Asian Blends
An Asian blend usually names a balance rather than a recipe, so two jars with the same label can taste…
7 guides Browse
What Is Actually in Each Spice Blend, and in What Proportion
Twenty-four blends grouped by the cooking that produced them, from the smoke and long marination of the Americas to the tart, ground mixes of the Middle East. Each gives what belongs in the jar, the proportions to mix at home, and where the supermarket version cuts corners.
What actually goes in the jar, in what proportion, and which commercial versions leave things out.
Browse
Browse by group 4 groups
Each group narrows the section to one kind of decision.
Middle Eastern & African
These blends carry their acid and their heat in the mix itself, so they season a dish and finish it at once…
7 guides BrowseWestern Blends
Western blends were built for rubs, roasts, and boils, where a spice has to hold up to sustained direct heat…
6 guides BrowseAmericas Blends
Blends from the Americas were built around smoke, chile, and long marination rather than around ground…
4 guides Browse
In This Collection
In this collection 24 profiles
Berbere Changes Once It Meets Onion and Hot Fat
Berbere is an Ethiopian and Eritrean red spice blend whose dried chiles, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, and aromatic seeds…
Read
Cajun Seasoning Works When the Three Peppers Stay Distinct
Cajun seasoning usually combines paprika for color, cayenne for direct heat, black pepper for slower pungency, and a…
Read
Chaat Masala Is a Finishing Spice, So Timing Changes Everything
Chaat masala is a tangy South Asian finishing blend commonly made with amchur, kala namak, cumin, coriander, pepper…
Read
Herbes de Provence: Does Lavender Belong in the Blend?
Herbes de Provence is a dried herb blend commonly built around thyme, rosemary, savory, and oregano, while lavender is…
Read
Is Curry Powder Actually Indian? How to Use It Well
Curry powder is a British convenience blend that adds quick yellow color and mild warmth as an early base. Bloom it in…
Read
Italian Seasoning: What Belongs in the Blend?
Italian seasoning is a dried herb blend usually built from oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. Crush coarse…
Read
Jerk Seasoning: What Makes the Jamaican Flavor Work?
Jerk seasoning is Jamaican flavor built around allspice, Scotch bonnet chile, thyme, alliums, and smoky cooking. Choose…
Read
What Goes Into Taco Seasoning and How Should You Use It?
Taco seasoning is usually a chile-and-cumin blend with paprika, garlic, onion, oregano, pepper, and optional salt or…
Read
What Is Baharat Spice Blend, and How Should You Use It?
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend built around black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and…
Read
What Is Chimichurri, and Why Should It Stay Chunky?
Chimichurri is an uncooked Argentine and Uruguayan sauce built from parsley, oregano, garlic, chile, vinegar, oil…
Read
What Is Dukkah, and Why Should It Stay Coarse?
Dukkah is an Egyptian mixture of toasted nuts, sesame, coriander, cumin, pepper, and salt. Toast the components…
Read
What Is Harissa, and How Do Paste and Powder Differ?
Harissa is a Tunisian red chile paste seasoned with garlic, caraway, coriander, cumin, acid, oil, and salt. Paste…
Read
What Is Hawaij? The Yemeni Blend for Soup and Coffee
Hawaij can mean a savory Yemeni blend or a sweeter coffee blend, and the version decides the food. Savory hawaij often…
Read
What Is Pumpkin Pie Spice and How Should You Use It?
Pumpkin pie spice contains warm ground spices, not pumpkin, sugar, or salt. Cinnamon should lead, ginger and nutmeg…
Read
What Is Ras el Hanout? The Logic Behind the Moroccan Blend
Ras el hanout is a North African spice blend whose name is often explained as the best of the shop. There is no single…
Read
What Is Shichimi Togarashi and How Do You Use It?
Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven-flavor seasoning built around chile with citrus peel, sansho, seeds, seaweed…
Read
What Is Tandoori Masala, and How Does the Marinade Work?
Tandoori masala is a chile-forward blend commonly built from coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic, warm spices, and…
Read
What Is Za'atar, and Why Does It Taste Bright?
Za'atar can mean an aromatic herb or the Middle Eastern seasoning built from dried herbs, sumac, sesame, and salt. In…
Read
What Is in Chinese Five Spice, and When Should You Use It?
Chinese five spice is a strong blend led by star anise, not chile heat, with cinnamon, fennel, clove, and pepper…
Read
What Is in Garam Masala, and Why Does It Work?
Garam masala is a roasted warming spice blend used most often near the end of cooking. It usually centers on cumin…
Read
What Is in Old Bay Seasoning, and How Do You Use It?
Old Bay is a salty, celery-forward Chesapeake seasoning with paprika, red and black pepper, mustard-like sharpness, and…
Read
What Makes a BBQ Rub Build Bark Without Burning?
A BBQ rub balances salt, pepper, paprika, aromatics, and optional sugar to season meat and build a textured crust. Keep…
Read
Which Adobo Do You Mean: Seasoning or Braise?
Adobo seasoning is usually a dry Latin or Caribbean garlic-oregano blend, while wet adobo is a coating and Filipino…
Read
Which Thai Curry Paste Should You Use for Your Curry?
Thai curry paste is a wet pounded mixture of chiles, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime, shallot, garlic, and savory…
ReadNothing at this heat level yet.