Whether You’re Vegan or Not, You Should Stock These 7 Plant-Based Pantry Essentials

Although I’m not vegan, there’s one plant-based content creator whose recipes have grabbed my attention ever since I began scrolling on TikTok.

Halle Burns (@BalleHurns), a recipe developer and author of the cookbook Call Me Vegan, immediately caught my attention with her innovative vegan cooking. I’m not alone — Burns’ content has resonated with over two million followers on TikTok, who keep up with her as she transforms everyday ingredients into craveable dishes. 

From crafting chocolate ice cream with avocados to homemade tofu bagels and vegan caviar, Burns’ recipes redefine what many of her followers thought plant-based food could be, showcasing how simple, accessible, and delicious it truly is. For Burns, a key aspect of making vegan home cooking genuinely easy and tasty is focusing on the right groceries. 

Food & Wine spoke to Burns about her essential pantry items, covering everything from snacks to quick dinner ingredients. Whether you’re a longtime vegan or simply curious about a plant-based lifestyle, here’s what to consider stocking up on during your next vegan-friendly grocery trip.

Newman’s Own Sea Salt Popcorn 

Burns is a big fan of Newman’s Own Sea Salt Popcorn, which strikes the perfect balance of salty seasoning and contains no milk products, unlike some microwaveable butter-flavored popcorns. 

To enhance the flavor, the cookbook author mentions that she likes to “always toss in a little extra olive oil and nutritional yeast” while enjoying this snack. She has also shared a TikTok tutorial that demonstrates how to make five-ingredient vegan caramel popcorn using coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract. 

Good & Gather Beans 

Packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients, beans are a cornerstone of many vegan recipes and an essential pantry staple for Burns. She shares that she primarily uses Target’s affordable in-store brand of chickpeas, black beans, or cannellini beans and enjoys them “rinsed and raw, or air fried with lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.”

While prices may vary slightly depending on location, you can usually score a can of Good & Gather black beans or chickpeas at Target for under $1, and a can of cannellini beans for around $1.49.

Burns doesn’t just use legumes for main dishes; she also enjoys transforming them into crispy, crunchy snacks. To make the puffed bean recipe from her cookbook, she says, “I recommend soaked lima or gigante beans, but canned beans that are dried well work great. You season [the beans], then bake or air-fry them until the shells crisp up and crack (or “puff”).”

Barebells Protein Bars

Many protein bar options depend on whey protein isolate or milk protein isolate for their high protein content, neither of which are vegan. Fortunately, the Barebells brand offers a range of plant-based protein bars, and Burns especially loves the Vegan Caramel Peanut flavor. 

The vegan-friendly bars provide 15 grams of plant-based protein sourced from peas, soy, and rice. Burns also elevates these treats by transforming them into quick homemade popsicles. “These are so good as is, but if you have a popsicle stick, crush up one of these while it’s still in the package, open it from one end, and fill it with plant-based milk. Add a popsicle stick to it and freeze… [you have a] high-protein dessert,” she tells Food & Wine.

DeLallo Potato Gnocchi 

Burns is here to demonstrate that gnocchi can be crunchy. She takes premade DeLallo gnocchi, seasons them with nutritional yeast, sea salt, dried parsley, and chili powder, then air-fries or bakes the potato dumplings until crispy. Burns calls these crunchy bites “popcorn gnocchi,” and although she usually snacks on them, they’d certainly be great tossed into a salad too. (The content creator and cookbook author specifically recommends the DeLallo brand, but most other store-bought, shelf-stable gnocchis are vegan too.)

Wunder Eggs

If you’re vegan or allergic to eggs but find yourself missing this breakfast staple, Burns explains that the “texture of a Wunder Egg is how I remember hard-boiled eggs. Not slimy… they’re perfect.” She also notes that each package comes with “a little baggy of Indian black salt — an ingredient I think everyone should try at least once. It has this sulfury, eggy flavor that’s so unusual and incredible.” 

Solely Fruit Gummies

The Solely Fruit Gummies come in a variety of flavor combinations: Mango & Orange, Mango & Blueberry, and Burns’ personal favorite, Mango & Guava. As their name suggests, they are made solely with two organic ingredients: the two organic fruits listed in each name. 

One customer who rated the fruit gummies on the Solely website gave the sweet snacks five stars and left a review proclaiming, “It is the richest and healthiest thing I have ever tried. My family loves it; it is so natural that you can feel the pieces of fruit.”

Siete Tortilla Chips with Lime Sea Salt

Siete Tortilla Chips are grain-free, vegan, gluten-free, and made with avocado oil. Burns is particularly fond of the lime flavor, saying “I polish a bag off way too quickly, especially when I eat them with a quick homemade guacamole or store-bought spicy hummus.”

In addition to its quality ingredient lists, customers love the flavor packed into every item from Siete Foods, one of the fastest-growing Mexican American snack brands. A six-bag bundle of these tortilla chips is priced at $33 on the Siete website and is available in three flavors: sea salt, lime, and dairy-free nacho. Besides tortilla chips, Siete also offers kettle-cooked potato chips and sweet churro strips. Regardless of what you choose from this delicious snack brand, all of its products are vegan.