Our Good Housekeeping cookery team always work hard to highlight their favourite kitchen finds, whether that’s pinning down the best lemon squeezer and milk frother, or scouting out the handiest kitchen utensils to keep in your drawer.
Now, our experts Grace and Georgie have picked out the six best store cupboard ingredients to keep handy to give your dinners a bit more oomph. Watch the video above and then scroll down for their recommendations.
1) Self-raising flour
A must-have ingredient for bakers; self-raising flour makes life much easier when whipping up everything from big fluffy pancakes to scones or your signature chocolate cake. To make Georgie’s quick flatbread, mix the flour with equal parts greek yoghurt, then roll into a circle and fry for two minutes each side until it’s puffed up and slightly golden.
Morrisons Organic Self Raising Flour
McDougalls Self-Raising Flour
Thames Organic Organic Self Raising Flour
Green Dragon Self Raising Flour
2) Marmite
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that Marmite is handy to keep in your cupboard. It adds an instant boost of umami to gravies, stews and pasta sauces and it works in sweet dishes too. Grace likes to swap out the salt for Marmite when making salted caramel to give it some extra pizzazz.
Marmite Spread 250g
Marmite Truffle Flavour 250g, 2 Pack
Marmite Limited Edition Collection
3) Peanut butter
Peanut butter is another versatile ingredient, working well in sweet and savoury recipes alike. Mix it with soy sauce to make a quick satay for chicken skewers and stir-frys, or add to brownies and cakes for some extra richness. Our team rate this smooth peanut butter from M&S.
Whole Earth Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg, 2 Pack
4) Roasted red peppers
Adding a few roasted red peppers into the mix will add a sweet undertone to sauces and soups. They also make a great pizza topping and work well in salads. Pro tip: Georgie likes to whizz them in a blender to create a tasty tomato sauce alternative in minutes.
Aleyna Red Roasted Peppers 480g
Odysea Roasted Red Peppers, 6 Pack
Fire Roasted Sweet Red Peppers 2.65kg
Karyatis Roasted Red Peppers 450g
5) Capers
Sprinkling a couple of tablespoons of salty, tangy capers into a dish is an easy way to take simple meals, like a big bowl of buttery pasta, to the next level. They're a good vegan swap for recipes calling for anchovies, as well.
Biona Organic Capers In Olive Oil
Crespo Capers in Salted Water
Opies Capers in Vinegar
Cambray Caperberries
6) Chipotle paste
Finally, Chipotle paste. Adding a little dollop of this is great way to inject a smoky flavour into sauces. Alternatively, mix it with mayonnaise to add something a little extra to sandwiches, or stir through stewed black beans for a tasty taco filling. Georgie's go-to is this Gran Luchito paste.
Santa Maria Chipotle Cooking Paste, 6 Pack
Woolf's Kitchen Nam Prik Pow
Waitrose Chipotle in Adobo Paste
Gran Luchito Mexican Chilli Gift Set
Lauren was Hearst UK’s Homes and Garden writer, covering the latest trends, sales and product launches for Good Housekeeping, Country Living and House Beautiful, and previously for Cosmopolitan, Red, ELLE, Prima and Harper’s Bazaar. Lauren’s specialism is interiors – whether it’s offering tips on how to perfect a seasonal tablescape or trying out viral kitchenware. She is committed to finding the best-value deals during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day too, so readers can buy with confidence and save money.
Lauren graduated with a BA in English Literature and Journalism in 2013 and has worked in various editorial roles across the UK, Southeast Asia and North America since 2015. She previously wrote for a local London newspaper, covering everything from entertainment and lifestyle to politics and wellness. When not writing, Lauren can be found bargain hunting for pre-loved trinkets and clothes at various car boot sales across the capital.
Follow Lauren on instagram @laurenkatehannah
Charley is former Homes Ecommerce Editor. During her time at Hearst UK, Charley wrote over 300 buying guides and reviews, getting her hands on as many new launches as possible to help you find the best products for your home.
