10 Gourmet Pantry Staples You Should Own in 2026

Drizzle over fresh salads, burrata, or vanilla ice cream sprinkled with sea salt. 

Extra-virgin olive oil is a kitchen essential – as pivotal as herbs and spices. Laudemio Frescobaldi’s emerald-green oil, cold-pressed to preserve nutrients and flavours, is prized as a finishing oil rather than for cooking. Its story begins in 1985, when severe frosts devastated Tuscan olive groves; the Frescobaldi family responded by founding the Laudemio group to safeguard quality and provenance. Bursting with the aromas of Tuscany – freshly cut grass, artichoke and green olives – it’s a worthy pantry staple and a thoughtful alternative to wine when gifting a host.  

Serve on heritage tomato bruschetta, in grilled peach salads and with cheeses such as Parmesan and burrata.

One of the easiest and most satisfying appetisers is freshly baked focaccia with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar – dipping fluffy bread into a sweet-and-sour mix is simply hard to resist. Giuseppe Giusti produces some of the finest balsamic, aged in small antique casks dating back to the 1700s and extracted in a limited quantity once a year in the Modena countryside. Made from sun-dried grapes, it offers notes of plum jam and red fruits with hints of honey and vanilla – flavours that will keep you coming back for more.

Use to season fried eggs, rice and noodles, as a dipping sauce for dim sum, and to marinade barbecued pork.

Adding instant umami and depth of flavour to Asian cooking, soy sauce is a versatile kitchen must-have. And Amy Poon – descended from Michelin-starred stock – having founded Poon’s Sauces in 2021, brings the rich flavours of China to London. Dedicated to the purest expression of soy, her award-winning Premium First Extract Soy Sauce is pressed from organic beans, which are fermented in earthenware jars using a traditional recipe from southern Taiwan. Unlike many other brands, which press the husks of beans several times, Poon’s is pressed only once, extracting the purest essence. It’s basically the soy-sauce equivalent of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. The result? A glossy, rich and deeply savoury condiment.

Add to give a rich truffle lift to roast chicken, hot potatoes, grilled veg and steak sandwiches.

All aboard the truffle train: next stop, mustard. This gourmet twist from Truffle Guys marries punchy mustard warmth with deep truffle richness, delivering a luxurious hit of flavour in every spoonful. Aromatic, expressive and beautifully balanced, it brings a sense of occasion to even the simplest dishes without you having to lift a finger. Whether spooned into a sandwich, added to a sauce or used in a salad dressing, you can be sure that this flavour-packed mustard will take your dishes to the next level. Discover more truffle delights here.

Bright, floral and delicately fiery – grind into creamy sauces or seafood for an instant lift and gentle heat.

Grown in Cambodia’s famed Kampot region – home to one of only a handful of pepper varieties worldwide with protected geographical status – these sun‑dried white peppercorns are harvested when fully ripe, then soaked and hulled to reveal their pale cores. The result is a surprisingly complex flavour: gently floral at first, then warmly aromatic with a slow, sophisticated heat that’s far more nuanced than the black counterpart. Use wherever you’d reach for standard white pepper (we love this over poached fish, in carbonara or finishing a silky celeriac soup) and watch as it gives familiar dishes instant oomph. This is seasoning with substance.

Brings gentle warmth and aromatic depth to vegetables, dals, roasted chicken and coconut‑based dishes.

Curry powder might be a pantry staple, but Lord & Lion’s Organic blend plays in another league. Inspired by the aromatic spice mixes found in Sri Lankan home kitchens, it layers warm, nuanced flavours that bloom beautifully when added at the end of cooking. A small spoonful coaxes richness from curries, lifts vegetable dishes and adds dimension to coconut sauces. Fragrant rather than fiery, it’s designed to let the dish shine – the kind of quiet finishing touch that transforms everything around it.

Sun‑kissed, softly tangy and beautifully fragrant, this jam is perfect on brioche, yogurt or straight from the spoon.

Ladurée’s Apricot Jam captures everything glorious about a sun‑ripened apricot – its perfume, its softness and that gentle, almost honeyed tang. Made using carefully selected organic fruit and cooked slowly and traditionally, it brings a depth of flavour that will elevate any breakfast table. Spread it over toasted brioche, swirl it into yogurt, or pair it with soft cheeses for an effortlessly chic charcuterie spread. A pantry staple à la française – simple, elegant and endlessly versatile.

Delicious mixed into porridge with a tart cherry compote or stirred through tea.

The flavour, colour and viscosity of honey is shaped by when it’s harvested and where it comes from – which is why single-origin varieties are so special. This light acacia honey is infused with a Madagascan vanilla pod, lending a gentle floral note that deepens over time. Raw and unprocessed, it’s as versatile as it is distinctive; spoon it wherever a touch of sweetness is welcome, from cheeseboards to buttered sourdough. Prefer a little spice? ? Try our cinnamon-infused honey variation...

Glossy balsamic pearls infused with black garlic umami – try them scattered over burrata or risotto.

Not your average condiment, these black-garlic balsamic pearls add a dose of culinary theatre wherever they land. Each one pops with sweet acidity and savoury richness, turning burrata, roasted vegetables or even a simple risotto into something far more exciting. Bold, bright and totally unexpected – it's the pantry plot twist you didn’t see coming.

Sprinkle generously over rice or smashed avocado on toast – or use as a seasoning for salads, soups and stir-fries.


For the unfamiliar, furikake is a savoury Japanese seasoning made with dried seaweed (nori), toasted sesame seeds, salt and spices. And it’s typically sprinkled on rice for a rich umami kick. Emma Basic offers one of the purest versions, true to the brand’s ‘never any additives’ ethos, with all-natural ingredients and no colourings. It’s vegan, is high in fibre and protein (15g/19g per 100g respectively), and – equipped with a double flip lid – makes sprinkling much easier than the standard flat furikake bags.