Spice Guides

This homemade pork tenderloin seasoning is easy to make and tastes great! This recipe makes enough for a 1 to 1-½-pound pork tenderloin, but you can easily double or triple the blend and save it for later. It's a great dry rub that will add a little heat and depth of flavor to your tenderloin. …

This homemade steak taco seasoning recipe perfectly seasons meat to make flavorful steak tacos! It's an easy to pull together spice rub with a little heat and a great depth of flavor. You'll probably already have all these spices in your pantry, and you can pull this spice blend together in less than five minutes …

Middle Eastern cuisine uses some of the most exciting spices and spice blends in the world. I'll show you the spice blends and spices you'll need if you want to cook great Middle Eastern food. Richly aromatic and deeply flavorful, these spices are one of the reasons Middle Eastern cuisine is so beloved worldwide. Here …

Spices can make or break a dish. I often dislike dishes that are under-spiced, but I rarely encounter an over-spiced dish. You should feel free to experiment with spices in your food until you find combinations you really like. I've included my ten favorite unique spices below. These are the best unique spices around, not …

This versatile Turkish seasoning blend is a tangy and delicious spice mixture that's easy to pull together. It's the traditional blend used on chicken kabobs, but it also works for vegetables, fish, and beef. Turkish cuisine is one of the world's most celebrated. Located at the crossroads between Western Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, …

This blackening seasoning blend is easy to make and tastes great! It's an incredibly versatile seasoning that can be used on fish, chicken, steak, corn, and more. It takes just a couple of minutes to pull together, and you'll love the bold flavor that comes together with the different spices! What is Blackening Seasoning? Blackening …

This tangy, tasty chicken wing seasoning blend is easy to pull together and makes the best wings! Use this chicken wing rub on up to 2 pounds of wings. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you need to make more. This will be your new favorite way to make wings. This blend …

This homemade ground beef seasoning is easy to make and tastes so good! This recipe makes enough seasoning blend for 1 pound of ground beef. It's perfect if you want to make tacos or burrito bowls or just need well-seasoned ground beef. It's got a little kick to it and great flavor. It's a great …

You can make your own spicy, savory creole seasoning blend at home with only a handful of spices. The bold flavors of this spice mix are top-tier. I'll show you how to make homemade creole seasoning, how to use it, and how to store it. Whether you enjoy making your own blends or you just …

A good chai spice blend can help you add the taste of fall to so many delicious recipes. Making your own chai spice mix can help you quickly and easily add fall flavors to your favorite baked goods, snacks, and breakfasts.  This homemade blend is great to keep in your spice cabinet. I love to …

This delightful blend of herbs and spices is the perfect salmon seasoning! Use it on at least one pound of salmon for a deliciously flavorful meal. Pull this easy blend together and enjoy the incredible flavor of a simple salmon fillet! This is the best seasoning blend - it's very easy to pull together and …

If you love a delicious, warming bowl of chili, you need to know how to add lots of flavor to it. It's easy to do with some spices and spice blends. You can make your own spice blends or purchase them pre-made. Here are some of the best spices for chili, including unusual flavors you …

Chinese Five Spice or Five Spice Powder is an aromatic spice blend from China and Vietnam. It gets its name from using the five elements of flavor in Chinese cuisine: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. Chinese Five Spice blends often have five ingredients, but some blends have more. It adds a perfectly balanced flavor …

Curry powder is a spice blend that usually contains turmeric, ginger, and garlic. Spice blends similar to curry have been used in the Indian subcontinent for over 4000 years, however, curry powder is actually a British invention created to mimic the flavors of Indian cooking. Curry blends tend to be similar in flavor to garam …

Baharat (which means "spices" in Arabic) is a spice blend used in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine (especially in the Arabian Gulf region).  It's an all-purpose seasoning that can be used to flavor just about any dish.  If you haven't tried it before, use baharat as a spice rub to flavor your next meat dish. …

Harissa is a spicy chili paste that originated in Libya but has been adopted by many other North African cuisines. It's made from dried, roasted red peppers, and usually includes garlic, caraway seeds, cumin, and coriander. Then it's mixed with olive oil to make it into a paste. There's also a wonderful version of harissa …

This dukkah recipe is a delicious addition to avocado toast, dips, fish, and meats in cooking.  Dukkah (pronounced doo-kah) is an Egyptian spice blend. There are slight variations in dukkah recipes, which contain a mix of seeds, spices, and nuts. The word dukkah, in Arabic, means "to crush" or "to blend". In Egypt, dukkah is …

Hawaij spice (also known as Hawayej, Hawaj, and Hawayij) means "mixture" in Arabic. It's a spice blend with primarily cumin and black pepper and often contains cardamom, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. There are two primary blends of hawaij - one for savory dishes and one used in coffee and desserts. Hawaij is primarily used …

Italian seasoning is a versatile herb blend that can be used to flavor Italian and other Mediterranean dishes. It's easy to make your own Italian seasoning blend at home. An Italian seasoning blend is actually just a compilation of herbs that are often used in Italian cooking (like marjoram, basil, and oregano), however, it may …

Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made from a herb mixture usually containing thyme, sumac, cumin, salt and other spices. It’s used extensively throughout the Levant countries as a topping for Arabic pita bread, meat, yogurt, hummus, and salads. Za’atar spice is an incredibly versatile spice mixture with a nutty, herbal flavor. It’s often …

Shichimi Togarashi or Japanese 7 Spice blend is a peppery Japanese spice blend, typically made from a mix of chili peppers, orange peel, sesame seeds, ginger, and nori. It was originally made by Japanese merchants in the 17th century. Schichi means "seven" in Japanese and togarashi means "peppers". How Do You Use Shichimi Togarashi? Shichimi …

Fajita seasoning is a zesty, Mexican-style rub for tacos, fajitas, and more. You can make your fajita spice blend at home with just a few simple spices. Fajita seasoning can be used as a marinade for steak and chicken, sprinkled on grilled veggies, shrimp tacos, and quesadillas. What is fajita seasoning made of? Fajita seasoning …

Pomegranate molasses is pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice that’s been reduced to a syrup. It’s thick, flavorful, and adds a wonderful tangy bite to many types of dishes. It can be used as a glaze, in salad dressings, or drizzled over veggies. Where is Pomegranate Molasses From? Pomegranate molasses has been used in Georgian, …

Furikake is a wonderful Japanese spice blend that's used as a condiment on sushi, rice, fish, vegetables, poké bowls, and more. It's really easy to make homemade furikake to use in your recipes. There are many kinds of furikake blends, so I'll give you several mix-in options and suggestions that you can try! What is …

You've got to try making your own delicious, homemade lemon pepper seasoning. It's bright, kicky, and is a wonderful topping for chicken, steak, white fish, or roasted veggies. This homemade seasoning blend can be used in all purpose seasoning that you're going to love! When you make your own lemon pepper blend from scratch the …

Cardamom is a spice made from seed pods - the most common of which have a papery green skin. Cardamom is highly aromatic and prized around the world. It's the third most expensive spice (only eclipsed by saffron and vanilla). It's unique, strong flavor is both sweet and spicy, making it an ideal ingredient for …

Fennel seeds are native to the Mediterranean and are used extensively in Indian, Chinese, German, French, and Italian cooking. Fennel seeds have a licorice-like flavor and look very similar to cumin seeds. Fennel seeds are incredibly versatile and can be used in sauces (especially tomato sauces), with seafood, pork, in soups and stews, and in …

Salt makes everything taste better! These eleven different types of salt include common salts like kosher and sea salt as well as more unusual salts like black lava salt. Each kind of salt has a different use and unique types of recipes it should be used in. This guide will outline the flavors of each …

This Ras el Hanout recipe is a fantastic, versatile spice blend you will love. It has rich flavors and can be used on meat, vegetables, soups, rice, and other dishes. The fragrant spices combine to create a savory seasoning blend. What is Ras el Hanout? Ras el Hanout is a Middle Eastern spice blend used …

What are Juniper Berries? Juniper berries are a small round berry that grow on conifers. They’re most notably known for flavoring gin. They have a piney, fresh flavor that’s often used in Scandinavian and Eastern European cuisine.  All juniper shrubs and trees grow these berries, but some are too bitter or toxic to eat. You …

Star anise is the prettiest of spices! The iconic star shape has eight points and is actually fruit harvested from an evergreen tree native to China and Vietnam. Star anise produces an oil that's fragrant enough to be used in cosmetics and perfumes. How Do You Use Star Anise? Star anise is used in cooking …

Ever wondered how to use saffron? This saffron guide will answer all your questions - how many saffron strands to use, where saffron is grown, what are the best recipes using saffron, and where to buy saffron. Saffron is a gorgeous spice and a little goes a long way (which is good, because it’s not …

Turmeric is a plant in the ginger family and its native to Southeast Asia. It’s commonly used in food (often in curries) and as a dye. Turmeric rhizomes (the fleshly root-like structure) can be used fresh or in powder form. Typically, the powdered form is made by boiling the fresh rhizomes, then baking till dried, …

This homemade ramen seasoning is easy to make and tastes so good! This recipe makes 4 servings of seasoning blend (about 1 tablespoon per serving). It's perfect if you want to make a bowl of homemade ramen or want to make instant ramen but don't want all the preservatives in the ramen seasoning packet. You …

This homemade cajun seasoning blend is easy to make and tastes so good! If you like the flavor and heat of cajun food, then this spice blend will be essential. This recipe makes 1 ½ tablespoons of cajun seasoning, which is typically enough for one recipe serving 4 to 6 people. It's perfect if you …

This homemade chicken seasoning is easy to make and tastes so good! This recipe makes a little over 2 tablespoons of seasoning blend, which you can use on a whole chicken or for up to 6 chicken breasts or thighs. It's perfect if you want to make a dry rub for chicken. It's versatile and …

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend that's often used in meat and vegetable stews. It's a warm blend that adds a spicy, rich undertone to dishes. It's very versatile though and beyond using it as a marinade for meat or a base in a soup, it can be used as a topping for fruit or …

Here's how to make and use rose water for cooking and baking, plus some of our favorite rose water recipes. What is Rose Water? Rose water (sometimes spelled rosewater) is a floral water made by distilling or simmering rose petals. It's often used in Middle Eastern, Persian, and Indian cooking. It's primarily known for being …

Allspice (also called pimenta, Jamaican pepper, and myrtle pepper) is actually just one spice that tastes like a blend of spices. It's made from an unripe berry that grows in Central America and the Caribbean. The fruit is picked green, dried, and ground to make allspice. Allspice tastes like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and …

Garam Masala is a warming, aromatic spice blend from the Indian subcontinent. Blends vary by country and region (some families even have their own special blend) and it can be used on its own or in combination with other spices. Garam masala is to Indian, Pakistani, and Nepali cuisine what Ras el Hanout is to …

Sumac spice is a flowering plant that grows in the Middle East, Asia, and North America. It usually grows as a small shrub or tree. Its flowers form a red fruit that is ground and used as a spice, typically in Middle Eastern cuisine.  Sumac has a tangy flavor that tastes lemony but is less …

This Moroccan tagine spice blend is incredibly versatile. It's great on burgers, roasted chicken, rice dishes, lamb, roasted vegetables, or chili. This homemade spice mix is easy to make and is a small batch (3 teaspoons) so you can use it all in one or two dishes! Why You'll Love This Moroccan Spice Blend This …