Extraordinarily, only 20% of flavour is experienced through taste, and 80% is experienced through smell. Because smell is so essential to taste, the way these pairings work is by matching up key aromas that are common between each spice. So we’ve done the work for you here, so you can get confident with your spice rack.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cumin.
Foods: Pairs pretty well with lemon zest, orange peel, mango, and blackcurrant, and carrot.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with thyme, cardamom, anise seed, rosemary, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, sage, corander, anise, ginger, cinnamon, and tarragon.
Foods: Pairs really well with citrus, zests, berries, tomato, carrot, beef, pork, and mozzarella.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs well with allspice, harlic, oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme.
Foods: Pairs well with artichoke, beans, beef, lentils, mushrooms, potatoes, poultry, and tomatoes.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with basil, thyme, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, and ginger.
Fruits: Pairs very well with citrus fruits, cranberry, carrot, tomato, duck, gruyère, and mozzarella.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs extremely well with ginger and lemongrass.
Foods: Pairs extremely well with butter, coconut, sole, oyster, brie, cheddar, camembert, and curry.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs extremely ginger, lemon, mint, dill, oregano, basil, and cardamom.
Foods: Pairs really well with carrot, citrus fruits, carnberry, guava, mango, and mozzarella.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with basil, lemon zest, mint, and anise.
Foods: Pairs really well with guava, mango, berries, citrus fruits, and pork belly.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs extremely well with basil, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, and sage.
Foods: Pairs extremely well with gorgonzola, berries, banana, dark chocolate, gruyère, brie, and apple.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, parsley, mint, and ginger.
Foods: Pairs really well with citrus fruits, carrot, cranberry, mango, and berries.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with rosemary, nutmeg, thyme, oregano, lemon zest, star anise, basil, cilantro, sage, and mint.
Foods: Pairs well with citrus fruits, carrot, and mango.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs extremely well with cilantro, tarragon, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, basil, coriander, cardamom, mint, and thyme.
Foods: Pairs extremely well with guava, citrus fruits, carrot, peach, seafood, bacon, and chicken.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with ginger, curry, and onion.
Foods: Pairs really well with gruyère, ham, guava, leek, brie, french fries, brussel spouts, egg, spinach, and ciabatta.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs extremely well with lemongrass, cilantro, basil, and thyme.
Foods: Pairs really well with lemon, citrus fruits, berries, tomato, carrot, pork belly, and oyster.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with lemongrass, cardamom, thyme, basil, cilantro, ginger, coriander, nutmeg, and tarragon.
Foods: Pairs really well with other citrus flavours, carrot, cranberry, seafood, and bacon.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with ginger, lemon, cardamom, oregano, basil, thyme, mint, and anise.
Foods: Pairs really well with citrus fruits, tomato, lychee, seafood, poultry, and curry.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs well with peppermint, cilantro, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Foods: Pairs well with mango, citrus fruits, guava, carrot, mustard, berries, and beef.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with parsley, basil, rosemary, oregano, carsamom, cumin, anise, thyme, and dill.
Foods: Pairs really well with carrot, citrus fruits, parsnip, and salami.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, nutmeg, cilantro, lemon zest, cumin, anise, coriander, cardamom, mint, and lemongrass.
Foods: Pairs well with mustard, citrus fruits, carrot, green bean, and seafood.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs well with tarragon, cilantro, raw garlic, and mint.
Foods: Pairs well with berries, guava, lychee, apple, tomato, potato fries, beef, salami, lamb, fowl, lobster, cream cheese, emmental, and gruyère.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with nutmeg, basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, coriander, cardamom, tarragon, dill, cumin, and oregano.
Foods: Pairs well with carrot, parsnip, tomato, citrus fruits, potato, duck, and seafood.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with oregano, basil, sage, parsley, nutmeg, thyme, cumin, star anise, and mint.
Foods: Pairs well with lamb, chicken, stuffing, stew, breads, and tomatoes.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley, mint, and thyme.
Foods: Pairs well with wild rice, soups, pumpkin, squash, and pork.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs really well with basil, oregano, rosemary, cardamom, coriander, parsley, cumin, and ginger.
Foods: Pairs well with pork, crab, corn, bean, tomato sauces, and soups.
Herbs and Spices: Pairs well with basil, mint, tarragon, cilantro, and thyme.
Foods: Pairs well with berries, pear, beef, crab, ciabatta, bacon, gruyère, and milk.
Get Cooking!
Wow, that’s a lot of information! And don’t worry if you don’t see your favourite foods pairing with your favourite spices. These pairings don’t mean that other foods won’t taste good with these spices—it just means they share some key aromas that make them better pairings than most.
So experiment! And let us know what worked for you, and what didn’t.
Source(s): VegKitchen.com and FoodPairing.com