Collection of 20 vegetarian and vegan recipes that you can make with Indian pantry staples. During these trying times we all tend to seek comfort from food. Here I am sharing a list of 20 easy pantry staple recipes that are quick, frugal and comforting, most importantly you can make with a grocery run.
Due to the almost worldwide lockout we are all stuck in home with limited access to even basic essentials. But with a pantry stocked with staples like dry grains, rice, pasta, wheat flour, oil etc it is quite possible to dish out balanced and delicious meals, nevertheless humble and frugal.
In this post I am sharing some easy, quick and some one pot recipes you can whip up with staples. I have also tried to state substitutes for few ingredients.
My pantry Staple Ingredients
This list is developed on assuming that you have a pantry stocked with
rice
lentils like pigeon peas, mung dal, urad dal
tamarind
asafoetida
whole wheat flour
plain flour
millet flour like finger millet flour
Pasta
Rice flakes or poha
Rava or semoina
Besan or chickpea flour
sabudana or tapioca pearls
chickpeas, dried green or white peas, whole mung bean
oil, butter, ghee
sugar, jaggery
Dry fruits like dates, figs, raisins
Peanuts
Coconut
Makhana
Nuts (cashews and almonds always, may be walnut and pecan)
Dried herbs like basil, oregano
Potatoes & onions
Coffee Powder (Without which I can hardly function)
Regular spices like mustard, cumin seeds, turmeric, chilies, coriander seeds, methi seeds, sambar powder, pepper cumin powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and may be garam masala.
Papad or vadam
In My Refrigerator
daily supply of milk
homemade yogurt and paneer
Cheese (I usually have some organic cheese handy for evening snacks)
Cleaned coriander, mint and curry leaves
Lemons or limes
Ginger
Green chilies
Tomatoes
The recipes I am sharing here are really easy and calls for minimum ingredients.
I do not understand that not all of us have pantries or refrigerators stocked with cheese, condensed milk etc. I purchase them only when needed for a recipe. So I have not included any elaborate recipe here.
Easy Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes With Pantry Staples
1. Idli- The most comforting and satiating breakfast, lunch and dinner if you ask me 🙂 Just take out some time from your day and make a batch of idli batter and you are sorted for many meals that week. Trust me, one batter and you can make soft idli, dosa, uthappam, paniyaram. For kids you can make things fancy with dosa sandwich, fried idli etc.
you will need- uncooked rice, urad dal, salt and methi seeds. Oil or gree for making dosa.
Vegan & gluten free
2. Sambar– Another soul satisfying easy recipe that will double as side dish for breakfast and main for lunch. If you have limited access to veggies make frugal sambar with just potatoes, onions and tomatoes. If you have limited time to spend in kitchen just make one pot sambar rice or this instant sambar.
You will need- toor dal, tamarind, sambar powder, mustard seeds, oil and optional veggies.
Vegan & gluten free
3. Aloo paratha– One more comforting dish that will also please the kids. Again a hearty dish that you have serve any time of the day. Very easy to make and a flexible recipe.
You will need wheat flour, potatoes. Add only whatever spice powders you have in hand. You can also use mashed sweet potatoes or include peas if you happen to have.
Use oil instead of butter for vegan option
4. Lemon Rice– An easy peasy rice recipe that I always resort to when I am n short of time. You literally need 15 minutes and around 7 very basic ingredients to make this rice.
You will need- cooked rice, lemon, spices like mustard turmeric powder. Skip peanuts or chana dal if you don’t have.
Vegan & gluten free (skip asafoetida)
5. Coconut rice– Just like lemon rice, coconut rice is also savoir recipe when I dont have veggies handy. If freshly grated coconut is not available use frozen coconut (unsweetened)
You will need- cooked rice, grated coconut and few spices.
Vegan & gluten free (skip asafoetida)
6. Masala rice– If you have bits and bobs of assorted veggies you can make this easy masala rice in no time. Paired with a simple raita or pickle, this makes for scrumptious meal.
You will need cooked rice and assorted veggies. Use whatever vegetables are available, the dish will still taste good.
Vegan & gluten free
7. Dal Fry- The basic Indian dal recipe with minimum ingredients. Tastes wonderful with rice or roti.
You will need toor dal, few spices, onions and tomatoes.
Use oil for vegan option. You can also make moong dal fry, chana dal fry or garlic dal.
8. Makhani Sauce– Basic creamy and delicious makhani sauce or gravy for your curry fix. With just very few ingredients like onion, tomatoes, cashews and spice powders you can make this yummy sauce.
Stir in cubed paneer or tofu or sauteed potatoes, boiled chickpeas or mixed veggies for yummy curry.
Vegans can use oil instead of butter and cashew cream instead of fresh cream.
9. Chocolate banana bread– Baking is sure comforting during this tough time and here is an easy recipe to put those overripe bananas to best use.
Vegan recipe
10. Vegan savory french toast– I usually bake my bread and store for 2-3 days. If you have bread and chickpea flour you can make this super easy savory french toast in minutes.
vegan recipe.
11. Easy Pancakes– Quick easy and yummy egg free pancakes with whole wheat flour to woo the kids. If you have waffle maker you can use the same batter to make waffles.
Make it vegan by replacing butter with oil and dairy milk with almond or soy milk.
12. Chole Recipe– Punjabi chole or channa masala curry with white chickpeas, onions, tomatoes and few spices. If you don’t have chole masala powder just use garam masala powder.
Vegan and gluten free recipe
13. Dal dhokli– Easy one pot dish where wheat dumplings are cooked in lentil sauce. Very healthy and tasty dish in 30 minutes.
Vegan recipe
14. Adai– Adai is a delicious, nutritious and balanced savory crepe from south Indian cuisine. Made with rice and variety lentils, it is a complete meal in itself. Also check out handvo.
Vegan and gluten free recipe
15. Wheat dosa– one delicious, crispy and lacy instant dosa with just one main ingredient- wheat flour.
Just skip curry leaves if you don’t have.
Vegan recipe
16. Potato fry– easy and quick potato fry that tastes best with rice, roti or even bread.
vegan and gluten free
17. Turmeric milk- An immunity boosting age ld beverage with milk, turmeric powder and pepper powder.
Use almond milk for vegan option.
18. Veg Noodles– Quick easy and healthy noodles with rice noodles and assorted veggies. Just use whatever veggies you have handy.
Vegan recipe
19. Pepper rice– One more easy rice recipe with seasoned with pepper. This pepper rice is very healthy and quick to make. Best way to use leftover rice,
vegan and gluten free
20. Rice cutlets- Leftover rice can be out to one more best use with these vegan rice cutlets.
I have left out common recipes like upma, rasam, poori roti etc as they are quite obvious. In any recipe you can just skip cilantro or curry leaves if not available.
So do let me know in comments how you plan your menu with limited ingredients and also which one from the above list you would love to cook?
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