Spices, Herbs and Their Uses

Return to the Spices Main Menu for More Information

Good cooks know that herbs and spices are used to enhance and accentuate the flavors and aromas of many foods. While you may not have every imaginable in your spice cupboard, here are some of the most commonly uses herbs and spices and the foods that they are best used for. One of the good things about using spices and herbs in pressure cookering is having the flavors enhanced and intensified, so you may find you can use less seasoning to achieve the same results. Remember that you can let your pressure cooking infuse the flavors of spices, herbs, marinades and by immersing the food in to the cooking liquids rather than steaming them above the liquid. Lean more about infusion cooking.

Spice and Herb Chart

If you are just starting to cook with herbs and spices I would recommend starting with the ones labeled in red.

B

E

E

F

C

H

I

C

K

E

N

L

A

M

B

P

O

R

K

G

A

M

E

F

I

S

H

V

E

G

E

T

A

B

L

E

S

S

E

A

F

O

O

D

S

A

L

A

D

S

P

O

T

A

T

O

E

S

R

I

C

E

 

&

 

P

A

S

T

A

S

O

U

P

S
 

&
 

S

T

E

W

S

E

G

G

S

F

R

U

I

T

B

A

K

I

N

G

D

E

S

S

E

R

T

T

E

A

S

S

A

L

S

A

 

M

A

R

I

N

A

D

E

S

G

A

R

N

I

S

H

A

S

I

A

N

C

A

J

U

N

 

I

T

A

L

I

A

N

L

A

T

I

N

 

A

M

E

R

T

H

A

I

Allspice

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angelica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

X

Anise

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

X

 

Basil

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

 

X

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Bay

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

Caraway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cayenne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

Chamomile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chervil

 

X

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chili Powder

X

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

Chives

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cinnamon

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

 

X

X

X

 

X

 

Cloves

 

 

XX

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

Coriander/ Cilantro

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

X

X

Cumin

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

 

X

X

Dill

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fennel

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garlic

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

X

Horehound

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hyssop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Balm

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Grass

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

Lovage

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marjoram

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mint

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oregano

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

X

Parsley

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Rosemary

 

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X