5 Simple Spices to Add Flavor to Any Meal

July 02, 2010, By Ryan Tetzlaff 0 comments

It's time to step it up a little in the kitchen. Your bland cooking isn’t making you or your family very happy come meal time. You need a little extra seasoning to make even old standby dishes seem special again. You’ve come to the right place.

Here are five must-have spices for adding a little more flavor to any dish.

Garlic

Garlic is one of those things people are afraid to use for fear of ruining a good meal. Used in appropriate amounts, garlic adds a nice layer of complexity to nearly any dish. You can put garlic in almost anything, including seasoning steamed vegetables, soups, pastas or meats. Garlic is one of the more versatile spices available and should sit in your spice rack right next to salt and pepper – definitely a must-have.

You can find garlic in cloves (highly recommended), in powder or in minced form. In the case of using fresh garlic, consider a garlic press to save time. If you're really pressed for time and hate the smell on your fingers, you can buy pre-minced garlic in the produce section of most grocery stores. For dry garlic, note that the drying process tends to lessen the flavor of garlic - so you can use a bit more of the dried stuff when compared to fresh.

Herbs de Provence

Herbs de Provence is a mixture of several herbs and spices often used for cooking in the Provençal region of France. This mixture of herbs typically includes savory thyme and rosemary. Some spice vendors will also include fennel and lavender.

Herbs de Provence is an excellent spice blends to use with meat. Marinate some chicken breasts, olive oil, and Herbs de Provence over night and you’ve got a great piece of meat ready for grilling or roasting. Herbs de Provence is also great in some stews and soups. On cooler nights or in a slow cooker like a crock pot, try Herbs de Provence in a beef pot roast.

Italian Spice

Another mixture that varies by the packager, Italian spice typically includes parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary and thyme. This mixture of spices gives you a robust, easy to use spice that lets you liven up many different dishes with an authentic Italian flare.

Try Italian spice when making homemade meatballs for a spaghetti dinner. Instead of just making plain balls of meat mixed with some egg and bread crumbs, add in some Italian spice and take it to a new level. Another great use is for making hamburger topping on homemade pizza. Fry up hamburger and mix it with some Italian spice and garlic, and now you’ve got some great tasting beef.

Cajun Spice

Cajun spice is typically a combination of salt, black pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper and paprika. Although not as versatile as some of the other spices on this list, Cajun spice is great for rice dishes and flavoring meats. I like to grill chicken with Cajun spice rubbed on and when done, cut into strips and serve over some fresh Alfredo sauce and pasta.

Seasoned Salt

Although there are several different types of seasoned salt, popular choices include garlic salt, onion salt and the original Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. Seasoned salt is useful in a number of different ways –as a flavoring for French fries or as an easy and flavorful meat rub.

In addition to the spices listed above, don’t forget about the ever important salt and pepper. It’s amazing how different food can taste with a little salt and pepper in the mix.

Ryan Tetzlaff is a father of five working in the IT industry as an IT Manager. He is a contributor to Six Apart Media.