Gluten free storecupboard essentials + recipes

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I know a lot of people are worrying about stockpiling food at the moment, but with a few essentials there really is no need to worry.

You don’t need a mountain of toilet rolls of cupboards of tins – and many of us actually have a lot of these ingredients already in the house.

A lot of my recipes on the blog are made from scratch using gluten free basics, so here are some ideas of things to stock up on.

Of course there are specific free from items such as gluten free pasta or bread, but I wanted to think of some of the other, cheaper items you might like to have to hand.

I know a lot of people have also struggles with finding some free from products after the ‘Muggles’ descended on the supermarkets, so hopefully this will offer some alternatives.

I’ve also tried to include some recipe ideas you could make with them too – and I added a few curveballs just for fun!

Tinned tomatoes or passata

I always keep a stash of these in the cupboard year round, as I cook with tinned tomatoes and passata ALL of the time.

They’re perfect to include in batch-cooking recipes such as my gluten free chilli con carne, or my gluten free spaghetti bolognese.

You can also use them as a base for something like an arrabbiata sauce or a marinara sauce which double up well as a gluten free pizza topping too!

Gluten free flour – both plain and self-raising

I mean having the basics of both plain and gluten free self-raising flour in the cupboards is an essential at all times for me! I normally use FREEE but supermarket own brands are also great.

I find baking is a great way to ease anxieties about day-to-day life, and it’s also a fantastic way to keep yourself entertained!

You might want to make some basic gluten free cupcakes, or something more extravagant like my gluten free chocolate ganache cake.

And then you can also use flour for meal basics such as pastries to make pies, the base of a white or cheese sauce like in my gluten free mac and cheese, or even making pancakes – both sweet and savoury!

Xanthan gum

If you are planning on doing some gluten free baking then xanthan gum is going to be essential.

A little goes a long way with this, but you’ll find it useful in everything from pastries and biscuits to cakes.

Check out my baking section for all inspiration you could need!

Wine…. all of the wine.

PSA: Wine is gluten free. That means all coeliac cupboards should be well-stocked at all times!

Let’s face it, if we do end up having to be on lockdown, this will make it a lot more fun.

And if you’re being sensible, you can also use it in recipes such as my gluten free spaghetti bolognese to add a delicious burst of flavour.

Whilst drinking a glass, obviously….

Basic herbs and spices

I use herbs and spices to add the flavourings to a lot of my recipes and there are several ways you could store them.

With spices you can buy them dried, but herbs you can also buy fresh or – my favourite – potted, so that you can keep them alive and kicking!

Some basic herbs I would recommend having in the cupboard are:

Basil
Oregano
Paprika
Curry Powder
Chilli Powder
Chilli Flakes
Turmeric

You’ll find with this selection you can create a pretty cool array of seasonings to liven up your dishes. Plus stock up on fresh garlic, ginger and chilli – which all keeps for ages!

Tinned chickpeas

For starters, this means you can make my gluten free and vegan chickpea curry, which is simply delightful.

But you can also use chickpeas to make things like chickpea and sweetcorn fritters which you can freeze, or even to make sweet treats such as chickpea blondies!

Plus if you get low on eggs and can’t get out, you can also use the chickpea water from the tin – called aquafaba – as a vegan egg replacer too.

It’s the multi-tasking dream in one tin if you ask me!

KitKat Bunnies

I mean to be honest, why wouldn’t you stock up on Easter treats at this time of year anyway!?

I don’t even have any recipe suggestions for these – just get a stash and keep them safe. Then eat them…..all!

Although, in all honestly, stocking up on some chocolate might not be a bad idea. It means you can bake some delicious treats such as my gluten free millionaire’s shortbread brownies!

Gluten free stock cubes

There are LOADS of gluten free stock cubes out there –see my handy guide here – and plenty of ways to use them.

I use stock cubes all the time, whether it’s as the base of one of my gluten free soups or in a curry or chilli.

Some of my favourite ways to use them include in my my slow cooker chicken noodle soup recipe, or in my slow cooker chicken noodle soup recipe.

I also use stock cubes in recipes such as my gluten free katsu curry recipe, or mygluten free Chinese chicken curry.

Rice – in different varieties

I know people are going crazy on things like rice and gluten free pasta, but we get through so much rice in our house we tend to buy one of the big bags anyway!

If you’ve got a stack of rice you can make plenty from it. I love this vegetable biriyani recipe or do a little ‘fake-away’ with my gluten free Singapore rice.

Rice also makes a great side dish if you’re making something like egg fried rice or pilau rice to go with a Chinese or Indian dish.

And if you’ve got some arborio rice as well, you can make one of my gluten free risottos too, such as my chorizo, leek and spring greens risotto!

Gluten free soy sauce

I use soy sauce in a lot of my recipes, but you need to specifically buy a gluten free soy sauce to make sure it’s coeliac-safe.

Some of my favourite ways to use it include in my gluten free Chinese curry or in my gluten free marmalade chicken recipe.

It’s great for adding some umami flavour to salad dressings, marinades and stir fries too.

Gluten free oats

Gluten free oats – if you can tolerate them – are great to stock up on to make sure you always have a sturdy breakfast.

You could try making my gluten free overnight oats or gluten free carrot cake porridge, for starters.

They’re also great for baking up treats such as my gluten free overnight oats or gluten free carrot cake porridge, too.

Gluten free baking kits

One good thing to come out of a time like this for the community to share their support for smaller businesses.

Free from businesses, like many others, are going to be hard hit, so there’s never been a better time to try out some new brands and show your support.

If you love baking then I’d highly suggest you invest in some of the following:

Davina Steel – the gluten free focaccia mix is divine and there are some great gluten free bread mixes too. Bake them up and freeze them so you have a steady supply!
Grassroots Bakery – this is some of the best gluten free bread I’ve made so I’d definitely recommend investing in a few of these easy-to-use baking kits to keep you going.
Bak’dcake – I haven’t tried baking these myself but am pretty sure I tried some of their cakes at the Allergy Show last year and they were yummy. A great way to fill an afternoon.

Gluten free beer

I won’t lie, I have a whole box of gluten free beer in my garage and I’ve never been happier about it.

Sometimes you’ve just got to make the most of the little things in life and gluten free beer is absolutely my happy place!

If you’re wondering which beers to stockpile, check out my gluten free beer guide here!

What other gluten free storecupboard essentials are there?

There are, of course, a number of other gluten free storecupboard essentials you could stock up on, these are merely a few ideas to keep you going.

Other ideas include:

Coconut or olive oil
Tinned fish
Jars of olives
Dried fruit
Cocoa powder
Condiments such as ketchup and mayonnaise
Capers or anchovies to add flavour to dishes
Other pulses such as lentils

And while you’re at it, why not find your local foodbank and donate a few items to them too? Some foodbanks are in desperate need so it’s worth checking if there is anything they need.