Your Grocery List for a Perfect Pantry

Pasta, grains, canned goods, baking staples: Learn what to keep in your pantry — and for how long.

Baking Staples
Pure vanilla extract (and other extracts)
Vanilla beans
Baking soda
Baking powder
Unsweetened and semisweet dark chocolate
Dutch-process cocoa powder
Unflavored gelatin
Dry yeast
Cornstarch

Store ingredients in airtight containers, away from heat and light sources. Extracts will last several years; leavenings lose their potency after about one year and should be discarded on their expiration dates.

Canned and Bottled Items
Italian plum tomatoes
Tomato paste
Green and black olives
Olive paste
Anchovies
Anchovy paste
Capers
Chickpeas
Black beans
Hot sauce
Mustards
Italian oil-packed tuna
Low-sodium chicken broth
Canned fruits
Chutneys
Fruit jam

Heed expiration dates; otherwise, most canned and bottled goods, such as preserves, pickles, and relishes, can be kept, unopened, for up to one year. Once opened, glass bottles should be refrigerated; transfer unused canned goods to airtight containers and refrigerate for three or four days. This is especially important for canned acidic foods such as tomatoes or pineapples; once the interior of the can is exposed to air, the acidity is likely to cause rust. If you do see rust on an opened can of food, the can and food should be discarded.

Dried Pasta
Assorted shapes including spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, fettuccine, lasagna, orzo, couscous

Dried pasta can be stored in its original package until opened, then transferred to airtight containers. It is best used within one year of purchase.

Flours
Unbleached all-purpose white
Whole-wheat
Cake (not self-rising)
Almond

Store wheat flours in airtight containers at room temperature up to one year. Choose containers with wide mouths for easy scooping and measuring. Freeze almond and other nut flours up to six months.

Grains, Rice, Dried Beans
Quick-cooking polenta
Stone-ground cornmeal
Oats
Arborio, long-grain white, medium- to long-grain brown, and basmati rice
Green lentilles du Puy
Black-eyed and split peas
Black, pinto, and cannellini beans
Flageolets

Dried items, with the exception of cornmeal, can be stored in the pantry up to one year. To discourage pests, keep cornmeal in the freezer, for up to one year.

Nuts and Dried Fruit
Pecan and walnut halves
Pine nuts
Peanuts
Cashews
Almonds
Hazelnuts
Raisins
Golden raisins
Currants
Dried apricots
Dates
Figs
Sun-dried tomatoes

To discourage nuts from turning rancid, store them in the freezer for up to six months. Dried fruits can be stored at room temperature six months to a year but last longer in the refrigerator; keep them well sealed to preserve freshness and prevent stickiness.

Oils
Extra-virgin olive
Canola
Peanut
Corn

Specialty oils such as toasted sesame and white truffle
Store vegetable oils in the original bottles, unrefrigerated, in a cool, dark place up to six months. Refrigerate nut oils (such as walnut oil), and use within three months.

Spices and Seasonings
Most spices will lose their potency after about a year, but their flavor will deteriorate faster if stored improperly. Keep them in airtight, light-proof containers, away from heat. Choose an accessible drawer or cabinet or a wall-mounted rack (do not hang it above the cooktop).

Sugars and Other Sweeteners
Granulated white, superfine, light and dark brown, and confectioners’ sugar
Light corn syrup
Molasses
Pure maple syrup
Honey

Humidity can make solid sugars lumpy, so keep them in well-sealed containers in a cool, dry spot. Double-wrap brown sugars to keep them moist. Store syrups at room temperature in their original containers up to one year.

Vegetables
Store only hardy vegetables such as potatoes, onions, garlic, and dried wild mushrooms in your pantry. Potatoes should not be refrigerated; keep up to two weeks’ worth in baskets or bins in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated spot. Do not store them in plastic, which can encourage mold, Keep onions, shallots, and garlic in the pantry (do not refrigerate) up to one month, and dried mushrooms for several months. Store each vegetable in a separate basket or bin; it’s especially important to keep potatoes and onions apart since they can cause each other to spoil.

Vinegar
Aged balsamic
Cider
White wine
Red wine
Rice wine
Sherry

Now that your cupboards are stocked, here’s an easy, tasty pantry meal to try tonight.

See More: Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family

…

Spaghetti with Tuna and Caper Sauce

12 ounces spaghetti
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
10 ounces tuna packed in olive oil (from 1 to 2 tins)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt-packed, rinsed and drained
Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add tuna with its oil and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, until garlic is golden in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in capers and pepper flakes and cook, 30 seconds. Add 1 cup reserved pasta water; bring to a simmer. Add cooked pasta and simmer, tossing a few times, until liquid is reduced to a sauce that coats pasta.

3. Remove from heat and toss in lemon zest and juice, oil, and parsley; season with pepper. Add more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until pasta is evenly coated. Serve, sprinkled with more pepper flakes.

More from Martha Stewart:
20 Classic Comfort Food Recipes from Martha Stewart
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