Do Spices Always Taste Spicy?

If you’re a fan of spicy foods you probably LOVE spices. If you can’t take the heat, are there any spices that don’t taste spicy?

While some spices can taste spicy (hot), there are several that aren’t considered spicy. It also depends on your tastes as well – what’s spicy to one person might not even register as spicy to another.

We’ll offer some examples of non-spicy spices and some hotter spices – all up next!

What are spices?

Spices come from aromatic plants, specifically the seeds, roots, bark, fruit, and vegetables. Some spices are even from flower buds – like cloves! 

Some examples of spices are:

• Seeds: coriander
• Bark: cinnamon
• Fruit: nutmeg (comes from the pit of the fruit)
• Vegetables: onion and garlic powder (used as spices culinary-wise)

Spices can be whole or ground. Some whole spices are whole nutmeg (they resemble walnuts when they’re whole), black peppercorns, and whole cinnamon sticks. Ground spices include ground cinnamon, cumin, and ground black pepper.

Some people prefer to grind spices whole because the flavor is fresher. If you choose ground spices, they typically stay good in terms of flavor and freshness for several years when stored properly, though!

Spices are used in cooking, baking, and in some beverages. For example, pumpkin spice lattes utilize several spices to give them their distinct fall flavor, curry dishes use spices like ginger, coriander, and cumin, and pumpkin pie contains spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

How are spices different from herbs?

The main difference between herbs and spices is where they come from on the plant. While spices come from the vegetables, roots, bark, seeds, and fruit, herbs come from the leafy green parts of the plant. Mint, oregano, rosemary, and dill are all examples of herbs.

Some plants are used as herbs AND spices – mainly the coriander plant. Its seeds are the spice coriander while the leaves are the herb cilantro. Pretty cool, eh?!

Do spices always taste spicy?

Are spices always spicy? You’d probably assume so since it’s in their name. First, spiciness is a subjective quality since we all have different tolerances for heat. While one person might find black pepper to be too spicy, another might not even consider it to be on the spicy spectrum.

Spices DO tend to be spicier in flavor compared to herbs. Herbs have a lighter, fresher flavor in most cases, while spices tend to be warm or even hot in flavor.

That doesn’t mean that all spices are spicy, though. What are some examples of less-spicy spices? 

Examples of less spicy spices

Cinnamon

This spice is considered to be a “warming” spice, which means it’s not necessarily spicy like cayenne, but a little can go a long way to add some warmth to dishes. Cinnamon is in pumpkin pie and many types of flavored oatmeal, for instance – which you probably don’t think of as spicy foods.

Cumin

Cumin has an earthy flavor that isn’t spicy. It pairs well with spicier spices – such as in the case of taco seasoning – but on its own, it’s quite mild. Cumin is a popular spice in Mexican dishes as well as Indian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Coriander

Coriander isn’t spicy but is usually described as having a nutty flavor as well as notes of citrus. Use coriander in curries, marinades, and meat rubs to add flavor and complement hotter spices.

Paprika (not hot)

Paprika is made from different varieties of bell peppers, which aren’t usually spicy. Sweet paprika (usually labeled as ‘paprika’) is the least spicy of the versions. Hot paprika has hotter peppers added so it’s a bit spicier, and smoked paprika uses peppers that were dried over an oak fire before being ground to impart a smoky flavor.

Onion powder

Dried and ground onions are used to make onion powder, which is a convenient way of adding onion flavor without crying while chopping them. One tablespoon of onion powder is around the equivalent of one medium onion, and it isn’t spicy! Onion powder is a common ingredient in spice blends since onion is such a versatile vegetable.

Garlic powder

Like onion powder, garlic powder is a convenient form of adding garlic flavor without having to chop raw garlic. Garlic powder isn’t spicy, but has a distinct flavor that is often described as “buttery”. If you’re using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, the conversion is 1/8th of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove of garlic in the recipe.

Vanilla

You might not think of vanilla as a spice, but it is — it’s from the seeds of the vanilla bean pod! Vanilla has sweet marshmallow-like flavor and is used in sweet treats, so it’s another great example of a non-spicy spice.

Examples of spicier spices

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper is one of the spiciest spices out there. A little goes a long way, in case you haven’t cooked with it before. Cayenne peppers are considered hotter than jalapenos if that gives you a better idea of how spicy they are.

Black pepper

Likely the most common spicier spice, black pepper gets its spice from a compound called piperine. Its sharp flavor isn’t as spicy as cayenne, but it still lingers on your tongue after you eat enough of it.

Chili powder & chile powder

Chili powder is a spice blend containing red chilis and other ingredients like salt, cayenne, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Chili powder isn’t as hot as plain cayenne, but if you’ve ever used it in Mexican dishes you’ll see that using a lot of it can turn up the heat. 

Chili powder is different from chile powder or chile peppers, which are plain chile peppers without the added ingredients in chili powder. Chile peppers (from the Capsicum family) come in varying levels of heat, so some chile powder might be spicier than others.

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