Spice pairings
How this works
Pick what you are cooking. Each page gives a ranked list of spices with the reason the combination works, the cuisines it belongs to, what else to add and where it stops working — because a pairing without its caveats is only half an answer.
Meat
Spices for pork
Fennel seed, Cassia, Paprika and 23 more
Spices for chicken
Paprika, Saffron, Scotch bonnet and 19 more
Spices for beef
Black pepper, Paprika, Bay leaf and 13 more
Spices for lamb
Cumin, Cinnamon (Ceylon), Ras el hanout and 10 more
Spices for duck
Star anise, Sichuan pepper, Cassia and 4 more
Spices for turkey
Black pepper, Pasilla, Mulato and 2 more
Fish and seafood
Vegetables
Spices for potato
Mustard seed, Cumin, Nigella and 12 more
Spices for carrot
Cumin, Caraway, Ginger
Spices for cauliflower
Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander seed
Spices for soup
Bay leaf, White pepper, Cumin and 1 more
Spices for sweet potato
Cumin, Paprika, Cassia and 2 more
Spices for courgette
Black pepper, Fennel seed, Sumac and 1 more
Spices for cabbage
Caraway, Celery seed, Juniper and 1 more
Spices for broccoli
Calabrian chilli, Chilli flakes, Mustard seed and 1 more
Spices for mushrooms
Garlic, Black pepper, Nutmeg and 3 more
Spices for tomato
Fenugreek, Jalapeño, Aleppo pepper and 12 more
Spices for aubergine
Nigella, Cumin, Sumac and 4 more
Spices for pumpkin and squash
Ginger, Cinnamon (Ceylon), Green cardamom
Spices for spinach
Nutmeg, Cumin, Sumac
Grains and pulses
Spices for pasta
Chilli flakes, Black pepper, Calabrian chilli and 2 more
Spices for popcorn
Paprika, Cayenne pepper, Chaat masala and 1 more
Spices for rice
Saffron, Black cardamom, Annatto and 7 more
Spices for lentils
Bay leaf, Fenugreek, Cumin and 11 more
Spices for beans
Ancho, Pasilla, Calabrian chilli and 2 more
Spices for chickpeas
Asafoetida, Ajwain, Amchoor and 4 more
Fruit
Dairy, drinks and sweet
Spices for eggs
Mahleb, Paprika, Piment d'Espelette and 3 more
Spices for yoghurt
Kashmiri chilli, Black salt, Cumin and 6 more
Spices for cheese
Poblano, Black pepper, Za'atar herb and 10 more
Spices for dark chocolate
Cinnamon (Ceylon), Pasilla, Vanilla and 9 more
Spices for coffee
Green cardamom, Cassia, Nutmeg and 1 more
Spices for black tea
Green cardamom, Cassia, Ginger
Spices for honey
Ginger, Cassia, Saffron
Spice with spice
37recorded spice-to-spice combinations. These appear on each spice’s own profile, under Pairings, so that starting from a spice you already own leads somewhere useful.