Quick & Easy Meal Ideas Using Pantry Ingredients

By Conchita de Souza

Quick & Easy Meal Ideas Using Pantry Ingredients

I never thought I would ever be posting from “isolation” and in a world where the phrases “social distancing”, “working from home” and “stop the spread” have become a part of our daily discourse. Where commodities like toilet paper, hand sanitiser and hand soap have become precious, when we can no longer catch up with friends at our favourite restaurant or attend a nephew’s birthday party. 

Whilst it may sound like I am describing a dystopian society illustrated in a sci-fi book or reading out a page from a history book, the fact is that this is the reality that so many of us are facing right now.

In these uncertain and difficult times, we certainly have to come together and support each other as best as we can. That’s the message we have been receiving and we would like to send out this positivity to you, our community as well. 

We understand that in this current climate, we are cooking more often and sometimes have to make do with basic ingredients that are lying around in our pantry. The struggle is to come up with meals that not only offer nutritional value and variety, but also appease the various palates of the household. This can be a daunting task and it is exactly why we have written this post - to help you with meal planning during this time especially.

We hope it helps in some small way, and please let us know if it does by commenting below!


Breakfast/Brunch


Most of us are spending more time at home, which means we can afford a leisurely breakfast or brunch, as opposed to scoffing down buttered toast (long gone cold) on the train to work. 


  1. Tandoori Baked Beans - A classic Aussie dish with an Indian twist! All we did was place a can of baked beans in a saucepan, added a teaspoon of grated garlic and a teaspoon of our TANDOORI spice blend and let it simmer. In the meantime, make up a quick salad and toast some frozen pita bread. Trust us, you will never go back to regular baked beans again!

  2. Indian Shakshouka - Eggs in Purgatory or Shakshouka is a popular brunch item at most cafes, but you would be surprised at how easy it is to make this at home from scratch. Even if you aren’t able to go out and grab a crusty sourdough (or make one from home because there’s never any flour left on the shelves) just toast some store-bought pita bread which works a treat.

  3. Upma - A humble dish of semolina that is emboldened by the addition of whole spices such as dried red chilli, mustard and cumin seeds as well as curry leaves.  

Lunch/Dinner 


  1. Veggie Stir Fry Noodles - The secret is in the sauce they say, and this recipe is not just saucy and simple, but scrumptious too. You can choose your favourite type of noodle and choice of veggies too. 

  2. Baked Spiced Salmon - If you have some frozen salmon or trout fillets and a fresh lemon lying around (or some lemon juice), then you will want to try this tasty and easy baked recipe.

  3. Sweet Potato Rotis - Don’t have enough flour to go all the way? That’s okay, neither did we, which is why we used some sweet potatoes in its place. The result is super soft roti with the gentlest of orange hues.

  4. Golden Egg Curry - This is comfort food at its best when you haven't done the groceries for tonight's dinner and all you have are eggs in the fridge and a few pantry staples.  Our recipe for Golden Egg Curry will have your family fighting for the rights to the last egg.

  5. Vegetable Pilaf - This simple recipe also serves as a convenient way to sneak in some veggies if you have picky little palates.

  6. Naan & Curry - Use any one of the curry recipes available on our website (such as green apple curry, beetroot curry or turnip curry) or make a curry using your favourite spice blend and add a side of naan! You can purchase store-bought naan or if you have some time to spare, make your own. Click here for our easy recipe.

  7. Thukpa (Tibetan Noodle soup) - Noodles in a spicy broth is a perfect remedy to the onset of colder weather. This recipe also has a vegan variation if you don't wish to add chicken.



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