Ingredient Guides

What to make with
what you already have.

These are the 12 ingredients that show up in almost every kitchen, every week. Each guide covers what to actually make — no vague suggestions, no equipment you don't own. Just the practical ideas a working cook reaches for when the fridge looks unremarkable and dinner still needs to happen.


Eggs

What to Make With Eggs

Frittatas, shakshuka, fried rice, scrambled eggs you'd actually want to eat — plus pantry pairings and storage tips. The egg is the original use-what-you-have ingredient.

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Chicken

What to Make With Chicken

Sheet pan dinners, quick braises, stir-fries, and the easiest pan sauce you can make on a weeknight. Covers every cut and technique.

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Rice

What to Make With Rice

Fried rice, grain bowls, congee, coconut rice, and the case for always making more rice than you need. Day-old rice is an asset.

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Pasta

What to Make With Pasta

Aglio e olio, puttanesca, cacio e pepe, and why pasta water is an ingredient. The cucina povera approach to cleaning out the pantry.

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Ground Beef

What to Make With Ground Beef

Tacos, bolognese, Korean beef bowls, cottage pie, and how to brown ground beef properly — the technique that makes everything taste better.

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Canned Tomatoes

What to Make With Canned Tomatoes

Shakshuka, pasta sauce, tomato soup, bean braises, and why canned tomatoes are often better than fresh for cooked applications.

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Potatoes

What to Make With Potatoes

Crispy roasted potatoes, hash, soup, smashed potatoes, and the Spanish tortilla — plus why potatoes need high heat and salt to be interesting.

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Chickpeas

What to Make With Chickpeas

Quick curry, hummus from scratch, crispy roasted chickpeas, pasta e ceci, and why a can of chickpeas is one of the best pantry investments.

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Spinach

What to Make With Spinach Before It Goes Bad

Ten ways to use a wilting bag of spinach tonight — including frittata, pasta, soups, and why slightly past-prime spinach is actually better for cooked dishes.

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Mushrooms

What to Make With Mushrooms

Crispy mushroom toast, mushroom ragu, pasta, stir-fry, and the technique for getting a real sear on mushrooms instead of steaming them.

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Lemons

What to Make With Lemons

Lemon pasta, lemon chicken, gremolata, preserved lemons, and why every savory dish you make probably needs more acid than you're adding.

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Leftover Chicken

What to Make With Leftover Rotisserie Chicken

Tacos, soup, grain bowls, fried rice, sandwiches — and why you should always make stock from the carcass. A rotisserie chicken is a three-meal event.

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