A well-stocked larder doesn't mean a crowded one. Many kitchens are full of half-used jars bought for a single recipe. What actually makes weeknight cooking easier is a short list of dependable ingredients that combine in many ways.
After a month of testing what our editors genuinely reached for, here is the Flavour Pursuit twelve.
The list
- Good olive oil — for cooking and finishing.
- Flaky or fine sea salt — the foundation of everything (see "Salt early, salt often").
- Black peppercorns — freshly ground makes a real difference.
- Onions — the start of most savoury dishes.
- Garlic — fresh, never jarred.
- Tinned tomatoes — sauces, soups, stews, shakshuka.
- Dried red lentils — quick, cheap and filling.
- A tin of chickpeas — salads, curries, crispy roasted snacks.
- Rice — a plain, reliable variety you know how to cook well.
- Dried pasta — the original fast dinner.
- Lemons — for brightness, dressing and balance.
- Ground cumin — our one spice choice, warm and versatile.
What it unlocks
- Tomato pasta: olive oil, garlic, tinned tomatoes, pasta, salt and pepper.
- Weeknight dal: lentils, onion, garlic, cumin, lemon.
- Chickpea and tomato stew: onion, garlic, cumin, chickpeas, tomatoes, served over rice.
- Lemon garlic rice: rice cooked with garlic and finished with lemon and olive oil.
The fresh additions
The twelve are a base, not a complete diet. Add whatever fresh vegetables, herbs, eggs, cheese or protein you have that week, and the larder turns them into meals.
Keep it honest
The point of a short list is that you actually use it. If one of the twelve sits untouched for a month, swap it for something you'll reach for. The best larder is the one that matches how you cook — not how a recipe book thinks you should.