Essential Pantry Spices Every Kitchen Should Have
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As a bride-to-be, I knew that stocking up a pantry full of spices was going to be a crucial step in setting up my kitchen. In an effort to get a jump start, my mom asked everyone who planned on attending my bridal shower to bring a spice if they wished to do so. This was a sweet way to create a collection of spices from all of my favorite family members and friends to build up my future spice pantry.
Whether you’re setting up your kitchen for the first time (like I was) or you’ve decided to dive into the world of cooking, it’s important to have a few essential pantry spices to get you started. With a well-stocked basic spice cabinet, you’ll be able to make a wide variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert without unnecessarily having to run to the spice aisle of the grocery store. The types of food you like to cook and bake will ultimately determine what your spice cabinet will look like in the future, but it’s best to start out with the basics and grow your collection from there. We’ve put together an essential spice list for you with basic spices and seasonings every kitchen should have!
The Original Dynamic Duo
The spice soulmates of the kitchen, salt and pepper are staples that can be found in almost every savory dish. These two simple essential pantry spices can enhance and accentuate ingredients and bring out their best qualities just by adding a dash here and a dash there. There are many different varieties of salt, but the three most common types are table salt, kosher salt, and sea salt. When starting your spice collection, we recommend stocking up on table salt or sea salt, as they are both most commonly used for household cooking. As for pepper, there are also many, many varieties. We suggest picking up finely ground black pepper for starters. Once you have this dynamic duo, you’re ready to stock up on other essentials!
Beyond S&P - Essential Pantry Spices for Cooking:
Garlic powder and onion powder are ingredients in many recipes and can be used to add additional savory flavor to eggs, meats, sauces, soups, and more. Besides salt and pepper, these two spices are probably the most used in our households to boost the flavor of our dishes!
Italian seasoning is a combination of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. This blend is used in many Italian dishes and can also be added to sauces, pizzas, and subs!
Chili powder is excellent for chili (of course), stews, and soups and is an essential ingredient in homemade taco seasoning and fajita seasoning.
Red pepper flakes are great in dips, chili, and soups, sprinkled on pizza, or to add spice to any dish.
Dried oregano is great for dressings, pasta sauce, salads, and on subs.
Paprika is used in many Mexican dishes and is excellent on chicken and fish. Smoked paprika is one of our personal favorites!
Cumin is also used in Mexican dishes and is also one of the ingredients in homemade taco seasoning.
Dried parsley is great in homemade dips, sauces, and more.
Dried dill can be used for dips and pairs well with fish.
Thyme goes well with chicken and fish.
Chicken/poultry seasoning can be used in soups, chicken salads, casseroles, crockpot meals, and more.
Beef seasoning can be used in gravies, crockpot meals, and more.
Seasoning Mixes
In addition to the essential pantry spices outlined above, we also recommend stocking up on a few seasoning mixes. These pre-mixed blends can add a punch of flavor to your dishes with a few quick shakes!
We love stocking up on a few grill seasonings for hamburgers, steaks, pork, and chicken. These also jazz up baked beans, eggs, roasted potatoes, tomato soup, and more. Garlic and herb seasoning is also one of our spice pantry go-to's! We use it to roast veggies in the oven, on homemade fries, in eggs, soups, chicken, and more. Old Bay, everything bagel seasoning, and taco seasoning are other favorites that add some pizzazz to your dishes.
Baking Spices
Here are a few staple baking spices that we regularly use in our baking (especially in the fall and around the holidays). Here is our essential spice list for baking!
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
Ground Allspice
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Vanilla
Storing Spices & Their Shelf Life
It is important to note that all spices have a shelf life. Although many spices can last for years, their intensity may weaken over time. When buying new essential pantry spices, we recommend opting for smaller quantities to keep your spices nice and fresh over their use. Then, when you use them up, simply buy new ones to keep the spice’s intensity as strong as possible. We also recommend storing your spices in a cool, dry area of your kitchen and in air-tight spice containers.
Stock Up
Use our checklist below to help you easily stock up on all of these must-have spices. It’s time to stock up!
Essential Spice List: Shopping Checklist
Spices for Cooking:
▢ Salt
▢ Ground Black Pepper
▢ Garlic Powder
▢ Onion Powder
▢ Italian Seasoning
▢ Chili Powder
▢ Red Pepper Flakes
▢ Dried Oregano
▢ Paprika
▢ Cumin
▢ Dried Parsley
▢ Dried Dill
▢ Thyme
▢ Chicken/Poultry Seasoning
▢ Beef Seasoning
Seasoning Mixes:
▢ Grill Seasoning
▢ Old Bay
▢ Everything Bagel Seasoning
▢ Taco Seasoning
▢ Herb & Garlic Seasoning
Spices for Baking:
▢ Cinnamon
▢ Nutmeg
▢ Cloves
▢ Allspice
▢ Pumpkin Pie Spice
▢ Vanilla