25 DIY Recipes to Make At Home

You really can make your own pantry basics! From beans in the pressure cooker to tomato sauce from scratch to homemade spice blends, our DIY recipes have you covered.

By
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia is the Community Manager for Simply Recipes and has contributed numerous articles focused on cooking on a budget, quick and easy meals, and kid-friendly foods.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated October 11, 2022
16 Pantry Basics

Growing up, I didn’t realize just how many things I could make from scratch. I grew up on bottled salad dressings and condensed soups. I’ll never forget the first time I read about making my own cream of mushroom soup. I was floored by how easy it was, and it really didn’t add a ton of time to what I was cooking.

Since that day, I’ve learned how to make a lot of pantry items from scratch and have thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of not relying heavily on canned items.

Yes, I said FREEDOM! I remember the feeling of defeat I used to have when I wanted to make a recipe but didn’t have the canned goods in my pantry. Just start with one item and master making it. Use it in several different recipes, and before you know it, making it from scratch will become second nature. Once you’ve got it down, move to another item and repeat the process. You’ve got this!

Robin Shreeves joins Claudia Cash in compiling this list.

  • How To Make Fast, No-Soak Beans in the Instant Pot

    How To Make Fast, No-Soak Beans in the Pressure Cooker
    Emma Christensen

    Canned beans are so easy and convenient, but there are times when you run out of them and don’t have the time to soak dry beans overnight. This is why your pressure cooker is your new best friend! You can have perfect beans ready to go in under an hour! (CC)

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  • Honey Mustard Dressing

    Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing - ball jar with honey mustard dressing wtih silver spoon
    Sally Vargas

    Once made, this dressing will last for up to two weeks in the fridge. It comes together in under ten quick minutes and can double as a marinade for chicken! (CC)

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  • Pork Chop Seasoning

    Tall Jar of Pork Chop Seasoning

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

    Get dinner cooking faster by having our pork chop seasoning mix on hand. It calls for seasonings you probably already have on your spice rack. Make it as it's written, or follow some of the suggestions for customizing it to your preferences. The mix also works well on ribs, chicken, and burgers. (RS)

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  • Easy Make-Ahead Alfredo Sauce

    Easy Alfredo Sauce tossed with pasta in serving bowl
    Emma Christensen

    Once you learn just how easy it is to make this sauce, you’ll wonder why you ever used the jarred stuff! We’ve also included a video at the end of the recipe so you can actually see just how easy it is to make! (CC)

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    Continue to 5 of 25 below.

  • How To Make Croutons

    Homemade croutons in skillet
    Elise Bauer

    Why spend money on croutons when you can make your own from day old French or Italian bread that you need to use up? It's so simple. You just need cubed bread, butter, and a skillet. Use them immediately, or cool and store in an airtight container and use within a few days. (RS)

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  • How to Cook Instant Pot Rice

    Instant Pot rice in a bowl with a spoon and the instant pot in the background
    Coco Morante

    This is hands down my favorite method to use when making rice. It’s so easy to do and once the rice and water is added, it’s totally hands off. Gummy rice and overflowing boiling pots of water are a thing of the past! (P.S. You can freeze rice too!) (CC)

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  • Homemade Applesauce

    Homemade Applesauce
    Elise Bauer

    The secret to this homemade applesauce is to add strips of lemon peel to the apples, as well as some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as they're cooking. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and freezes well for up to 1 year. You can also can and process it in a hot water bath to make it shelf stable. (RS)

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  • Refried Beans

    Refried Beans Recipe in Bowl
    Elise Bauer

    Master homemade refried beans, and you’ll be set for life! They are so easy and extremely versatile! Serve them plain, on top of nachos or tostadas, use them as a filling for burritos, and even in a 7-layer dip. However you serve them, just make sure to double the batch because they’ll be gone fast! (CC)

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    Continue to 9 of 25 below.

  • Homemade Tomato Sauce

    Basic Tomato Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    Use this instead of jarred sauce for all your sauce-y needs: a quick bowl of pasta, lasagna, pizza, dip for breadsticks...the list goes on. Make a double batch and freeze the extra! (CC)

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  • Homemade Pancake Mix

    stack of homemade pancakes with berries and syrup
    Alison Bickle

    If you have flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, you have all you need to make a batch of homemade pancake mix. Make this money-saving mix ahead of time and store it in an airtight container. When you're ready to make pancakes, scoop out 1 cup of the mix and combine with milk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter to make 6 pancakes. (RS)

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  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

    Easy chicken noodle soup in a white bowl.
    Elise Bauer

    With cooler temperatures quickly approaching, this is one recipe you’ll want to keep in your back pocket. It really is a souper recipe! (And here's how to make it in the Instant Pot!) (CC)

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  • Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

    Elise Bauer

    I grew up on bottle ranch dressing and it was not my favorite. When I discovered homemade ranch, it was like a whole new world opened up to me! Trust me when I say that once you’ve tried this, you will never be able to go back to the bottled stuff again. (CC)

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    Continue to 13 of 25 below.

  • Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

    homemade Hot Cocoa Mix in a jar for gifting
    Sally Vargas

    Make this customizable hot cocoa mix for yourself or to give out as a thoughtful gift. The base mix makes a delicious chocolatey treat when combined with hot milk. Variations include a Mexican mix and a peppermint mix. Don't forget the mini marshmallows or whipped cream for topping! (RS)

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  • Cream of Mushroom Soup

    Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup in a bowl
    Elise Bauer

    Yes! You CAN make this from scratch! It does freeze well, but don’t add in the cream until after you’ve defrosted and heated it back up. (CC)

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  • Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

    Substitute for Cream of Chicken Soup
    Sally Vargas

    While this doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, we suggest gathering everything ahead of time and prepping them all before you begin. It’ll make the process go much more smoothly! (CC)

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  • Homemade Taco Seasoning

    Taco Seasoning in Jar Surrounded by Taco Ingredients

    Simply Recipes / Marta A Rivera Diaz

    This money-saving taco seasoning comes together quickly and eliminates the need to buy individual packets that often include preservatives and sugar. Two tablespoons of this blend will season 1 pound of ground beef, pork, or poultry. Or use it to rim the glass of a Bloody Mary. Yum! (RS)

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    Continue to 17 of 25 below.

  • Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

    Easy Blue Cheese Dressing
    Sally Vargas

    This dressing really is a delight. It’s creamy and tangy but doesn’t leave you feeling overwhelmed with blue cheese. It will compliment any salad really well. Added bonus: It uses common, everyday ingredients! (CC)

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  • How to Make Chicken Stock

    Chicken Stock
    Elise Bauer

    We are giving you not one, not two, but THREE different methods on how to make chicken stock! Not only is it cheaper to make chicken stock on your own, but it is easier than you think. If you need a couple of other methods, try it in the pressure cooker OR slow cooker as well! (CC)

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  • Instant Pot Yogurt

    How to Make Yogurt in the Instant Pot
    Alison Conklin

    The yogurt you make in an Instant Pot will be the best you've ever had, because you're in the driver's seat. You get to choose the milk, plus opt for small jars or one big batch. Get set for one of the most satisfying and surprisingly easy fermentation projects out there. (Sara Bir)

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  • Easy Tomato Soup

    Best Tomato Soup Recipe - bowls of tomato soup on table with bread
    Alison Bickle

    If you’re on the meal prep train, add this soup to your next stop. It’s freezer friendly, so you’ll definitely want to make a few batches to have on hand for nights when you don’t feel like cooking! (CC)

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    Continue to 21 of 25 below.

  • How to Make Self-Rising Flour

    Bowls of flour baking soda salt self-rising flour recipe

    Lori Rice

    If you want to make Southern biscuits or English scones but don't have self-rising flour on hand, just whip up a batch of your own in less than a minute. A world of baking will be at your fingertips. (SB)

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  • How To Make Vegetable Stock

    Homemade Vegetable Stock in a jar surrounded by vegetables
    Elise Bauer

    Store bought boxed vegetable stock can be bland. This homemade version with carrots, onions, celery, parsley, herbs, and mushrooms gets flavor from browning the veggies first and adding tomato paste, herbs, and spices. Let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, and you have a base for soup or dishes like vegetable pot pie. (RS)

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  • Basic Pickling Spice Blend

    pickling spice blend in a measuring cup
    Emma Christensen

    Combine 10 spices, and in less than 10 minutes you'll have a pickling spice blend that will last a year when stored in an airtight container. Use the blend to make refrigerator pickles, home cured corned beef, or pickled cucumbers, green beans, carrot sticks, beets, or even sliced red onions. (RS)

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  • Sazón Seasoning

    Jar of Homemade Sazón Spice Mix

    Marisel Salazar / Simply Recipes

    Sazón seasoning is great for adding flavor to fish, steaks, pork, chicken, soups, and stews. Add it to beans and rice, or use it in place of taco seasoning. It's versatile. Make this mix by grinding cumin, coriander, and achiote seeds then combining the ground seeds with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. (RS)

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    Continue to 25 of 25 below.

  • Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce

    Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce
    Erin Alderson

    This vegan cheese sauce replaces the creaminess of dairy in salad dressings, pasta sauces, and more. With it, you can make ranch or green goddess salad dressing, top roasted vegetables, or add creaminess to grain bowls. (RS)

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