Every Spice, Seasoning & Herb — Explained

Seasoning.com is your complete guide to the world of flavor. Explore each spice and seasoning, learn the recipes it belongs in, and discover the spice blends that put it to work — from garam masala to pumpkin pie spice.

Browse Spices & Seasonings

Allspice

Allspice is a spice made from the dried unripe berries of Pimenta dioica, combining flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove

Baking Spices Warming Spices

Anise

Anise is a flowering plant in the Apiaceae family, native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia

Seed Spices Baking Spices Sweet & Aromatic

Basil

Basil is a culinary herb of the mint family, widely used in cuisines worldwide

Culinary Herbs

Black Pepper

Black pepper is a flowering vine cultivated for its fruit, the peppercorn, used as a spice and seasoning

Hot & Pungent Seed Spices

Bay Leaf

Bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used as a herb in cooking, from various plants including bay laurel

Culinary Herbs Sweet & Aromatic

Caraway

Caraway is a biennial plant in the Apiaceae family, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa

Seed Spices

Cardamom

Cardamom is a spice made from seeds of plants in the Elettaria and Amomum genera in the ginger family

Warming Spices Baking Spices Sweet & Aromatic

Chives

Chives are a flowering plant species in the Amaryllidaceae family, widespread across Eurasia and North America

Culinary Herbs

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum

Warming Spices Baking Spices

Cilantro

Cilantro refers to the fresh leaves of the coriander plant, widely used in various cuisines

Culinary Herbs

Clove

Cloves are aromatic flower buds of a tree in the Myrtaceae family, native to the Maluku Islands

Warming Spices Baking Spices Sweet & Aromatic

Coriander

Coriander is an annual herb whose leaves are known as cilantro, native to the Mediterranean Basin

Seed Spices

Dill

Dill is an annual herb in the celery family, native to North Africa, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula

Culinary Herbs Seed Spices

Cumin

Cumin is a flowering plant in the Apiaceae family, with seeds used as a spice in many cuisines

Seed Spices Warming Spices

Fennel

Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family, indigenous to the Mediterranean shores

Seed Spices Sweet & Aromatic

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is an annual plant in the Fabaceae family, cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop

Seed Spices

Ginger

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome is widely used as a spice and folk medicine

Warming Spices Hot & Pungent Baking Spices

Marjoram

Marjoram is a cold-sensitive perennial herb with sweet pine and citrus flavors, indigenous to the Mediterranean region

Culinary Herbs

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice derived from tree species of the genus Myristica, cultivated for its aromatic properties

Warming Spices Baking Spices

Oregano

Oregano is a flowering plant in the mint family, widely used as a culinary herb

Culinary Herbs

Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers, with varying levels of heat

Hot & Pungent

Parsley

Parsley is a flowering plant species in the Apiaceae family, native to Greece, Morocco and the former Yugoslavia

Culinary Herbs

Peppermint

A hybrid mint species with cooling properties and a distinctive sharp, fresh flavor

Culinary Herbs Sweet & Aromatic

Poppy Seed

Tiny, nutritious oilseeds with a nutty flavor, widely used in baking and cooking

Seed Spices Baking Spices

Rosemary

Rosemary is a fragrant evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves, commonly used as a flavoring

Culinary Herbs

Saffron

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, known as the world's most expensive spice

Sweet & Aromatic

Sage

Sage is a perennial evergreen subshrub with woody stems, native to the Mediterranean region

Culinary Herbs

Sesame

Sesame is a plant in the genus Sesamum, cultivated for its edible seeds which grow in pods

Seed Spices

Sorrel

A perennial herb with tangy, lemony leaves used in soups, sauces, and salads

Culinary Herbs

Spearmint

A perennial herb with a sweet, refreshing flavor, widely used in teas, cooking, and aromatherapy

Culinary Herbs Sweet & Aromatic

Tarragon

Tarragon is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family, widespread across Eurasia and North America

Culinary Herbs

Thyme

Thyme is a culinary herb consisting of dried aerial parts of flowering plants in the mint family

Culinary Herbs

Turmeric

Turmeric is a flowering plant in the ginger family, widely used as a spice and for its vibrant yellow color

Warming Spices

Vanilla

Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids, primarily from pods of the flat-leaved vanilla plant

Baking Spices Sweet & Aromatic

Wasabi

A Japanese root vegetable with an intense, pungent heat that stimulates the nose rather than the tongue

Hot & Pungent