'They read as luxurious': The pantry staple Alison Roman says can elevate even the most basic meal

We're all familiar with the concept of 'cooking from the pantry', but in practice, it doesn't always seem so straightfoward.

If you've ever flung open the kitchen cupboards, only to find a third of a packet of pasta, a dusty tin of four-bean mix, three porridge sachets and a shaker of Italian spice mix, the idea of turning any of those bits and bobs into an entire (edible!) meal feels fantastical.

However, Alison Roman wants you to know it can be done – it's a matter of strategically stocking your kitchen with the right essentials and learning how to mix and match them.

The food writer and chef is back with Something From Nothing, a cookbook of 'deceptively simple and casually stylish' recipes that rely on what's already in your pantry, fridge and freezer, rather than requiring you to duck out and shop an entire ingredient list from the supermarket each time.

"Nothing gives me more pleasure than rooting around the cans and tins of a dimly-lit kitchen and emerging with the best tomato soup of my life," Roman writes in the book's introduction.

In the world of cooking staples, there are some classics you likely already have on hand – rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes, a bottle of passata.

Of course, these are go-tos for a reason, but branching out can make life easier next time you're standing in front of the pantry figuring out a dinner plan.

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So, nine.com.au asked Roman to spill the (tinned) beans on the various jars, bags, boxes and cans she recommends keeping on hand to facilitate quick, delicious dishes.

What are the most underrated staples to have in the pantry, regardless of one's cooking skill?

"Preserved lemons, calabrian chilis and white distilled vinegar."

(NB: These don't have to cost a pretty penny – at the time of writing, Woolies has 2L of white vinegar for $1.85!)

What is the ultimate pantry ingredient that takes a very basic meal to the next level?

"Anchovies, of course. They read as luxurious, even the cheap ones."

Is there an ingredient you always have in your freezer to help with whipping up a quick meal? 

"Ground pork. Defrosts so quickly. Puff pastry, also – pot pies aren't quick to bake but they can be quick to throw together, so I would be remiss not to mention it as an ingredient I keep in my freezer."

Some pantry staples are worth a bit of a splurge, but which are just as good at a cheap price point as a pricier one?

"Pasta. I like fancy pasta, but the cheap box that does the job just as well as the nice stuff."

For many people, pasta is *the* go-to quick meal. What's an equally quick and tasty 'pantry dish' for someone who wants to branch out?  

"A soup with rice noodles. They cook in minutes and a broth can be tossed together with soy sauce and vinegar, plus a bit of greens and some ground meat or tofu.

"I do this often!"  

Finally, you can't talk to Alison Roman about pantry staples without discussing beans.

They're one of her go-to ingredients and enjoy a starring role in many of her Home Movies recipe videos. So, we had to know: what's the ultimate quick dish with a tin of beans?

The verdict is firm: "Dilly bean stew, always and forever. Cabbage, beans, frizzled onions and so much dill."

Alison Roman's new cookbook Something From Nothing is available now.