The supermarket shelves are starting to look empty again in Australia, one reality of the Covid crisis. Not to worry as you would be surprised at what you can make using the ingredients that are already in your pantry and fridge/freezer. It is very typical for an Italian family to have a well-stocked pantry. Healthy pantry foods such as canned tomatoes, Italian passata, canned tuna, lentils, beans, olive oil and pasta are must-have items. I also find it very satisfying to make a delicious meal for little cost. Read our blog and plan healthy meals around what you have left in the pantry and tips for pantry organisation.

Healthy pantry recipes

I love to use fresh, seasonal produce. In recent times, there has been a need to dip into our pantry more than usual. I say, let’s make the most of it! You can use pantry items to create delicious and budget-friendly Italian meals for the whole family. Here are our top pantry recipes to get you started.

Pantry pasta recipes

Not to worry if you don’t have the specified pasta as you can substitute it for the pasta shape you have on hand.
Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino (with garlic, olive oil and chilli), Spaghetti with cacio e pepe (cacio cheese and pepper)

Pasta alla sorrentina, Tomato risotto

Canned tomato recipes

Penne pasta al pomodoro (with Italian tomato sauce)
Chicken alla pizzaiola

Penne all’arrabiata, Potato gnocchi with tomato and basil sauce

Spaghetti frittata, 
Chicken alla cacciatora(hunter-style)

Bean recipes

Lentil soup
Pasta e ceci (with chickpeas)

Pumpkin and chickpea soup

Cannellini bean and capsicum salad

Canned tuna recipes

Spaghetti pasta with tuna
Italian rice salad with tuna eggs and giardiniera

Uova alla diavola (Italian-style devilled eggs)
Tuna and caper dip

Tips to organise your pantry, fridge and freezer

I have a new passion for pantry organisation. I have recently purchased containers, pantry labels and my very own Lazy Susan turntable to organise my pantry. Take a peek at my before and after pictures of the small baking section of my pantry.

I purchased clear glass containers to replace the packets of flour, sugar etc. and added labels.  The containers and labels allow me to quickly find ingredients to prepare for baking, assist in identifying items that are running low (really handy for writing supermarket lists) and lastly it looks pretty. To get this look, all you need is:

• Clear containers
• Pantry label stickers, and
• A Lazy Susan turntable.

My favourite pantry items on Amazon Australia and US are as follows:

1. Containers

• OXO Good Grips 10-Piece POP Container Set (Amazon US) OR OXO Good Grips POP 10-Piece Container Set
• Avanti 40309 Flip Top Storage Container 5 Piece Set (Amazon Australia).

2. Pantry labels

• 102 Classy Gloss Artistic Preprinted Water Resistant Labels Set (Amazon US)
• 106 Pantry Labels Stickers by 7 Ruby Road (Amazon Australia).

3. Lazy Susan turntable

Rusa Homes Lazy Susan Turntable

Ohuhu Lazy Susan Turntable, 2 Pack Lazy Susan Organizer

Before you organise your pantry at home and whenever you buy new groceries, check the packaging for the use by date. Move the older products with a closer use by date to the front of your pantry so you use them first. The same process goes for the fridge. Store a few freezer meals, keeping in mind that the food in the freezer does not last forever. Develop a process of clearly labelling to identify frozen food items including the purchase date before they go into the freezer. Once again use the same process of placing the newly purchased items to the back of the freezer.

Buon appetito and happy organising!

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Vanessa Bottaro

Author, Founder and Creative Director at Italian Spoon

In my eyes, Italian cuisine is love on a plate.

Vanessa is Creative Director of the Italian Spoon website and Author of The Italian entertaining cookbook, a collection of home-style Italian recipes and tips for entertaining in true Italian-style. In addition to cooking and taking photographs, Vanessa writes the recipes and blogs to bring the love of Italian cooking to life! The collection of recipes and blogs on the website have been inspired by travels to Italy and desire to share what she has learnt from the great ‘Mamma’s and ‘Nonna’s in her life!

Vanessa is an entrepreneur and wife to husband Simone and the mother of two beautiful kids Dante and Mia. Even so she was born and lives in Melbourne Australia, Vanessa has a deep connection to Italy. Perhaps it is the food, or maybe it is because it is the place where Vanessa met the love of her life, Simone to whom she has been happily married for so many years.

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