There’s something grounding about a pantry that honors simplicity- where every ingredient serves a purpose, where nothing is added that doesn’t belong. Across cultures and continents, the most healing kitchens begin with whole, unpossessed staples. Everything listed below is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, grain-free, legume-free, refined sugar-free, processed oil-free, fermentation-free, and additive-free. What remains is a beautiful, versatile collection of ingredients that speak the universal language of nourishment.

Aromatics & Foundational Flavor

Alliums
Garlic, onions (yellow, red, green), shallots, and leeks form the aromatic core of nearly every dish across regions—from African pepper stews to Asian broths to Middle Eastern dips.

Herbs
Fresh or dried: parsley, cilantro, dill, thyme, rosemary, basil, bay leaf, mint, oregano, chives, sage, tarragon, marjoram, lovage, culantro. These shape the character of soups, flatbreads, sauces, and slow roasts.

Spices
Black pepper, paprika, cayenne, mustard powder, caraway, allspice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seed, cumin, turmeric, saffron, annatto (achiote), sumac (clean), fenugreek, juniper berries. Always clean and additive-free.

🧂 Salt & Acidity

Salts
Unrefined sea salt and Himalayan salt—used for seasoning and preservation.

Acids
Lemon juice, lime juice, celery juice, and pomegranate juice replace vinegar without compromising tang. Perfect for slaws, soups, and bright marinades.

🥬 Vegetables: Leafy, Fruiting, and Soft

Leafy & Cruciferous Greens
Cabbage (green, red, Napa), kale, chard, Brussels sprouts, spinach, amaranth leaves, jute leaves.

Fruiting Vegetables
Tomatoes (fresh or clean paste), bell peppers, chili peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, okra, pumpkin, chayote.

These vegetables cross borders and diets. Whether sautéed, roasted, blended into soups, or wrapped into flatbreads, they form the everyday bulk of nourishing meals.

🍠 Roots & Hearty Staples

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabaga, carrots, beets, parsnips, celeriac, cassava (yuca), plantains, yam, malanga, breadfruit, taro.

Boiled, roasted, mashed, or baked—these are the starchy cornerstones of global comfort food. They replace grains and legumes with ease and satisfaction.

🍄 Mushrooms & Sea Vegetables

Wild and Medicinal Mushrooms
Shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane, chanterelle. No cultivated mushrooms (portobello, cremini, button). Used in broths, bakes, and as a meaty, umami-rich substitute in patties and sauces.

Seaweed
Dulse and nori (untoasted, additive-free) offer mineral depth and a subtle briny flavor—ideal for soups, dips, stews, and fish-free “seafood” dishes.

🍞 Bread, Bowl, and Porridge Alternatives

No grains. No legumes. Still, you won’t miss them.

• Mashed squash or sweet potato
• Cassava or potato-based doughs and flatbreads
• Zucchini noodles or warm squash porridges
• Cauliflower rice or purée
• Wild mushrooms for hearty texture

These swap-ins are deeply satisfying and easy to adapt across cultural recipes.

🧴 Richness without Oils or Dairy

Rich doesn’t require cream or butter. Use:

• Steam-sautéing with water or vegetable broth
• Mashed cauliflower or squash for creamy sauces
• Zucchini + lemon + dulse for sour-cream-style dips
• Garlic, lemon, and herbs for flavor complexity

Every global cuisine has its way of achieving depth—this pantry simply reimagines those traditions.

🍅 Condiments & Umami Builders

• Fresh tomatoes or compliant paste (no citric acid, vinegar, sugar, or oil)
• Clean sun-dried tomatoes (unsulfured, oil-free)
• Green seasoning blends (homemade, compliant)
• Additive-free chili pastes

These deliver tang, savoriness, and color—without fermentation or industrial processing.

🍇 Evening Sweetness: Dried Fruits (PM Only)

Dates, figs, raisins, currants, dried apricots, and apples (all unsulfured, additive-free). Use modestly, in cooked dishes or as part of a grounding PM meal. They appear in tagines, stews, compotes, and dessert sauces around the world.

This pantry honors that every culture—no matter how distant—has built miracles from what grows close to the earth. These staples, drawn from every corner of the world, offer not just variety but vitality.