Whether you’re a novice or a master in the kitchen, there are a few basic things that everyone should have and know how to use. Spices are one of those things. Below is a list of the most popular and commonly used spices everyone should have in their pantry.
If you’re a cooking novice, you might be thinking,
“Outside of salt and pepper, what else do I need?” If that's the case, then prepare to open the
door to a whole new world. For those who like to cook but don’t like to try
anything fancy, check this list and see if you have all the spices listed or if
there is one you use all the time that has been left off our list. For
convenience, the list has been broken into four parts: herbs, sweet, spicy, and
other.
Herbs
Though technically dried herbs, these spices are easy to sprinkle over vegetables or meats and are essential for many Italian dishes.
Thyme
Rosemary
Basil
Oregano
Bay Leaves (just one leaf adds a ton of flavor to soups and stews)
Parsley
Sweet
These spices are typically used to add sweetness and flavor to recipes and are often used when making dessert dishes.
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Nutmeg
Vanilla Extract (pure or artificial)
Ground or Whole Cloves (this is used in a lot of spiced
baked goods—or to add that extra flavor to a Thanksgiving ham!)
Spicy
These spices are often used to add flavor to Mexican, curry, and other spicy dishes. If you want the flavor but can’t hold your spice, try adding these with a light hand.
Ground Cumin
Chili powder
Cayenne powder
Paprika
Crushed red pepper flakes
Ground ginger
Curry powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Turmeric
Other
The following are spices that do not fit perfectly into one of the above categories. However, a few are spices that, while good to keep on hand, are not typically used on a regular basis.
Iodized Salt (i.e. table salt)
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Sesame Seeds
Cream of tartar
Ground Coriander
**These are two popular all-purpose seasoning mixes.
Great for sprinkling over any dish to give a boost in flavor or used by itself
to lightly flavor everything from scrambled eggs to steamed veggies to soup.
Now ya cookin’!
