Spicing Up Veggies
Vegetables –love them or hate them – they are an important part of most meals. Cooking go-to veggies the same way again & again will bore the taste buds of even the most ardent veggie lover. By adding a sprinkle of herbs or spices to your vegetables, you can take their flavor to a whole new level with less than a minute’s work. Use our handy spice-vegetable reference table to ignite your palette, impress your dinner guests or motivate your kids to have a few extra bites.
Vegetables –love them or hate them – they are an important part of most meals. Often people have their go-to favourites, which they tend to cook the same way over and over, causing boredom for even the most ardent veggie lover.
Are there some vegetables you won’t touch? Are there some you see at the store or receive in a CSA bag that you have no idea how to cook? Do you repeatedly dress steamed vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and salt, sauté them with butter or hurriedly microwave from frozen? By adding a sprinkle of herbs or spices to your vegetables, you can take their flavor to a whole new level with less than a minute’s work. Ignite your palette, impress your dinner guests or motivate your kids to have a few extra bites – simply by trying different herbs and spices on your vegetables.
The following table shows which spices pair best with each vegetable. Spice harmonies are spice combinations that especially complement each other and the vegetable. Be bold and dare to try something new!Spices can be added directly to the vegetable or used in an accompanying dip or sauce. For instance, sprinkle lemon juice, garlic salt and red pepper (chili) flakes on cucumber slices for a refreshing snack with a kick. Alternatively, make a yogurt-based dip that includes garlic, sea salt and chili flakes for cucumber spears.
|
Vegetable |
Spice Pairings |
Suggested Spice Harmonies |
| Artichoke | Bay leaves, black pepper, chives, garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme | Black pepper, garlic, sea salt and parsley |
| Asparagus | Chives, garlic, mustard, onion salt, sesame seeds, tarragon, white pepper | Black pepper, garlic, sea salt and sesame seeds |
| Avocado | Black pepper, cumin, garlic, onion powder, paprika, red pepper flakes (chili flakes) | Cumin, garlic, sea salt, onion powder and chili flakes |
| Beans | Bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, parsley, red (cayenne) pepper, tarragon | Black pepper, parsley and tarragon |
| Beets | Allspice, basil, black pepper, caraway, curry, dill, garlic powder, ginger, mint, oregano, star anise | Black pepper, dill and garlic powder |
| Bell/Sweet Peppers | Basil, garlic, onion powder, oregano, parsley, rosemary | Basil, garlic, sea salt, onion powder and parsley |
| Broccoli | Black pepper, caraway, chili powder, dill, garlic, ginger, oregano, red (cayenne) pepper, sea salt, turmeric | Chili powder and garlic, sea salt |
| Brussel Sprouts | Basil, black pepper, caraway, celery seeds, ginger, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, red (cayenne) pepper | Ginger, nutmeg and cayenne |
| Cabbage | Caraway seeds, celery seeds, coriander, fennel seeds, juniper berries, mustard, tarragon, thyme | Black pepper, mustard and celery seeds |
| Carrots | Allspice, basil, bay leaves, caraway seeds, cilantro, coriander, cloves, fennel, garlic, ginger, parsley, thyme | Cilantro, cumin, garlic powder and parsleyGinger and garlic |
| Cauliflower | Basil, caraway, chives, coriander, curry, fennel, garlic, nutmeg, paprika, sage, turmeric, white pepper | Coriander, curry powder, garlic, sea salt, turmeric and white pepper |
| Celery | Basil, caraway, garlic, parsley, paprika, sage, thyme, white pepper | Garlic salt, thyme and white pepperParsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and sea salt |
| Corn | Basil, red (cayenne) pepper, celery seeds, chives, dill, parsley, pepper, oregano, sage, thyme | Pepper, sage and thyme |
| Cucumbers | Basil, red (cayenne) pepper, celery seeds, dill, garlic, mint, mustard seeds, parsley, red pepper flakes (chili flakes), thyme | Garlic, sea salt and chili flakesCelery seeds, dill and sea salt |
| Eggplant | Basil, bay leaves, coriander, garlic powder, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, red (cayenne) pepper | Basil, garlic powder, oregano and parsley |
| Kale | Allspice, black pepper, caraway, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, marjoram, pink peppercorns, red (cayenne) pepper, tarragon, thyme | Garlic powder and cayenne |
| Kohlrabi | Basil, bay leaves, chives, coriander, dill, fennel seeds, mustard, parsley | Bay and mustard |
| Onion | Basil, bay leaves, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, pepper, sage, thyme | Bay leaves, parsley and pepper |
| Peas | Chives, dill, garlic, mint, onion powder, paprika, parsley, pepper rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme | Garlic, sea salt, parsley, pepper and thyme |
| Potatoes | Caraway seeds, chives, dill, garlic, marjoram, paprika, parsley, rosemary, thyme, turmeric, white pepper | Garlic, sea salt, rosemary and white pepperSea salt, paprika, black pepper, oregano, thyme, and cayenne |
| Pumpkin | Allspice, celery seeds, cinnamon, cloves, curry, ginger, nutmeg, onion powder, sage, thyme | Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg |
| Radish | Chives, dill, mint, parsley | Parsley, chives and dill |
| Spinach | Allspice, basil, dill, garlic, nutmeg, onion powder, pepper, tarragon, thyme | Garlic, sea salt, onion powder and pepper |
| Squash | Celery seeds, cilantro, marjoram, onion powder, Nigella, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme | Cilantro and onion powder |
| Sweet Potatoes | Allspice, anise, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg | Anise, cinnamon and ginger |
| Tomato | Basil, black pepper, cayenne, cilantro, cumin, fennel seeds, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, red (cayenne) pepper, rosemary, saffron, tarragon, thyme | Garlic, oregano, parsley, rosemary and sea saltBasil, garlic and sea salt |
| Turnip | Basil, caraway, dill, marjoram, mustard, parsley, pepper, rosemary, thyme | Pepper and thyme |
| Yam | Allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg | Cardamom, cinnamon and ginger |
| Zucchini | Basil, garlic, oregano, parsley, pepper | Oregano, parsley and pepper |