Essential Pantry Cookbook: 80 Easy Recipes and 100 Creative Variations to Make the Most of On-Hand Staples

by Jen Chapin

Save time, money, and mealtime with the power of your pantry!

Any meal is more manageable—and more affordable—when you're well-prepared. In The Essential Pantry Cookbook , popular cooking vlogger Jen Chapin shows you how to use the ingredients you have on hand to make quick, flavorful meals, or take your fresh food cooking to the next level. This must-have pantry cookbook has more than 100 delicious recipes and creative adaptations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus tasty desserts your family will love!

The Essential Pantry Cookbook is your guide

Fast and fabulous meals start with knowing how to make the most out of the ingredients in your pantry and this indispensable pantry cookbook.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking

152 pages, Hardcover

Published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira]

Let me begin by admitting that I would die of boredom if I limited myself to this cookbook, which features, for the most part, canned and frozen goods, rice, legumes, pasta, and root vegetables. However, it’s a must-read because this cookbook by Jen Chapin allows you to get a meal on the table when you don’t think there’s anything you can assemble for dinner. Think of it as an emergency kit for when you’re exhausted from work, have afterschool programs for the kids, or it’s late in the month and you’re waiting for the next paycheck.

Chapin’s recipes are pretty versatile, all things considered: Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, Classic Potato Soup, Farro Waldorf Salad, Butter Chicken, Korean-Style Beef Tacos, Seafood Enchiladas, Thai-Inspired Shredded Pork — and even Cream Cheese Danishes and Apple Crisp! And you’ll save a mint from using Chapin’s from-scratch salad dressings, almost as good as the one’s from Newman’s Own. (Now that’s high praise!) You can make these dressings for pennies, and they cost a lot less than the brand-name ones. But the best bit? You can read this cookbook for free with Kindle Unlimited.

[Patti]

Yikes. So many old recipes being passed off as something new. If you have ever made dinner, you've probably made a lot of these recipes. (Example: funeral potatoes. Changing the name does not make it your recipe.)

If we are cooking out of our pantry, shouldn't that be with actual ingredients? Like, say, white sauce and roux instead of canned soup and with dough made with flour instead of pre-made crescent rolls? This book reminded me of the pamphlets that companies used to put out to show how to use their products - and the recipes seemed very familiar.

Then there are the faux international dishes - Korean Beef Tacos, anyone? Thai-inspired? I don't know, just didn't seem right somehow.

There are only a handful of pictures. I am sure we all know how cookbook readers feel about that.

The recipe set up is odd - list of ingredients - then a description of the dish - then the directions. That was not unique or quirky or whatever the author was going for - it was just obnoxious.

Finally, there are typos and typos in a cookbook drive me nuts - because when you find them in the text, you have to wonder if they are in the recipe.

I will say that the author seemed friendly and earnest. Her book just missed too many marks for me, If she tries her hand at another cookbook, maybe it could be more original and have more pictures. That would bring it up a notch.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book)]

I ordered this cookbook for the reason that I love to cook and bake and am always looking for new recipes. I saw the cover and it pretty much had me hooked. Although several of the ingredients to have on hand I really don't care for (capers, coconut milk, mustard, or tahini, to name a few), there were still enough recipes to keep me interested enough to want to purchase this book.

There is Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Bake, Broccoli-Cheddar Soup, Minestrone Soup, Cheese Danishes, and Focaccia, for example. Even those with the above-mentioned ingredients I can substitute with no problem and the dishes will turn out fine.

The best part is that none of these dishes will take hours to make, and most of them are easy enough for even a beginner cook. The instructions are clear and concise, and the only real downside is that there are not pictures for each dish so you can see what it is supposed to look like. This doesn't bother me too much, but it might bother others who like to see what they're making. So please know that.

However, this is a nice cookbook that will definitely be used in my household, and that's the purpose of the entire thing, isn't it? Recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Amazon but it in no way influenced my review.

[Dorothy]

This cookbook was definitely needed in my home. I need to know the staples, but not just the bland basics we all have in our pantry, capers anyone? And I need to know how to use them all up. Eat what you store and store what you eat is my mentality. If I'm told that capers are necessary for your pantry I will buy them but only if I have a meal/recipe that uses them and is delicious. Jen delivers just that in this cookbook. I highly recommend this to starter cooks or anyone wanted to get back to the delicious basics.

I just made the first recipe in the book, the simple vinaigrette. It's yummy!

I got both the kindle version and the hard copy. It's a quick and well laid out. If you follow her on YouTube you may have seen her make some of these recipes. If you go check her out definitely watch her weekend prep videos! Those inspired me to get organized and meal plan for the week. Game changer!!

[Cary Morton]

I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What I enjoyed about this cookbook was how simple the author made it. I love the idea of being presented with a limited list of ingredients and then given a whole host of recipes that can be made with those ingredients. Most of the ingredients given in this book are basic everyday ingredients that almost everyone has on hand in their pantry already, which makes it super easy to just flip to a recipe and get started - I don't need to prepare much ahead of time or make an extra grocery trip.

I also really appreciate that the author included alternatives to ingredients, substitutions, and information on how long all of the foods keep in the freezer, fridge, and pantry. This is a fantastic basic resource for anyone to have on their shelf - especially if you're like me, and trying to eat healthy, using mostly whole foods and simple ingredients.

[Kisha]

I think this would be a nice, basic cookbook to give to a young person starting out in the kitchen. It is full of reasonably simple meals that wouldn't be as intimidating to a new cook as many other cookbooks are. I would have liked to see more pictures.. but then again, as a fan of Jen's YouTube channel, I've seen her cook many of these things anyway. :)

[Mindy]

Really enjoyed this book, but I'm one who loves pictures in my cookbooks and this one is lacking in that department. If you're looking to regroup or revisit your approach to using pantry staples, check out this book.

[Constance Lowery]

Practical cookbook from pantry

I’m impressed with the use of all these pantry items. Good, delish meals.
From essentially everyday items. Can’t wait to try the recipes.

[Helen Kempster]

Jen Chapin is my favorite YouTuber. Recipes in the book are easy to follow and the ingredients for most are things already in my kitchen. Lots of variety!

[Elizabeth Gillan]

Love it

Started watching Jen a few years ago and was very happy that she was doing a cookbook the book doesn’t disappoint very happy with it

[Renee]

Great storage and pantry cooking!