Pantry Staples You Should Always Have On Hand, According To Professional Chefs
Cooking at home can feel like a chore if you don't have the right ingredients ready. Professional chefs keep their pantries stocked with a few essential items that allow them to create a meal at any time.
You don't need a fancy kitchen to eat well. These eight pantry staples will help you turn simple ingredients into a delicious dinner.
MSG
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor-enhancing seasoning known for its "umami" taste. It's a versatile additive that boosts the flavor of savory dishes.
Chef Robert Hartman told Real Simple, "A pinch of MSG here and there is an amazing and surefire way to add more flavor and unlock more umami in your dishes."
High-quality olive oil
It's always good to have a bottle of high-quality olive oil for finishing dishes. It adds a rich, fruity flavor to salads, pasta, and roasted vegetables.
Chefs will often drizzle it over a dish right before you serving it. A good oil elevates even the simplest ingredients.
Bay leaves
Adding dried bay leaves to a dish is the perfect way to add a subtle, aromatic herbal flavor, especially for dishes that are slow cooked. They're especially popular in Mediterranean, French, and Indian cuisine.
Professional chefs like Santibanez rely on bay leaves for everything from tomato sauces to rice dishes for an aromatic touch.
Maldon salt
Maldon salt is an artisanal, flaky sea salt that is popular with chefs all around the world.
According to Brooklyn chef Fernanda Serrano, Maldon salt is best used as a finishing salt for both savory and sweet dishes.
Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce is a tangy, fermented condiment traditionally made from a blend of malt vinegar, anchovies, molasses, tamarind, and various spices.
According to New York chef Roberto Santibanez, "This sauce seasons everything, even a can of tuna."
Bouillon base
Many chefs prefer a concentrated jar of bouillon over cardboard boxes of broth. These bases pack a punch of flavor and take up very little space in the pantry.
You can whisk a spoonful into hot water to make a quick soup or pan sauce.
Anchovies
Professional chefs known that a tin of anchovies can go a long way. Good quality anchovies will last forever if unopened, so you'll always have them on hand when you need them.
"Dice some up small and melt into some warm olive oil, and toss with cooked pasta and dinner is ready. Quick, easy, and delicious," suggests chef Andrew Quinn.
Building a reliable pantry is the first step toward becoming a more confident cook. When you have these items on hand, the pressure of meal planning disappears.
You can always whip up something delicious without a trip to the store. Treat your pantry like a toolbox and you'll find that cooking becomes a much more relaxing experience.