11 Ingredients That Will Take Your Home Cooking to the Next Level

This isn’t a basic list that will tell you to get pantry staples like salt and pepper and garlic and *good* olive oil. This is the next level. Stocking and getting comfortable using these items will elevate your cooking. These are all inexpensive and easy to source and keep on hand.

Incorporating these ingredients into my cooking repertoire is a big part of what it took for me to feel satisfied enough with my meals that I was willing to forego the takeout. If you are trying to save money or be healthier by eating most of your meals at home, these are a great way to get your palate excited and impress anyone you are feeding.

Smoked Maldon Salt

Hopefully, you’ve already got your basic salt situation figured out. I recommend having at a minimum a big box of kosher salt for general use and a nice flaky salt for finishing. I like Diamond Crystal brand for my kosher option and Maldon for my finishing salt. One day when I was restocking my Maldon, I noticed a smoked option. It turns out this was a great addition to my salt lineup. A delicate smokey flavor that adds a great taste to roasted vegetables or proteins.

Herbs de Provence

I tend to avoid buying herb or spice blends. My spice collection already takes up an overwhelming amount of real estate in my kitchen, and having a ton of blends on hand makes it hard to get through everything while it’s still optimally fresh. Herbs de Provence is one of my few exceptions and even gets a coveted spot on the counter next to my stove. I use it almost daily, sprinkling it over eggs or to season my roasted chicken.

Harissa

Harissa is a spicy chili pepper paste from Tunisia. It’s got some heat but also an earthiness that will delight your taste buds. It’s great to have on hand to mix into a marinade. I use this all the time on sweet potatoes, salmon, and roasted vegetables.

Sweet Chili Sauce

This is a must for dipping your fried spring rolls, but I also use it as a glaze on baby back ribs. If you brush this on top of meat and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes, pure magic happens. The sugars will caramelize a bit, and you have a blend of tangy, sweet, and spicy that will keep you coming back for more.

Chili Garlic Paste

Another marinade hack, this packs a real flavor punch. I prefer to use this over a standard hot sauce for most purposes. It’s spicy without setting your mouth ablaze and also has a tangy element that keeps my taste buds interested instead of just making them numb.

Miso Paste

Miso paste comes in various types (red, white, mixed), but any of them will add a savory element to your dish. A little goes a long way. You can start with the obvious miso soup, but soon you’ll be finding ways to work this into marinades, dressings, and even your sweet baked items. The saltiness plays nicely with caramel or chocolate in cookies.

Anchovies

Ok, anchovy haters, hear me out on this one. You don’t have to eat the whole anchovy if you don’t want to. These little salty umami bombs will disintegrate into a dish if you cook with them, leaving a rich flavor that will have your tasters wondering how you managed to fit a culinary school education into your busy schedule. I was obsessed with the pasta sauce at a local Italian restaurant years ago and pestered the servers about how it was made until one of them gave up the goods. That’s right — anchovies in the sauce. I never looked back and have been putting them in my sauces for over 15 years now. Also, whiz one or two of these bad boys into your salad dressing recipe to take your salads from meh to wow.

Buttermilk powder

I use buttermilk infrequently, and when I do, I typically only need a cup or less. It was driving me crazy buying an entire quart and having a mostly full container languishing in my fridge after I used what I needed. You can mix regular milk and vinegar as a substitute, but I don’t buy milk regularly either, so same problem. Enter buttermilk powder. It’s in a convenient tub that will last for ages, and works great. You just mix the powder with water in whatever amount you need for your recipe. If I’m making something really special, I’ll still go with the real deal but this fits the bill for cornbread, chicken marinades, or causal weekend pancakes. I’ve even started subbing it in for some of the dry ingredients in baked goods to oomph up the flavor.

Coconut Flakes

This might be a bit of an outlier on this list, but I keep a mason jar filled with coconut flakes in my fridge and end up using them all the time. Used as a topping, these can break you out of a rut with your standard basic oatmeal, yogurt, or ice cream. It’s also straightforward to sneak this into your recipes for cakes or cookies. It adds a pleasant textural element and a little tropical kick without affecting ingredient ratios.

Gochujang

This is a fermented red chili paste from Korea. Every recipe I make with gochujang ends up making it into my regular rotation. It comes in a tub and lasts for ages. If your local supermarket doesn’t carry it, check at Asian markets, or you can order online.

Kewpie Mayo

This one is a double dose of controversy. Look away, mayo haters. This mayo that is beloved by chefs is made with egg yolks only rather than whole eggs and has a nice little dose of MSG included for ultimate flavor. If you are already a mayonnaise lover (my people), this is your level up. You can use it anywhere you would use regular mayonnaise.