5 Quick and Easy Pantry Meals
Pantry meals are simple yet delicious ways to use up whatever you have on hand. You’ll be surprised by what you can prepare with some inspiration and a few tips on how to create simple pantry meals for you and your family.
In this guide, we’ve got five quick and easy pantry meals that’ll be shockingly delicious for how simple they are — so check them out below and get cooking!
Easy Pantry Recipes From Premio
If you’ve got a package of Premio sausage and a handful of ingredients, you can create a pantry dinner that you and your family will love. No matter what you make or how you make it, be sure to cook pork sausage to 160° Fahrenheit and chicken sausage to 165° Fahrenheit, checking with a meat thermometer for the best results. Get some Premio products, then check out these pantry recipe ideas to recreate them or get inspired:
1. Spicy Asian Sausage Ramen Noodles
Bring back college ramen days but make them more flavorful with this ramen recipe. This Spicy Asian Sausage Ramen is a warm and flavorful dish that’s sure to impress, so gather these ingredients to make it:
- 2 Premio Hot Sausage links
- 2 packages of chicken-flavored ramen
- 2 tbsp. of canola oil or another neutral oil
- 1 scallion, sliced at a slight angle
- 1 tsp. of garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. of chili garlic sauce
- Soy sauce, low-sodium if possible
- Unsalted peanuts
Remove the sausage from the casing and cook it in the canola oil while you boil the two packages of ramen. Reserve the ramen flavor packets and drain the noodles. Add the cooked ramen, garlic powder, chili sauce and a bit of soy sauce to the pan with the cooked sausage and toss to combine over medium heat for one minute. Serve with the peanuts and scallions for a new take on simple ramen.
2. Premio Sausage Mac and Cheese
Take the pasta in your pantry to a whole new level with flavorful mac and cheese. Everyone already loves this classic dish, so why not take it up a notch by adding delicious Premio sausage? Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 package Premio Sweet Italian Sausage, removed from casings
- 3 tbsp. of butter
- 3 tbsp. of all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups of milk, gently warmed
- 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated — plus additional for topping
- 1 cup of cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 cups of cooked pasta
To make Premio Sausage Mac and Cheese, start by melting the butter in a pot. Then, whisk in the flour. Once the flour and butter combine, keep stirring until you get a wet sand consistency with a golden color.
From there, whisking as you go, add the milk into the mixture until it’s smooth. Gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan, and stir until it’s melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, then mix it into the cooked pasta. Next, add some cooked and crumbled Premio Sweet Italian Sausage.
Transfer this delicious cheesy mixture to a prepared baking dish, top with some more Parmesan and bake at 425° Fahrenheit until it’s golden brown and bubbly. Resist the temptation to dig right in, and let it cool before serving.
3. Classic Spaghetti and Sausage
Spaghetti is a crowd-pleaser, and when you toss in some Premio sausage, it’s sure to become a family favorite. Gather these ingredients for one of the most delicious and simple pantry meals:
- 1 package of your favorite Premio Sausage
- 2 tbsp. of olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. of crushed red pepper
- 5 crushed cloves of garlic
- 1 undrained can of whole tomatoes
- 1 tsp. of sugar
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 1 package of spaghetti
- 1/4 of fresh basil, torn
- 1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese
Grab your trusty large saucepan and brown the sausages until they’re mostly cooked. Remove the sausages from the pan, slice them and put them back in the saucepan. Next, add the garlic and crushed red pepper.
After a minute, add the can of tomatoes and their liquid, crushing them by hand as you add them or using a spoon in the saucepan. Season it with the salt and sugar, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it thickens. Toss in the cooked pasta, serve topped with basil and Parmesan, and enjoy!
4. Premio Sausage Pizza
Pizza is as big of a crowd-pleaser as pasta, so don’t leave it out of your rotation of meals from pantry ingredients. This Premio Sausage Pizza is sure to be a hit for a weekend or weeknight meal, thanks to its simple ingredients:
- 1 package Premio Sausage (choose your favorite)
- 1 package fresh pizza dough
- 1 package shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 jar of pizza sauce
- 1 chopped onion
While you sautée the chopped onion in some olive oil, brown and slice the sausage in a separate pan. As your oven preheats to 350° Fahrenheit, roll out a package of pre-made pizza dough to your favorite shape. Brush on some olive oil, then top with sauce, shredded mozzarella, the sausage and onions.
Bake your pizza for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is browned, and get ready for some mouthwatering aromas. Take the pizza out and let it cool before cutting and serving.
5. Sausage With Peppers, Potatoes and Onions
Simple pantry meals don’t get any easier than this one-pan sausage bake. This recipe makes enough for six to ten people, so be sure to bring your hungriest family members to this meal, or be prepared to have some leftovers. To make this delicious recipe, you’ll need:
- 10 Premio Mild Italian Sausage links
- 5 potatoes, either Yukon gold or redskin
- 2 Vidalia onions
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 1 orange or yellow pepper
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Fresh basil
Cut the sausage links into thirds, cut five potatoes into half-inch thick slices and chop the peppers and onions into roughly the same size of the potatoes. Toss the vegetables in some olive oil or whatever cooking oil you have in your pantry.
Season the veggie mix with salt and pepper, then spread everything onto a baking sheet. Add the cut sausage and roast at 375° Fahrenheit. This one-pan pantry meal should take about 30 to 45 minutes to cook. You’ll know it’s done when the sausages are up to temperature, and the potatoes are tender. Serve with some fresh basil, and you’ve got yourself a simple pantry meal.
Tips for Using Pantry Staples in Your Meals
Dinner doesn’t have to be stressful, especially if you’re throwing together simple pantry meals. Follow these final tips to make your pantry dinner easy and delicious:
- Get creative: With a few pantry dinner ideas in mind, you can transform what you have on hand into an amazing meal. All you have to do is get a bit creative. Try something new or put a spin on a family favorite. Experiment with flavors in the kitchen, and you’d be surprised at what you’ll create.
- Create balance: You don’t want a meal that’s all starch or carbs. Stick with one as the base, like rice or pasta, then add protein, vegetables and other ingredients to create balance.
- Add flavor: Don’t forget the spices in your pantry. Just because you’re making easy pantry meals doesn’t mean they can’t be delicious. Season whatever you’re making and taste it as you go to play around with flavors.
- Have the right ingredients: Stock your kitchen with pantry dinner staples to make it easy to find inspiration — beans, tomato sauce, veggies, stock, rice, pasta, potatoes and plenty of seasonings are a great place to start.
Use Premio Sausage in Your Pantry Recipe Ideas
Elevate your meals from pantry ingredients with the addition of Premio sausage. At Premio, we proudly make our products according to tradition — the way sausage should be. We’re passionate about what we create, using the best flavors and no fillers, so you and your family get the best ingredients for your pantry meals and other dishes.
Check out our products online or find Premio sausage in a store near you. Get inspired by our other recipes, and tell us your favorite pantry meals in the comments below!
