Most used herbs and spices in cooking

[Oiwiththepoodlesalreadygg]

Hello, just wondering which dried spices and herbs you use most often in your everyday cooking? Going through my cupboards and I seem to have a huge collection of jars but most of them rarely get used!

My spice rack has space for 15 jars, so I'd love to cut down my collection to just 15 so that I can claw back much needed cupboard space. For reference, I mostly cook Mediterranean type food, sometimes Mexican and I rarely cook curries because I'm not very good at them. What herbs/ spices would you prioritise keeping?

Herbs and spices I use most:

Basil
Cumin
Chili flakes
Oregano
Parsley
Thyme
Tarragon
Black pepper
Five spice
Cayenne
Paprika
Smoked paprika
Herbes de Provence
Bay leaves

Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ground ginger
Ground cloves
Ground cardamom
Mixed spice
Allspice
Caraway seeds

Also turmeric

What do people use nutmeg for? I absolutely hate it.

Bechamel sauce
Quiche
Spinach wilted with butter, garlic and nutmeg (sounds weird but I love this!)
Some winter fruit cakes

I have a rosemary plant that's about 15 years old so I always have fresh rosemary.

Forgot sage- I normally use this only at Christmas and Thanksgiving for sage and onion stuffing.

I also get a lot of use out of dried onion and garlic.

"What do people use nutmeg for? I absolutely hate it."

I add it to cream of cauliflower soup - by the bucket load.
Also stir through or sprinkle on top of mac cheese, cauliflower cheese, lasagne and rice pudding. Have even sprinkled it on ice cream, cappuccino and poached eggs. One of my favourite spices I think.

Spices:
Chilli flakes
Cumin
Coriander
Turmeric
Garam masala
Paprika
Smoked paprika
Cayenne
Cinnamon sticks

Herbs - prefer fresh but use dried
Sage
Tarragon
Oregano

Others:
Kaffir lime leaves
Curry leaves
Lemongrass

Agree that you have to figure out what YOU use.

I once spent weeks researching for a new spice rack. The ones I liked all.came with pre-labelled and filled jars. I hated that because my 16 preferred herbs/spices are unique to me.

I did eventually buy one I could.label and have 16 in the rack and another bunch that I use seldom in my cupboard. Thatvwoeks for me.

Chilli flakes or birds-eye
Black pepper corns
Turmeric
Cumin whole and ground
Coriander seeds and ground
Fennel seeds
Cinnamon sticks
Nutmeg
Paprika
Smoked paprika
Star anis
Sage and oregano in the winter
Black mustard seeds
Nigella seeds
Mustard powder

Oregano or italian herb mix
garlic granules
cumin seeds
nutmeg
chinese five spice
turmeric
curry powder
whole peppercorns
smoked paprika

These are the ones I would find it hard to make a huge chunk of our meals without. There are other like bay leaves, cloves, onion granules that I use a lot but could probably do without.

I use paprika, garlic granules or salt, and cumin seeds the most. Sometimes mixed herbs. Chilli flakes.

Then sumac, coriander and garam masala. Cinnamon for pies!

Fennel
Coriander
Cumin
Paprika
Cinnamon
Black pepper
White pepper
Nutmeg
Bay
Black cardamom
Green cardamom
Celery salt
Ginger
Turmeric
Saffron

In the second rack...
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Chilli flakes
Mustard powder
All spice
Star anise
Dried limes
Dried mandarin
Liquorice root
Smoked paprika
Oregano
Tarragon
Sechwan peppercorns
MSG
Fenugreek

In reality the spice rack is a full kitchen cupboard. This is harder than daddy or chips.

Italian herb mix
Cumin seeds
Garlic powder
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Random spice mix my husband has picked up like jerky seasoning or peri peri

That's literally all I use 🤣 I hate cooking!

I have a drawer with all the jars in, Sainsbury's label theirs on the top.

Most used:
sumac
cinnamon
cumin
allspice
oregano
pepper
za-atar
pul biber chilli flakes

Am going through a major Middle Eastern phase.

If I had to have 15: Herb de Provence, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, tumeric, black pepper, marjoram, thyme, sage, chilli flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, garam masala, sumac.

I decant my spices into these bags: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bottles-Container-Leak-Proof-Zip-Lock-Organization/dp/B095CYKPH5/ref=mpssa114?crid=1JADOVFT9ZZQ8&keywords=spice+storage+bags&qid=1662156811&sprefix=spice+st%2Caps%2C254&sr=8-4
Saves me loads of room!

Cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, paprika, smoked paprika, garam masala, cinnamon, chilli powder, nutmeg, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, mint would probably be my 15, but if you don't like curry I'd skip the turmeric and garam masala and add fennel seeds and bay leaves.

Sainsbury's herbs and spices are the best - you can actually get a teaspoon in the jars

Oregano, basil, paprika (smoked and unsmoked) and cayenne pepper are my most used!

My number one spice is cumin, (seeds, often toasted but aways freshly ground)
Then smoked paprika.
Number one herb is fresh basil, always have a pot on the windowsill.
Then dried oregano, fresh coriander, dried thyme.
Chillies, fresh or dried, used almost daily.

For herbs, we use a lot of fresh thyme, basil, coriander & rosemary and dried oregano.

For spices we use mainly cumin (seeds & ground) paprika (sweet & smoked) coriander (ground), chilli, turmeric and garam masala.

Thyme
Rosemary
Sage
Chinese Five Spice
Chilli flakes
Cayenne pepper
Paprika
Star Anise
Cinnamon sticks
Celery salt

Cumin seeds
Cardamom pods
Fennel seeds
Mustard seeds
Turmeric

I make my own garam masala

I use fresh basil, mint and coriander regularly and French tarragon when I can get it.

Ooh this is tricky! It might seem an odd thing to obsess over but I have a new baby and the second year of my part time masters starts in October so I don't have much time to cook. Rummaging through things I don't use when in a rush has been really frustrating.
I want my cupboards to be really organised and streamlined - sort of a capsule wardrobe for the kitchen! I used to love trying new recipes and buying a whole range of ingredients but it's just not practical just now - I need simplicity! It's been really interesting seeing your lists, thanks to everyone for sharing.

Fresh:
basil
coriander
thyme
bay leaf
rosemary
sage
oregano
chives

Frozen:
chilli peppers
kafir lime leaves
garlic and ginger

Dried:
chilli powder (western style)
oregano
cumin seeds
ground cumin
coriander seeds
ground coriander
mustard seeds
mustard powder
cardamom
turmeric
garam masala
basar mix (Kashmiri curry powder)
panch purim (5 seed mix)
Kashmiri chilli powder
smoked paprika
sweet paprika
whole cloves
ground cloves
cinnamon
cinnamon bark
whole nutmeg
ground ginger
fennel seeds
sumac
saffron
celery salt (for Bloody Marys)
poppy seeds
white sesame seeds
black sesame seeds

The fridge has 5 different hot sauces and two types of miso paste. I think I have a spice addiction.