The 10 best canned foods and recipe ideas

For more thrifty suppers and cupboard-raiding meal ideas, check out our budget recipe collection.

Top 10 canned foods and how to serve them

1. Crab

Recipe idea:
Fragrant crab cakes

If you’ve an abundance of time, money and patience, picking a whole fresh crab for a midweek supper is a reasonable option. For the rest of us, it’s safer to reach for the can. This usually means picking up chunks of white crabmeat, but it's possible to buy dressed brown crabmeat too.

Canned crab recipe inspiration:
Crab risotto
Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise
Crab & avocado tostadas
Crab macaroni cheese

2. Cherries

Recipe idea:
Cherry Bakewell sponge pudding

Think less kitsch glacé cherry and more classy clafoutis. Canned and pitted black or Morello cherries will save you hours of fiddling around with a paring knife, plus they come in a sweet, rich red syrup that can be used in cocktails and sauces.

Canned cherry recipe inspiration:
Baked cherry cheesecake
Cherry choc muffins
Cherry meringue tart

3. Chickpeas

Recipe idea:
Chana masala with pomegranate raita

While dried chickpeas win on the cost front, they require soaking so are less convenient than the canned version. This storecupboard hero is one of our favourites. A top tip is to use the chickpea water to thicken sauces, as demonstrated in our chana masala recipe.

Canned chickpea recipe inspiration:
Our top chickpea recipes
Healthy chickpea recipes
Chickpea curry recipes

4. Anchovies

Recipe idea:
Spaghetti puttanesca

Fresh anchovies are a rarity on these shores, but most supermarkets will stock at least one canned variety of this salty, umami-rich fish. If you’re making a pasta sauce like puttanesca, use the oil from the can to cook with, or use it to submerge any leftover anchovies in a storage container.

Canned anchovy recipe inspiration:
Anchovy palmiers
Roasted peppers with tomatoes & anchovies
Fresh spinach & anchovy tart

5. Tomatoes

Recipe idea:
Bean & halloumi stew

Staple of household and professional kitchens alike thanks to their budget credentials and enormous versatility, we couldn’t leave tomatoes off our list. Supermarket economy lines offer cans for under 40p, but if you’re willing to go the Italian way and spend a little more it's worth trying canned organic, cherry or yellow tomatoes too.

Canned tomato recipe inspiration:
Classic tomato sauce
Chorizo & rosemary pearl barley risotto
Our top canned tomato recipes

6. Pineapple

Recipe idea:
Tropical upside-down cake

The taste of fresh pineapple is a tropical explosion (plus it's easy to prepare, as our video guide proves), however for pure nostalgia value, versatility, affordability and convenience, there is a special place in our hearts and cupboards for canned pineapple chunks and rings.

Canned pineapple recipe inspiration:

Sweet & sour pork
Spiced hummingbird cake
Prawn, pineapple & cashew fried rice

7. Lentils

Recipe idea:
Lentil lasagne

Dried lentils win on the price front, but canned lentils can be used immediately, and in this modern world of fast living, that’s sometimes just what you need. Canned lentils are soft in texture, so ideal for use in soups and cold salads, but if heated at length they’ll go mushy – perfect for a last-minute dhal. Be sure to give them a rinse as they’re likely to come in salty brine.

Canned lentil recipe inspiration:
Curried carrot & lentil soup
Lighter Scotch eggs

8. Coconut milk

Recipe idea:
Coconut chai traybake

Made from the flesh of the coconut rather than the liquid in its centre, this creamy product is an ideal dairy substitute for those following a lactose-free or vegan diet. It has plenty of health benefits and half-fat versions are available. Discover more uses for this storecupboard hero in our coconut milk recipe collection.

Canned coconut milk recipe inspiration:
Thai prawn & peanut noodle soup
Creamy mango & coconut smoothie
Coconut fish curry traybake

9. Black beans

Recipe idea:
Black bean tortilla with salsa

Another canned pulse that's convenient and nutritious, black beans are great for bulking out chillis and stews. Serve them Mexican-style in quesadillas, nachos and salsas. However, it's worth bearing in mind that they do tend to be more expensive than more common canned beans like chickpeas, butter beans and kidney beans.

Canned black bean recipe inspiration:
Smoky pulled aubergine & black bean tacos
Avocado & black bean eggs
All our top black bean recipes

10. Chestnuts

Recipe idea:
Iced chestnut ripple cheesecake

In the UK, there’s a short window in which to buy nets of fresh chestnuts, so they’re often relegated to the festive season alone. On the continent, these strong-flavoured nuts are rightly celebrated all year round. Pick up a can of chestnut purée to enjoy the flavour without the tedious preparation process.

Canned chestnut recipe inspiration:
Chestnut & amaretto roulade
Chestnut fool

Canned food health and safety

Once opened, the contents of the can should be tipped out into a storage container. Never put open cans in the fridge – the metal may transfer to the can’s contents.

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As many countries urge populations to stay at home, many of us are paying more attention to our diets and how the food we eat can support our health. To help sort out the fact from the fiction, BBC Future is updating some of their most popular nutrition stories from their archive.

Are you a fan of the can? What products are always on your shelves? Let us know below...