What’s in my gluten-free pantry? Part 1 - the basics
Since moving to the East Coast, April and May have become my “transitional” months where the weather has started to warm up but the summer Farmer’s Market produce hasn’t hit the stands yet. The best thing for me to do during these months is to take inventory of all my pantry items, look at all of the expiration dates, and decide what needs to be replaced, eaten, or (gasp) thrown out. (We’re generally pretty good with eating up what we buy.)
Since I became a gluten-free celiac, eating out has become a bit (understatement) more challenging than back in the days when I was a world-traveling, food-loving, review-writing maverick. There are so many foods I love and miss, but with my superpower of an almost photographic taste memory, I’ve been seeking out spices and pantry items to replicate the dishes I love from around the world.
So with that said, I thought this might be a great time to share what I normally keep in my pantry for anyone who’s starting their gluten-free journey. I realize my pantry list is quite long, so I focused on the basic items I keep on hand.
Gluten-free flours:
Almond flour (cookies, cakes, pancakes, waffles, etc.)
Buckwheat flour (cookies, breads, pancakes, waffles, crepes, etc.)
Chickpea flour (cakes, savory waffles, chickpea tofu)
Bob’s Redmill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour (scones, waffles, crepes, soda bread, etc.)
Bob’s Redmill Masa Harina (corn bread, instant grits/polenta, corn tortilla)
Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour (Same as bob’s but more aromatic)
Sorghum flour (Scones, breading, cookies)
Cassava flour (breads, cookies, sauce/soup thickener, acts just like flour)
Sticky/glutenous rice flour (Mochi, mochi pancakes)
Rice flour (steamed rice noodles, turnip cakes, etc.)
Coconut flour (cakes)
Teff flour (breads)
Caputo gluten-free flour (pizza, flatbreads)
Starches I bake/cook with:
Tapioca starch (Brazilian pao bread, adds elasticity to breads/cakes)
Kudzu starch (Thickener, Asian desserts - helps keep blood sugar levels steady)
Lotus root starch (warabi mochi, thickener)
Arrowroot starch (holds cookies together, cakes)
Potato starch (thickener, coating for fries/chicken to make them extra crispy)
Sweet potato starch (Taiwanese oyster pancakes)
Other items for baking:
Baking soda (antacid, cleanser, baking)
Baking powder (baking)
Yeast (though I rare ever use it)
Apple cider vinegar (baking, gummies, dressings and marinades)
Grains/Beans
French lentils (lentil main courses with vegetables and dressing)
Green lentils (lentil soups)
Red lentils (lentil soup, Indian dishes)
Basmati rice (Pair with Indian, Persian, Moroccan dishes)
Jasmine rice (Pair Thai dishes)
Sushi rice (Porridge, East Asian dishes)
Japanese sushi rice (Special occasion sushi celebrations)
Forbidden black rice (Mixed with sushi rice to pair with Korean dishes)
Glutenous sticky rice (aka Thai sticky rice) (Mango sticky rice, mochi desserts)
Black Glutenous sticky rice (Adzuki bean desserts)
Arborio rice (Risotto)
Bomba rice (Paella, soupy Paella aka Arroz Caldoso)
Chickpeas (hummus, vegan dishes, Indian dishes)
Adzuki red beans (sweet East Asian desserts)
Mung beans (sweet East Asian desserts)
Skinless mung beans (gluten-free Indian flat breads, coconut desserts)
Cannellini beans (Duck cassoulet, Tuscan recipes)
Black beans (Refried black beans, tacos/burridos)
Split peas (Split pea soup)
Noodles:
Tolerant lentil penne (Great Italian pasta dishes)
Bionaturae rice/corn pastas, all shapes (Great Italian pasta dishes)
Jovial/Barilla/Trader Joe’s GF pastas (Good pasta dishes)
Thrive spaghetti (Taiwanese noodle dishes)
Thai rice noodles (pad thai, rice noodle soups)
Vietnamese rice noodles aka Bánh Phở (pho soup noodles)
Super thin Vietnamese rice noodles aka Bánh Hỏi (Super quick meals, appetizers)
Vietnamese rice paper (spring rolls - fried or fresh)
Mung bean glass noodles (spring roll fillings, hot pot)
Sweet potato noodles (Korean Japchae)
Try out some of my recipes using these ingredients, like my Instapot split pea soup, some Spanish style shrimp and quick grits, or have fun rolling spring rolls with rice paper, or make some matcha chocolate chip cookies for dessert!
I’ll be updating this list as I go through my pantry and will definitely add more of the spices and seasonings I keep on hand.