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Essential cooking spices every at-home chef should own

Essential cooking spices every at-home chef should own

You mentally scan the contents of the refrigerator and freezer and hope to come up with a plan.ย But,ย it is the well-stocked spice cabinet that makes the final determination.ย And,ย having the right combination of spices in your kitchen allows you to createย personalized flavor blends rather than using prepared seasoning mixes and packets that may contain ingredients you donโ€™t really need or enjoy.ย ย 

Knowing you have chicken is great. Being able to turn it into a meal everyone will love requires the perfect seasonings!ย 

The veryย definition of spicesย that distinguishes them from herbs, is the fact that they are dried. Spices may be derived from parts of plants including the seed, root,ย or fruit and many times are used in smaller amounts compared to fresh herbs.ย ย 

Staples not on the list include salt and pepper in all their varieties โ€“ย salt and pepper, should always be on hand and can include Kosher salt, sea salt, coarse black pepper, coriander, andย peppercornย medleys.ย 

So, salts and peppers aside, hereย are the top 12 essential cooking spices every at-home chef or cook shouldย always have on hand.ย 

01.

Cinnamonย 

Even if you think you will never bake a single dessert in your life,ย cinnamonย bringsย a bit of sugaryย warmth to dishes andย has earned a space in the spice rack. Sprinkle some in your French toast,ย on applesauce or rice pudding,ย add a teaspoonful to whipped cream, orย mashed sweet potatoes, and consider adding a dash or two to spice rubs for ribs and steaks.ย 

02.

Cuminย 

Most times, theย flavor profile of a tacoย includes the earthy seasoning of cumin. Also used in spice rubs, andย may beย in the background of chili, cumin adds a bit of depthย to dishes. Beware, thisย spiceย packs a strong flavor and is best used in small amounts.ย ย 

03.

Dillย 

Notย just for pickles, dried dill can add flavor to cucumber salads, fish,ย dips,ย and tartar sauce.ย ย 

04.

Garlic powderย 

Toasty,ย golden garlicย bread may be the first thing that comes to mind whenย thinking about garlic powder, but this versatile spice (as well as the fresh version) can be added to almost any dish that needsย more seasoning. Described as pungent and sharp, garlic adds a distinctย aroma as well as a savory taste when it is used in sauces,ย sautรฉs, spice rubs, stews, soups, and stirย fry dishes.ย 

05.

Gingerย 

The deep, warm, andย zippy taste of gingerย make it a possible choice in saucesย or glazes for poultry and pork.ย Ginger works well with garlic, honey, soy sauce,ย mustard,ย barbecue sauce,ย marinades,ย and salad dressings.ย ย ย 

06.

Onion powderย 

Anytime you are cooking and want toย add an onion flavorย that will blend evenly throughout the dish, without the presence of fresh onion, grab the onion powder. Along with garlic and paprika, this is one of the top three key spices to have on hand.ย ย 

07.

Oreganoย 

Looking to add a bit of Italian-style seasoning to a dish? Oregano.ย Used in sauces, rubs, in olive oil dips for bread, meatballs,ย and steak seasoning blends,ย oregano has a uniquelyย distinctย green flavor.ย ย 

08.

Paprikaย 

Paprika comes inย numerousย varieties like salt and pepper.ย Most often a distinctly rusty red color, paprika brings a smokiness andย warmth to foods. It can be used on mayonnaise-basedย salads like macaroni or potato,ย sprinkled over deviled eggs, or in soups, stews, and spice rubs.ย ย 

09.

Red pepper flakesย 

Anytime you taste a dish and feel, โ€œIt needs a little heat,โ€ addย a pinch of red pepper flakes. Derived fromย a variety ofย spicy red peppers, this dried seasoning can bring a bit of zipย to any dish.ย 

10.

Rosemaryย 

The flavor of rosemary may be described as woody, pine,ย and lemon-like and the dried spice maintain a needle appearance.ย Bake into breads, biscuits, or rolls, use with other seasonings to create marinades and rubs,ย sprinkle onto the chicken, or blend with butterย for a flavorful spread.

11.

Sage

Commonly used to season chicken or turkey, sageย likely evokes memories of holidays like Thanksgiving which includes savory dressing or stuffing.ย Sageโ€™s distinct earthiness makes it highly recognizable and can be used to create aย delicious brown butter.ย 

12.

Thymeย 

French cooking may come to mind when thinking of thyme as it is used inย herbesย de Provence, a bundle of herbsย frequentlyย used when roastingย anything from poultry to vegetables. On its own, thymeย works well with winter (think roots and roasting) vegetablesย โ€“ especially potatoes.ย 

Want to use a recipe that calls for a particular blend of spices like adobo or steak seasoning? Withย the right inventory of spices, you can make your own and adjust to taste.ย 

Createย your ownย adoboย ย 

Combine the following ingredients:

  • 2ย tablespoons saltย 
  • 1ย tablespoon paprikaย 
  • 2ย teaspoons ground black pepperย 
  • 2ย teaspoons onion powderย 
  • 2ย teaspoons dried oreganoย 
  • 1 teaspoons ground cuminย 
  • 1ย teaspoon garlic powderย 

Popularย steak seasoningย 

Combine the following ingredients:ย 

  • 2 Tablespoons Kosher saltย 
  • 2 Tablespoons black pepperย 
  • 2 Tablespoons garlic powderย 
  • 2ย Tablespoon paprikaย 
  • 2ย Tablespoon onion powderย 
  • 2 teaspoons driedโ€ฏrosemaryย 
  • 2 teaspoons dried thymeย 

Mix and match spices to come up with your own flavor blends and add more flavor to the recipes you already love.ย They are also a relatively inexpensive and easy to findย โ€“ just remember, they do not last forever. If youย donโ€™tย remember when you bought the spices in your cabinet, itโ€™s safe to say they should be discarded and replaced.ย ย 

Go ahead and spice things up today!ย 

About The Author

Sharon MacGregor

Writing from her desk in New York, Sharon MacGregor is a contributing reporter, freelance writer, and blogger with a passion for human interest stories as well as meals shared with friends and family. Her blog, Fed Well includes recipes with upcoming tips to prepare foods for infants and toddlers, simple and seasonal cocktails, and easy modifications to create dishes respecting dietary restrictions including dairy and gluten intolerances. She loves entertaining for the ones she loves including her new grandbabies!

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