Vegan Pantry Staples + Tour my Vegan Kitchen

I hope you enjoy my vegan kitchen tour video, and find the vegan pantry staples guide helpful. If you are new to the vegan lifestyle make sure to also check out my vegan meal plan guide and video, and the other links at the bottom of the post. 

This past summer we relocated from New York City to Los Angeles, so I thought it would be fun to do an updated vegan kitchen tour for you. If you’re new to this lifestyle I hope this video and vegan pantry staples guide helps you to stock your own kitchen. Don’t feel like you have to go out and purchase all of these ingredients today. Over time as you try new recipes you’ll start to build up your spice cabinets, and learn how to use things like tahini or miso in more than one recipe. Take your time and have fun with it!

However, it is important to have some foods in your kitchen at all times. You should always have whole grains, beans, lentils, canned goods, vegetables, and spices on hand so you can easily throw together a delicious and balanced meal. In our house weekly shopping usually consists of us buying more fresh vegetables and fruit, and replenishing low quantities of vegan pantry staples. My partner and I both have a list of kitchen staples on our phone, and when we run out we check that item off our list. That way when we go shopping we can consult that list to see what we need to replenish at home.

Below the video you’ll find a list of vegan pantry staples! Leave a comment after the post and let me know what foods you always keep in  your vegan kitchen, and/or share your tips for maintaining an organized and well-stocked kitchen.

In the video I mentioned that $60 off grocery deal from Thrive Market. Click this link to take advantage of that offer.

I buy a great number of my goods on Thrive Market, but I also buy a lot of my dried goods (whole grains, beans, lentils, dried fruit) in bulk. Not necessarily to save money, but to avoid using too much plastic. I use reusable produce bags for nuts and legumes, and bring my containers from home for dried fruit.

Jenné’s Vegan Pantry Staples

Whole Grains

• Brown rice (and other colorful varieties of rice) (try it in a classic Buddha Bowl)
• Quinoa (try this Maple Mustard Tempeh Bowl)
• Farro (try this Arugula Pesto & Farro Pilaf)
• Bulgar
• Freekeh (yes, I have a great Freekeh Pilaf!)
• Barley
• Oat bran (try these Sweet Potato Muffins)
• Teff (try it as a porridge)
• Oats

Legumes

• Black beans (stop everything and try these Beet Black Bean Burgers)
• White beans
• Garbanzo beans aka chickpeas (try Teriyaki Chickpeas & cheap n’ easy Orange Chickpeas)
• Black-eyed peas (Hoppin’ John, anyone?)
• Kidney beans aka Red beans (you need this NOLA style Red Beans & Rice) 
• Lima beans (try this Southern Buddha Bowl with green baby limas)
• Green lentils (use these to make the Best Lentil Meatballs)
• Black lentils
• Red lentils (warm up with this Red Lentil Bisque)
• Split peas (green and red)
• Frozen green peas

Condiments and oils

• Tahini paste (sesame seeds should be the only ingredient)
• Mustard
• Harissa (you will love these Harissa Almonds)
• Soy sauce
• Vegan mayo
• Hot sauce
• Vinegar: apple cider (raw and “with the mother”), rice, balsamic, white, red wine
• Coconut oil (good for high temperature cooking, but gives coconut flavor unless you use refined coconut oil)
• Grapeseed oil (neutral taste and good for high temperature cooking)
• Olive oil (best for salad dressings, and finishing. You can cook with it of course, but it’s best used at lower temperatures)
• Vegetable broth or bouillon paste (or cubes)

Spices

Spices can be purchased at local grocery stores, online, or in specialty stores. If you want to save money, buy them in bulk. Make sure to store spices in airtight containers and in a dry place for longevity.

• Salt: fine and coarse grain sea salt crystals with grinder
• Smoked Paprika (a must have for Smoky Collard Greens)
• Curry powder
• Cumin
• Italian herbs blend or individual (basil, marjoram, fennel seed, oregano, thyme)
• Red pepper flakes
• Cinnamon

Sweeteners

• Coconut sugar (available in liquid or granulated form)
• Maple syrup
• Date syrup or sugar
• Fruit jam
• Molasses

Nuts and Seeds

Raw nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats and micronutrients such as vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. They make terrific additions to meals, and are a great crunchy snack. Add them to any meal, and snack on any time of day. Since they are high in calories, they should be eaten in moderation as part of your balanced diet.

Purchase nut butters without added salt, oil, and sugar.

• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios
• Seeds: Pepitas aka pumpkin seeds, sunflower, chia, hemp
• Nut butter (make your own by blending roasted nuts in a food processor until creamy)

Dried fruit

Dried fruit makes a nice sweet snack (best eaten in moderation). It is wonderful in granola or muesli, and can be used in desserts and baking. Medjool dates, the big juicy ones, are my favorite variety. Plus they’re a great whole-food sweetener.

• Dates (try this Healthy Vegan Nutella) 
• Raisins 
• Dried apricots
• Dried figs (I’m in love with these no-bake Walnut Fig Bars)
• Goji berries 

More basics

• Non-dairy milk: almond, soy, coconut, hemp, rice, cashew, etc… (or make your own)
• Whole wheat flour & whole wheat pastry flour
• Spelt flour (spelt is a cousin of wheat. Not gluten-free)
• Vegan butter (brands include Miyoko’s and Earth Balance) (very necessary for Sweet Potato Biscuits)

Check out these blog posts about MEAL PREP & SAVING MONEY

• Vegan Meal Prep Guide
• Meals under $1.50/serving
• Meals under 15 minutes
• 5 Minute Meals
• How to Budget Shop on $35/week
• Meal Prep on $35/week (part 2 of the above post)