Practical Kitchen and Pantry GuideJanuary 18, 2023
A big list of stuff I keep around to do regular from-scratch cooking for one or two people. Items in bold are "essential" and non-bold items are nice-to-have.
Kitchen
Pots and Pans
- Medium (3 quart) stainless steel sauce pan or saucier, from a brand such as All-Clad or Made In. Can be used for pasta, sauces, curry, etc. I prefer the rounded edges of the saucier style because it easier to scoop things out and to clean, but a regular sauce pan is fine.
- Nonstick frying pan or cast iron if you are willing to maintain it. Nonstick is easier to deal with for sautee pans/frying pans/skillets, but don't use metal utensils or put it in the dishwasher. Cast iron pans can also go in the oven and lasts decades if you maintain the seasoning. For sizing, an 8 inch pan is usally enough for one person's day to day meals, but you may want a larger (10 or 12 inch) one if you regularly cook for more people or make larger portions.
- Sheet pan and cooling/baking rack a quarter sheet pan is half the normal size and easier to store/clean than the standard half size pan, if you don't plan on using the larger surface area
- Mixing bowls for prepping ingredients, making dough, etc. Keep a small one on hand to collect scraps and overflow material from your cutting board as you chop up ingredients.
- Loaf pans/baking dishes, ceramic, or thermal-shock-resistant borosilicate glass, for making bread loaves and casserole-type dishes
- Pie pan
- A second stainless steel sauce pan for when you need to cook multiple things at once, probably smaller than the other one (1.5 quart), can be used for small servings of oatmeal, ramen, sauce, etc.
- A 6 quart stock pot, unless you have an Instant Pot/pressure cooker
Knives
- Chef knife a big knife you use most of the time. The standard is the pointed German/French style, but you can also get a Japanese santoku or nakiri shape with a straight edge. Many brands now have hydrids or crossover styles. If you have smaller hands, get a 6" knife instead of the standard 8".
- Budget can't go wrong with the classic Victorinox Fibrox line
- Upgrade Wusthof, Zwilling, etc.
- Nakiri style a squared-off Japanese blade shape mainly for vegetables, which is quite versatile in my opinion
- Paring knife a smaller knife for smaller tasks, like this
- Serrated bread knife, like this one or with an offset handle
- Note, buy pre-sliced bagels if you struggle to not cut your fingers off
- Large cutting board wood or composite, not plastic
- Small cutting board Having one or more small (8x6 inch) cutting boards around is really useful if you just need to slice a single piece of fruit, an onion, some cheese, etc.
- Kitchen shears (big scissors)
Note that a lot of brands offer a 7-12 piece knife set with a bunch of knives you'll rarely use. I haven't tried it, but Made In's 4-piece knife set looks like a good deal with just the actual essentials.
Maintenance/safety: always wash and dry your knives immediately to keep the blade sharp. Don't leave knives in the sink or countertop, put them back in the drawer or knife block immediately to prevent someone grabbing them accidentally. When cutting, make sure you have enough space on the cutting board to make safe movements and move items to a bowl if they take up too much space.
Accessories
- Instant-read cooking thermometer seriously, get one, it takes the guesswork out of not getting food poisoning
- Wooden spoon set for cooking. Won't damage non-stick pans. Silicone tools are also good, but not plastic ones (they melt and flake eventually).
- Steamer for veggies, either a microwavable version or one that goes inside/on top of a pot.
- Set of measuring cups and spoons
- Parchment paper to line sheet pans for baking. Keeps the pan clean and prevents sticking. Foil works better for saucy dishes like lasagna.
- Scale for more precise baking, and useful to have around if you need to mail something
- Collander for straining pasta
- Mesh strainer for draining stock pots, rinsing rice, vegetables, etc.
- Silicone dish sponges last a long time and don't get smelly like normal sponges
- Sponge with a handle less messy than a normal sponge, so you are more likely to do the dishes promptly
- White vinegar by the gallon for cleaning stainless steel and countertops
Pantry
- Spices
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Chili powder or cayenne
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Basil
- Thyme
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cocoa powder
- Anything spice mix you like, like curry powder, za'atar, cajun, or piro-piro
- Sauces/Liquids
- Olive oil, for sautees or topping bread and pasta
- Canola oil or another neutral-flavor, high smoke point oil for baking and grilling
- Apple cider vinegar
- Red cooking wine
- Balsamic vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce / sriracha
- Fish sauce
- Supermarket simmer sauces in flavors you like, like madras curry or masala
- Sweeteners
- Honey or agave nectar
- Brown sugar
- Cane sugar
- Chocolate chips
- Candied nuts or berries
- Apple sauce (useful for vegan baking, too)
- Jam/jelly
- Baking
- Instant yeast packets
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- All-purpose flour or bread flour
- Whole grain flour, such as:
- Spelt flour (personal favorite)
- Rye flour
- Pumpernickel flour
- Noodles
- Spaghetti
- Shell pasta
- Soba noodles
- Ramen noodles
- Macaroni
- Cous cous (yes, it's a pasta)
- Dry Beans and Rice
- White or brown rice, large bag
- Wild rice, small bag
- Dry small red beans or kidney beans
- Lentils
- Shelf-Stable Foods
- Unflavored oatmeal or rolled oats, for baking and breakfast
- Chicken or vegetable stock, in 32oz shelf-stable packages
- Shelf-stable non-dairy milk, 32oz package, for emergencies
- Textured Vegetable Protein (dry)
- Soy curls (dry)
- Canned fish (tuna, smoked salmon, etc)
- Black beans, can
- Chickpeas, can
- Corn, can
- Diced tomatoes, can
- Coconut milk, can
- Pumpkin puree (not just for pie), can
- Peaches, can
- Whole wheat crackers or rice cakes
- Mixed unsalted nuts
- Peanut butter
- Protein bars
Frozen
- Mixed vegetables you can steam or add to another dish (usually peas and carrots)
- Mixed berries
- Frozen backup veggies, such as:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
- Okra
- Two or three frozen entrees
- Backup protein
- 1 or 2 lbs Beyond Beef/Impossible Burger
- Pre-cooked 4-pack sausages in various flavors
- Fish fillet
Fresh Groceries
- Savory staples (basis for many recipes)
- Garlic, or shallots
- Two or three onions
- Leek
- Mushrooms (put them in a paper bag instead of plastic container so they don't mold quickly)
- Pepper
- Bell peppers
- Frying peppers/Anaheims
- Spicy peppers like jalapenos or chilis
- Celery, esp if making cajun food
- A hearty green that lasts a long time in the fridge, such as:
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Asparagus
- Box of fresh leafy greens (that don't last a long time), such as:
- Baby spinach
- Spring mix
- A root vegetable
- Sweet potato
- Regular potato (russet or red)
- Carrot
- Parsnip
- Fruit, some of:
- Banana
- Apple, pear, or quince
- Lemon or lime, or juice thereof
- Mandarin oranges
- Protein, some of:
- Beyond Beef
- Tofu
- Chicken thighs
- Seafood (fresh)
- Chicken or veggie based sausages
- Dairy/Alternatives
- Eggs, or Just Egg plant-based blend
- 1/2 gal plant-based milk (lasts a long time in the fridge)
- Sliced/shredded cheese for quick uses
- Fermented product (dairy or plant-based), like:
- Yoghurt
- Kefir
- Creme fraiche
- Sour cream
- Cottage cheese
Recipes
- Fanny Farmer Cookbook tons of classic recipes for the home cook, including baked goods, focused more towards American/European cuisine
- The Bread Bible by Berenbaum - fantastic and detailed resource for breads and other baked goods, including theory and technique
- NY Times Cookbook covers a range of cuisine and skill levels, trending towards a little more involved
- ckbk subscription gives you access to hundreds of professional cookbooks for all different types of cuisine and dietary preferences