Top 20 Ingredients for Quick Cooking
1 of 41
Fast, Fresh, and Healthy Ingredients for the Quick Cook
With this list of gold-standard quick-cooking ingredients in hand, we also provide 20 easy recipes perfect for busy nights. We hope these inspire you to stock your own pantry and experiment further. Fast, fresh, and healthy can be something else, too—fun.
1 of 41
2 of 41
Boil-in-Bag Brown Rice
Use for: rice pilaf, rice salad, soups, and stews
2 of 41
3 of 41
Boil-in-Bag Brown Rice Recipe: Quick Paella
3 of 41
4 of 41
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Use for: marinara sauce, bruschetta, salsa
4 of 41
5 of 41
Canned Diced Tomatoes Recipe: Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Pizza
5 of 41
6 of 41
Canned Organic Black Beans
Use for: black bean cakes, filling for tacos or burritos, salsa
6 of 41
7 of 41
Canned Black Beans Recipe: Quick Black Bean and Corn Soup
Using six of our top quick ingredients, Quick Black Bean and Corn Soup is ready in less than 30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of Greek-style plain yogurt to counteract the spicy chile paste.
7 of 41
8 of 41
Frozen Shelled Edamame
Use for: salads, (pureed) dip or spread, whole-grain salads
8 of 41
9 of 41
Frozen Shelled Edamame Recipe: Edamame Succotash
9 of 41
10 of 41
Couscous
Use for: salads, stuffing roasted veggies like zucchini, serving with Moroccan tagines and other stews
10 of 41
11 of 41
Couscous Recipe: Quick Greek Couscous with Shrimp
11 of 41
12 of 41
Canola Mayonnaise
Use for: marinades, flavored sandwich spreads, dips
12 of 41
13 of 41
Canola Mayonnaise Recipe: Custom Dips
13 of 41
14 of 41
Smoked Paprika
Use for: replacing the smoky flavor of bacon, dry rubs on oven-roasted meats, stews, and chili
14 of 41
15 of 41
Smoked Paprika Recipe: Smoked Paprika Pork Chops with Bell Pepper and Corn Relish
15 of 41
16 of 41
Frozen Corn Kernels
Use for: cream-style corn, salsa, corn bread
16 of 41
17 of 41
Frozen Corn Recipe: Quick Tex-Mex Confetti Pizza
17 of 41
18 of 41
Grape Tomatoes
Use for: pasta tosses, salads, garnish
18 of 41
19 of 41
Grape Tomatoes Recipe: Bow Ties with Tomatoes, Feta, and Balsamic Dressing
19 of 41
20 of 41
Fresh Pasta
Use for: soups, baked casseroles, appetizers
20 of 41
21 of 41
Fresh Pasta Recipe: Quick Crisp Ravioli with Roasted Tomato Sauce
21 of 41
22 of 41
Large Eggs
Use for: binder in patties and meatballs, salad topper, thickening and enriching sauces and salad dressings, or bulking up fried rice
22 of 41
23 of 41
Eggs Recipe: Quick Garden Omelet
23 of 41
24 of 41
Plain Greek-Style Yogurt
Use for: dips, sauces, marinades
24 of 41
25 of 41
Plain Greek-Style Yogurt Recipe: Greek-Style Pork Chops
25 of 41
26 of 41
Pitted Kalamata Olives
Use for: tapenade, pasta dishes, roast with chicken or vegetables
26 of 41
27 of 41
Pitted Kalamata Olives Recipe: Niçoise-Style Couscous Salad
27 of 41
28 of 41
Refrigerated Potato Wedges
Use for: potato salad, roasted potato sides, soup
28 of 41
29 of 41
Refrigerated Potato Wedges Recipe: Quick Corn and Edamame Chowder
29 of 41
30 of 41
Bagged Baby Spinach
Use for: pizza topping, pasta dishes, wilted for a green side dish or salad
30 of 41
31 of 41
Bagged Baby Spinach Recipe: Summer Farfalle Salad with Smoked Salmon
31 of 41
32 of 41
Panko
Use for: filler for meatballs, crab cakes, and the like; breading for oven-fried shrimp or fish fillets; casserole toppings
32 of 41
33 of 41
Panko Recipe: Quick Pan-Fried Chicken Breasts
33 of 41
34 of 41
Presliced Cremini Mushrooms
Use for: sauces, casseroles, stuffings, or fillings
34 of 41
35 of 41
Presliced Cremini Mushrooms Recipe: Beef Stroganoff
35 of 41
36 of 41
Lower-Sodium Soy Sauce
Use for: fajita and other marinades, roasting veggies, dipping sauces
36 of 41
37 of 41
Soy Sauce Recipe: Pork Fajitas with Mango
37 of 41
38 of 41
Chile Paste
Use for: marinades, vinaigrettes for steamed vegetables, scrambled or poached eggs
38 of 41
39 of 41
Chile Paste Recipe: Roast Leg of Lamb with Chile-Garlic Sauce
39 of 41
40 of 41
Chicken Broth
Use for: poaching liquid, sauces, braising and stewing liquid