Wow, 100 sounds like a huge number, doesn’t it? I’ve got a pretty compact New York kitchen, and yet when I did a quick inventory that’s what I found. These are the ingredients I always keep around. Even as I bring in new items to star on the plate, these guys are the ensemble cast that fills in as needed to create the finished dish.
The types of staples that you have handy will obviously vary based on personal taste and diet, and also by the food cultures you’ve been exposed to and love. But for providing a broad and versatile palette to work from, these are my go-to essentials.
In the pantry
Recipe staples
- canned beans (cannellini, black, chick peas)
- dried lentils
- diced tomatoes
- coconut milk
- dried mushrooms
- nuts (walnuts, cashews)
Basic Carbs
- rice (whole grain & arborio)
- whole wheat pasta
- whole wheat couscous
- quinoa
- panko bread crumbs
- flour (regular unbleached & Wondra)
- corn starch
- baking powder & soda
Oil & vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- canola oil
- balsamic vinegar
- red/white wine vinegar
- cider vinegar
- rice vinegar
Flavor boosters
- vanilla beans or extract (not imitation)
- worcestershire sauce
- tabasco or siracha
- sesame oil
- truffle oil or salt
Salt & Sugar
- sea salt (coarse & fine)
- kosher salt
- sugar (granulated, brown, confectioners)
- honey
In the spice rack
- adobo
- bay leaves
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- cayenne
- chili flakes
- cloves
- coriander
- cumin
- curry
- dill
- ginger
- nutmeg
- oregano
- paprika
- peppercorns
- saffron
- thyme
- turmeric
Aromatics
- onions
- garlic
- shallots
In the window
- basil
- thyme
- rosemary
- sage
- mint
In the fridge
Cows & Chickens
- milk
- heavy cream
- sour cream
- butter (unsalted)
- eggs
- mayo (not low fat or fake)
Broths / stocks
I never seem to use an open container of broth fast enough, but the powdered kind generally sucks. I like Better than Boullion, which is a concentrated paste that keeps for a long time. It comes in a bunch of flavors like chicken, turkey, beef, fish, clam, and mushroom.
Flavor Boosters
- olives (black/green)
- capers
- dijon mustard
- concentrated tomato paste
- anchovy paste
- fish sauce
- soy sauce
- thai red curry paste
- lemon/lime juice
- peanut butter
- maple syrup
Aromatic veggies
- carrots
- celery
- ginger
In the freezer
- frozen berries
- frozen veggies (peas, corn, pearl onions, etc)
- animal fats (bacon, duck, etc)
- Plus don’t forget the bar… for drinking and for cooking!
In the Bar
Wine
- White – crisp & dry sauvignon blanc is often good for cooking
- Red – something medium bodied & non-oaked like a Cotes du Rhone
- One or more fortified wines like sherry, port, or marsala
…and if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it! (aka no “cooking wine”)
Basic Liquors
- cognac (Cooking: Hennesy. Drinking: Pierre Ferrand)
- bourbon (Knob Creek, Bulleit, etc)
- rum (preferably aged 7-8 years)
- vodka (Tito’s or Svedka)
- gin (I like Hendricks, not all do)
- triple sec (cointreu, grand marnier…)
Interesting additions
- St Germain
- Chartreuse
- Black current liqueur
- Pastis
Mixers
- soda water
- Rose’s Lime Juice
- Vermouth (red & white)
- Bitters (angostura or Peychaud’s)
This may sound like a rather daunting collection of objects, but they take up a surprisingly small space in my kitchen. Some of them like olive oil, salt, and pepper, are absolute musts, while the rest you might accumulate as needed. Aside from the dairy items, they can pretty much all hang around for a while, waiting for their next role. With these characters in the kitchen, I know I’ll always be able to come home & whip up something good.
What are your must-have staples in the kitchen?
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