by the way, if you happen to have any on hand.)

Substitutions: No coconut sugar? Use maple sugar or syrup instead.

Soups

Golden Winter Root Vegetable Soup

Root vegetables are relatively easy to find and store practically forever but frozen versions work as well.

Substations: Use whatever mix of root vegetables you can find, either fresh or frozen or a combination.  No fennel?  Leave it out.  No fresh celery?  Use a frozen mirepoix mix instead. Substitute dried spices for fresh.  Skip the fried sage topping.

Quick Spicy Tomato Vegetable Soup

A robust, full flavored tomato soup filled with big chunks of vegetables that’s a snap to make with frozen vegetables and a jar of strained tomatoes.

Substitutions: Omit fennel and use a mix of frozen vegetables instead.

Sweet Potato Spinach Soup

This quick and hearty soup with sweet potatoes and spinach in a creamy coconut broth with Thai spices is easy to make with a few essentials.

Substitutions: Use frozen spinach instead of fresh and ground ginger instead of fresh.  Omit green onion and cilantro if needed.

Italian Kale Egg Drop Soup

This bare bones soup is so simple yet so soothing.

Substations: Use frozen kale and/or spinach instead of chard. Use dried herbs instead of fresh.

Mains

Baked Spanish Tortilla

This Spanish tortilla or “tortilla de patatas” is a simple yet satisfying potato filled omelette.

Substations: Slice into wedges instead of small squares for a main course.  Use frozen spinach instead of fresh.  Use cashews instead of almonds for the red pepper sauce or skip it altogether.

Broccoli Kale Pesto Kelp Noodles

Broccoli and kale are at the base of these gloriously green pesto kelp noodles.

Substations: Kelp noodles keep well in the fridge for weeks so keep a few bags on hand if you can to use for noodle dishes. Use frozen broccoli and kale instead of fresh and omit fresh parsley.  Use almonds or cashews instead of pistachios if needed.

Broccoli Goat Cheese Fritters

I love a recipe that’s not constrained to just one time of the day.  Fry up an egg and call it breakfast or serve them atop a bed of greens and call it lunch, make them bite-sized and they’re right at home as an appetizer or snack, pile them into a wrap with a generous helping of sauce and you’ve got yourself a portable meal.

Substitutions:  Use frozen broccoli instead of fresh.  Use dried herbs instead of fresh, No goat cheese?  Use feta instead or omit altogether.

Swiss Chard Tart

As fitting for breakfast or lunch as it is for dinner, this savory Swiss chard tart filled with eggs and greens baked in an almond flour pastry crust much like a quiche.

Substitutions: No pine nuts?  Use an extra ¼ cup of almond flour instead. Use frozen spinach or kale instead of chard. Omit currants, pine nuts and/or feta for topping.

Snacks

Spinach and Pea Socca

This simple savory chickpea flatbread is easy to make and great to nibble on anytime of day.

Substitutions: Use frozen spinach and frozen peas.  Omit fresh basil leaves for pesto and fresh spinach leaves for topping.

Red Pepper Walnut Dip

With a batch of homemade dip ready in the fridge you have the makings of a near instant snack or appetizer, or the beginnings of a terrific sandwich or wrap.

Substitutions: No walnuts?  Use cashews or blanched almonds instead.  Skip the pomegranate molasses and use jarred roasted peppers instead of roasting your own.

Homemade Seed Crackers

Make your own crispy, crunchy, gluten-free seed-filled crackers in less than an hour.

Substitutions:  Skip the za’atar topping and make plain crackers if you don’t have it.  No sunflower seeds?  Use watermelon or pumpkin seeds instead.

Cashew Coconut Date Rolls

Make a quick and energizing snack from dates, cashews and coconut.

Substitutions: Use vanilla extract instead of a bean. No cashew butter?  Use almond butter instead.