Top 7 Spices for Beginner Cooks

With hundreds of spices, herbs, and seasonings in our collection, it can be challenging for beginner cooks to know where to start. Whatever your skill level or culinary style, there are a few staple spices that will make you feel like a chef in no time. We find that these spices featured below have the widest applications and biggest impact when it comes to enhancing the flavors in your cooking. If you have any questions about spices or cooking, email us at spices@spicehouse.com, or leave us a comment below.

#7 Kosher Salt

Salt is neither an herb or spice, but actually a mineral. If you’re ready to upgrade your cooking, it’s time to ditch that cylinder of iodized table salt. Those ultra-fine crystals are really meant for filling the salt shakers at the local diner. Kosher salt has the perfect size and texture to control how much salt you want in a dish. It’s the perfect coarseness for making your own spice rubs, too. Combine Kosher salt with garlic powder, cracked black pepper, and Hungarian paprika to craft a rub for steaks, hamburgers, and chicken.

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#6 Ground Cumin Seed

Cumin is essential to some of the world’s most popular cuisines, especially Indian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Mexican. You’ll soon find that freshly ground cumin adds a necessary richness to your rice dishes, stews, soups, barbecue sauces, and chili con carne recipes. Combine cumin with garlic powder, and cayenne pepper for a quick easy taco seasoning.

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#5 Ground Saigon Cinnamon

Cooks are astounded by the flavor and freshness of our ground Vietnamese cinnamon, often telling us they have to dial back on the measurements for their recipes. Cinnamon is a must-have for bakers making cinnamon rolls, banana bread, and snickerdoodles. Don’t stop at the sweet tooth, cinnamon’s spicy flavor is also called upon for many Indian curries and Middle Eastern stews.

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#4 Greek Oregano

Whether you’re making Grandma’s homemade red sauce recipe or simply garnishing a frozen pizza, a sprinkle of this robust, aromatic herb is an instant upgrade. Combine oregano with garlic powder, cracked black pepper, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil to create a game-changing marinade for grilled chicken or fish. Pro Tip: Crush the oregano between your fingers when you add it to a recipe to release its essential oils and offer more flavor.

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#3 Hungarian Sweet Paprika

Hungarian paprika is beautifully vibrant, adding richness to your cooking in flavor and appearance. Our paprika is more than just looks, though. Our Hungarian paprika has a sweet, savory flavor reminiscent of tomato and bell pepper. Add a heavy hand of paprika to improve your soups, stews, and roasted vegetables.

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#2 Garlic Powder

Garlic is essential in every kitchen, adding a savory component in almost all the world’s cuisines. Peeling fresh garlic cloves takes time, and learning the knife skills to mince, slice, or mash them can take a little longer. Save time by substituting one quarter of a teaspoon of our granulated garlic for every small fresh clove in a recipe. You can also try our roasted granulated garlic to add rich, nutty flavors to your recipes.

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#1 Whole Tellicherry Black Peppercorns

Black pepper is a spice you’ll reach for every day, both in the kitchen and at the table. We’re passionate about fresh flavors, which is why we recommend grinding your own whole peppercorns at home. Don’t have a peppermill? No problem. We also grind our Tellicherry pepper fresh each week in several sizes of coarseness.

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Honorable Mentions

If you’re looking for a curated collection of spices to kickstart your cooking, look no further. We’ve compiled a few assortments that will give you a library of flavors to choose from.

Kitchen Starter Collection

A great chef, or the wise beginner, always has on hand the spices, herbs, and seasonings of this kitchen collection. They are the foundational flavors of all types of cuisine and any number of recipes.

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Essential Spices Collection

These are the 24 essential spices we recommend for every kitchen. A collection of frequently used spices is the perfect housewarming gift. It is also a good buy for serious cooks who appreciate fresh spices.

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