Ask the Readers: Favorite frugal (or splurge) spices
Kristen, an idea for an "Ask the Readers" post might be, “What are your top ten frugal spices and your favorite splurge spice(s)?” I would particularly love to know which are the best spices to use if I wanted to make Indian food at home, or really any type of food that isn’t the standard American fare. I’ve found that the cuisine in other countries is generally very frugal but tastes so much better because of all the spices! I feel like spices are the secret frugal weapon.
-Becca
This is a fun question! I'm going to riff on it a little and include some of my favorite flavor-enhancers that are not necessarily spices.
Also, I'm sure other readers are better with Indian food than I am, but I commonly use two blends: garam masala, and yellow curry powder.
On to my favorite flavor enhancers:
1. Red Thai Curry Paste
This stuff is so tasty! It's basically a spice blend (ingredients listed are "spices (including red chili pepper), garlic, lemongrass, salt, shallot, coriander root & kaffir lime peel") and it adds such a nice depth of flavor to dishes.
I use it in this Thai chicken soup and also this sweet potato and chicken curry dish.
2. Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
These provide an awesome dose of smoky heat...and I really think it's the smoky part that makes them so tasty.
I blend them up and store them in a glass jar in my fridge for whenever something needs a dose of heat!
In a similar vein, chipotle chili powder is very tasty too.
3. Fresh cilantro
This is an herb, not a spice, but my goodness, I cannot imagine cooking without it. I am not part of the population for whom cilantro tastes like soap, so I love adding it to all sorts of Tex-Mex and Thai recipes.
And a fresh bunch of it usually only costs around a dollar, which makes it a great bargain.
Dried cilantro doesn't taste faintly like fresh, so I never, ever buy the dried variety.
4. Dark cocoa powder
If you can get this dark cocoa powder, DO! It makes things like brownies (or chocolate oatmeal) so much more decadent.
5. Browning All of the Things
This is a technique, not a spice, but it makes such a difference that I'm including it anyway.
Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country has really taught me the importance of browning foods. So, now I'm much more prone to heating my skillets until they're super hot and then adding food.
I'm much less afraid of high oven temperatures now as well.
Browning adds lots of flavor and costs almost no money*. Do it!
*A medium-hot stove or oven doesn't use a lot less electricity than a very-hot stove or oven. For example, getting your oven from room temp to 350 is what uses most of the electricity...getting it up another 50 degrees, to 400°, is not going to add a lot electric usage.
6. Citrus zest
Lime zest is really lovely in Tex-Mex dishes; I make quesadillas with a corn, cheese, cilantro, green onion, and lime zest filling, and the lime zest gives the filling such a fresh flavor.
I love orange zest in my one-serving microwave oatmeal. And lemon zest is good in many dishes both savory and sweet (blueberry baked goods really benefit from lemon zest!)
I use a microplane grater to get my citrus zests, but for years before that, I just used the tiny-holed side of my box grater.
So, this doesn't need to be an expensive operation.
7. Salt + time
This is another concept that Cook's Illustrated introduced me to: salting meat ahead of time to ensure juicy, flavorful results.
An example is the overnight salted spatchcocked chicken I make, and another is the chicken brinerade I love to use.
Salt is practically free, and the other ingredients in the brinerade recipe are also super cheap (sugar, garlic, oil, water).
8. Fresh basil
Basil is another herb that tastes entirely different fresh than it does dried. So, in the summertime, when basil thrives, I love to use it!
Basil is great for pesto, this red-pepper/basil mayo (SO GOOD), on pizza, in a Caprese salad, in Thai dishes...there are so many possibilities.
Basil is not at all hard to grow from seed, and I've also had very good luck keeping grocery store basil plants alive in a sunny spot outside. So in the summer at least, basil can be a super cheap flavor enhancer.
9. Dried oregano
I do use some dried herbs and spices! 😉
In my opinion, oregano is one of those herbs that maintains decent flavor when dried, and I like to add it to tomato sauce, sprinkle it on top of pizza before I bake it, and sprinkle it on sauteed veggies.
Your turn! What are your favorite flavor enhancers?
You can stick with spices, or you can branch out like I did. 😉
Wegmans Basting Oil! It takes roasted veggies to the next level!
@Alicia Brydzinski, I too live in Wegmans country, but I've never tried the basting oil. Maybe that'll have to be my next spicy splurge.
@Alicia Brydzinski,
I am always so tempted to buy Wegmans basting oil when I go to the grocery store but was wary of making the splurge. Going to do it now. Thank you!
@A. Marie, I love Wegmans basting oil. We had a new store open here. I went to see what it was all about. First in this area. They were giving these out for free. I put in the back of the pantry and forgot about it. Saw it there used and thought WOW this is great.
Unfortunately the store is not close but if I am in that area I am going to buy 2 bottles.
.
Oyster sauce, a good soy sauce, and mirin can make a whole range is Japanese and Chinese foods that are spot on from the restaurants! Also fresh garlic and fresh ginger.
Cooks country has an amazing recipe for a Japanese steakhouse knock off!!! I use chicken instead of beef. We love the fried rice. They also have a great cashew chicken and beef and broccoli.
@Faith, and red miso paste from the Asian grocery store. It adds such depth to soups.
Add some of it and some garlic and some green onions and chicken stock and you have the little soup they give you at Japanese steak houses. I bet if you added egg it would taste like egg drop soup. We use it as the base for our Raman bowls.
@Faith, +1 to ginger! I think of it as frugal because I buy a lot at once and keep it in the freezer- just use a zester to grate the amount needed. In addition to food from Asia, I use it in smoothies and make a ginger syrup for popsicles and drinks.
Another ATK tip was salting when cooking. Salting water for pasta which I never did does add flavor. Also salting when sautéing onions and such. I never used much salt and don’t salt cooked food at the table as I don’t have a craving for it. But I’ve found that adding salt in different stages of cooking does add layered flavor. The exception is eggs, I like the flavor of eggs with any enhancements.
I should proofread better before posting.
I like my eggs plain without anything added. My husband of 43 years is used to it now, but had a hard time at first to my simple cooking.
What a great question! I look forward to learning a lot from the comments today. 🙂
As for us, we have to minimize salt for medical reasons, which means we lean on spices—they take up 1/4 of our counter space! I’ll try to keep this succinct. 😛
—Black garlic! I bought black garlic as one of the gifts for a vampire-themed Christmas only to discover that it is AMAZING. Imagine an earthy, savory garlic—the flavor depth is fantastic. Thankfully Trader Joe’s has bottles of it for cheap!
—Basil, basil, and more basil. I’m loving the basil plants we were given as housewarming gifts.
—Cumin ends up in darn near everything around here, from coleslaw to soups.
—Red pepper. Much like basil, I love it in everything, and I’ve come to use it as a substitute in dishes that require jalapeños when appropriate. Red pepper has a more reliable heat vs. the risk of a either a wimpy or a searing jalapeño.
—Not a spice, but if I can add caramelized onions to something, I absolutely will!
—Ginger, fresh or powdered. We try to always have both on hand.
—Cardamom, especially for sweet spice mixes and meat rubs.
Making your own spice mixes is WAY cheaper than buying them most of the time. We’ve made our own garam masala for years, and my husband has several spice mixes from the Game of Thrones cookbook, medieval cookbooks, and even his gaming cookbooks. (The Elder Scrolls book is really good and by the same authors as the GoT cookbook.) The Sweet Powder rub is a personal favorite.
@N, Sweet Powder (Poudre Douce) from the GoT cookbook.
This can flavor meat, mulled wine, desserts, you name it!
4 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon grains of paradise*
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of galangal**
1 cup sugar
Mix together and store in an airtight jar.
*We could only find grains of paradise on Amazon
**We have yet to find this in small quantities, so we make up the difference with ginger, which it’s said to be similar to.
@N, What's your garam masala recipe? I use that in one recipe and it took forever to find it.
@Battra92,
Not N, but I’ve used this one. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/142967/easy-garam-masala/
@Battra92, the one I use is from the site AllRecipes. I picked this recipe over several others I found (so many variations!) purely because it uses spices we always have on hand.
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
@N,
Would you put this on pork shoulder and throw it in the crock pot for 5 hours?
@Rebekah in SoCal, absolutely I would! It is pure magic on pork and especially on chicken. We prefer it on fattier cuts, like pork ribs or chicken with intact skin, as it has a caramelizing effect that’s just glorious. It’s also tasty in oatmeal or sprinkled on baked goods.
Sesame oil instead of other vegetable oils adds a special flavor.
Dried mint leaves to salads, esp. cucumber.
Bay leaves and basil for so many things. I use them like some use salt and pepper.
@Gail,
When I started drizzling toasted sesame oil to my asian-style dishes it seriously upped my game. Such a difference from something small.
@Gail, toasted sesame oil is amazing stuff. I add it to ground meat when making Asian dishes as well.
Just know that it's not a cooking oil. The smoke point is too low, and also it's too expensive for that.
@Gail, another vote for toasted sesame oil! We drizzle it over almost any "Asian" recipe.
I'm going to go a little different and mention spice blends and sauces.
Spice Mixes:
1.) Red Robin seasoning. You can buy it at the restaurants for something like $5 a can so it's not cheap but not horrendously expensive.
2.) Old Bay. This is great stuff for eggs, potatoes and many other things. Oddly enough, I don't generally like shellfish so I never use it in its intended form.
3.) Montreal Steak. I made a copycat version and it's delicious.
Sauces:
1.) Cornell chicken sauce. It's not summer in the Northeast without this sauce on some chickens being grilled (barbecued as people say but they are really grilled.) The State Fair one I believe is sold nationwide but there are plenty of recipes for it.
2.) South Carolina style barbecue sauce. It's a mustard based sauce and very good.
3.) Japanese Curry: though technically not a sauce until it is made, this is a delicious blend of spices into a roux that combines with water and stock to make a flavorful sauce for a curry (I use chicken.)
@Battra92,
I've lived in New England my whole life and I've never heard of Cornell sauce. Off I go to look it up and see what I've been missing.
@Battra92, can you share the recipe for your copycat Montreal Steak?
@Battra92, you're absolutely right about Cornell sauce. DH and I, back in the day, had a summer hobby of seeking out charity chicken BBQs around this area, since they nearly all (firehouses, churches, American Legions, Elks, etc.) use this sauce.
@Battra92,
I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay so I love crabs steamed in beer, Old Bay and salt. I put Butter and Old Bay on fresh corn on the cob and on mashed potatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
@Battra92, it never occurred to me to use Old Bay seasoning on eggs and potatoes, but that sounds so good! I'm definitely going to try it.
And YES, YES, YES on SC barbeque sauce. I'm from SC, but live in NC now, and I'm sorry, but they don't do barbeque the right way. I always stock up on Maurice's Barbeque Sauce when we go to Columbia. It's a little pricey, but so worth it.
@Battra92,
Second the Japanese curry. Also noting that the spice levels don't equate to what we would think of as Hot, and Extra Hot.
I grow my own herbs, well a lot of them anyway. My favorite is saffron, which grows as a fall-flowering crocus.
Chipotle in adobo is definitely one of our favorites--it's almost all you need in white or red chili, along with cilantro and cumin.
My daughter's been using a lot of za'atar lately and as for Indian food, try a pinch of asafoetida--it helps make all the other flavors shine.
We also love MSG, which has a terrible undeserved reputation. Blind studies have proven it doesn't cause the side effects people think it does.
Oh, I forgot Tony Chachere's. mmmmm. Perfect on biscuits and gravy. And gumbo file on soup.
@Rose, excellent call on the za’atar! That stuff is magic, including on popcorn.
@Rose, I think my husband wasn't in one of those blind studies. When we first met, he regularly had terrible migraines that always ended in hours of bed rest and vomiting. We started keeping track of what was eaten before they came on, and it always came down to added MSG or raw onions. Modifications were made, and those migraines are rare.
Love za'atar but never thought to try it on popcorn (I usually do olive oil, sea salt and brewer's yeast).
Have you tried ras el hanout -- very tasty!
@OregonGuest, Ras el hanout is also glorious on popcorn—and pork chops, chicken, lamb (it’s amazing on lamb), so many things!
This is really basic, but dried Italian herb mix. I sprinkle this on steamed vegetables or vegetables to roast. One of our favorites is roasting yellow squash cubes in olive oil & heavy Italian herbs. Once done, a dusting and melting of parmesan cheese. I could eat this multiple times a week.
I second the Italian seasoning. My kids eat this on a lot to "take it up a notch".
Great to add to homemade pizza dough or topping, sandwiches, simple pasta dishes etc.
I use garlic powder in the majority of the things I cook. Fresh garlic, too, of course, but sometimes I'm just lazy (or we're in the season where last year's garlic has dried out and this year's green garlic isn't ready yet), and I use the powder.
Sweet paprika is a staple for me for seasoning meats. I most commonly season frying meats with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sweet paprika. I don't care for the smoked paprika.
Dill. I LOVE fresh dill, but dried is good, too. I use it all year to make ranch dressing/dip and tuna salad, and when I have the fresh dill in the summer, it goes into eggs, dips, german-style potato salad . . . whatever sounds good.
Basil. I grow as much of it as I can (it doesn't really love our hot days/cool nights) and make pesto minus the cheese to freeze in ice cube trays so I have it all year.
And last, roasted green chile. An ingredient I had never in my life used until moving to New Mexico. My kind elderly neighbor gives me bags upon bags of roasted, peeled green chiles (you can buy fresh ones at the grocery store during the season and they'll have a person at a roasting station set up outside, so it doesn't have to be done at home anymore). They're the mild ones, thankfully, and they are a great flavor enhancer. I really believe roasted green chiles must have some sort of umami component, like mushrooms, because even when you can't taste the chile, they make things taste good. I most commonly use them in meat stews, but my son likes them in macaroni and cheese. I make a puree of green chile, garlic, and olive oil and freeze that in ice cube trays, too, so it's readily available to use.
@kristin @ going country, Oh, and how could I forget super-concentrated chicken (or rooster 🙂 stock. I started reducing stock down to about half the original level when I make it, and it makes SUCH a difference in the flavor of soups/stews/sauces. Probably the home roosters and chickens I have to make the stock out of contribute almost as much to the intense flavor, but reducing the water content helps even with store meat.
@kristin @ going country, I store mine at 4x concentration to save freezer space. Right now I have homemade generic stock (made with pepper and ginger, so suitable for both Asian and Western dishes), stock from rotisserie chicken, and stock from Nando's chicken.
@kristin @ going country, I think dill is one of the most frugal herbs because you can't kill it. It comes back every year. And it takes so little to flavor a dish (although I add a lot since I like it a lot). Also, it's easy to dry since the leaves are so thin.
@kristin @ going country, green chiles roasting in front of the grocery store is the definition of fall feels for me. One of the many things I miss about being a New Mexican.
@Jody S., Yup. I have often thought that if I were in the position of only having a small raised bed or container garden, I would have a pickle garden. Dill, garlic, and cucumber can all grow together, as one is a weed, one is a root, and one is a vine.
@kristin @ going country,
Did you know you can also make pesto type spreads from other greens? Example: the green of carrots and radishes. No need to buy expensive pine pips, ordinary nuts will do. My favorite is a spread with parsley, ground walnut, garlic and salt/pepper/olive oil/lemon juice. Don't skimp on the garlic. You do not need to add cheese. I don't know any vegans but if I had them over for a meal I would include this on the menu - it is great witch crackers, salads, pasta...
@J NL, Yes! I always use walnuts. I don't think I've ever used actual pine nuts for a pesto, so I guess I don't know the difference. I used to use almonds, but I feel like that makes a grittier pesto. I make it with garlic scapes, too, often mixed with foraged lamb's quarters, to temper the spiciness of the scapes. Not the same as basil pesto, but good for what it is. Never tried carrot greens, but we have lots of carrots right now I'm harvesting, and LOTS of garlic. Will try. Thanks!
@kristin @ going country,
Just rinse the carrot green well and use leaves 9nly, not stalks. I forget that.
What a great topic for today's blog! I've been reading for over half an hour.
@CrunchyCake, me too! We left N M in 1991 and still miss it.
First, an update on yesterday's tooth pulling: All went well, and I'm not in too much pain, considering. (I haven't used the hydrocodone the periodontist prescribed, and I don't intend to.) I hope Zoe's wisdom teeth extraction went equally well, Kristen.
Now, my top 10 frugal (because homegrown) herbs:
(1) Basil (fresh large-leaf in season, dried small-leaf otherwise)
(2) Thyme (fresh in season, dried otherwise)
(3) Oregano (ditto; Greek oregano is best, IMO)
(4) Dill (ditto; it dries better than you might expect, at least in my attic)
(5) Spearmint (ditto; I've also grown peppermint)
(6) Rosemary (grown in a pot because it doesn't survive Upstate winters)
(7) Cilantro (when the critters will leave it alone!)
(8) Parsley (ditto re: critters)
(9) Savory, annual or perennial (usually dried; an interesting herb that should be better known--hard to describe, but sort of at the crossroads of thyme, oregano, and rosemary)
(10) Sage (usually dried, though I have experimented with fresh sage-leaf fritters!)
I really do recommend growing herbs at home, for folks who have any gardening interest and space at all. They're generally not difficult to grow, and the critters leave them all alone except for cilantro and parsley.
And here's what I buy from the local Indian grocery store, since I have a modest interest in Indian cooking, and since it's far cheaper to buy it there than anywhere else. I share any excess with the Bestest Neighbors. (I'd get bay leaves there too, but I'm still working on a large supply of those the BNs gave me from Penzey's.)
(1) Coriander (which is really ground-up cilantro seeds; I've tried grinding my own, but it's a lot of work)
(2) Cumin
(3) Curry powder
(4) Garam masala
(5) Paprika
(6) Dried chili peppers (whole and ground; I'm told that the whole chilis are what give my refrigerator dill pickles an extra kick)
(7) Whole peppercorns
(8) Whole cloves
(9) Cardamom (whole pods and seeds)
(10) Turmeric (which of course is the "yellow" in curry powder, but I also sometimes use it separately)
@A. Marie, I use turmeric in my chicken pot pie and people go wild for it. It's the best anyone's ever tasted.
@A. Marie, I use turmeric in white rice to give it an appealing color and to be a bit more healthy.
@A. Marie, I use turmeric in scrambled eggs with spinach every morning. So delicious!
I forgot Spice Island or McCormick Italian seasoning. Good on plain things such as pork chops.
I love to use spices in my cooking and the ones I plow through the most are cumin, garlic powder and onion powder, oregano, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. I also highly recommend having garam masala (blends can differ so find one that you love), curry (same advice), and turmeric if you love making Indian dishes. I'd add a word of caution-- being the health bird that I am-- that really everyone should watch their salt/sodium intake, not just people with heart problems/HBP. Nearly all of us eat too much and it is very dangerous to our health. That is why I generally steer clear of spice blends, they often have a very high level of salt. I make my own, and there are tons of great recipes online for that. If you miss the saltiness, just know that your tastebuds adapt quickly, in about 10 days! My frugal tip is to buy spices that you will use more infrequently in tiny quantities from a bulk food situation so you don't waste money. Spices seem especially cheap in bulk at ethnic food stores. My second tip is to buy high quality spices, and I have been using Penzey's spices for over 25 years and am never disappointed. They frequently have amazing deals and freebies.
@Anne, I freeze high-quality spices to preserve them, taking out small amounts for the spice cupboard (re-using the original bottle each time).
Paprika, especially, loses its flavor quickly at room temp. And paprika in a yogurt/garlic marinade takes chicken to a new level.
@Anne, yes you are right wrt salt-sodium content. So much coming from processed foods.
To that I ask à does anyone have à homemade recipe for traditional ranch mix and Lipton onion soup mix which is à great blast back to 70s cooking from Mom in the summer - dips and in burgers. Anne, I will check out online myself, too. Thanks for being à health reminder
What a fun post!
My favorite flavor enhancers:
Old Bay. I put it in everything, almost. On steaks, chicken, roasted vegetables and in vegetable soup.
Fresh rosemary! I have a large bush that I use year round. I love rosemary with chicken, in split pea or any bean soup, and in foil packets of potatoes with onions.
Sesame oil makes fried rice amazing!
Dill is wonderful in egg salad
Worcestershire sauce is also a secret ingredient I use it for meats and in my quiche.
Liquid smoke is a fun one to have on hand to add depth to chili, meats and soups
And I sauté things in bacon grease.
I love all aromatics-onion, black pepper, rosemary, cardamom seeds…
Boy this was fun to think about! And I can’t wait to try some of the things suggested in other posts!
@Julia,
I also love worcestshire! I use it a lot to beef up ground Turkey.
@Julia, Try Old Bay on ice cream.
I am also a fan of Italian seasoning mix. A fresh bottle of that can elevate many a dish.
Penzey's is my go-to herb and spice shopping spot. I have to eat a low-sodium diet and absolutely love Penzey's Arizona Dreaming spice blend. It gives a warm, rich kick of flavor to veggie-heavy dishes. Also really like their apple pie spice and pumpkin pie spice, which also work great in apple-bran muffins, apple baked oatmeal, and pumpkin bread. Dried dill, which is hard for me find in a regular grocery store, is also great for adding to the flour for breading fish. I am also very fond of Penzey's Herbs de Provence on roasted chicken, and smoked paprika for beef dishes. It gives extra depth of flavor to beef stew.
I also really like thyme and have a couple of recipes in which I can really tell a difference if we've run out of it.
@Ruby, We love Arizona Dreaming as well. Penzey’s also makes a Bavarian Seasoning that is so very good with pork.
@Sally, oh, yum! I will have to get that. We eat a lot of pork.
@Ruby, I don't shop at Penzey's often myself, but the BNs and my grad school BFF both occasionally give me Penzey's as gifts. The BFF gave me a nice assortment of Penzey's spice blends for Xmas last year, and it included both the Arizona Dreaming and the Bavarian Seasoning mentioned by Sally.
@Ruby, I had forgotten about the Herbs de Provence.. i use those and Apple cider or any wine vinegar on greens for a delicious super light salad!!
I have a cabinet full of spices so I'll try to list my most commonly used spices
1) Cumin - we use this in everything from Mexican to Indian dishes
2) Garlic - I love the frozen crushed garlic cubes from Trader Joe's!
3) Ginger - Again love the frozen cubes from Trader Joe's
4) Garlic powder
5) Onion powder
6) cinnamon
Other enhancements:
1) sesame oil
2) Thai sweet chili sauce
3) rice vinegar
4) Sriracha
When I need only a small amount of a spice or trying a new one, I love buying those from the bulk containers at Sprouts. I can often get what I need for 50 cents
If you want Indian spices, find your local Indian grocery and go there. Apply this to any cuisine. In my experience, the owner/operator is generally delighted to answer questions and help you find what you’re looking for. Hopefully you have these international groceries local to you, but if not, it’s worth including in your next trip to a larger city.
I love your tips, especially the salt plus time and the browning. If you haven’t tried browned butter in your baked goods, please do.
My favorite things for making beans and rice more interesting:
1) Miso paste. I can find this at my regular grocery store with the tofu. If you are anti-soy, you can find it made of chickpeas. There are different types, I prefer the golden. I add a heaping spoonful of this to all kinds of things to add a savory flavor regardless of cuisine. If you would normally add stock or broth, try using miso instead. You can also make instant soup with it if you want.
2) Liquid smoke. A little goes a long way. This basically makes things taste like bacon. I add it to black eye peas especially (along with miso) so that I can make them vegan but still smoky/meaty tasting.
3) Vinegar- whatever type you have is an easy way to introduce brightness and acidity
4) Grilled/roasted leftovers- we always grill extra vegetables and use the leftovers in soups
5) Sesame oil- for any Asian inspired dish. Don’t cook with it, sprinkle it on at the end just before serving so you can get the full flavor
6) Never-ending stock bag of scraps- this is a long game, but I save all vegetable peels, onion ends, mushroom bits, bones, meat fat, etc. I put it all in the instant pot on the soup/broth setting and let it pressure cook for 4 hours. Then I strain out the bones and have a big pot of soup. I used to freeze this in jars (as long as they have straight sides and are wide-mouthed, they won’t crack) but my kids are bigger now. So I make huge pots of soup at least weekly.
@Tarynkay, I love miso, too! It adds a great umami flavor.
@Tarynkay, miso is the number one flavor enhancer people forget about. Pure umami.
Oh, and miso lasts forever in the fridge-a big plus.
Hands down, the best “flavor” enhancer for roasting and grilling vegetables, is Weber’s veggie grill. Only able to find on-line now. The first jar I bought was at Sam’s and I was hooked. It’s not cheap but in this I feel a splurge is essential.
Love this post ! I am a spice addict!
I grow fresh herbs to enhance all the things.
I also really like the following spices:
Montreal Steak Seasoning
We seldom eat steak but like it on all meats AND POTATOES
21 salute ( Trader Joe’s) salt free
Pink Himalayan salt ( often have bags at dollar tree)
Siracha
We like to do half siracha half bbq sauce and simmer thin chicken cutlets in a skillet.
We also like a squirt or two with Mayo for sandwiches.
Sea salt. The big flakes just taste so much better than table salt.
Hot sauce. I have a kid that doesn’t like spicy food so I use it a lot on my portions.
Fresh garlic. Pre-chopped garlic is just not the same. I also think you can’t have too much garlic.
This is an interesting post. I agree that browning and sautéeing during cooking amps up the flavors in a dish. Patience is often the most important ingredient.
Besides onions - purple, Spanish, sweet—and garlic which are staples, I cook often with shallots, red and white wine, fresh ginger, citrus juices and zest, sesame oil, Tamari in the place of soy sauce, chili powder and oil, extra virgin olive oil, ghee, smoked paprika, and fresh herbs.
I like to make my own salad dressings, spice blends and sauces. I think they taste much better than store bought.
@Bee,
I also love to use capers.
@Bee, I soak green nasturtium seeds in apple cider vinegar and use these as a caper substitute. (This trick goes as far back as the 18th century, I believe.) So if you can grow nasturtiums where you are...
@A. Marie,
What an interesting idea! I'm going to try this!
@A. Marie,
I can grow nasturtiums. I will have to look for them in the garden center. They are pretty little flowers.
I am responding before reading what other readers are saying so it my be a duplicate. When using dried spices I always measure them into my hand then rub them with my fingers to release their flavor. I learned this trick from Cook’s Country magazine.
"Brown food tastes gooooood"-Chef Anne Burrell
If you watch enough episodes of Worst Cooks this gets ingrained in your head. I'm sure many people watch it for the entertainment factor but I've learned a few techniques from it too.
My internet chef-mentor Alison Roman has also taught me to salt every time something new goes into the pan. This develops layers of flavor and creates a better dish.
We have so many spices. We use a lot of cumin, old bay, cinnamon, Chipotle, and garlic powder.
For condiments/sauces we like gochujang, toasted sesame oil, a good fish sauce, and I local Asian sauce we get at the farmers market.
Last summer we found out the Trader Joe's Chipotle lime seasoning goes great on watermelon.
@Jaime, chipotle powder is wonderful to add that Smokey flavor to dishes. I use it sparingly because my hubby can’t handle the heat. I often sub smoked paprika so he’s not miserable.
ALWAYS SPLURGE:
Spices, because in the grand scheme of thing they last a long time and do wonders to make cheap ingredients taste amazing. I get all my spices from Penzey's, which does both online and brick-and-mortar. I strongly recommend getting on their email list (which is intensely political) because they're constantly having sales and give-aways.
CONSIDER SPLURGING:
The simpler the dish, the more important it is that the ingredients be good quality. You can hide muddy-tasting fish in fish-and-chips that are served with spicy tartar sauce, but that’ll taste terrible in sushi or a simple steamed fish.
NEVER SPLURGE:
1. Salt - salt is a commodity, fungible good and unless you use it as a garnish just before you serve, it all tastes the same.
2. Vanilla - for most purposes, even the experts can't tell the difference between natural and artificial vanilla (Cook's Illustrated has tested this multiple times). The exception is goods that are primarily vanilla or aren’t cooked much. So I use the real thing for ice cream, crème anglaise, and custards; everything else gets vanillin.
PS: Once I know I like a spice, I buy it in Penzey's larger bags. A small amount goes in a jar on the counter, the rest goes into the freezer.
@WilliamB, I never thought about freezing bulk spices. That's a great idea!
@WilliamB, Sadly, "intensely political" is the reason I stopped buying spices from Penzeys after years of being a customer. I got an promotional e-mail that had a title something like "Republicans are stupid," and a main text that expanded on the theme in an offensive manner, so that was it for me. I'm not even Republican, but I do not want to see anything like that when all I want is some paprika.
Cooking has become much simpler since I made up four spice mixes and keep them in shaker containers beside the stove. If dinner time arrives and I have no plans, just find a protein source, find some vegetables, shake one of these on, add a little oil, and either saute on the stove or (my favorite) roast on sheet pans in the oven.
Bev's Seasoned Salt - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213562/bevs-seasoned-salt/ (This is the family favorite.)
Magic Mushroom Powder - https://nomnompaleo.com/post/105333542218/magic-mushroom-powder-diy-holiday-gift
The Nom Nom Paleo Let's Go book has recipes for:
Umami Stir Fry
Nomatastic Grilling
(Nom Nom Paleo has started marketing their spice mixes, so it may get hard to find the online recipes.) The Practical Paleo book by Diane Sanfillipo also has good spice mix recipes.
I love to use Smoked Paprika. I buy it by the pound and store the extra in my freezer. It's great in chilis, soups, stews, taco meat, homemade bbq sauce and roasted veggies. My favorite roasted veggies with Smoked Paprika are radishes, carrots and cauliflower. I toss the raw veggies with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
@Debra Schramm, my grandma always used to say "If it's missing something and you can't put your finger on it, it's paprika". Hasn't steered me wrong yet!
Fennel seed in anything Italian.
Maesri curry pastes.
Tarragon in French food. My first date I had stuffed red snapper with creamy tarragon sauce, never forgot the meal, not so much the guy.
@Tiana, crystal hot sauce
Both yellow curry and garam masala are mixes. If you have the ingredients, you can make all kinds of mixtures to suit your palate.
Many splended suggestions have been made already so I'll limit myself.
- generally speaking many dishes will become more interesting if they contain a balance between sweet salt sour and umami. Please consider that sweet may come from fruits as well as from sugar, salt can come from bacon, or cheese, as well as from the salt shaker, etc etc etc.
- I love cinnamon sticks and they come in 2 qualities. The thick bark-y quality that is cheaper and the more expensive fragrant thin leafy variety. I prefer and can afford the latter and always keep a few sticks in a jar with fine sugar, to dust apple pie etc. I can always take out a stick for a sweet dish. I also have a jar with sugar and some cardamom pods.
- I buy my spices at a market stall in small quantities in brown bags and refill my own jars. They have a quick turnaround so the spices are fragrant and tasteful. I have been embarrassed to buy 15 grams of a spice for 25 or 35 cents - If you buy at supermarkets you may end up spending a price that calculates to 30 euros a kilo.
@J NL,
I love the flavored sugar idea! I'm never sure when to use stick cinnamon. It seems like a waste to only use it for a single dish. This is definitely something I'll try. Thank you ❣️
We are able to grow most herbs (although, I consistently kill dill, which is supposed to be a weed), so the herbs are relatively inexpensive options for us:
Rosemary, cilantro, parsley, mint, basil, oregano, thyme, etc.
We also sparingly use saffron, which is a critical flavor in many Persian dishes. It's a gift we often receive from family members, so we have plenty. There are some other Persian spice blends that my husband makes himself, so I'm not 100% sure what's in those.'
For others, we also love the red curry paste, & sriracha.
hi all! I am enjoying reading all the comments - so interesting to know what you'll use in your cooking.
I am South Indian and have many, many spices but the ones I keep coming back to are whole coriander, cumin, mustard, and dry red chilies. They can be toasted and ground in a coffee/spice grinder and used in recipes. I also use amchoor (dry mango powder) for quick sourness in meals when I don't have lime or tamarind. At the minimum, I always have the above spices, black pepper, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, asafoetida (the thing that makes indian food taste/smell like indian food), fresh ginger, cilantro, and green chilies. Anything is possible with this. Honestly, when it comes to Indian food - salt is everything. And tempering/ blooming of cumin and mustard seed in oil/ghee poured over dishes is basically magic.
There are a variety of garam masala blends - there is no one India and there is no one garam masala blend. The region I am from uses "bafat masala" which is a variety of dried red chilies with coriander and cumin and fennel and cardamom and cinnamon. It's bright red and it's all I ask to be sent to me from my home region.
A spice blend I LOVE is sazon goya w cilantro and annatto. It can revive any dish - it's magical. I also rely on fish sauce, oyster sauce, miso, MSG, black vinegar, and dried mushrooms for that umami.
A revelation spice was black cardamom. It is smokey and warming. Used mostly in north indian foods and I have now started to use it in my cooking. I feel like south indians have a variety of souring agents like kadampuli, vinegar, kokum, tamarind, and more more. All cheap and I can find them in the US.
Another must-have in my home is curry leaves. It has nothing to do with curry powder but its own unique leaf that when sauteed in dishes releases an aroma that is hard to describe. I used to have a plant at home but I harvested it too early and the plant died. I am lucky to live in a neighborhood where I can find it in two stores within walking distance. I was also delighted to find a spice shop on my block - everything is in 2-5 ounces, so I can buy ANY spice I can think of for under $3 and it's fresh, and can use it all quickly and not have a bag of spice just wasting away in my cabinet.
Last thought - for ready-made Indian spices buy Eastern and MDH and for biryani masalas - Shan!
This was so fun to think/share and I have to stop myself from writing too much.
@Samosa,
NEVER think you are writing too much!!! I have so many questions for you! For example, you mentioned grinding spices right before cooking. Do you ever use a blender for things like onion, garlic or fresh herbs? I followed a recipe online the other day for curried chicken and it said to first blend the onion, garlic and cilantro (I used parsley bc it's what I had) and then fry it for a few minutes in ghee. It had never occurred to me to use a blender like that but the flavor was so delicious and it had the bonus of keeping the eye watering onion fumes in the blender too! I'm wondering if this is a technique you use regularly and/or if you use a blender for other things prior to cooking? Basically what I'm saying is that something that probably seems obvious to you might be a major game changer for someone else, so bring on the details!
@Becca, hi! i actually bought a vitamix in 2016 after reading Kristin's review. I assumed I'd make a thousand smoothies and I have not even made one. What I have used it for, almost everyday, is masala/spice blends for curries - you can blend tomato and onion w ground spices (don't add turmeric to the blender tho - will stain and takes some sun bathing for it to go away), or blends w grated frozen coconut for coconut curries, and i use it to pulverize soaked rice and lentils for dosas (basically pancakes or injera-ish).
I use the vitamix for wet masalas/spice pastes and a krups electric coffee grinder (got on buy nothing but less than $20) for dry grinding of spices after i toast them. This helps w using fresh spice blends for our food but I can use whole spice seed which is cheaper and takes a while to get old.
@Samosa,
Hmm...dosas sound intriguing and probably pretty frugal too since lentils and rice are both so cheap. Do you have a favorite recipe you could link?
@Becca, let me find a recipe for you!
@kristen! i misspelled your name in my comment. sorry!
@Samosa, I would like to move in with you for a few months, please, just to eat your food! Your spice list makes me feel like I inhabit the House of Bland.
@Samosa, do you write a recipe blog? Or have any that you recommend? I LOVE Indian food, but am a total novice in trying to cook it at home.
And thank you for explaining curry leaves! I've seen them in recipes, but wasn't sure exactly what they were. Do you know if they can be purchased dried? I highly doubt they're readily available where I live.
@Danielle Zecher, I do not have a blog but love cooking and delight in reading cookbooks and recipes. I have heard from my non-south asian friends who were motivate to cook indian food - Madhur Jaffrey's recipes are accessible. I have read her cookbooks and agree - she explains *everything* and it is so helpful when someone is new to a cuisine.
Curry leaves -- I have bought them frozen from an Indian store. I have also bought them in bulk and froze them. If you do buy them dried - double the quantity and saute them in oil first. Another magic herb are fenugreek leaves! super cheap and bought dried. crush them into northern indian recipes like paneer butter masala or makhni.
@Lindsey, ahhhh this made me smile so wide!
@Samosa, thank you so much! I just put one of Madhur Jaffrey's books on hold at the library and I'm ordering dried curry leaves from Amazon. This is exciting!
Oh, my question, yay! Or maybe Kate asked it too? Regardless, I can't wait to read everyone's spice lists!
Here's our top secretish ten (I do see most of them listed already):
1. Tony Chachere's creole seasoning (this plus salt and brown sugar is all we put on sweet and spicy greens like kale)
2. Smoked paprika (plain paprika can suck it!)
3. Chili powder and cumin powder (these are the ones I have to replace the most often. My husband uses them things like rice and beans.
4. Everything bagel seasoning (on homemade bagels!)
5. Monterey steak seasoning (in burgers or on top of french fries)
6. Nutmeg and cinnamon in savory dishes (husband puts nutmeg in things with a cream or a cheese base and I use cinnamon in tomato based things like chili. I also add cocoa powder or coffee to chili.)
7. Onion and garlic powder (I add them both to homemade dressings. The rest of the dressing recipe varies-some kind of vinegar or acid like lemon juice, some kind of oil (usually olive) and other spices like Italian seasoning or paprika, but always the powdered garlic and onion because the dressing tastes flat without them.
8. Ginger and turmeric (I use powdered of both but also keep roots for grating in the freezer.)
9. Chipotle Cholula sauce (I vastly prefer the chipotle flavor to any other hot sauce.)
10. Fresh herbs from the garden (I grow basil, thyme, mints, oregano, marjoram, dill, parsley, rosemary, lavender, summer tansy, chives and green onions. I grew lemon verbena once and it smelled soamazing but it did not overwinter and I have not found it cheaply since then, so it is sort of my gardening white whale now.
Bonuses: stocks made with bones, shells or veggie discards like onion peels and celery ends. Love me some trash flavor! I also always save bacon grease and use it for frying.
Plain old salt and pepper, but I do like grinding pink sea salt on top of things because it's so pretty. I'm also experimenting with dried papaya seeds as a pepper substitute just for fun. They're a touch bitter, so slightly different.
And toasted sesame oil! A very little goes a long way, so I'll make a dressing using mostly olive oil but maybe a teaspoon of sesame oil for flavor.
Finally cheese of any kind and/or butter makes everything better, in my opinion.
Oh my goodness, I must have gotten names mixed up! I will fix it.
@Becca,
Oh, and regular onions and garlic. Almost everything I or my husband cooks starts with one or both of these.
@Becca,
One more tip: deglazing the pan after browning meat using wine, vinegar, stock or just water. Gives a huge flavor boost and makes dishes easier to wash too.
@Kristen,
No worries! I'm so happy you used it because I already have a giant list of new spices/techniques to try and it's only 10:30 AM! 🙂
@Becca,
Yes! I was looking for someone to mention everything bagel seasoning. I put it on all kinds of veggies as well as hash browns and occasionally eggs. Also good on bagels with cream cheese or avocado toast.
@Ruth T,
Yes! It's so good and Aldi even carries it! I heart Aldi so much...
@Becca,
Everything Bagel seasoning is a must on avocado toast and tomato sandwiches.
Two spices I regularly go through in large quantities are cumin and chile powder (which is a super mild heat). Both are used in a lot of Mexican and Indian dishes.
I'm probably in the minority here, but Tone's Taco Seasoning. We buy it in a big container at Sam's Club for fairly cheap. It's delicious and doesn't have soy (a lot of packaged mixes do), and is so easy. It's one of those no-brainer things when we need something fast and easy. It works on ground beef, chicken breast, beans, lentils, etc.
Fresh garlic! I grew up in a family that used dried or the minced jarred stuff and learning to use fresh garlic was a total game changer.
Definitely the brinerade recipe linked in the post!!! Leftover chicken is NOT something we're usually excited about, but the leftovers always get eaten when I've used that brinerade.
Coconut aminos are a great soy sauce alternative if you have to limit your soy intake.
Maurice's Barbeque Sauce. It's a mustard sauce and SO GOOD!
@Danielle Zecher,
Coconut aminos are a great substitute for soy sauce. However, it is a Little known fact that the first ingredient in soy sauce is not soy. It is wheat. That is why people who follow a gluten-free diet don’t each Asian food. Soy sauce is often used in commercial dressings and sauces including many bar-b-que. Gluten is hidden every where,
This is great inspiration!
-Worcestershire sauce (L&P brand only) is a biggie at our house. We use it in beans, chili, marinades, and bbq sauce
-herbs du Provence was a newer discovery for me-we use it in soups mainly but I think it is also yummy on fish and chicken meals
-bell peppers and onions add awesome flavor to lots of Tex-mex and Italian meals
-chorizo takes many meals up a giant notch in flavor
I can’t wait to try some of the new suggestions I’m seeing on here
A few of our favorites:
1. Fresh garlic, fresh ginger and onion, scallion or shallot - great base for Asian dishes, the ginger in fried rice is really really good!
2. Herbes de Provence - we add it to vegetable soup, pizza sauce, other Mediterranean recipes that might call for thyme or rosemary.
3. Furikake - a Japanese seasoning blend, available at Trader Joe’s. It involves seaweed and sesame seeds, and is a great topping for eggs, rice, butternut squash or pumpkin soup.
In terms of finding affordable spices, I buy bulk spices, go to Trader Joe’s, and when I happen to be in a larger city, the Asian markets have good prices on spices and fresh herbs.
I like using the following sauces and spices in my cooking. Red boat fish sauce (a few drops enhance flavor), oyster sauce, three kinds of soy sauce, curry leaves in addition to curry spices, bay leaf, spiced vinegar (vinegar with garlic, onions and red chile) loads of garlic and onions. I also grow herbs in pots - oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, savory, marjoram, rosemary for soups and stews.
Such a fun post! (I always read on Feedly and almost never comment - trying to be more intentional about staying connected!)
1) Fresh Basil - a must in the summer time! Super easy to grow on our back deck in a small pot. And then it freezes great for winter.
2) A jar of minced garlic - you can never have too much garlic, but I HATE cutting fresh garlic.
3) Our own spice blend I put on chicken (wings, drumsticks, whole, whatever): salt (okay to omit if you're avoiding a high-salt diet), paprika (smoked is delicious too!), garlic powder, onion powder. Pretty much equal parts. I oil chicken and rub this all over. Always a winner.
4) Homemade taco seasoning - super easy to throw together and a clean alternative
(2 Tbsp Chili powder, 1 Tbsp Cumin, 2 tsp salt (pepper too if you prefer it), 1 tsp (or more!) each of onion and garlic powders, ½ tsp oregano (or more). Add 1 cup of water and add to ground beef or chicken.
5) Coco Aminos (not Braggs coconut liquid aminos) - a substitute for soy sauce since I have to avoid it for dietary reasons. Toasted sesame oil also enhances flavors in asian dishes.
6) Fresh rosemary - great in breads or on roasted potatoes or other veggies.
Ohhh, yay, so glad you came over to comment! The more the merrier.
@Erin, I was so with you: dreaded mincing garlic. Then I got a microplane zester. You just rub the garlic on the microplane, right over the pot or bowl that you would add the minced garlic to. The teeny bits fall down, a stir and it distributes nicely.
My favorite herb to use is Rosemary. Sam’s Club has this seasoning blend I ALWAYS buy. I might currently have 4 unopened containers, just in case they ever stop selling it. I think the brand is Tone’s, it’s Rosemary Garlic. I tried because they were sampling it. They had it on tuna, which I do not prefer. It was terrific. I also love it on pork chops, so so good. Penzey’s also has a Greek seasoning that is also quite delicious.
My basic seasoning I like and use on most things is the Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley. When Sam’s has a sale you can get a huge container for about $4.
@Gina, the Rosemary Garlic sounds good! I'm going to look for that next time I go to Sam's Club. I love getting those big shaker bottles of spices there.
@Danielle Zecher,
It is SO good. I never want to run out of it. I hope you love it. Also the container it comes in isn’t overwhelming as they can be the warehouse stores.
For any spices you use, check the Mexican section! We get garlic powder, cumin, corriander, onion powder, chili powder, and more there and it saves a ton of money- $5 cheaper for the big container of garlic powder! I save the container from a purchase in the spice aisle and refill from the plastic bags to save even more.
As someone who has to omit salt in my food ( thank you high blood pressure) , I’m always looking for flavorful spices as well. My go to for cooking chicken and roasting all my veggies is powdered garlic and onion, as well as dried oregano. I buy the large containers from big box stores. Lemon also replaces salt flavor, so a squeeze as I’m eating does the trick.
Fresh Basil when available. I sometimes buy the stuff in the produce aisle in winter and it stays alive for a decent time.
Squeeze basil (winter)
Squeeze garlic
Squeeze ginger
*The squeeze stuff stays good for a long time and tastes better than dried, powdered or jars when fresh is not available. It's not the most frugal- but it does level up the taste.
Lawry's is my go to blend
Italian Seasoning blend
Sea salt
Dried dill weed
Smoked Paprika
Cumin
*buying from the bulk bins always makes theseincredibly cheap- goes for any dried spices!)
Sesame oil
Siracha
Frank's Red Hot (sauce and they have a dry mix, and a ranch dry mix)
Miso Paste
Mother In Laws Gochujang Fermented Chile Paste
Squeeze Tahini (way less waste than the jar- easier to use) for homemade hummus
Lea and Perkins W sauce
We also like to go to an olive oil and vinegar store for some fancier options. Not cheap- but cheaper than eating out.
-Nutritional yeast (great cheesy flavor substitute. Also love it on popcorn)
-Furikake - seaweed/sesame seed blend - great for topping rice balls (onigiri) or on popcorn or just atop rice
-Soy sauce - I actually buy the costco sized bottle because it's used so often
-Mustard seeds for indian food
-Gochugaru for Korean food - it's waaay milder than it looks but it adds a great smoky flavor.
Two things:
If you love Japanese food, buy Dashi packets! I get them on Amazon and we regularly have miso soup, which takes an entire five minutes to make.
If you can, buy ingredients that are intended for their home market. Aroy-D Thai curry paste is cheaper than Thai Kitchen. Spices from Suraj are cheaper (and better) than ones from Club House. If a brand is selling something as a staple, it will be cheaper than the version that is sold as "special ethnic food" to white people.
I like to experiment with salt-free seasonings and since I use only a sprinkle or two, it lasts a good long time. Also, garlic! I only ever buy the fresh stuff because the jar stuff is not even close to being as pungent and wonderful, plus is costs more. Fresh garlic is not pricey and adds so much flavor. Plus, its supposed to be really good for you! I agree on dried basil - don't bother with it. And lastly, smoked paprika is delightful. Not hot, just flavor and a hint of smoke.
I've been busy so got here later than usual, and wow, all the comments! So many good ideas! I used to love to use soy sauce, cumin, red pepper... all of which I can no longer tolerate well, so my choices have changed by necessity.
I use cinnamon in savory dishes more than ever, since it's a prime spice for people following AIP diets. I love it in sweet dishes, too, so it's a frequently used spice.
I use this as an AIP meat rub - it's from Brian Prom:
https://promincproductions.com/blog/recipes/bbq-spice-rub-aip/
1/2 tbsp Sea Salt Preferably Himalayan Sea Salt
1 tbsp Dried Oregano
2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
1 tbsp Minced Onion ( I use granulated onion)
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Tumeric
I use it enough that I always double or triple the batch. I rub it or sprinkle it on pork, beef, chicken, even fish. I love it.
I use Red Boat Fish Sauce instead of soy sauce and I make my own Worcestershire Sauce to avoid ingredients like soy that bother me, because I just can't cook some dishes without it.
I started growing marjoram and I like it a lot, especially on chicken. Rosemary is a huge favorite of mine, as is thyme. I use them both a LOT. Since I now avoid red/hot peppers (the mouth ulcers aren't worth it) and don't care for black pepper, I use ganthoda powder to add some heat to dishes. I love it. Another thing I love is smoked salt. I especially love to use it when cooking pork. And finally, good old Italian seasoning is a favorite as well.
For some fun, folks here might check out this humorous site by James Lileks:
https://lileks.com/institute/gallery/
It's about recipes from the "good old days" especially the 50's and 60's. It's amazing to read the recipes and realize how very, very little spices, other than salt and pepper, were used.
My goodness, this website is hilarious. I just found this one, where they baked the shrimp for 25 MINUTES. https://lileks.com/institute/gallery/teenparty/3.html
How did it not turn into shoe leather after that long??
@Kristen,
Kristen, he also has recipes like this in book form. They are hilarious as well.
I just assume that many people back then weren't used to eating "different" foods like shrimp, so they thought tough shrimp was the norm :).
Spices are a lot cheaper in bulk if you can find them, or at international markets! Also, there's usually a spice section within the international aisles at regular grocery stores with cheaper versions of the same spices. I love using paprika, red pepper flakes, chipotle chile powder, and cumin. Cinnamon is cheap and great in sweet and some savory dishes. I also use cardamom in sweet things, which is on the splurge side. I buy ginger paste which is a little pricy but it lasts a long time and is so convenient!
Garlic olive oil, dried roasted garlic (I found at Whole Foods), Tony’s Cajun seasoning!
After reading all the comments, I feel like a shirker in the spice department! I cook a lot of Russian and Lithuanian foods which now sound so plain compared to all the spices and herbs you guys use. Dill, onions, garlic and sour cream feature largely in our kitchen. If I overspice, add enough sour cream and it cools it off and the excess sauce can always be used the next day or so. I do love basil and grow enough to freeze cheeseless pesto in quantities sufficient to give us a pesto based dish at least once a week all winter (cheese added after thawing). I agree with A. Marie that winter savory is an under-utilized herb; it grows so well here that I can grow enough to dehydrate for the winter. Other than that, sweet chili sauce, tomato paste in squeeze tubes (a little enhances any beef recipe), anchovies in squeeze tubes (enhances all tomato and beef recipes), sesame oil, Old Bay and several different mustards are what I use the most. I am fortunate enough to have a friend who regularly goes home to Germany and always brings back different glassed and squeezed tubed varieties and gives them as holiday and birthday gifts. In baking I use vanilla bean paste and almond paste, both of which seem to give a more intenmse flavor. I always have a container of vanilla sugar, made from a few vanilla beans that our local health food store carries for an astoundingly inexpensive price.
@Lindsey, I'm intrigued by the idea of Russian and Lithuanian food! I don't think I've ever had them. Do you have any website or cookbook suggestions?
I love dill whenever it's in something, but I'm never quite sure what to add it to or how much.
Oh I have been waiting for this!!! I have a super multicultural family and live in an amazing food city (my husband middle eastern, my sister in law is Nigerian and my best friend is Filipina).
1. Whole peppercorns. Nothing beats fresh pepper, I get 3lb of organic peppercorns from Amazon for less than $20 and it lasts almost 6 months.
2. Fish sauce. It smells like death but it adds an amazing umami/savory taste to anything it touches. Just please get it from an Asian market, the whitewashed bottles on the "Asian aisle" just don't taste the same. Less English on the bottle, the better.
3. Sambal Olek. Siracha is kinda one note for me but sambal olek has a vinegar-chili-garlic taste that is a million times more complex. See above for getting it.
4. Oregano. I agree with Kristen that fresh is way too strong. I grow it myself and dry it. It works in any Mediterranean dish and it actually super important in a lot of Hispanic food too.
5. Fresh garlic. The difference between pre-chopped, canned stuff and the real deal is light years. I make massive batches of minced garlic and freeze it tiny cubes when I need it.
Another spice frugal tip is to try and buy at Indian/Middle Eastern markets if you are able. They sell literally by the pound and at a fraction of the cost. I go in with my mom and relatives once or twice a year and pay pennies on the dollar.
Totally agree about the smell of fish sauce. It is hard to believe, based on the scent, that it is even faintly edible. So gross smelling!!
@Heather,
So agree about Sambal Oelek's (crushed chili paste) flavor over sriracha. Even regular supermarkets carry it now (I did have to ask where it is the first time) if no access to ethic places.
I definitely splurge on spices. Guilty pleasure is trader joe spice seasonings. I have so many different ones. One thing I don’t think anyone has mentioned yet is everything but the bagel(EBTB) seasoning. You can get it at Trader Joe’s but Costco also sells a decent sized container that is probably cheaper and tastes the same. Being a millennial I definitely love EBTB I use it on eggs, plain bagels with cream cheese, and of course avocado toast or just mashed avocado. My other favorite is herbs de Provence ( which you can also buy at the regular store) it tastes great on chicken or on roasted root vegetables( carrots, potatoes, beets). I also use the Italian soffritto seasoning to make a tomato sauce using a can of tomato paste with water and the seasoning. Since I’ve had my own a apartment I also grow a basil plant on my porch every summer and have fresh basil or pizza or pesto or caprese salad-yum! I definitely think basil is an amazing seasoning!
Such a fun and super useful post. Thanks for this question and all of the great inspiration in the comments.
We grow every herb that is legal so in the summer months have a great variety.
Lovage — I recommend this herb for any soup or stew to take it to it fabulous. Easy to grow. Tastes like a cross between celery and parsley, and better than either alone, just the smell of it will make you hungry.
Nutritional yeast — Ups the flavor and nutrition of so many foods. I agree with Alison Roman that popcorn without it tastes bland after you’ve tried it. I’m not a fan of flavored popcorn, just butter, but this product doubles what butter does.
Miso — Makes that salad dressing you get in fine Japanese restaurants (carrot/ginger one) so good! Also enhances many other foods.
Paprika — Rounds out the flavor superbly of a wide variety of dishes, from deviled eggs to any soup. My mother kept it in the freezer since it loses its flavor pretty quickly at room temp so I do, too. And I make sure to get Hungarian paprika for the sweet paprika uses not the smoked one, which is good in its place.
Extra Virgin olive oil — Not the place to go cheap as the difference is huge.
Sherry vinegar — I use white wine vinegar and red wine but for the yummiest salad dressings, sherry tastes special.
Salad dressing:
4-5 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. Vinegar (any of your choice) or lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt to taste, or spice blend of your choice if low salt diet
Optional additions: grated garlic, shallot or scallions, sprinkle of fresh or dried herbs, dab of mayo, olive brine
Dressing takes less than 5 minutes to make, can be scaled up and customized to heart's content. Tastes so good you could drink it, which you would never do with the chemically-tasting store bought ones.
@Erika JS,
P.S. -put the dressing ingredients into a jam jar (or any glass jar with a tight lid) and shake the daylights out of it. It will stay emulsified, even through fridge storage.
These are amazing options. For fall dishes, nothing can beat rosemary and thyme (which are perennial and deer resistant). Also, I LOVE smoked paprika or smoked Spanish paprika. It's a splurge, but you can stock up when they go on sale. I use it all the time in tacos and other related dishes. I also splurge on champagne vinaigrette to make my favorite hazelnut vinaigrette salad dressing. It's sooooo expensive and I was really really hoping it wasn't special when I tried it, but it was and now I'm a little stuck. hah!
Related: homemade salad dressings can really elevate anything. Nothing beats it. Put all these fresh herbs and citrus zest to good use! A great trick for making salad dressings that call for large amounts of olive oil is to go halvesies. Use half the amount of olive oil called for, but then use canola or vegetable oil for the other half. It stays liquid in the fridge better and saves money without sacrificing flavor.
Out of the ordinary seasonings can be hard to find and/or expensive in regular grocery stores.
MY tips:
Shop the ethnic aisle of the grocery store rather than the spice/baking aisle.
Look for stores that sell seasonings in bulk. In my region the two I shop at are WinCo and Central Market.
Shop Ethnic food stores. Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern.
We have several Asian markets here, and spices and herbs are often at bargain prices. I bought a 4 oz jar of Turmeric powder for a fraction of the price of a 1 oz or 2 oz bottle at the grocery store, for example. You can buy fresh herbs for far less than grocery store prices and without all the plastic clamshell packaging that grocery stores tend to use now.
We also have a Savory Spice Shop (I believe it is a chain) where you can buy spices and dried herbs by the oz. That is often very economical because you can buy just what you need and it's very fresh, rather than buying a large jar when you only need a pinch. Organic grocery stores often sell spices in bulk as well. I always save my glass spice jars and reuse them for bulk purchases.
During the summer we grow our own basil and mint, and at the end of the summer I make pesto and freeze it for use during the year.
When our Meyer lemon tree is full of lemons, I zest them and dry the zest in my dehydrator. The juice gets frozen in ice cube trays for fresh lemon juice year round. The branches of our neighbor's plum tree (tiny yellow plums) hang over our yard. I harvest the plums on our side and make a chutney I freeze in ice cube trays for year round use.
I buy the largest hand of ginger I can find and wash it and break it into 1" pieces that go in the freezer. Whenever I need fresh ginger, I just pull out a piece, scrape off the skin with the side of a spoon and chop or grate it as needed--easy while still frozen. Sometimes when I crave something sweet, I dice ginger very small, sprinkle it with a granulated sweetener (I use erythritol) and let it air dry. Store in an airtight jar once it's completely dry (it will "weep" the first day or two after sprinkling with sugar, you want it completely dry before shutting up in a jar to avoid mold). This is spicy and sweet and a few small pieces satisfy a sweet tooth.
I make a salad dressing that's equal portions olive oil and lemon juice then add dried oregano. I think of it as being a Greek dressing but have no idea how authentic that is; I just know I like it and I'm not fond of most dressings. It adds a lift to meats and roasted vegetables, as well.
I make homemade vanilla extract (cheap vodka and vanilla beans). It is so much more flavorful than store bought. It's great in baked goods.
We use alot of fresh garlic in our house. I think cinnamon goes a long way, as does cumin, cracked red pepper, and fresh ginger.
I also agree with fresh citrus, dried or fresh oregano, and fresh basil!
Tajin brand seasoning is a Mexican chili, lime, salt combo that you can add to anything: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and even fruit. If you have ever seen street vendors intricately carving mangos and sprinkling a mystery ingredient over it, it's Tajin! It makes a great overnight dry rub for pulled pork, but is equally delicious sprinkled on a burger just before cooking. It's a little spicy but not too much, nice and limey, with just the right amount of salt. I've heard that TJ's has a version too. Highly recommend.
@Jeri, I hadn’t heard of this blend but happily came across TJ's Chile Lime and it’s as delicious as you say.
Bay leaves! Soups and roast beef and roast chicken. My mom never used them, but once I tried them, I was a convert! Also (now don't go crazy on me!) KETCHUP. When a recipe calls for tomato paste, I substitute ketchup, and it REALLY works! I think I may have seen this suggested in an ATK cookbook.
My most used fresh herb is thyme. I love it’s soft yet distinctive flavor, and it elevates whatever you add it to, even if the recipe doesn’t call for it. Super easy to grow. It’s quite the durable little plant!
Otherwise my most used spices are kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and cumin, in that order. I use the first two daily. Other than in the many recipes I make that call for it, I use cumin most frequently when roasting or baking white sweet potatoes. I love the blend of savory from the cumin with the slight sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
I love fresh herbs from my garden or a pot. Celery and lovage make salt nearly needless. I prefer herbs from the freezer to dried herbs. I always cut off mine in autumn and freeze what is left.
Hello all, first time commenting, fairly long time reader. Hello Kristen!! and everyone else.
Montreal chicken seasoning. Best stuff ever. Not only for chicken, I use it when making hamburgers, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, grilled vegetables, eggs and so on, on almost everything.
I use a ton of spices and love them, other than Chinese 5 spice - that always tastes musty to me.
It's the "where" that I buy a lot of spices that makes a difference. The "International" aisle in most groceries stores here in Canada have spices in bigger quantities - and WAY cheaper. I buy dried garlic slices, powdered ginger, cinnamon and more here.
If I get invited to one of those kitchenware house parties, where I sort of feel obligated to support the hostess or cause - I got for spices. They'll get used up and I won't have another kitchen "thing" to deal with.
It has been so fun reading the comments on this post! There are so many things I want to try now. 🙂 And it's fascinating to me how someone may say something they usually make is kind of boring or bland, but then there are so many questions/comments about what it is and how to make it.