Spag bol and instant tacos: Anna Jones' store-cupboard recipes

In the past few years of early motherhood, opportunities to run to the shops have been rare, so I’ve had to get creative with store-cupboard staples in jars and tins: spices and condiments, tinned tomatoes, pulses, coconut milk; and quick, flavour-packed seasonings like chipotle pasta or harissa. I’ve focused on pulses this week: a lentil bolognese that, if you’ll forgive me a few basic veg and a bay leaf, comes mostly from the store-cupboard – quick, simple and an arm’s reach away, and tacos from tins and jars, with some of interchangeable fresh things for crunch. I’ll be adding both recipes to my repertoire next time we head out in our campervan, too.

Taco fillings from a tin (pictured above)

I use black beans here, but pinto or kidney beans would work, too. I keep a packet of corn tortillas in my freezer, which can be taken out one by one as needed. You could use whatever crunchy veg you have in place of the cabbage: grated carrot, shredded gem lettuce, radishes or a mixture of them all work well.

Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Makes 4 tacos

400g tin black beans
1 heaped tsp chipotle paste
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper
¼ red cabbage (or white cabbage, or little gem lettuce), very finely sliced
2 limes
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp pickled jalapeños
4 corn and wheat tortillas
A few tablespoons yoghurt or soured cream, to serve (optional)
Coriander, to serve (optional)

Heat the black beans and their liquid in a pan over a medium heat. Add the chipotle and cinnamon, and season well. Simmer for seven minutes, until the beans are softened and broken down in places.

Put the cabbage in a bowl, squeeze over the juice of one of the limes and season with a pinch of salt. Leave for 10 minutes (so that the cabbage turns bright purple, if using the red variety).

Pour off half the juice from the chopped tomatoes (reserve it for pasta sauces or stews) and roughly chop in the tin with a pair of kitchen scissors. Mix the chopped tomatoes in a bowl with the red onion and jalapeños, and season to taste.

Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat. Heat the tortillas until golden or slightly blackened (you can do this one by one, then keep them wrapped in foil).

Put each one down flat on a plate or in a taco shape while still warm. Spoon in the toppings, and serve immediately with soured cream, coriander and wedges of the remaining lime.

Puy lentil spaghetti bolognese

This is a go-to dinner when the fridge is bare. You can mix up the veg you add, but we almost always have an onion, a carrot and a stick of celery in the bottom drawer of the fridge. You could use root veg, too, or even the finely chopped stem of a head of broccoli.

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Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 20 min
Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin tomato soup
400g tin puy lentils, drained
1 bay leaf
400g spaghetti
Grated parmesan, to serve; I use a vegetarian version (optional)

Heat the oil in a pan, and fry the onion, garlic, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, until softened.

Add the chopped tomatoes, soup, lentils and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then gently simmer, uncovered, for one hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, and cook the spaghetti according to the pack instructions. Spoon a ladleful of the pasta water into the sauce to loosen it, then drain the spaghetti.

Toss the spaghetti through the sauce and serve with grated parmesan, if you like.