Herbs and spices have unique flavors that make some of our favorite foods and drinks taste the way they do. Spice blends, also called seasonings or seasoning blends, contain several specific spices (as well as herbs and other ingredients in some cases). Which spice blends are the most popular?
Some popular spice blends are:
- Berbere Ethiopian seasoning
- Cajun seasoning
- Chinese Five Spice powder
- Curry powder
- “Everything Bagel” seasoning
- Garam masala
- Italian seasoning
- Jerk seasoning
- Old Bay seasoning
- Poultry seasoning
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Taco seasoning
- Za’atar
Which herbs and spices do these spice blends contain, and how are they used? We have the answers to those questions and more next!
What are spice blends?
Spice blends are a mixture of specific spices (and sometimes herbs) to create a specific flavor. For example, pumpkin pie spice contains the spices that give pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice lattes their distinct flavors, while poultry seasoning (herb and spice blends are sometimes called seasoning mixes) contains herbs and spices that complement chicken and turkey.
Most popular spice blends
Berbere Ethiopian seasoning
Berbere seasoning is used for African cuisine including stews, seasoned meat, and an Ethiopian flatbread called injera. Depending on the recipe or brand the herbs and spices will vary a bit, but Berbere seasoning usually contains ingredients such as:
- Allspice
- Black pepper
- Crushed red pepper or cayenne
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Paprika
- Garlic
- Sea salt
Some homemade versions call for chiles and shallots as well. This spice mix is generally quite spicy thanks to the warm spices like cayenne, cinnamon, and black pepper.
Cajun seasoning
Like the other spice blends on this list, the exact formulations differ a bit depending on the chef, recipe, or manufacturer of premade mixes. Cajun seasoning is popular for cajun dishes such as jambalaya, seafood, and many others. Cajun food is spicy, largely due to the spices used in cajun seasoning such as:
- Pepper (both black and white – white pepper is less spicy than black pepper)
- Cayenne pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
Chinese Five Spice powder
This spice blend contains – you guessed it – five spices. Chinese Five Spice is used in Chinese dishes and is described as being both sweet and spicy. The spices typically in Chinese Five Spice blend are:
- Star anise (a “sweeter” spice)
- Cloves
- Cinnamon (a sweeter yet warm spice)
- Sichuan peppercorns
- Fennel seeds
Curry powder
Whether you’re making curry, soup, vegetables, or any other Thai dish, you’ll likely reach for curry powder or some of its ingredients. Curry powder (at least in the United States) will usually contain at least three of the following spices:
- Turmeric (it’s the spice that gives curry powder its distinct orange/gold color)
- Coriander
- Fenugreek
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Black pepper
- Ginger
- Cardamom
Everything Bagel seasoning
This seasoning blend is for more than just bagels! A versatile seasoning blend, use Everything Bagel seasoning in cream cheese to make flavorful spreads, sprinkled on eggs, or anything your heart desires! It usually contains:
- Sesame seeds (both white and black)
- Poppy seeds
- Dried onion (onion powder)
- Garlic flakes
- Sea salt flakes
Garam masala
Similar to curry powder, garam masala is often used in Thai dishes including curries, soups, stews, as well as vegetables and meat. Garam masala and curry powder aren’t interchangeable, though – they contain different spices and have different flavors. Curry powder is usually considered the more mild blend between the two since it contains pepper and other warm spices.
The spices in Garam masala are typically those like:
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Peppercorns
- Coriander seeds
- Mace
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
Italian seasoning
Italian seasoning usually only contains herbs, but might contain some spices depending on the recipe or manufacturer. Whether you’re making lasagna, a classic Italian pasta dish, or even non-Italian dishes, Italian seasoning is a simple seasoning blend usually containing some of the following herbs and spices:
- Basil
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Marjoram
- Thyme
- Sage
- Savory
- Red pepper flakes
- Coriander seed
- Garlic powder
Jerk seasoning
This spice blend is great for using in marinades for meat before cooking. Jerk seasoning contains spices that give the “jerk” flavor to jerk chicken, jerk vegetables, and many other dishes. Jerk seasoning is a spicy blend thanks to the cayenne pepper and other herbs, spices, and ingredients like:
- Allspice
- Thyme
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Brown sugar or another sweetener
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
Old Bay seasoning
The original creator of Old Bay seasoning is McCormick, one of the leading manufacturers of herbs, spices, and seasoning mixes. You can find several recipes for homemade Old Bay seasoning as well, but the ingredients for McCormick’s blend include:
- Celery salt (salt + celery seed)
- Red pepper
- Black pepper
- Paprika
Old Bay seasoning pairs well with seafood, but like other spice blends you can use it on whatever you want if you like the flavor.
Poultry seasoning
Poultry seasoning can be used for more than just dishes with chicken or turkey, but it’s made to complement the flavor of poultry – which you might have guessed based on its name. Some of the typical herbs and spices in poultry seasoning are:
- Sage
- Thyme
- Marjoram
- Rosemary
- Black pepper
- Nutmeg
Pumpkin pie spice
Whether it’s for pumpkin pie or a pumpkin spice beverage, the ingredients in pumpkin pie spice will contain spices like:
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Black pepper (in very small amounts)
Taco seasoning
A staple in Mexican dishes, taco seasoning is slightly spicy with sweet notes as well. While it’s usually not as spicy as cajun seasoning, some versions can be spicier if they contain cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper.
The ingredients in taco seasoning will likely contain at least a few of these ingredients:
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Salt
Za’atar
This spice blend is likely one of the less well-known in this lineup and is popular in Mediterranean dishes. The flavor of za’atar is described as being earthy with notes of citrus and nuttiness. Unlike other spice blends, za’atar as quite a few herbs which make this blend more green and fresh versus spicy.
The typical herbs and spices in za’atar include:
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Marjoram
- Sesame
- Sumac
- Cumin
- Coriander
FAQs:
Some of the most popular spices are black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne, and paprika. Dried and ground garlic and onion powder are used as spices culinary-wise and are also very popular.
Considered the most expensive spice, saffron is very expensive because it’s difficult and time-consuming to harvest. The price of saffron ranges from $10-$20 per gram compared to around ten cents per gram for cinnamon.
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