Ultimate List of Spices: 33 Spices Ranked by Popularity With Pictures

Last updated on February 23, 2021

Here is a list of spices voted as the most important, basic collection for the average pantry. It resonated with me since I have used most of these.

I went out on a saturday morning with a list of spices and bought everything on it. Later on I spent a day on the computer researching what I could use them for. I also took all the photos myself, please don’t hate!

I paid less than $60 for all the 33 spices in total.

Here is what I learned, and what you should consider before stocking up:

What type of foods are you usually cooking? Plan your list of spices around that. There is no point in buying spices just to store them.
Keep your spices in airtight, clear jars close to the place where you are using them.

Spices generally don’t go bad, they simply lose aroma.

As a rule of thumb:

Whole spices last for a year or more
Ground spices last for around 6 months.

If you are unsure whether your spices have lost their potency, try to bash them with a mallet or a rolling pin. If you can smell the aroma, then you are golden.

#33 – Celery Seed

Buy as whole and grind them if you need it for sauces or smoothies
Not to be confused with Celery salt

Tastes like celery, duh

#32 – Seasoned Salt

seasoned salt can be made with whatever you want. this image is wild garlic seasoned salt flakes — I bought this at IKEA

Ground up salt mixed with whatever you can imagine
Easy to make your own

Store in a cool place to keep the flavors longer

#31 – Lemon Pepper

Last on our List of Spices is Lemon Pepper. A blend of Salt, Lemon Peel and Black Pepper. USe it for fish or poultry — I made this myself in about 2 minutes. Smells awesome!

Lemon Pepper is actually a seasoning mix
Combine Lemon zest, salt and pepper, easy to make your own

Attention! Be careful to use lemons with untreated, pesticide-free peels. Your best bet is to go organic

#30 – White Pepper

#30 on our List of Spices are White Peppers, pictured here in a small bowl — White Peppers taste similar to Black Peppers

Usually milder than black pepper
Made from the same fruit as black pepper

Use it for light colored foods where black pepper would ruin the aesthetics
Buy whole and grind them as you need them since white pepper loses potency fairly quickly
Whole white pepper keeps its potency for only around 6 months, afterwards you may have to use more

#29 – Cardamom

Whole Black Cardamom pieces — Black Cardamom smell like the inside of a Smoker

Two main types are black Cardamom and Green Cardamom
Used mainly for desserts in the Western hemisphere
If used whole, then discard from the dish before serving, it is unpleasant to bite into it

Ground cardamom uses potency very quickly, prefer to buy it whole and grind yourself if you can

#28 – Marjoram

Dried Marjoram is number 28 on our List of Spices — Marjoram is like Oregano

You can substitute it with Oregano fairly well, but oregano is stronger
If fresh, add Marjoram at the end of cooking

Dried Marjoram is more potent than fresh, and can be added to many spice blends

#27 – Dry Mustard

Small Dry Mustard Seeds — You can easily grind Dry Mustard Seeds

Dry or powdered mustard seeds are actually not acidic at all
Buy whole mustard seeds, grind them and sift the seed coat out to leave only the powder

Whole mustard seeds keep for a year, powdered only around 6 months

#26 – Fennel

Fennel Seeds in a small ceramic container — Fennel has a beautiful color in real life

The whole Fennel plant is edible
Fennel seeds used as a spice

Most common uses are sausage seasoning, curry and spice mixes
Seeds might be chewed to freshen the breath after a meal!
Fennel seeds keep for about 12 months

#25 – Saffron

Approximately 1 gram of Saffron threads — 1 gram of Saffron threads. Cost me $10

More expensive than gold
Crush Saffron threads before using them in recipes
Secret Tip! Steep saffron threads, use the water, then use the saffron threads a second time if you want to be frugal

Saffron threads keep their potency for up to 6 months in the pantry, but pre-crushed saffron will have already lost some of its potency by the time you buy it
Saffron may keep up to 12 months in the freezer

#24 – Cloves

#24 on our list of Spices are Whole Cloves smelling wonderful — I love the smell of Cloves, reminds me of cold fruit soup

Cloves are actually dried flower buds

Buy whole cloves and store them airtight
Grind your whole cloves if you need powder, otherwise use whole
Cloves keep their potency for around 12 months

#23 – Common Sage

#23 on the List of Spices is Rubbed Sage — Rubbed Sage has some purple colors in it

Unpleasant to eat raw due to the fluffy leaves
Dried rubbed sage retains most of the flavor but gets a little bit bitter and loses the bright color
Powdered sage loses its potency fairly quickly

Add dried sage at the beginning of cooking
Common sage can be kept for around 12 months if stored in a dry environment in a tightly sealed container

#22 – Mint

#22 on the List of Spices is a herb, Mint — Mint smells and tastes wonderful in Lemonades

Spearmint is the most used for cooking, peppermint is mainly refined into oil

Secret Tip! Crush fresh mint first to release more flavor
Use fresh mint in beverages
Dried Mint stays tasty for a maximum of 3 years

#21 – Nutmeg

#21 on our List of Spices is Whole Nutmeg — Nutmeg stays fresh indefinitely

Walnut shaped seed of an Indonesian tree, but somewhat smaller
Buy some whole nutmegs, and you are set for life. Whole nutmegs keep indefinitely if kept away from heat and moisture
Grate as necessary and it will taste fresh after years and years

Ground nutmeg stays potent for only 6 months

#20 – Parsley

Always buy fresh parsley and use it as garnish or to add flavor to your meat soup. Pictured here is chopped parsley in a white bowl. — I like to eat parsley raw when I cook. Smells great aswell!

Use fresh Parsley as a last minute addition to food or as a garnish
Always buy fresh if you can

Dried Parsley keeps for about 6 months, but it will not taste as fresh and has a different texture

#19 – Dill

#19 on our List of Spices is Dill. Buy it fresh or use dill seed spice for pickling — I don’t like Dill, I have to admit.

Refers usually to the leafy-green herb, but dill seed spice is commonly used for pickling
The herb loses flavor the longer it is cooked, so better to use at the end or as a garnish

Dried dill does not keep its flavor, but it is possible to freeze dill without too many adverse effects to taste

#18 – Turmeric

#18 on our List of Spices is Turmeric, a yellow spice in a ceramic cup — Turmeric STAINS. Be careful. Nice color tho.

Deep yellow-orange color, usually used in Indian cuisine
Some call it “indian saffron”

Turmeric stains hands and clothes orange, so be careful. Can be washed off
Most important ingredient if you are making curry, but mainly used for coloring. If left out, the flavor of the food will change only marginally.
Dried turmeric will keep for about 6 months if stored properly

#17 – Bay Leaf

#17 on the list of spices is Bay Leaf, or Bay Leaves. Use dried and remove before serving — Bay leaves go well with potatoes. Remove before serving!

Fresh bay leaves have much less flavor and are more expensive
Dried Bay Leaves last for about 2 years before they lose potency
Usually added to slow-cooking recipes like soups, stews, etc.

Bay leaves need to be removed before serving, they will not get soft and can cause serious cuts in the mouth or digestive tract
Always remove Bay leaves before serving

#16 – Onion Powder

Dried Onions are #16 on our List of Spices. You can use dried onions to replace normal onions. — I love Onions

Comes from “normal” onions that have been dehydrated and then crushed into flakes or ground into powder

Usually no indication of the type of onion used if pre-packaged, so each bottle might taste a little bit different
Easy to make at home if so desired
Gives no texture or crunchiness to the food, but can be used where dryness is preferred, like popcorn flavoring or dry rub

#15 – Cilantro

Fresh Cilantro as pictured adds a lot of flavor to foods. — Fresh Cilantro takes your Guacamole to whole new level

Love it or hate it herb
Commonly used in Mexican dishes
Some people can taste aldehydes and to them it tastes soapy

Dried cilantro has only a fraction of the taste, so you should use fresh whenever possible
Add fresh cilantro only at the end of cooking or as a garnish

#14 – Cayenne Pepper

Red as red Cayenne Pepper flakes. Number 14 on our list of spices ranked by popularity — Cayenne Pepper looks awesome

Bright red flakes that are “easy on the eyes”

Powdered form works just as good as coarsely ground
Very good heat level, with a great flavor
Many times hotter than your average chili powder, it is not a substitute and to be used with caution

#13 – Crushed Red Pepper

Crushed Red Peppers with Seeds. Used for garnishing and adding hotness to pizza. Ranked number 13 on our list of most popular spices — Crushed Red Peppers feature mainly Cayenne Pepper, seeds included

These will usually be a mix of red peppers dried and crushed into small flakes
The bulk of the mix will be cayenne pepper, with seeds mixed in
You can keep it in a grinder and grind coarse chunks to freshen up the taste a little bit

Loses heat with time, keeps for around 2-3 years

#12 – Rosemary

#12 of most popular spices is whole sprigs of Rosemary pictured here on a cutting board — Whole Rosemary sprigs

A popular mediterranean herb
If not using whole sprigs then chop leaves very finely, this bugger might remain very hard even after cooking

Use with caution: It is known to overpower any and all other flavors and then your food will taste like a biting into a christmas tree
Get fresh if you can, otherwise use dried version, but be careful

#11 – Thyme

Just short of the top ten at number 11 of the list of spices is dried Thyme. — Thyme has a really strong smell

Common thyme and lemon thyme are two most used

It is pronounced as “time”
Lemon thyme has a lemony flavor, therefore not a direct substitute to regular thyme
Dried and fresh have very similar flavor profiles so you can use dried

You only need a third of dried thyme compared to using fresh

#10 – Chili Powder

powdered chili mix is different from "crushed chilies" — You can make this in a myriad of ways if you don’t like store bought

Chili powder is actually a blend of different spices
Recipes vary but usually a red colored mix of spices like paprika, cayenne, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, and salt

Easily made at home to taste, check ingredients if store-bought to fit your needs
Should only be moderately spicy for better flavor control, more heat can be added to the dish as needed

#9 – Ginger

#9 on the List of Spices is Ginger, used for food, beverages and even clearing sinuses. — Use Ginger to clear your sinuses if you dare to

A yellowish colored root used for various foods and drinks

Ground up ginger usually used for sweets and curry mixes
You can buy young or mature roots, make sure to peel the skin of mature roots as those are too tough
You can actually plant ginger to have an endless supply. Whenever you need it just lift the plant, cut off from the root, then replant

Keeps for two months in the freezer, or 2 – 3 weeks in the fridge

#8 – Cumin

Cumin looks similar to Caraway seeds but tastes way different. They are not a substitution, be careful — Confusing Cumin for Caraway Seeds since 2010

Looks similar to caraway seeds but tastes different
Small brownish boat shaped seeds used in many exotic regions

Whole seeds can be stored up to 3 – 4 years in the pantry, no need to refrigerate
Grind up to release the flavor

#7 – Cinnamon

Whole cinnamon sticks with many inner layers taste the best. #7 on our List of Spices — Boil a pot of water with cinnamon to make your house smell like Xmas

Cinnamon is basically tree bark

Get whole cinnamon sticks with many inner layers to ensure quality
Lasts for many years if kept whole
Only grind or grate however much you need, keep the rest sealed up

#6 – Oregano

Dried Oregano withstands cooking very well, won't lose its flavor — Sprinkle some Oregano on your frozen pizza prior to cooking

One of the most basic spices if you are cooking mediterrenean or mexican
Oregano is “The Pizza Herb”
Secret Tip! Crush dried oregano further to release even more flavor

Stands up to cooking, so it is safe to add it to the ingredients at the beginning
Fresh Oregano is much stronger, mind your ingredients list

#5 – Paprika

#5 on our List of Spices is powdered sweet Paprika from Hungary — Only ever buy Hungarian sweet Paprika

Paprika is basically ground-up sweet pepper

Does not have any heat, gives flavor and nice red color to food
Use Hungarian Paprika if you can get your hands on it
Look for “Paprika”, the sweet, non-hot type, if recipe does not specify which kind you need

#4 – Basil

Fresh Basil is the #4 on our list of spices. Use it on pizza and always buy fresh — I am actually addicted to fresh Basil

Pizza, pasta, and salad dressings make good use of this
Sweet Basil is the most widely used, this is the one if a recipe calls for “Basil”
Attention! Dried Basil has a different flavor from fresh Basil, it is more minty

Always use fresh Basil if available

#3 – Garlic

Whole Garlic clove is always superior to ground. They keep for 3 months so no excuses — You can’t ever use too much Garlic

I love garlic. It is basically an onion on steroids
Always buy whole, unpeeled heads of garlic. These will keep for around 3 months. Break off cloves as required and peel individually.

You don’t have to refrigerate if heads are kept whole
Remove the paperlike skin before cooking, unless recipe states otherwise
The more you process it the more pungent it becomes

Garlic burns quickly, pay attention to it when cooking. Burnt garlic tastes very bitter and can ruin the dish

#2 – Black Pepper

Second place on our list of spices is Black Pepper — Freshly ground Black Pepper smells like Steak

Is actually a fruit, but dried and used as a spice
Always buy whole, and grind them yourself, as there is a night and day difference between pre-ground and freshly ground

Black pepper keeps for a very long time (years) if whole, only grind as much as you need

#1 – Salt

The most important spice in the world is actually a mineral. It is Salt. Buy coarsely ground without additives for cooking — Kosher Salt is basically coarsely ground salt without any additives

Use kosher salt for cooking, table salt for seasoning and baking, salt flakes for garnishing
Large crystals of kosher take a long time to dissolve, not really suitable for baking or food that’s ready

Kosher salt is just coarsely ground salt. No religion relation. If you are in a region that does not sell or know “kosher salt” just look for coarse salt with no additives
Iodized salt might give a metallic aftertaste
If your recipe calls for kosher salt, but you only have table, then the ratio is about 1 spoon of kosher salt equals half spoon of table salt