These Are the Essential Spices Every Kitchen Should Have

Black Peppercorns

Also available at Spicewalla, Spiceology, and Diaspora Co.

If you cook at home, you'll find yourself using black pepper a lot, for almost every savory dish. Buying whole peppercorns means that the oils inside the pepper don't break down as quickly, keeping the flavor preserved longer. There are white and pink peppercorns too, for more advanced spicing levels, but plain old black peppercorns are great, and vital for everything from cacio e pepe to black pepper curry chicken. Buy them whole and grind them in a pepper grinder for the best results.

Price at time of publish: $10

Cumin, Whole or Ground

Also available at Burlap & Barrel and Spiceology.

You know that earthy, aromatic, slightly nutty note that you get in a pot of chili? That often comes from cumin, a spice that's incredibly versatile. "It's naturally rich in oils, and you don't need a lot of it to get that rich, earthiness," said Julie Gould, the marketing director of Spice Islands. It's great to get cumin whole and grind it up as needed, and it lasts longer that way. (It's an essential ingredient in many spice blends, like curry powder and chili powder. But if you're realistically not going to have time or energy to do that, a small bottle of ground cumin is a good choice. Add it to lamb noodles with eggplant, or just to roasted cauliflower.

Price at time of publish: $6

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or Whole Dried Chiles

Also available at Burlap & Barrel and Spicewalla.

If you like a bit of spice in your meals, having chile flakes or whole dried chiles on hand is the way to go. Crushed red pepper flakes are the kind that you see in shakers in pizza places, and they're made from a mixture of peppers, but the most commonly used one is cayenne. A little bit of heat is useful for many dishes, like spicy guacamole, or just sprinkling onto your next plate of pasta or vegetables. Whole chile peppers are useful for crushing up to make curry pastes, or for putting in a pot of beans or chili as it simmers, and then fishing it out. There's a wide array of dried chiles available, so look for ones that have a heat level you're comfortable—here's a quick guide to the whole chiles most commonly found in the United States.

Price at time of publish: $6

Turmeric

Also available at Diaspora Co. and Spicewalla.

"Turmeric is a real essential. It's so versatile," Gould said. It's true—you might know the striking yellow-orange spice because of its use in Indian and Thai cooking, or in wellness food trends, but you can use it for a lot more. Turmeric is part of the ginger family and has a bright, floral, mild taste. Good-quality turmeric is a home kitchen game-changer, whether you're adding it to chicken and rice or ginger and turmeric noodle soup.

Price at time of publish: $10

Bay Leaves

Also available at Burlap & Barrel and Spicewalla.

One of the staples of French cooking, bay leaves can come off as mysterious. After all, it's a whole dried leaf that you usually want to fish out of whatever you add it to. (Bay leaves aren't poisonous but they are often unpleasant to eat, since they're fairly pointy, and could be a choking hazard.) Older bay leaves don't do much, it's true, but more freshly dried ones have a beautiful, herbaceous aroma.

"Bay is one of those spices that has a flavor that's hard to put your finger on, but you know it when it's missing," Youngman said. "It's a workhorse in the kitchen." Add it to a pot of potatoes, panna cotta, any soup or stock you're making, or a long braise of any meat to see it shine. And if you're not sure whether your bay leaves are fresh enough to make a difference, here's a tip from Gould: snap one in half and smell it. You should get a pleasant, spicy, floral scent. If not, it's probably on the older side.

Price at time of publish: $8

Ground or Granulated Garlic

Also available at Burlap & Barrel and Spiceology.

Garlic is a building block in the kitchen. Fresh is ideal, but we don't live in ideal times, so it's a great idea to have either granulated or powdered garlic in the cupboard to add that zingy, spicy garlic flavor when you can. Youngman prefers granulated garlic to the powdered form, and Gould likes the powdered version better. There are advantages to each—the powdered form, Gould argues "has more surface area and that's what you want, to spread flavor."

It's a great quick addition to guacamole or spice mixtures. For Youngman, granulated is the way. "While dried garlic flakes (sometimes called minced garlic) and garlic powder are made using similar processes, the powder is more pungent, since a teaspoon of it is filled with more garlic than larger bits of dried garlic flakes," Youngman said. "I tend to prefer the flakes, as they rehydrate while cooking and offer a bite of garlic, rather than the quickly dissolved, punchy, pungent flavor of the powder." There are no wrong answers, just whatever garlic works best for you.

Price at time of publish: $7

Cinnamon

Also available at Spicewalla.

While cinnamon is a crucial element in baking, it's also useful for savory projects, and an element in many spice mixtures. Gould noted that the difference in origin between cinnamon matters for the flavor. "Most Americans are used to Indonesian cinnamon, which has that gentle, woody flavor. If you're looking for spicy cinnamon—think about the taste of a Red Hot candy—you'll want to look for Vietnamese cinnamon."

Price at time of publish: $9

Smoked Paprika

Also available at Burlap & Barrel and Spicewalla.

"I'm not just a believer in this, I'm a convert," said Gould. "Now that I know about it I use it all the time. It adds a little rich smokiness to a dish. It's in the same family as cayenne, but it's very mild. It really carries that smoke flavor really well. Like when you leave a bonfire and your clothes smell." It's particularly good if you're cooking vegetarian food but want to replicate the smokiness that meat can bring to a dish. If you do eat meat, it can also enhance the flavor of what you're working with, like roasted chicken or steaks.

Price at time of publish: $9

Oregano

Also available at Spiceology and Burlap & Barrel.

Dried oregano is a fundamental spice in many Mediterranean and Latin American dishes, and another one of those spices that you see in shakers in pizza parlors. The flavor is warm and slightly bitter, making it a wonderful spice for all kinds of things, like grilled shrimp, roasted chicken, or just sprinkled over roasted potatoes or raw tomatoes.

Price at time of publish: $6

Cardamom

Also available at Spicewalla, Spiceology, and Burlap & Barrel.

The flavor of cardamom is complex: it has notes of citrus and mint, as well as a kind of zesty spiciness. You might be best acquainted with it from sweet applications or as an element in chai masala. But there are also many savory cardamom recipes, like cardamom chicken with rice pilaf. As with cumin, cardamom is best when stored whole, but if you don't have the time or mental energy to deal with that, you can buy it pre-ground too, and it'll work just fine.

Price at time of publish: $13

Mustard Seed or Ground Mustard

Also available at Spicewalla and Burlap & Barrel.

The zippy, hot flavor you get from a bottle of brown mustard? That comes from mustard seeds, another whole spice that's wonderful to have on hand. Mustard seeds are particularly lovely in vinegary slaws and pickles, like in this mustard seed chowchow. They're also delicious toasted, ground, and paired with cheese dishes, like this classic macaroni and cheese, or added into a vegetable dish for extra pop, as in this cauliflower dish with melted onions.

Price at time of publish: $9