20 Essentials Spices & Herbs Every Kitchen Must Have

In several parts of the world, especially in India, spices and herbs are essential for cooking. Herbs and spices have always been an integral part of Indian cuisine. After all, they add flavors to meats and vegetables. They can even accentuate the flavor of pasta dishes, breads and pizzas. The following article will discuss about various kinds of spices and herbs used for cooking.

Cinnamon

It’s a spice for your sweet and savory dishes. It’s an aromatic spice that is also good for your health. Cinnamon has warm, earthy, bittersweet and nutty flavor. It’s the world’s favorite baking spice. Cinnamon can be used in baking dishes, curries and stews.

Garlic Powder

Garlic is a vegetable but widely used in powdered form as a spice. Garlic powder adds a great taste to curries, marinades and seasonings. It’s used in many savory dishes. It has pungent, strong and slightly nutty.

Thyme

With their fresh, lemony and strong flavor, it goes best for recipes with meat, chicken and vegetables. Thyme is a perfect seasoning for egg, soups and cheese dishes.

Rosemary

It provides a good taste to grilled dishes, like grilled meat and potatoes. Rosemary is a major ingredient for marinades. Rosemary has strong aromatic, woody, warm, peppery and minty. Rosemary also enhances the taste when added to soups and sauces.

Cumin

It has a warm yet strong fragrance and taste. It’s dominates many African, Indian, and Mexican cuisines. Cumin mostly used in curries and spice powder blends.

 Oregano

Oregano gives the perfect taste blend in any tomato dish, pizzas, soups, salad dressings and cream sauces. Any Italian cuisine is incomplete without oregano seasoning. Oregano is also widely used in Turkish, Greek, and of course Italian cuisines. It’s a good seasoning for egg and cheese dishes.

Coriander

It’s used widely in Indian cuisines and forms the basic ingredients of many curries and spice blends. Coriander seeds or coriander powder give the recipe a mild hint of flavor. Coriander powder is the best seasoning for stews, soups, meats and marinades. Coriander has citrusy, spicy earthy and warm flavor.

Chilly Powder

Some powders are a blend of turmeric, coriander powder, cumin and oregano. So, a chilly powder may not always consist of ground chillies. It adds heat and flavor to many savory dishes.

Cayenne Pepper

It’s a spice made from spicy red pepper. It has spicy, hot and pungent flavor. Most stews, curries, and hot sauces are made using this pepper. It is widely used in Indian and other spicy recipes.

Curry Powder

It’s the most convenient spice that adds a rich flavor to curries. It’s a blend of many savory and sweet spices. Curry powder consists of coriander, cinnamon, clove, turmeric, and bay leaf.

Black Pepper

Black Pepper has spicy, warm and pungent flavor. They compliment many Italian dishes, such as white and cream sauces. Black whole peppercorns add a zing to any dish that they are needed. You can use them as seasoning in salads, marinades and even curries.

Basil

Basil is used in French, Mediterranean and Italian cuisines. Basil goes extremely well with tomato-based dishes and sauces. It strengthens the flavor and crunch to soups and salad dressings.

Ginger Powder

It’s an aromatic and fresh spice. It’s widely used in Indian and Asian cuisines. Ginger powder has sharp, intense, citrusy and slightly peppery flavor. Ginger powder can be added to salad dressing, vegetables and baked dishes. Ginger powder can be added to your tea as well.

 Sage

It goes well with many sauces, seasonings, meats, poultry, and marinades. Sage is a fresh herb which also has many medicinal uses.  Sage also makes a good stuffing for many dishes. Sage has minty, savory and peppery flavor.

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves used in Mediterranean cuisines. It’s used in curries, soups, stews and marinades. Bay leaves also go very well with beef, rice, chicken and fish.

Paprika Powder

Paprika powder goes well with any dish. Paprika powder can be termed as dried and ground peppers. It adds spicy punch preparations of vegetables, casseroles, sauces, poultry, and meat.

Cloves

They enhance the flavor of savory foods and are also used to add a sweet spice to desserts. Cloves are used in Indian, Vietnamese and Indian cuisines. Cloves has sweet-spicy and aromatic flavor.

Allspice

It’s a very important cooking component in Caribbean cuisines. Allspice goes better with savory dishes, like meats, chickens and also vegetables. It’s also known as myrtle pepper, pimento or Jamaican pepper. Allspice added to sauces, curries, stews, and soups. Allspice has an aromatic and pungent flavor.

Onion Powder

It’s one of the best flavor enhancers for curries, stews, soups, savory dishes. Onion powder has strong aroma, slightly sweet or spicy and pungent. It’s also gives a good aroma to any dish, like sauces, meat, gravies and spreads.

Nutmeg

The hottest commodity in the past, nutmeg is a seed of a tree. It gives the best flavor when freshly grounded. Nutmeg can be added to sweet delicacies, baked dishes, and desserts. Nutmeg has woody, fresh and slightly sweet aromatic flavor.