Flexibility is at the core of pantry cooking-when every cook needs to improvise. This unique guide helps you get the most out of your own pantry by showing how ingredients add crunch, acid, umami, or spice to a dish. Whether making Gochujang-Tahini Noodles, a top-it-your-way Savory Dutch Baby, or Chana Masala, Pantry Improv tips offer hundreds of ways to adapt meals based on what's on hand, while helping you to round out your pantry with high-flavor seasonings to turn the simplest meal into something fantastic.
A pantry is more than canned beans. Expand your pantry horizons with recipes like Vindaloo-Style Sweet Potatoes, Rustic Butternut Squash and Spinach Tart (made with frozen vegetables and storebought puff pastry), and Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken.
Recipes focus on what the ingredients do, not just what they are. Because no two pantries are the same, every recipe gives you ideas for simple swaps. Trade bread crumbs for toasted nuts when you just need something crunchy to finish a dish, and sub soy sauce for Worcestershire for that umami boost.
This book adapts to any pantry. Instead of calling for a finite list of ingredients, we encourage thinking by categories (such as crispy and crunchy toppings, umami condiments, and long-storage root vegetables) and write recipes accordingly.
Become your own test cook. With multiple ways to vary every recipe, you'll gain the confidence you need to get creative in the kitchen.
Busy home cooks can create exciting meals straight from the pantry with this unique cookbook from America's Test Kitchen.
Cook more, shop less, and improvise like a pro with over 350 recipes and tricks for making the most of ingredients you already have on hand.
Flexibility should be in every cook's arsenal-sometimes you can't always get to the supermarket. This invaluable cooking resource from America's Test Kitchen shows cooks how to make use of their pantry by thinking in categories. The recipe is the blueprint-you focus on what the ingredients do, not just what they are.
Visualize a dish starting with what's in your pantry, fridge, or freezer. Then substitute, swap, and combine to build the meal up-
. Bulk and bases- grains, beans, and other starchy foods are a solid foundation . Long storage vegetables- use go-to staples like potatoes and garlic, even frozen veggies . Proteins- items like eggs, tinned fish, tofu, and cured meat anchor the meal . Toppings- creamy and rich, or crispy, crunchy, and chewy-these always transform a dish . Acidic and pickled foods- brighten everything up . Umami- flavor-enhancing condiments and seasonings add depth to food . Hot and smoky elements- spices, chiles, and sauces enliven your mea . Sweet and tart flavorings- balance out anything that's salty, bitter, sour, or hot . DIY Pantry items- make your own blends and toppings
Whether you're a home cook who wants to get more creative, or are budget and waste-conscious, or even just pressed for time on a weeknight, America's Test Kitchen will show you how to improvise with confidence.
