If you’re a new vegan and are wondering what all the must-have vegan essentials are, then this list is perfect for you. Learn all about the best vegan pantry staples, from grains to legumes, nuts and seeds, seasonings and more.

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Vegan Sugar

Wait, isn’t sugar vegan? Well unfortunately, a lot of sugar companies (at least in the United States), process sugar using animal bone char. Some vegans aren’t bothered by this, but if you are, look for organic or unrefined sugar as those are not processed using animals.

Learn more about vegan sugar here.

Egg Replacement

Vegan egg replacements are great to have on hand for both cooking and baking. Keep in mind that different egg substitutes work for different recipes, but some common ingredients include: applesauce, flax seeds/chia seeds, bananas, Ener-G Egg Replacer and Just Egg.

Check out how to use egg replacers here.

Plant-Based Milk

There are so many great non-dairy milks on the market for you to try. One that has been in gaining in popularity is oat milk, which is super creamy and great in sweet dishes. My personal favorite is pea milk because it’s high in protein, but there are plenty more to choose from.

Healthy Grains

Grains like pasta, oats, and quinoa are a great versatile pantry staple. If you’re a pasta fan, there are tons of high-protein pastas to choose from like this lentil pasta from Tolerant Foods that has 25g of protein!

Other ideas include:

• Flour: all-purpose, whole wheat, and almond
• Rice: basmati, brown rice, and wild rice
• Popcorn kernels

Legumes

Legumes are a great source of plant-based protein, so they’re always great to have in your pantry. This could be:

• Green and red lentils
• Kidney, pinto and black beans
• Chickpeas

Related: 20 Easy Vegan Protein Sources

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are another great source of protein and healthy fats. Some good ones to have on hand are:

• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia or flax seeds
• Nut butter

Oils and Vinegars

These can be used in both cooking and as add-ons to other dishes. Some great options include: olive oil, canola oil, apple cider vinegar (often used in vegan dessert recipes), white wine vinegar, and red wine vinegar.

Seasonings

Besides the common seasonings you probably already have at home, there are a few ones that you should add. This includes nutritional yeast, a cheesy savory seasoning often used as a substitute for cheese, iodized sea salt (learn why iodized salt is important for vegans here), and lastly, black salt, a salt with an “eggy” taste perfect for vegan egg dishes.

Related: Nutritional Yeast Benefits + How to Use It

Vegan Pantry Stapes – a Final Note

Now that we’ve gone over the 5 categories of vegan staples, you can now successfully stock your pantry as a new vegan. Happy shopping!