![5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (1) 5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (1)](https://i0.wp.com/img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9e4bc22100005100c5dd7d.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
There are plenty of times that I stand in my kitchen looking at the pantry staples available to me and think to myself, "What the heck am I going to make for dinner tonight?" Sometimes I need to make dinner in little time and with little fuss, other times I just don't have the luxury of hunting through cookbooks for an attractive idea. What do I do when I'm not sure what to make? I pull all the canned items out of my pantry and look at the recipes printed on the labels. Surprisingly, there are a lot of reliable back-of-the-can recipes.
One of the tricks to cooking from the back of the can is knowing which cans you should always have in your pantry. If your regular cooking routine involves a lot of onions, garlic, and cilantro, try keeping cans of beans on hand for a quick rice and beans dish; if your family loves pasta, stock creamy canned soups to make a variety of simple sauces; and if you regularly cook roasts in your oven or slow cooker, keep plenty of cans of chicken or vegetable stock and tomato paste. Stocking up on canned pantry staples that fit your family's taste and your cooking style will make cooking from the back of the can easier.
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The other secret to easy back-of-the-can cooking is making substitutions when they make sense. If you're picking through your pantry for ingredients to make a quick, no-fuss dinner, and a back-of-the-can recipe calls for red onion but you only have yellow onions on hand, use them. If a recipe calls for garlic and you don't have any, just leave it out or substitute a few pinches of powdered garlic. These modifications will change the taste of a recipe slightly, but the dinner you make will still be delicious. And, most importantly, it will be convenient.
If you're looking for a few reliable back-of-the-can recipes to get you started, we've rounded up twelve of our favorites.
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Toasted Almond Green Beans Recipe
![5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (2) 5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (2)](https://i0.wp.com/img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9e4bc12400005100956a55.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale)
This classic dish is versatile and delicious. It’s great during the holidays but can be made any day and served with chicken, fish, pork, or beef.Photo Credit: Del Monte FoodsClick Here to see the Toasted Almond Green Beans Recipe. Click Here to see More of the Best Back-of-the-Can Recipes
Weeknight Chicken Parmesan Recipe
![5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (3) 5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (3)](https://i0.wp.com/img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9e4bc12100003300c5dd7b.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale)
Diced, canned tomatoes are an easy way to add lots of healthy flavor to a dish. Try them here for a quick and easy weeknight chicken Parmesan.Photo Credit: Del Monte FoodsClick Here to see the Weeknight Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Pumpkin Roll
![5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (4) 5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (4)](https://i0.wp.com/img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9e4bc22200005700d9f7af.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale)
Even if it’s not fall, this delicious cake is worth making. Super moist pumpkin cake rolled up with sweet cream cheese frosting; what’s not to love?Photo Credit: ShutterstockClick Here to see the Pumpkin Roll Recipe. Click Here to see More of the Best Back-of-the-Can Recipes
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Mediterranean Bulgar Salad Recipe
![5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (5) 5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (5)](https://i0.wp.com/img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9e4bc23c00004c000a7c15.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale)
Healthy and tasty, this salad combines bulgar, vegetables, and herbs with canned beans for extra protein and fiber. Photo Credit: Taste of HomeClick Here to see the Mediterranean Bulgar Salad Recipe
Poppy Seed Cake
![5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (6) 5 Back-Of-The-Can Recipes You Need to Try (6)](https://i0.wp.com/img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5b9e4bc2250000330036cbfc.jpeg?ops=scalefit_960_noupscale)
This cake will quickly become a family favorite. Studded with poppy seeds and flavored with vanilla, this cake stays super moist because of the butter and sour cream.Click Here to see the Poppy Seed Cake Recipe.Click Here to see More of the Best Back-of-the-Can RecipesPhoto Credit: Shutterstock
-Kristie Collado, The Daily Meal
More Content from The Daily Meal:
8 Quick and Easy Dishes You Can Make with Canned Foods
Best Back-of-the-Box Recipes
9 Things You Didn't Know You Could Make in a Food Processor
Beyond Lettuce: 8 Ways to Use Salad Dressing
15 Easy 15-Minute Pasta Recipes
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