When you can’t get to the shops, need to stretch your food budget, or just want a quick, simple dinner, these 15 vegan store-cupboard meals are reliable go-to options.
Many of the recipes listed use mostly pantry or freezer ingredients; a few suggest fresh items you may already have to use up. If not, frozen, jarred, or dried alternatives work perfectly, or you can omit optional extras altogether.
To make these meals easier, consider keeping the following staples in your cupboard and freezer.
Pantry essentials:
- Neutral oil for cooking
- Salt, pepper, a selection of spices and dried herbs
- Vinegar (white, apple cider or balsamic for variety)
- Marmite or miso and soy sauce for depth of flavour
- Canned chopped tomatoes
- Canned coconut milk
- Canned beans and lentils, or dried pulses
- Dried pasta
- Basmati rice and risotto rice
- Oats
- Nutritional yeast for a cheesy savoury hit
- Cashews for creamy sauces or blended soups
- Jars of roasted red peppers and artichokes
- Dried soy mince or TVP
- Dairy-free milk (oat, soy, almond etc.)
- Curry pastes and canned sauces
Freezer essentials:
- Frozen chopped onion, garlic and chilli (for quick bases)
- Frozen chopped herbs or herb blends
- Soffritto mix (onion, carrot & celery) for soups and stews
- Frozen peas, corn, spinach and mixed veg
- Edamame beans
- Frozen mixed berries for breakfasts and smoothies
- Ready-rolled vegan shortcrust and puff pastry
- Frozen vegan mince and sausages
What are your favourite store-cupboard go-to meals?
Store-cupboard Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
If you have pasta, cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, miso or Marmite, vinegar and a few spices, you can make a quick, creamy vegan Fettuccine Alfredo. Serve as is or add mushrooms, spinach or frozen veg.
10-Minute Chickpea Curry
A speedy chickpea curry made from tinned chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and spices. Ideal for meal prep and ready in about ten minutes.
Coconut Curry Noodle Bowl
Rice noodles with Thai curry paste, coconut milk and spices. Use beansprouts or swap in frozen peppers and peas depending on what you have.
Mediterranean Pasta with Roasted Peppers & Artichokes
Jarred roasted red peppers and artichokes transform a simple pasta into a flavourful last-minute meal—perfect when you want something quick but impressive.
Lockdown Dhal
A straightforward red lentil dhal made from pantry staples. It freezes well and is a comforting, nutritious option when shopping trips are limited.
One Pot Hearty Lentil Soup
A warming lentil soup. If you keep a frozen soffritto mix in the freezer, you can use that instead of fresh carrot and celery for a speedy version.
Vegan Spicy Black Bean Quinoa Burger
These gluten-free burgers (optional) use canned beans and cooked quinoa—simple, satisfying and easy to adapt with pantry binders like corn starch or breadcrumbs.
Creamy Mushroom Risotto (Vegan + GF)
Mushroom risotto can be made with fresh, dried or frozen mushrooms. If you don’t have fresh parsley, dried or frozen herbs work just as well.
Vegan Chilli (Quick & Pantry-friendly)
If you keep dried or frozen soy mince or TVP, you can make a quick, hearty chilli with tinned tomatoes and beans whenever you need a filling meal.
Easy Vegan Pantry Tomato Soup with Homemade Croutons
A simple tomato soup from canned tomatoes; the recipe also shows how to turn stale bread into tasty croutons for zero waste.
Vegan Chilli Cheese Nachos
This nacho bowl uses a bean mix (frozen or tinned) and a chilli base. If you don’t have vegan cheese, a cashew cheese sauce provides a creamy alternative.
Quick & Easy Vegan Lentil Bolognese
A lentil-based Bolognese that cures pasta cravings using pantry staples—quick, healthy and satisfying.
Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry
A hearty curry made from tinned chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and warming spices—simple comfort food from the cupboard.
Vegan Cashew Mac and Cheese
A creamy mac and cheese made with blended cashews and nutritional yeast for that classic, comforting flavour using pantry ingredients.
Quick Red Pepper and Olive Spaghetti Sauce
A bright, speedy spaghetti sauce made from jarred roasted peppers, olives and canned tomatoes—ready while the pasta cooks.