Whether you consider yourself an experienced chef or you’re just starting to explore home cooking, one of the first things you should stock your pantry with are a few staple herbs and spices. Herbs and spices offer unique flavors in cooking and baking, and are probably among the main reasons you prefer certain types of food! (What’s pumpkin pie without cinnamon or pizza sauce without oregano?)
Full disclaimer – if you ask ten different people which herbs and spices are the most essential, you’ll get ten different answers. OUR list of the ten essential herbs and spices for home cooks are:
- Basil
- Black pepper
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Ginger
- Onion powder
- Oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Thyme
10 essential herbs and spices for a home cook
Basil
This unique herb pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes. Some examples: pesto, the popular pasta sauce that stars basil, and ice cream recipes that call for herbs like basil or mint.
You’ll find basil listed in Mediterranean recipes as well as Italian dishes. Basil has both sweet and spicy flavor notes reminiscent of pepper and mint. Whether you choose fresh or dried and ground basil, it’s one of the basic staples all home cooks should have in their herb and spice collection.
Black pepper
Along with salt (which isn’t an herb or spice, so it’s not on this list), black pepper is found in virtually all kitchens, restaurants, and even tossed in bags with fast food orders. Black pepper is a versatile spice that adds a bit of heat that isn’t as overpowering as spicier spices like cayenne pepper.
Here’s a fun fact – a compound in black pepper called piperine helps your body absorb curcumin, the active compound in turmeric known for its anti-inflammatory properties!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon’s pleasantly warm, sweet flavor is a favorite in baked goods like pies and fall-themed dishes. Cinnamon isn’t limited to sweet dishes, though! Cinnamon is an ingredient in popular spice blends like garam masala and Chinese Five Spice powder.
If you’re not HUGE into cooking, you can add cinnamon to simple dishes like sprinkled on yogurt, hot cereal, or roasted carrots (it pairs well with the natural sugars in carrots, trust us)!
Cumin
If you’re a fan of Mexican or Indian food, you need to add cumin to your list of herbs and spices to keep on hand. Cumin has a warm, nutty flavor and is a common ingredient in curry powders. If you’re whipping up a Mexican dish, cumin pairs well with other spices like chili powder and paprika, such as in the popular taco seasoning.
Garlic powder
If you don’t have garlic cloves on hand, or maybe you just don’t like the hassle of peeling and chopping them up (no judgment here), then garlic powder will be your new best friend. Dried and granulated for convenient use in cooking, garlic powder brings a unique buttery flavor that enhances almost any kind of dish.
Add garlic powder to pasta dishes, casseroles, tacos…the sky’s the limit if you’re a garlic fan!
Ginger
Like cinnamon, ginger is a unique warming spice important in Indian and Asian dishes as well as sweet dishes like gingersnaps. Not only is ginger great for cooking and baking, but it’s also a popular homeopathic remedy for fighting nausea in the form of ginger ale, ginger teas, and ginger candies.
Onion powder
Like garlic powder, onion powder is a convenient way to add the flavor of onion without the tears that often come along with chopping fresh onions. Onion powder is incredibly versatile and can be used in any dish if you want to add onion flavor. If you’re using onion powder in place of whole onions, a general rule is to use one tablespoon of onion powder for every medium onion.
Oregano
Oregano’s slightly spicy, bitter flavor pairs well with tomatoes, which is why it’s a common ingredient in pizza and pasta sauce. You might associate oregano with Italian dishes and Italian seasoning, but it’s also a popular herb in Mediterranean dishes. Some Mexican dishes call for oregano as well, but it’s not to be confused with the stronger Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens), a plant related to lemon verbena.
Red pepper flakes (aka chili flakes)
Red pepper flakes are made from a variety of hotter peppers like jalapenos, cayenne, and serrano peppers. Red pepper flakes (also called crushed red pepper) pack a bit of a punch spice-wise and are coarser than ground cayenne pepper, but that also means that the spice isn’t as evenly integrated, which can be a good thing if you don’t want every bite to be spicy.
Red pepper flakes are also a great garnish for pizza and pasta dishes, and you can more easily control the amount of spice and pick the larger flakes off if you overdo it, whereas finely ground spicy spices aren’t quite as forgiving or reversible.
Thyme
Along with oregano, thyme is a popular ingredient in Italian dishes as well as Mediterranean dishes. Thyme pairs well with many different foods but is especially great with pizza, roasted veggies, and protein like chicken, fish, and beef.
What does thyme taste like? Its flavor is often described as citrusy, minty, and peppery. Thyme is sweeter and less bitter than rosemary, another herb that isn’t on this list, but is still quite popular!
FAQs:
Black pepper is likely the most popular spice found in most people’s kitchens. Whether you grind whole peppercorns or buy black pepper flakes, it’s safe to say you’ll be reaching for this spice often.
Mint is a popular herb that is easily grown and enjoyed for its unique scent and flavor. Mint is a favorite herb in sweeter dishes as well as a garnish for savory dishes, so it’s quite versatile.
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