5 Herbs and Spices You Want in Your Kitchen

Basil
Basil is usually chopped (to enhance the flavor) and put in tomato sauce, pesto, salads, oils, and many more. My favorite is a simple salad made from mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Basil has a strong taste and can overpower foods with delicate flavors. But it is extremely versatile and can be used in a huge variety of dishes.



Paprika
Paprika is a kind of dried sweet red pepper and usually has a mild taste. The most common uses for it are as a garnish for eggs, chicken, fish, rice, and other savory dishes. I often use it to brown chicken and oven roasted dishes.



Thyme
Thyme is often dried then chopped for later use. It has a slight minty flavor and is commonly used in sauces, soup, lamb, pork, roasts, or anything that mint compliments (which is a lot). Unless you're adverse to the taste of mint, you can't go wrong using thyme.



Garlic Powder
It almost feels like cheating putting garlic powder on this list. Simply put, I put garlic powder in every single dish. I love garlic, so I put it in every western dish I make. Usually it's better to put fresh garlic, but garlic powder is a decent alternative.

Rosemary
Like basil, rosemary is very strong and will overpower other flavors in a dish. It has a pine-like flavor and should be crushed before using (to enhance the flavor). Put it on lamb, pork, or chicken. Melting butter with rosemary is a simple delicious sauce for potatoes and vegetables.