20 Pantry and Freezer Dinners for the Coldest Nights of the Year

Forget the grocery store—tonight you’re going shopping in your pantry.

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published January 21, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
A round baking dish with the black bean and egg bake recipe, next to a plate of blistered corn tortillas and garnish of cilantro and fresh cheese

Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

It’s almost time for dinner, you have no clue what you’re making, and there’s absolutely no way you’re running out to the store when it’s bitterly cold out. What do you do? It’s time to reach for those pantry staples you have tucked away and whip up one of these hearty recipes. Humble ingredients such as frozen veggies and meat, canned tomatoes, tinned fish, beans, pasta, and rice transform into comforting meals like Chickpea Curry and Upside-Down Chili Pie that will warm you from the inside. These recipes are as flexible as they are satisfying, so feel free to switch up the ingredients to use what you have on hand.  

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  • Pasta with Tuna and Capers

    Linguine with tuna and capers on two plates at a table setting with a bowl of parsley, a denim table napkin, salt and pepper shakers, and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    “Linguine is easily replaced by spaghetti, bucatini, or fettuccine in most aglio e olio recipes, including this one. It’s the length of the pasta that matters most here. Short pasta shapes do not usually work when the sauce is light and glossy.” —Sara Bir, former Senior Editor

  • Italian Sausage and Rice Bake

    A skillet containing a sausage and rice bake with onions and fresh herbs a serving spoon resting inside

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    “Spice it up: I like to add whole spices like coriander seed and fennel seed, chili flakes for heat, or a stick of cinnamon or whole star anise for warmth and depth. A sprig of a woody-stemmed herb like rosemary, thyme, or oregano would also be great.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • 20-Minute One-Pan Beef and Chickpeas

    close-up of a plate of 20-Minute One-Pan Beef and Chickpeas with rice and greek yogurt

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    “My favorite way to serve this dish is with steamed basmati or jasmine rice. If you start the rice first, everything will be ready at the same time; a definite win for any weeknight. You can also use a more convenient, even quicker rice—like frozen, bagged, or microwave—if you really want time and effort to be minimized.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake

    5-ingredient pasta bake

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “This pasta bake comes together with just five easy-to-find, budget-friendly ingredients. Swapping out meat for veggies or trying different cheeses lets you customize the dish every time.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • 4-Ingredient Chicken Pot Pie

    A plate containing chicken pot pie with a serving utensil nearby

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “If you use a rotisserie chicken for this recipe, shredding both breasts will yield the perfect amount of meat. If there are any tasty juices in the bottom of the rotisserie chicken packaging, add them to the pot pie as well.” —Megan Scott, former Senior Editor

  • Cheesy Baked Taco Skillet

    Cheesy Baked Taco Skillet

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “This dinner is the main dish and sides put together, so why not go big? If you have cooked leftover vegetables or even a bag of frozen vegetables, stir them in when you add the rice. If you’re using frozen veggies, cook them for a few minutes longer to thaw and cook off some of the liquid.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Chickpea Curry

    Easy Chickpea Curry in a bowl with a spoon, naan on the side

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “This chickpea curry is wonderfully versatile and you can easily fortify it with different vegetables. If you’re out of fresh spinach, don’t hesitate to use frozen—just use one cup in place of two packed cups of fresh.” —Shayma Saadat, Recipe Developer

  • Black Bean and Egg Bake

    A round baking dish with the black bean and egg bake recipe, next to a plate of blistered corn tortillas and garnish of cilantro and fresh cheese

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

    “This recipe lends itself to variations and substitutes. You can add fresh diced jalapeño, poblano, or bell peppers in place of the canned green chiles. Any jarred tomato-based salsa can sub in for the canned diced tomatoes (just omit the salt, since the salsa will add plenty to the recipe).” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 20 below

  • Pasta Puttanesca

    Pasta Puttanesca
    Elise Bauer

    “Puttanesca is the quintessential 'I'm tired' meal, as it is almost entirely made up of pantry staples. You turn the water on to cook the spaghetti, and by the time the pasta is cooked, the sauce is ready.” —Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Cheater’s Tuna Noodle Casserole

    stove-top tuna noodle casserole

    Simply Recipes / Sarah Crowder

    “My mom’s Cheater’s Tuna Noodle Casserole, as I affectionately refer to it, calls for your favorite boxed mac and cheese, frozen peas, and canned tuna. That’s it.” —Sara Crowder, Senior Art Director

  • Homemade Hamburger Helper

    homemade hamburger helper in a skillet at a table setting with two glasses of soda and a side salad

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    “Add some vegetables to up the nutritional value. Add diced bell peppers or tomatoes along with the onion, or toss in handfuls of fresh spinach or frozen peas at the end.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Hands-Off Beef Stew

    Overhead closeup view of a teal colored dutch oven of beef stew and a wooden spoon all on a tile countertop next to a pink bowl and blue hotpad

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    “Traditional recipes are time- and labor-intensive, from browning the meat to peeling the potatoes to sautéing the vegetables ... I set out to make a hands-off stew that is easier to throw together—no browning, no sautéing of any kind, but just as delicious as classic versions. Just dump and go!” —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

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  • Cowboy Casserole

    cowboy casserole in a casserole dish next to a plate with a serving

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Will Dickey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    “I've made this for years, I have also made a variation with cornbread rather than tater tots as the topping. Both are delicious!” —Karen Kossow, Reader

  • Marry Me Chicken Casserole

    Overhead view of chicken and pasta casserole serving on a blue plate next to a dish of casserole, table napkin and drinking glass with ice and beverage

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    “This tasted great! The creamy sauce with sundried tomatoes, spinach, and chicken was heavenly, and the elbow pasta was a nice carrying vessel for all these flavors. The chicken was cooked through and juicy.” —Munni P, Reader

  • Kimchi and Spam Fried Rice

    Bowl of kimchi and spam fried rice at a table setting with another seving in a bowl, a plate with a fried egg, two spoons on the counter, and a blue kitchen linen

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    “The beauty of fried rice is that it easily adapts to whatever ingredients you have on hand. There’s no need to make a special trip to the store if you don’t have everything on the ingredient list. I often make this kimchi and Spam fried rice, but I don’t always make it the same way.” —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

  • Stovetop Taco Soup

    Two Bowls of Stovetop Taco Soup Topped with Avocado Slices, Cotija Cheese, and Cilantro and Surrounded by Bowls of Toppings

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

    “Taco soup has all of the flavors of your favorite beef taco with hearty add-ins like beans, chiles, corn, and chunky tomatoes. With 90% of the ingredients coming from the pantry, taco soup can act as a ‘break in case of emergency’ dinner.” —Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 17 of 20 below

  • Upside-Down Chili Pie

    upside down chili pie

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “Any diehard chili fan will love this casserole. Instead of heating up chili and baking cornbread separately, cook them all at once for a complete dinner. It just takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to whip up.” —Malina Syvoravong, Recipe Developer

  • 4-Ingredient Ravioli Lasagna

    4-ingredient ravlioli lasagna in a casserole dish

    Simply Recipes / Meghan Splawn

    “The ravioli cooks as the whole dish bakes in the oven (no need to boil), so most of the cooking is hands-off. The result is a casserole that has all the flavors of slow-cooked Sunday lasagna but with a time commitment that makes it realistic for a Wednesday during the school year.” —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • No Peek Chicken

    no-peek chicken in a casserole dish at a table setting with two glasses and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    “You only need five minutes to prep this creamy, satisfying one-dish chicken-and-rice meal. Quick-cooking rice ensures the grains stay tender without the chicken breasts overcooking, and you can customize with frozen or fresh vegetables and swap the recipe’s canned soups for different flavors.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Easy Chicken Cobbler

    Angled view of a white plate of chicken cobbler and fork on a speckled countertop

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    “Frozen mixed vegetables ensure bite-size pieces with pops of color and flavor in the cobbler, with no need to peel, prep, or even defrost them first!” —Afton Cyrus, Senior Editor

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