15 Pantry-Style Vegan Recipes for Quick, Flavorful Meals

When I ask “what kind of recipes do you want to see?”, one of the top answers is always “recipes that can be made with everyday pantry ingredients.”

Right now, recipes you can make mostly or entirely from pantry staples are especially useful, so here are 15 Vegan Pantry Recipes you can rely on.

The full recipes are linked below — click the title or photo to go to the recipe.

If a recipe needs small tweaks to be fully pantry-only, I list those modifications beneath each entry.

Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta

This 9-ingredient Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta delivers big umami from quick-caramelized onions, tomato paste, sundried tomatoes and a few pantry staples. Simple enough for weeknights and popular with both vegans and omnivores.

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Indian-Spiced Black Beluga Lentils

Upgrade lentils with Indian spices and aromatics. Sauté onions, garlic and spices, then add black Beluga lentils and cook until tender in a soft, gravy-like sauce for a comforting, flavorful dish.

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Note: this is “recipe #2” in the linked blog post.

Pantry-only tweaks:

Omit fresh ginger or green chiles if you don’t have them.
Swap Beluga lentils for French green lentils if needed.

Instant Pot Fennel, Chickpea, and Brown Rice Stew

A complete, balanced meal in one pot: brown rice, chickpeas and savory seasonings simmered in the Instant Pot. Healthy, vegan and very hands-off.

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Pantry-only tweaks:

Omit fennel if it’s not available; add 1/2–1 tsp fennel seeds if you have them.
Replace fresh thyme with 1–1½ tsp dried thyme.
Skip the greens at serving time if you don’t have them.

Lentil Bolognese

This 10-ingredient Lentil Bolognese is comfort-food bliss: meaty, umami-rich sauce made from pantry staples that simmers to perfection in under an hour. Perfect for pasta night.

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Mediterranean Lentil and Grain Bowls

Gourmet but simple, these bowls combine lentils and grains with bright Mediterranean flavors. They’re high in fiber and protein and ideal for meal prep or quick dinners.

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One-Pot Vegan Chili Mac

A protein-packed chili meets pasta in a single pot. Quick, hearty and budget-friendly — easy to adapt to gluten-free, soy-free or oil-free diets.

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Pantry-only tweak: replace the tempeh and mushrooms with an extra can of beans.

Indian-spiced red lentil sweet potato soup with bread

Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

This naturally creamy soup uses red lentils and sweet potato for a cozy, spiced bowl with garam masala and turmeric. The Instant Pot makes it fast and fuss-free.

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Note: sweet potatoes last a long time, so I often keep them in my pantry.

Vegan Instant Pot White Bean Stew

A dump-and-go Instant Pot stew that’s healthy and hands-off. Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free, it comes together with no active cooking time.

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Pantry-only tweaks:

Omit celery.
Replace fresh parsley and thyme in the bouquet garni with 1–1½ tsp dried thyme and about 1 tsp dried oregano (instead of dried parsley).
Skip the gremolata topping if you don’t have parsley; grate lemon zest and garlic on top and squeeze fresh lemon before serving. Drizzle olive oil if not avoiding oil.

italian pasta and white bean stew in a ceramic bowl on a green surface.

Vegan Italian White Bean and Pasta Stew

Rustic Italian comfort food made with pantry ingredients: creamy, saucy and full of flavor while still being easy and budget-friendly.

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Vegan Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans

A vegan remake of a classic: Mexican-style rice and beans made fast in the Instant Pot with pantry-friendly ingredients — ideal for weeknight dinners and meal prep.

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Pantry-only tweaks:

Omit green bell peppers.
Skip cilantro if you don’t have it.

ceramic bowl on pink backdrop with creamy white beans and kale served over wild rice

Creamy White Beans with Kale and Wild Rice

A simple, flavorful weeknight meal made from wholesome pantry and freezer ingredients. Vegan, gluten-free and oil-free options work well.

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Pantry-only tweaks:

Omit kale if unavailable (frozen greens are a good substitute).
Replace 1 tbsp fresh thyme with 1 tsp dried thyme.

overhead view of cooked chickpeas with parsley in a bowl with a silver spoon in it.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

The easiest, most delicious chickpea salad made from pantry staples — bright, simple, and fast to assemble.

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Pantry-only tweak: omit parsley at the end if you don’t have it.

overhead view of saucy cooked kidney beans in a bowl.

Spicy Mexican Kidney Beans

A spicy, hands-off version of frijoles with bold flavors — great for bowls, tacos, or as a side dish.

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Pantry-only tweaks:

Omit jalapeños if you don’t have them; add cayenne for heat.
Skip cilantro in the garnish if unavailable.

10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta

Made from simple pantry staples, this creamy, cheesy and smoky pasta is indulgent yet healthy. It’s an easy weeknight staple your family will love.

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Vegan Instant Pot Chana Masala

Authentic Indian flavor in an easy, quick Chana Masala. This Instant Pot version rivals restaurant dishes and includes stovetop instructions as well.

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Note: the linked post includes both Instant Pot and stovetop instructions.

For a strict pantry version, follow the “strict pantry” notes in the Recipe Notes section of the linked post.