15 Underrated Seasonings You Should Be Using More Of In 2025

2024 is now in our rearview mirror, and it's time to focus on the big two-five. There are tons of things that we are bringing into the new year, including positivity, good health — and spices. While it might seem a bit odd to think about the collection of dried herbs, seeds, and blends that you have stocked in your spice cabinet this time of year, it's actually the perfect occasion to dig out those jars that have been shoved to the back and reassess what flavors you want to hone in on more in the coming months. We, for example, set a resolution to eat and cook more Mediterranean flavors this year, so we've already taken stock of what we have and what spices we need to buy to craft mouthwatering Mediterranean recipes in 2025. 

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If you're looking to upgrade your spice cabinet for the new year or are simply looking for more niche seasonings to add to your collection, you've come to the right place. Here are some of the most underrated seasonings that you should be using this new year, where to get them, and, most importantly, how to use them. 

Tamarind

There are few spices in this world as beautiful and as complex as tamarind. This is one ingredient that's essential for making pad Thai, but its utility extends far beyond that. The pods are sourced from a tree endemic to Africa and Asia, though the ingredient appears most often in Indian, Thai, and Middle Eastern fare. It even pops up in Mexican cuisine, where it's converted into confections and a beverage called agua de tamarindo. You can find tamarind in several forms, including in powder, pastes, and blocks, online or at ethnic grocery stores. 

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Tamarind offers a unique mashup of sweet and sour, though the tartness is what comes through most with it. The acidity level is not the same as what you'd find in popular citrus fruits like lemon and lime. We recommend adding it at the beginning of the cooking process to ensure that the flavor disperses into whatever you're cooking. Because of its complexities, tamarind is a great addition to a fresh coconut curry. You could also add it to your marinade for chicken (paired with some warming chilis) or cook it down with lentils for a simple side dish.

Sansho peppercorns

Peppercorns have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and we couldn't be more grateful. Not only are there the basic white, black, and pink peppercorns to explore, but you can also play with varieties with even more flavor nuances, like Japan's sansho peppercorns. In short, if you really like Sichuan peppercorns, you're going to love these even more. Sansho are sourced from the Japanese pepper plant and are commonly utilized in both Korean and Japanese cuisine. The leaves of the plant (kinome) are also edible; you'll often see them used as a garnish in Asian soups and stews. 

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Sichuan peppercorns, which are often used in Chinese cuisine, look quite different than sansho peppercorns; the latter are more green in color. Sichuan peppercorns also tend to have a floral flavor with a more pronounced spiciness. But sansho peppercorns are like a combination of citrus fruits — mainly yuzu and grapefruit. They also lack the same level of heat as the Sichuan peppercorns, which can make them more approachable to folks who are spice-averse. 

Since there is not a ton of heat here, the flavor of the sansho can get muddled when other ingredients are introduced. You'll want to add them at the end of the cooking process to ensure that flavor comes through. Use them to add a tangy flavor to fish or seafood broth, or sprinkle the peppercorns atop grilled meats. 

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Ras el hanout

There has been a growing interest in Middle Eastern and North African fare beyond just the scope of Mediterranean cuisine. In Tunisian, Algerian, and Moroccan cuisine, ras el hanout reigns supreme. 

While ras el hanout is commonly used for regional soups and stews, its blend of ingredients makes it a great all-purpose spice to have on hand. The name itself roughly translates to "top shelf," which means all of the best spices combined into one. However, the exact proportion and ingredient list for ras el hanout varies. The common staples include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and turmeric, though some blends have been known to have as many as 80 components. By the looks of the ingredients, ras el hanout bears some resemblance to garam masala, though it should be noted that the two cannot be used interchangeably, as garam masala typically contains fewer ingredients (thus, has less flavor complexity). 

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Ras el hanout would be an excellent blend to spruce up your cauliflower steaks or it can be used as a dressing for salads — including those made with fresh greens, couscous, or pasta. It's also a great way to boost rich meat dishes

Savory

While there is a whole bunch of "savory" seasonings, there is only one "savory" herb. This herb comes in two different varieties: winter and summer. Winter savory tends to lean towards more, well, wintery flavors — like sage and pine. Summer savory is lighter in flavor and has more prominent sweet notes. Though, both herbs have notes of thyme, marjoram, and mint — spices that you may already have in your cabinet. 

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You can use savory in tandem with these other herbs in blends like herbes de Provence. It would also make a great addition to meats, including chicken, lamb, or pork, or as stuffing. Though, another not-so-strange bedfellow for this herb is mushrooms. Since savory doesn't have the same intensity as rosemary, thyme, or marjoram, adding it to mushrooms will only serve to highlight the fungi's umami flavor.

Grains of paradise

Grains of paradise is a great name for this peppercorn-like spice. It's an African seasoning that you'll want to use to spice up your next dish. Though the grains resemble peppercorns, grains of paradise are actually sourced from a member of the ginger family. You may see it solo or in a spice blend like ras el hanout. This West African spice can be used similarly to whole cloves and cardamom; you'll want to cook the whole seeds with your food, then remove them before serving. Although, you can grind this seed up to make its flavor and aroma more pungent too. 

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Grains of paradise has a lot of personality, which is not something that you would expect just by looking at them. The grains do have a gingery flavor, though there is also the sharpness of a juniper berry, warmth from the coriander undertones, and a slight peppery bite. It's one spice that deftly traverses the line between sweet and savory, which is all the more reason to cook with it more in 2025. We recommend trying to make a savory shortbread cookie with it or adding it to a spice cake

Sumac

If you're chasing all things floral and tart in 2025, sumac may be something that's right up your alley. This Middle Eastern spice is not only bright in flavor but also in color. With every bite, you get hit with pops of lemon and undercurrents of berry-like fruitiness. The flavor makes it an absolutely divine mashup for roasted chicken since the sumac almost brings the same vibe as a lemon pepper seasoning. It also complements fish well — especially white fish, which lacks flavor to begin with. 

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Sumac can be used for more than just savory dishes; it's one of the unexpected seasonings that you should use for desserts. It plays well with other citrus, like lemon, lime, and orange, as well as walnuts. You could try using it in lemon cake or lemon bars or highlight other fruits like strawberries and apples in a pie or tart.  

Aleppo pepper

Aleppo peppers are sourced from the Halaby chili. The plant used to grow plentifully in Aleppo, Syria, though you now see it growing in Turkey.

This pepper flake has a beautiful shine to it, as well as layers of flavor complexity. The spice itself is not as hot as red pepper flakes, nor some of the other chili powders you might already have in your cabinet. Its flavor is floral, sweet, and tangy, with a little bit of cumin flavor on the palate. As such, the flavor of this pepper is not heat-forward, which makes it approachable and useful for a variety of dishes. 

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One way to use this spice is in a marinade since the tangy and floral flavor will complement the other spices and ingredients well. Use a sauce made with it on chicken, eggs, and other bland proteins that need a little bit of an upgrade. You may even want to try integrating it into your cocktails, like using it as a rim for your next margarita on the rocks. 

Green cardamom

We consider ourselves cardamom converts, and after living through life with just cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, we can confidently say that we're now using cardamom for everything imaginable. Cardamom can come as pods (which are sourced from a ginger relative) or grounds. The whole pods are meant to be cooked with and then discarded; they boast a fresher flavor than the grounds due to their high concentration of essential oils. 

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Green cardamom — the most common type — is a great addition to Indian cuisine, notably curries, soups, and stews. Though, it's also a spice that you'll want to experiment with in baking. Add a little sprinkle of cardamom to your next batch of blueberry muffins, or use it to complement candied lemon peel atop a tantalizing cheesecake. You also may be familiar with cardamom as a component of a chai spice blend, though you aren't required to stick to teas with it. Rather, try pairing this methol-y seasoning with things like ginger, frothy egg whites, star anise, and/or gin in your next cocktail. 

Black cardamom

If green cardamom is under-appreciated, then black cardamom is a spice that's been shoved in the room under the stairs. Though it shares the same name as its greener cousin, black cardamom takes on a wholly different flavor. Unlike green cardamom, which has a gentle and soft kiss of flavor, black cardamom channels the smokiness — without turning down the dial on the menthol flavor. You'll often see it added to garam masala, though it rarely makes an appearance solo. Unlike green cardamom, black cardamom is not used for sweet applications.

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Although black cardamom has an eye-raising reputation for being strong, don't be turned off by it. You just have to, like green cardamom, cook your dishes with the pods, then discard them. And don't be afraid to use equally powerful ingredients with it, like lime juice and chili pepper, to help tamper down some of the pungency and smokiness. Try it in a beef rub or pho broth. 

Shichimi togarashi

You may have heard of Chinese five spice, but this year, it's go big or go home. This seven-spice powder, known as shichimi togarashi, is a popular addition to Japanese cuisine. Like all good spice blends, the exact recipe is based on who's making it. However, there are several key elements that it has to have: dried orange peel, chili peppers for heat, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame seeds (either white or black), dried ginger, and seaweed. So, it's just as much of a flavor roller coaster as it is a textural one. 

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While the chilis and the Sichuan peppercorns add a welcomed hot element to this spice mix, it's certainly more complex than just that. You have the dried orange peel for acidity, the ginger for sharpness, and the sesame for a little bit of a fatty mouthfeel. In Japan, it's not uncommon to see shichimi togarashi served as a sprinkle topping. Though, you can also use it to brighten up a pork dish, add a crust to your favorite burgers, and even use it as flavoring for croutons. 

Mace

Mace is one of the many spices that need a little more TLC this year. It's often overshadowed by the seeds inside of it, which we know as nutmeg. Since it's sourced from the same plant as nutmeg, it is in good company with similar spices — think cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Mace can work well in almost any application that these other spices are used. So, you might consider pairing it with apples, blueberries, and blackberries. It does have a little more of a peppery kick to it than nutmeg, though, so you cannot substitute with the latter using a one-to-one ratio. 

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However, this underrated spice can also come to your aid in savory recipes, too. Add it to your whipped ricotta for the creamiest (and tastiest) pasta you've ever had, or use it as a substitute for nutmeg in a classic béchamel sauce. 

Galangal

Galangal: Ginger — but make it more exciting. By the looks of it, it's easy to see how galangal may often get mistaken for ginger, as both are roots. However, ginger has a skin that needs to be peeled before it can be used and a browner color, whereas galangal almost takes on a crimson hue and doesn't need to be peeled. While fresh ginger is hot and hurts your sinuses, galangal offers a more restrained and piney undertone with notes of mustard. 

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Galangal is often used in Thai cuisine, where it goes by the name "kha." You might recognize it if you've ordered tom kha soup from your favorite local Thai spot. Though, its utility extends beyond just soups and stews, you can also use the paste in a salad dressing or add it to a stir-fry sauce. It's in good company with fish sauce, coconut, lemongrass, and curry. It can also be dried and added to ras el hanout or other spice blends. 

Makrut lime leaves

You may have heard makrut lime by its other name, kaffir lime — though the latter term has been used less and less due to its connotation as a slur. This isn't the same as the lime you may find in your local grocery store. The leaves of makrut lime are a common ingredient used in Thai and Laotian cuisine, though you'll also see it crop up in some Indian recipes, too. The leaves take on a tart flavor profile with some citrusy undertones. The flavor of the makrut lime leaves differs from regular lime leaves, so be sure to keep this in mind if you're making a substitution. 

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You can add the leaves directly to your dish or chop them into smaller pieces to better diffuse their flavor. Though, like bay leaves, you'll want to remove these from the broth before serving them. Try adding a few leaves to your next seafood curry, or consider using them as a component for your next pork marinade. 

Epazote

If you're really clued into the Mexican food scene, chances are that you've heard of epazote. This beautiful leaf is jam-packed with flavor and can be utilized dry or fresh in your recipes. Its flavor is in the fennel realm; some people have described it as being anise-y, minty, and citrusy. Despite these punchy flavor notes, epazote is best added at the end of the cooking process, as its flavor will quickly dissipate when heat is added. 

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Epazote is not often grown outside of its narrow geographical range, which includes Central America and Mexico (though you can grow it in your yard in northern climates as well). But, if you look closely enough, you may be able to find powdered epazote at your local ethnic grocery store or online. You can add the powder straight into a pot of beans, like refried or black beans, or add it to a Mexican sauce like mole.

Marjoram

Marjoram might be a spice that you have sitting in your pantry and have arbitrarily tossed into your pasta sauce or chicken marinade just because it looks like other green herbs and spices, like rosemary, parsley, and basil. But it's much more than that. Oregano — its botanical relative — is slightly more flavorful than marjoram, though the two are similar. Since its flavor is not prominent, you should add it towards the end of the cooking process to ensure that it will be clear on your palate. 

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Marjoram is an excellent spice to use to upgrade your egg dishes because its flavor is so inoffensive. The citrusy and piney notes will help add some depth to protein. It's also an excellent addition to salads and dressings. The next time you whip up a batch of roasted root vegetables or potatoes, consider adding a sprinkle of marjoram before serving it. 

You can find dried marjoram in the spice section of most grocery stores. The dried version is much more potent than the fresh one, so be sure to keep this in mind when cooking with it and making recipe substitutions. 

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