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A well-stocked pantry is the difference between 'there is nothing to eat' and a good meal in twenty minutes. The goal is not to own everything - it is to keep a small set of versatile staples that combine into dozens of dishes. Below is a foundation you can build on.
Keep these on hand and you are rarely more than a few steps from dinner.
A neutral oil for high heat, olive oil for finishing and dressings, and butter. Three fats cover nearly every cooking need.
Red and white wine vinegar, a lemon or two, and canned tomatoes. Cheap, long-lasting, and the fastest way to brighten a dish.
Beans, tuna, coconut milk, tomato paste, olives. Shelf-stable protein and flavor bombs that turn plain grains into a meal.
Rice, pasta, and a few dried lentils. Filling, forgiving, and the backbone of a weeknight dinner.
Flaky and fine salt, black pepper, a couple of dried chilies, and your three favorite spices. Start small and restock what you actually use.
Onions and garlic keep for weeks and start an enormous number of dishes. If you have these and salt, you have a beginning.