Your GF Pantry: The Foundation of Easy Cooking
A well-stocked GF pantry means you can pull together a satisfying, safe meal in 20-30 minutes on any weeknight. This guide covers the essential GF pantry staples organized by category, with recommendations for specific products.
GF Grains and Starches
Rice
White and brown rice are the most important GF pantry staples. Buy large bags for economy. Short-grain, long-grain, jasmine, and basmati are all naturally GF.
GF Pasta
Keep 2-3 boxes of GF pasta on hand. Best brands for everyday cooking:
- Barilla GF: Most widely available, consistent texture, affordable
- Jovial Brown Rice Pasta: Excellent texture, holds up well to saucing
- Banza (Chickpea): Higher protein, distinct flavor but delicious
Certified GF Oats
For oatmeal and baking. Bob's Red Mill GF, Nature's Path GF, GF Harvest.
Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat
For nutritious variety. Cook like rice.
GF Flours and Baking Staples
GF All-Purpose Flour Blend
For everyday baking (pancakes, muffins, cookies, bread):
- King Arthur Measure for Measure: Best overall, consistent results
- Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1: Good alternative, available most everywhere
Almond Flour
For grain-free baking, crispy toppings, and coating. Buy in bulk from Costco or online.
Cornstarch and Tapioca Starch
For thickening sauces, gravies, and soups. Both are naturally GF and inexpensive.
Xanthan Gum
For recipes where your GF flour blend doesn't include it. A little goes a long way.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda
Check labels — most are naturally GF. Rumford baking powder is GF certified.
Condiments and Sauces
Tamari (Wheat-Free Soy Sauce)
Essential. Use anywhere regular soy sauce is called for.
- San-J Organic Tamari GF: Premium quality
- Kikkoman GF Soy Sauce: Widely available, affordable
Hot Sauce
Most hot sauces (Tabasco, Frank's RedHot) are naturally GF. Check labels on flavored varieties.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Naturally GF. Replace malt vinegar in all recipes.
Dijon Mustard
Most Dijon mustards are GF (check label). Grey Poupon is GF in the US.
Canned and Jarred Items
- Canned diced tomatoes (check label)
- Tomato paste
- Canned beans (chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, lentils)
- Coconut milk (naturally GF)
- GF chicken and vegetable broth (check label — some contain barley)
- Canned tuna and salmon
- Salsa (most are GF — check)
- Olive oil and cooking oil
GF Snacks and Convenience Items
GF Crackers
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers: Excellent for dipping and snacking
- Mary's Gone Crackers: Good texture and flavor
- Glutino: Traditional cracker texture
GF Cereal
- Nature's Path Mesa Sunrise: Corn and buckwheat, GF certified
- GF Cheerios: Widely available GF version
- KIND GF Granola
GF Bread (Freezer)
- Canyon Bakehouse: Best texture for toast and sandwiches
- Udi's: Widely available, good value
- Schar: European brand with excellent variety
Building Your Pantry Gradually
You don't need everything at once. Start with:
Week 1: Rice, GF pasta, GF pasta sauce, canned beans, tamari, cornstarch, certified GF oats, olive oil, GF broth
Week 2-3: Add GF all-purpose flour, GF bread, GF crackers, more variety of grains
Month 2+: Add specialty items (almond flour, specific GF brands you've come to trust) as you learn what you actually cook.
Equipment That Makes Gluten-Free Cooking Easier
Beyond ingredients, a few pieces of kitchen equipment make gluten-free cooking noticeably more successful. A kitchen scale is the single most useful tool: gluten-free flours vary enormously in density, and measuring by weight rather than volume removes the inconsistency that causes GF baked goods to fail. A stand mixer or hand mixer helps with GF bread doughs, which are often more like thick batters than traditional dough and cannot be kneaded by hand. Dedicated GF cutting boards, colanders, and wooden utensils prevent cross-contamination if you share a kitchen with gluten eaters -- porous surfaces are impossible to fully sanitize from gluten. Label these clearly with a piece of colored tape.
A reliable toaster designated only for GF bread eliminates one of the most common sources of cross-contamination in shared households. Crumbs from gluten-containing bread remain in a toaster and transfer to the next item toasted, even if the GF bread is placed in a separate slot. A separate toaster costs very little and removes the risk entirely.