A well-seasoned dish can transform your food. Fresh, whole ingredients are delicious, especially when they are cooked properly and in season – but good seasoning recipes can dial up the flavour, visual interest, and nutritional properties of your meals. Some of us are accustomed to only salt and pepper, while others developed their palates at a young age with a variety of herbs and spices. No matter where you are on your spice journey, these simple seasoning recipes are easy to make at home and are sure to please.
We love cooking as much as we can from scratch, and spice mixes, condiments and seasoning recipes fall under that umbrella. While it’s certainly convenient to buy store-bought spice mixes, we like to make our own because:
There are many reasons to enjoy fresh herbs in recipes like salsa, pesto or guacamole, juices and smoothies, salads, soups and stews, or as finishing garnishes. Dried seasonings help you preserve the flavour and nutrition for longer, and so you can conveniently have them on hand to add flavour to dishes.
The health benefits of dried herbs and spices will depend on which ones you choose, but many have:
Plus, adding seasoning to recipes may make certain foods like fruits and vegetables more appealing!
It can take time to build up a stash of spices in your spice cabinet or pantry. We’ve got a starter list for you in our Guide to Stocking a Culinary Nutrition Pantry, though what you choose to purchase first is very personal.
More spice rack tips:
Salt is one of the most common seasonings that people use in their kitchen. We have a full guide to salt in this post, but you can also jazz up your salt in some very fun and tasty ways! Try:
As we mentioned earlier, seasoning food is very personal. It’s cultural, too. Communities around the world have their preferred seasoning recipes and there is a degree of variation in how people enjoy their blends (especially if they like to cook without a recipe). We’ve included some of our favourites here, but please let us know in the comments what you love!
This spice blend is used in Mexican cooking and includes chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, paprika and oregano. You can alter taco seasoning to make it as mild or spicy as you choose.
Recipe to Try: Homemade Taco Seasoning by Isabel Eats
Herbes de Provence features herbs that come from southeastern France and typically include a variety of herbs like thyme, marjoram, basil, rosemary, savory, and tarragon.
Recipe to Try: Herbes de Provence Blend by The Spruce Eats
Curry powder is a blend of spices that is often associated with Indian food, but it was actually created by British colonialists to replicate the dishes they witnessed Indian people cooking. Curries, as a category, spread to many other cultures. You’ll see curry dishes in Japanese, Thai and Caribbean cooking, though there are many who argue that ‘curry’ in and of itself doesn’t actually exist.
There are many, many curry powder recipes available; many have ingredients like turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, and more. We’ve included some simple ones below!
Recipes to Try: Easy Curry Powder Recipe by Healthier Steps and Yellow Curry Powder by Cardamom and Tea
Garam masala is a traditional seasoning blend that originated in Northern India and is heavily used in Indian cooking. It typically is a mix of coriander, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Recipe to Try: Homemade Garam Masala by Vegan Richa
This spice blend originated in the Southern United States, mainly Louisiana. It has a smoky, spicy flavour and typically contains paprika, onion, garlic, black pepper, oregano, and cayenne.
Recipe to Try: Cajun Seasoning by The Flavor Bender
This warming spice mix is used in Chinese dishes. It uses fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, which are usually toasted whole and then ground into powder.
Recipe to Try: Homemade Five Spice Powder by Omnivore’s Cookbook
A seasoning mix used in Ethiopian cuisine. It is typically on the spicy side, using chili, paprika, smoked paprika, ginger, and peppercorns, along with additional spices like fenugreek, coriander, cardamom, allspice, and cinnamon.
Recipe to Try: Berbere Spice by Eleni’s Kitchen
Gomasio, or gomashio, is a simple seasoning of toasted and crushed sesame seeds mixed with salt that is used in Japanese cooking. Some recipes may also include seaweed like nori.
Recipe to Try: Gomasio by The Daring Gourmet
Greek seasoning blends use dried herbs that are common in Mediterranean cuisine like oregano, basil, dill, black pepper, garlic, and onion.
Recipe to Try: Easy Greek Seasoning Blend by Sweet Peas and Saffron
A crispy Indonesian condiment made from stir-fried coconut along with seasonings such as kaffir lime leaves, galangal, coriander, cumin, and garlic.
Recipe to Try: Serundeng by What To Cook Today
The post Seasoning Recipes to Elevate Any Meal appeared first on Meghan Telpner.
