This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.
This article shares all the most popular types of spices as well as their uses in food preparation and photos of each for easy identification. So, if you have been wondering about the various culinary spices, then this post is for you.
What are spices?
A spice can be either a seed, fruit, root bark, powder, or other plant substance that is used to add flavor and or color to dishes.
When it comes to making the best recipes, spices and herbs are a must. This massive list of spices will help you understand the various types of culinary spices a little more.
What are the top 10 most used spices?
Most used spices in the US are the spices that are the most imported and most produced in the US. These include vanilla beans, black pepper, white pepper, sesame seeds, cinnamon, mustard, oregano, capsicum peppers, dehydrated onion and garlic.
Types of spices
There are 4 main types of spices that can be used in cooking. They include sweet spices, hot spices, tangy spices, and pungent spices.
Sweet spices are the ones that have a sweeter flavor and include spices like nutmeg, mace, cloves, cinnamon, saffron, allspice, cardamom, and coriander.
Hot spices are the ones that contain some level of heat including ginger, cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, chili flakes, habanero, Pasilla, Guajillo, and chipotle powder.
Tangy spices are the ones like dried lemon peel, tamarind, sumac, file powder, and fenugreek seeds
Pungent spices include garlic powder, onion powder, and turmeric.
Sweet spices
Nutmeg
Nutmeg which is native to Indonesia and from the Myristicaceae family is a seed from the nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans) that is often ground into a powder.
Nutmeg seeds are often brown or grayish brown and oval shaped with a wrinkled surface. They also have a reddish to yellowish brown lacy seed covering used to make another spice called mace.
When ground into a powder, nutmeg is a dark brown powder with sandy undertones.
This sweet spice has a woody, nutty, sweet flavor and a strong warm aroma.
Nutmeg is used in both sweet and savory recipes including puddings, beverages, eggnog, baked goods, meats, sauces, and even vegetables.
Mace
Mace is another spice from the nutmeg trees, specifically from the nutmeg seed. Mace are those reddish, yellowish, or brownish lacy seed coverings that are seen over nutmeg seeds. You can find mace in both powdered forms and dried blades.
Mace has a warm woody, slightly sweet flavor that is more subtle than nutmeg. This sweet spice is used in many spice blends, baked treats, sauces, soups, and more. It is very popular in the Caribbean, India, and Asia.
Vanilla beans
Vanilla beans are long podlike fruits produced from the flower of the tropical orchid plant called Vanilla planifolia which is native to South and Central America and the Caribbean.
Vanilla beans can be used in cooking, but rarely is it done as they are super expensive. Instead, vanilla beans are used to make vanilla extract which is widely used in almost every kitchen.
Cloves
Cloves are a spice made by harvesting and drying the immature flower buds of an evergreen tree called the clove tree (or Syzygium aromaticum). This evergreen tree called the clove tree is native to the North Moluccas Islands in Indonesia.
Ground cloves or clove spice is a rich reddish brown colored powder. On the other hand, the whole clove buds are between 1.5–2 centimeters in length and look like small reddish or brownish nails with 4 spreading sepals and an unopened ball in the center.
Cloves are highly aromatic and have a very strong, woody, yet subtly sweet flavor that reminds everyone of Christmas.
Cloves are popularly used in the Caribbean to cook hams during the festive season. They’re also used in spice blends, marinades, meat rubs, teas, and even added to baked foods.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the bark of an evergreen tree from the laurel family called Cinnamomum verum (or true cinnamon tree)
Cinnamon spice is native to Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar and it is used as an aromatic spice in recipes like baked goods, teas, and other beverages, also desserts, stews, and even in curries. Cinnamon is also perfect for fall flavors.
To identify cinnamon, look for a brownish dried inner bark with a delicate, sweet, woody warm flavor. You can also get cinnamon spice in the powdered form.
Saffron
Saffron is a spice from the saffron crocus that is native to Greece. Saffron are the threads, that have been plucked from the flower of the saffron crocus.
Saffron threads are flute-shaped deep red tendrils. The saffron spice has a very subtle flavor and fragrance. It is also slightly sweet and is great for using in saffron rice, in pasta dishes, seafood dishes, chicken dishes and more.
Allspice
Allspice also called Jamaica pepper is a sweet spice made from the dried berries of a plant called Pimenta dioica, which is native to the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America.
Whole allspice seeds look like brown berries that have a similar look to peppercorns but are larger.
Allspice gets its name from its scent and flavor which can be described as a combination of spices including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg as well as that extra peppery sweetness. This spice is used in a lot of dishes including sauces, vegetables, dips, beverages, baked foods, dressings, and more.
Cardamom
In its raw form cardamom is a green pod from the cardamom plant that is native to India and from the ginger family.
Green cardamom is light green small pods that are spindle-shaped, with a thin green skin and a black inner seed. They can be used whole or ground.
Cardamom has a wonderful flavor that is somewhat citrusy as well as sweet and spicy at the same time.
Works well in both sweet and savory dishes, and is very popular in Indian dishes. Cardamom is often used in curries, and Indian spice blends, as well as in cheesecake recipes, puddings, cakes, loaves of bread, cookies, and more.
Coriander seeds
Coriander seeds are the dried seeds from the coriander plant. Coriander seeds are native to Southern Europe and belong to the parsley family.
Cilantro seeds are round brown seeds that are somewhat soft, which makes them easy to grind on your own, with a flat side and a side with a tiny point.
Coriander seeds are light and sweet with some citrusy hints. It works great in recipes like marinades, chilis, sauces, vegetables, and even curries.
Hot Spices
The hot spices are:
Ginger
Ginger is a flowering plant with roots called rhizomes that are popularly used as a spice. Ginger is native to Southeast Asia and is from the Zingiberaceae family.
Fresh ginger roots are knobby and twisted with light brown skin on the outside and pale yellow flesh on the inside. Dried ground ginger is tan in color.
Fresh ginger has a flavor that is slightly sweet, and peppery with a spicy, pungent flavor while ground ginger is more subtle and warm.
Ginger can be used in drinks, cereals, baked goods, desserts, coffee, teas, snack foods, and even savory dishes such as stir-fries, as well as in beef and poultry.
Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is a red hot chili pepper native to Cayenne, French Guiana that is from the Capsicum family. Cayenne peppers are thin green peppers that turn ripe and red in color, between 10-25 cm long and have a curved tip.
Cayenne peppers are typically dried and ground to produce a powdered spice that is reddish-orange called, you guessed it, cayenne pepper.
It is used to boost the flavors of savory dishes like soups, stews, Mexican dishes like tacos, and fajitas, used in many spice blends and even in hot chocolate recipes. Cayenne pepper is a moderately hot spice with some bite and some pungency.
Black pepper
Black pepper which is native to India comes from a flowering vine called the peppercorn plant in the Piperaceae family.
Black pepper, is derived from unripe berries from the Piper nigrum, or peppercorn plant, which has been picked, blanched in hot water, then sun-dried to form black peppercorns which are then ground into the black pepper spice that has become super popular.
Dried peppercorns are dark brown to black in color with a wrinkled look and contain a lighter-colored seed on the inside.
When ground to make black pepper, it is a dark brown powder with hints of light brown and even white throughout.
Black pepper is moderately hot with some hints of pine and citrus flavors and works in so many recipes including meats, vegetables, stir-fries, sauces, pasta, marinades, vinaigrettes, spice blends, soups stews, salads, and more.
White pepper
White pepper is another spice from the Piper nigrum plant. White pepper is picked from the pepper plant at full ripeness, then fermented and blanched, and peeled to reveal those whitish seeds.
White pepper is used in a lot of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Swedish recipes. It has a flavor that is pungent, grassy, and hot.
Paprika
Paprika is a vibrant red ground spice made from different types of ripe dried red peppers including bell peppers, poblano peppers, sweet peppers, cayenne peppers, paprika peppers, and or Aleppo peppers.
Paprika can be sweet, bland, moderately spicy, or smoky depending on the type you have on hand at the moment.
It is used to add color to many dishes including soups and stews, it is also used in spice blends, rubs, and marinades, to sprinkle on deviled eggs, potatoes, goulash, and more.
Chipotle powder
Chipotle powder is a smoky ground spice made from grinding ripened, dried, smoked jalapeños. Chipotle powder is native to Mexico.
This spice is smoky, deep, earthy, and sweet and works well in recipes like chilis, barbecues, soups, sauces, dry rubs for meats, and more.
Crushed red pepper
Crushed red pepper also called red pepper flakes is a spice made from dried crushed red chile peppers such as cayenne, jalapeño, serranos, etc.
Crushed red pepper flakes have a fiery, zesty flavor and it’s very easy to identify this spice as they’re made up of crushed, dried flesh from red peppers and lighter-colored seeds.
Use crushed red peppers in eggs, tacos, sauces, spice blends, soups, casseroles, pizzas, chowders, and more.
Tangy spices
Lemon peel
Yes, lemon peel can be used as a spice. Lemon peel comes from the thin outer peel of ripe lemons and it has some great flavor as the skin of the lemon contains that most essential oils, and a lot of flavor and aroma.
This spice is great for adding to any recipe that calls for lemon zest.
Tamarind powder
Tamarind powder is a brown powder made from natural tamarind pulp that has been dehydrated and ground up to make this powder. Tamarind is native to tropical Africa.
Tamarind powder is brown in color and has a very sour, yet sweet, and a little tangy flavor and is great for adding to chutney, certain sauces, curries, and some other dishes.
Sumac
Sumac is a spice made from the dried berries of the wild sumac flower. The berries used to make sumac spice are either red, purple or yellow is and make a tangy spice with no scent that is sour and acidic similar to lemon juice.
Sumac is great for adding to dressings, sauces, spice rubs, marinades and more.
Filé powder
Filé powder is a green powder that is popular in New-Orleans style cooking, that is made from grinding the dried leaves of the sassafras tree.
File powder is used to add savory earthy flavors and thickness to recipes like gumbos, soups, and stews.
Fenugreek seeds
Fenugreek is a clover-like spice used in cooking for its sweet, nutty, yet bitter, and tangy flavor. Fenugreek is used in chutneys, vegetables, salads, stews, curries, pickles, soups, lentil dishes, and even desserts and other sweet recipes. This spice is also used in spice blends like garam masalas and for many dry rubs for meats.
Fenugreek is another type of spice worth knowing about. Fenugreek comes from the Fabaceae family and is native to the Mediterranean.
The fenugreek spice is nutty and also smells and tastes like maple syrup or burnt sugar. In its seed form and powdered form, fenugreek is considered a spice. While the fenugreek leaves are considered an herb.
Fenugreek seeds can be identified as being small hard yellow to brown hard seeds about 3mm long, that are oblong and grooved across one corner.
Pungent spices
Garlic powder
Garlic powder is a spice made from dried garlic that has been ground to make a powder
Garlic powder is a white-yellow colored spice and is great for adding to most savory recipes including stews, soups, spice blends, etc.
Onion powder
Onion powder is made from dried ground onions and are great for just about anything!
Onion powder has a pungent flavor with hints of sweetness and hints of garlic and sulfur and works in seafood, meats, dry rubs, marinades, casserole, vegetables and so much more!
Turmeric
Turmeric is another pungent spice. It is used in many Indian recipes and is made from grinding dried turmeric roots into a fine powder.
Turmeric imparts that bright yellow color to dishes and is used for adding to curries, yellow rice, and even chicken recipes.
These are the different types of spices that are used for cooking. They come in all colors and flavors and will make any meal you make the taste a lot better. And if you’re looking for a handy spice substitution chart with all those spices and substitutes for them that you can download, click the link.
