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Seasonings and spices take even the most simple of dishes to the next level! While you can have endless bottles of endless flavors and combinations, there are the basic few that have a wide variety of uses and I’m sharing those here!
The Basics
It’s probably a fair bet that you already have these in your kitchen, but let’s just make sure.
Salt – I honestly have many varieties, but Kosher is great for cooking and if you like to bake often, I suggest having traditional table salt or something similar, because you need a fine grain for baking. My favorite Kosher salt is Diamond Crystal, which you can grab here.
Pepper – Fine ground black pepper is great and has the widest variety of uses, but I truly recommend getting an adjustable pepper mill in your future. You just can’t beat freshly ground pepper.
Garlic Powder – I prefer the granulated garlic in all honesty, but powdered works great, too, so I would say your choice here. I use this in my burgers, on basically all meat, in my fajita seasoning…SO many uses.
Minced Onion – You can also use the powdered version of this, but again, I prefer the minced (although I have both because I’ve come across a few recipes that call for the powder). I put minced onion in my burgers and use it for many things including my homemade tartar sauce, quick tuna salad and more!
Herbs
Oregano – I prefer the flake instead of the ground. I use oregano in chili, burritos, salsa and more! It’s one of my most used herbs – I go through it like oxygen.
Italian Seasoning – I use this in my homemade spaghetti sauce more than anything, but it has a wide variety of uses, especially if you cook a lot of Italian dishes.
Spices and Seasonings
Ground Cumin – This is such a staple in my kitchen – it’s always a race between cumin and oregano to see which is gone first! I use it in burritos, my fajita seasoning and salsa, among other things!
Chili Powder – Ground chili powder is another staple; I go through big bottles of it pretty quickly, especially in the winter when I make copious amounts of chili. I also use it in my fajita seasoning.
Ground Cinnamon – I use this guy often enough that I’d say it’s a basic. I use it my pancake mix, for cinnamon toast (of course) and in most everything I bake in the fall and winter (think apple pie, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread…SO many things)!
My spice cabinet is FULL and it’s always growing – mainly because I just can’t help myself – I love all things food! This post is really just to get you started – there are many more flavors that I use often. And I make my own blends, too – pumpkin pie spice, apple sauce seasoning, rubs, etc.! If you’d like a more fully stocked spice cabinet, I’ve created a checklist to help you get there!
I buy most of my spices, seasonings and herbs from Savory Spice Shop. I love supporting small businesses and local people!
I can’t wait to share all the ways I use everything in my spice cabinet! Do you have a favorite seasoning, spice or herb? Share here! I’d love to know what your go-tos are.
Cheers,
Sharon
