18 Spice Blends That Will Change the Way You Cook
Updated: Oct. 16, 2023
Give your go-to recipes new life with spice blends. Dive into these unique seasonings and find endless ways to use them in your kitchen.
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Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Looking for a vacation from your go-to sheet pan dinner? Sprinkle some jerk seasoning and a little lime juice over your ingredients. This spice blend combines onion, garlic, allspice, green onion, cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon and more to give you a taste of the Caribbean. Jerk tastes great on chicken and pork, but it also works with potatoes and veggies, too.
Greek Table Seasoning
If you’re a fan of Mediterranean flavors, snag this Greek Table blend from Spice Tree Organics. This mix of paprika, oregano, cumin, onion, rosemary, marjoram and thyme is the perfect blend for Greek dishes. Use it to season kabobs or gyros. Sprinkle it into salads or over veggies. It’s an easy way to inject Greek flavor into any recipe.
Bridgeport Potato Seasoning
Can’t get enough of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, twice-baked potatoes… OK, you get the idea! If spuds are one of your favorites, snag a jar of The Spice House’s Bridgeport Potato Seasoning. The mix of salt, onion, red pepper, rosemary, cayenne, thyme, basil and Tellicherry pepper works particularly well with potatoes (it’s a game-changer for potato salad).
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to just starches. Bridgeport is a good companion for vegetables, fish and breadings. You can get a lot of use out of this one during fish fry season.
Poultry Seasoning
If roasted chicken, chicken soup and stuffing are regular makes in your kitchen, you’ll want to have a jar of poultry seasoning on hand. This popular spice blend contains sage, celery seed, marjoram, coriander and black pepper—spices that you commonly associate with warm, fuzzy feelings. While you’ll typically want to reach for poultry seasoning whenever you make chicken or turkey dishes, these flavors also work with pork and lamb.
Curry Powder
The easiest way to create a delicious curry is to start with a great curry powder. Comfort Curry from Curio Spice Co. starts with a base of turmeric and layers on the flavor with coriander, cumin, ginger, white pepper, cardamom, fennel and plenty more. It’s not too spicy, which makes it a great intro into this blend. Heat lovers, add some cayenne to amp up the spice. Use this blend in curries (of course), egg salad, dips and other Indian-inspired dishes.
Frozen Pizza Seasoning
As much as well all love to cook from scratch, some nights it’s just not in the cards. Next time you go to pop a frozen pizza in the oven, sprinkle on some of Penzey’s frozen pizza seasoning first. This blend of Italian herbs really does make even the most basic frozen pizza taste better. And you can think outside the pizza box too. This seasoning blend goes great on garlic bread, pasta and other Italian dishes.
Mexican Chile Lime Seasoning
Sweet and spicy is a great combination, like in this Mexican Chile Lime blend from The Spice House. This seasoning mix contains chiles, cayenne, paprika, lime juice powder, salt and sugar. The duality of this blend makes it versatile. Use it in many Mexican dishes, add it to your favorite street corn recipe or even sprinkle some on fruit for an unexpected (but delicious) combo.
Everything Seasoning
A blend of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion and more, this everything bagel-style seasoning can do so much more than top your morning bagel. There are lots of ways to use everything seasoning, but some of our favorites are sprinkled in eggs, over roasted veggies or in a savory snack mix.
Lake Shore Drive Shallot and Herb Seasoning
This mix of shallots, green peppercorns, chives, garlic, onion and salt from The Spice House is a people-pleasing but distinctive blend. It gives dishes that little extra something that leaves friends and family wanting a second helping.
Use Lake Shore Drive to season your favorite veggies—whether sauteed, grilled or roasted. You can even make a quick veggie dip by stirring it into sour cream. This mix really shines when paired with fish and seafood, so add it to your next tuna salad or fish dinner.
Herbes de Provence
Fans of French cooking might be familiar with this spice blend. Herbes de Provence brings the best flavors of the South of France together: basil, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, fennel, chervil and just a hint of lavender (don’t worry—it’s not too strong!).
Since this spice blend is so verdant and fresh, it a natural match for vegetables (ratatouille, anyone?), salads and vinaigrettes. You can use it in heartier dishes, too. Try it with roasted chicken.
Watkins Organic Steak Seasoning
Need a great go-to rub for your steaks? Pepper, dill, coriander, garlic, mustard, red pepper and salt come together in Watkins take on steak seasoning. This blend is a great blend of savory flavors—plus the salt and pepper built-in mean this is a one-step seasoning. You can also use this spice blend to season burgers or even prime rib. Learn how to cook prime rib with this step-by-step guide from our Test Kitchen.
Berbere
Want to add a little heat to your cooking? Sprinkle in a touch of berbere, a North African spice blend of cayenne, paprika, urfa chile, coriander, cardamom, ginger and fenugreek. This mix of spices adds heat but also some complexity.
Sub it in recipes that call for a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes. A dash over sauteed veggies is a great way to start with this spice. You can also use it to season meats, poultry and grains.
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Frozen french fries just wouldn’t taste as good without a sprinkling of Lawry’s. Sprinkle a bit of this salty blend of paprika, turmeric, onion and garlic on just about anything for a little extra flavor.
Za’atar
Oregano fans, take notice of this blend of herbs and spices. Za’atar is a type of oregano blended with sesame seeds, sumac and a hint of salt, and it makes for a great all-purpose seasoning. Anytime you want to use oregano, reach for this mix. You can also use za’atar to liven up veggies, salads, kabobs, meatballs and other Mediterranean favorites.
Oktoberfest Bavarian Rub
During the cold months, you’ll find yourself craving a spice blend that works well with hearty, cozy dishes. This Oktoberfest Bavarian blend is exactly what you need: mustard, rosemary, garlic, sage, thyme and bay leaves. Of course, it works well with German recipes, but this mix of seasonings is a great complement to any pork dish, chicken, soups and stews.
Old Bay
If you’re from Maryland (or are just a fan of seafood), chances are you know Old Bay, a mix of celery salt, pepper and paprika. This seasoning blend is commonly found sprinkled over crab, fresh corn and even oysters, but it can be used in so many ways. Use Old Bay to make crispy kale chips, crab cakes or even a side of cauliflower.
Paella Spice Blend
Let’s face it: Saffron is expensive. It can seem silly to shell out the big bucks for a small vial of the stuff. If you love that flavor in your paella, though, you can get the same effect with a great paella spice blend. This mix from Rumi Spice includes saffron, of course, as well as black pepper, paprika, rosemary, thyme and oregano. It’s a must for this Spanish rice dish, but it also works in other Mediterranean recipes as well as on chicken and seafood.
