Build a basic spice collection on a budget

If you’re new(-ish) to cooking and want to get your spice rack ready, here’s a list of spices you’ll need for a few generic flavor profiles. You can always add more spices later as you gain more experience with layering flavors and explore different geographical regions, but this will get you started! In my experience, you can find most of these things at a typical grocery store, but if you have an ethnic market to check out, those locations tend have the best prices and variety for spices for their own specialized cuisine.

Tip: Experiment with adding amounts of spices to your own taste. I mention below which spices are really potent by saying “a little goes a long way”. Otherwise, it’s hard to mess up amounts of the other spices. Follow your taste buds!

Italian

Quick recipe suggestion: Add these spices to a can or jar of tomato sauce or canned tomatoes. Add salt to taste. Simmer on the stove until heated through (or longer for more developed flavor) and serve over pasta or baked spaghetti squash. This sauce would also be great on homemade pizza!

Chinese

• Soy sauce: regular or low-sodium (for gluten-free diets get Tamari or Liquid Aminos)
• Toasted Sesame oil
• Ginger: ground/powdered is the longest-lasting, but fresh minced ginger can’t be beat in terms of flavor and low price. You do have to get the brown peel off, which can be a bit labor-intensive but so worth it! It also comes in a jar already minced if you don’t want to process it.
• Scallion (AKA Green Onion)
• Rice vinegar
• Garlic: granulated, powdered, fresh (ideal), or garlic-infused oil
• Crushed red pepper, Sriracha, or chili garlic sauce for heat

Quick recipe suggestion: Chop some of your favorite veggies (broccoli, bell pepper, carrot, and onion are great options) or grab some bags of frozen veggies. Lightly sauté the minced ginger, minced garlic, and chopped scallion in a little sesame oil in a skillet or wok for a minute or two. Then add the veggies and sauté until heated through but still a bit firm. Then add a splash of soy sauce in place of salt (or one of the substitutes listed above), a little rice vinegar, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Let the mixture sauté for another few minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice, rice noodles, or soba noodles.

Indian

• Curry powder
• Garam masala
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Ground Cumin

Quick recipe suggestion: Add a table spoon or two of oil to a sauce pan and heat it up. Sauté the garlic and ginger. Add the rest of the spices to the oil until they’re fragrant (but not beginning to darken in color or burn). Add a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans, lentils, or chickpeas. Add salt to taste. For a richer stew-like texture, add a little water or veggie broth until you achieve the texture you want. For extra creaminess and richness, add a can of coconut milk. Serve over rice and/or eat with naan bread.

Tex-Mex

• Ground Cumin
• Chili powder
• Paprika
• Chipotle powder if you want a smoky flavor (a little goes a long way)

Quick recipe suggestion: Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a skillet. Add the spices and stir them into the oil until fragrant (only a minute or maybe less!). Add crumbled tempeh, tofu, or black beans. Add salt to taste. Heat through and get the spices thoroughly mixed into the protein. Serve on taco shells with lettuce and tomato or put it in tortillas for burritos.

Thai

• Thai curry paste: red, green, yellow, etc. Pick one or two and try them out. (authentic brands from Asian markets are best and usually pretty spicy!)
• Coconut milk (the thick kind in a can)
• Liquid Aminos as a fish sauce substitute
• Fresh Thai Basil

Quick recipe suggestion: Bring a can of coconut milk to a simmer in a pot. Add a table spoon or two of the curry paste and let it dissolve into the coconut milk. Add chopped bell pepper, eggplant, and cubed tofu. Add liquid aminos or soy sauce to taste in place of salt. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the veggies are cooked to your preferred level. Add some basil leaves, amount up to you. Serve over rice.

by KaDee Bramlett

published 12/21/2020

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