A Choose-Your-Adventure Summer Pantry Pasta

Pantry pastas just hit different in summer, when my counter is crowded with the farmers’ market tomatoes I overbought, my CSA box can barely hold its harvest of zucchini and corn, and the mint and basil on my deck are giving Audrey II from “Little Shop of Horrors.” Any combination of these will imbue a bowl full of, say, midnight pasta with an ineffable summery vibe — colorful, bright and fresh, but still weeknight easy.

This is exactly what I was looking for when developing my recipe for zucchini pasta with tuna and chile paste. Adding zucchini to a classic pasta with canned tuna gives the pasta lightness as well as a softer and juicier texture. And instead of the crushed red pepper flakes you’d usually see in a dish like this, I went for dollops of chile paste, which bring acidity as well as heat. Use any kind of chile paste you like: Gochujang, harissa, aji amarillo, sambal oelek and sriracha all work beautifully, each lending their unique character to the mix.

Already used up your CSA zucchini making zucchini bread? Swap in other vegetables like eggplant, peppers, greens or cherry tomatoes. No tuna left in the cupboard? Try sardines, mackerel or canned salmon. The beauty of the pantry meal is its versatility.

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Zucchini Pasta With Tuna and Chile Paste

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Speaking of oceanic kitchen staples, one of the most fished-for things in my pantry these days is fish sauce. I’ve taken to drizzling the magic elixir on nearly everything, marveling each time how, once its brief funk dissipates, it selflessly boosts all the flavors around it.

The proof is in Eric Kim’s roasted chicken with fish-sauce butter. The fish sauce adds saline, umami depth to a rich brown sugar-sweetened sauce for the crispy-skinned chicken thighs. To catch every drop of the golden drippings, Eric throws chunks of crusty bread in the bottom of the pan, which bake into schmaltzy croutons as the chicken cooks. Pair it with a juicy summer salad, like Alexa Weibel’s tangy, spicy watermelon salad with pineapple and lime for a complex, hot weather meal that hits all the right, cooling notes.

Let’s take another spin around the pantry, but this time zeroing in on canned beans. You might think Kay Chun’s chickpea salad sandwich takes its cue from tuna salad. But the chickpeas mashed up in a pungent lemon-tahini dressing are more like a chunky, hearty hummus. Celery and scallions add crunch and sweetness, while the alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes and avocado bring other contrasting textures and flavors to the mix. Kay adds a little Parmesan for umami notes, but feel free to leave it out or substitute nutritional yeast for a vegan-friendly meal.

Do meatballs count as a pantry recipe? I always keep some ground meat in the freezer for meatball night, so I say they do. Lidey Heuck’s Greek meatballs call for a mix of beef and either lamb or pork, but I think turkey or chicken would work great if that’s what you’ve got. To keep the meatballs nice and moist, Lidey mixes in the pulp of a grated tomato and some breadcrumbs, and then infuses the meat with herbs, both fresh and dried — fresh mint and parsley for verve, dried oregano for earthy intensity. Sizzle these in a little olive oil and they’ll emerge golden, juicy and full of herby, brawny flavor.

For a comforting and creamy dessert, I have to ask, got mastic? Sweet milk puddings are a beloved treat across many cultures, and for his traditional mouhalabieh (adapted by Ligaya Mishan), the French Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan grinds fragrant mastic to a powder before simmering it into a speedy, cornstarch-thickened custard. You can find this crystalline tree resin in specialty spice shops and online, and it’s well worth seeking out for its inimitable woody, freshening perfume. The proof is in the pudding!

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Do the phrases “custardy tofu,” “fluffy rice” and “spicy sauce” make your stomach growl? If so, don’t sleep on Ali Slagle’s one-pot tofu and broccoli rice, spiked with peanut butter, chile crisp and soy sauce. Let that growling be your call to action.