The Pantry | Eat Healthy and Cheap

Legumes & Pulses

The protein spine. Cheapest complete nutrition in the store.

Red lentils masoor dal

Cook in 20 minutes and collapse into a creamy base with no cream.

$ dried Indian Middle Eastern Ethiopian

Brown lentils

Hold their shape. The default lentil for soups and salads.

$ dried French Middle Eastern American

Green lentils

Firmer than brown, nuttier. Good cold.

$ dried French Mediterranean

Black beluga lentils

Stay glossy and separate. Best-looking lentil on a plate.

$$ dried French Mediterranean

French green lentils lentilles du Puy

Peppery, never mushy. Worth the premium for salads.

$$ dried French

Yellow split peas chana dal alt

Break down completely. The base of dal and thick soups.

$ dried Indian Ethiopian European (general)

Green split peas

Sweeter than yellow. Classic thick soup with no ham needed.

$ dried American European (general)

Chickpeas garbanzo, chana

The most versatile bean. Whole, mashed, roasted, or blended.

$ dried, canned Middle Eastern Indian Mediterranean

Black beans frijoles negros

Deep, earthy. Anchor of Latin American cooking.

$ dried, canned Mexican Brazilian Caribbean

Pinto beans

Creamy when cooked long. Refry them in their own liquid, not lard.

$ dried, canned Mexican American

Kidney beans rajma

Firm, holds up in chili. Must be boiled hard, never slow-cooked from raw.

$ dried, canned Indian Caribbean American caution

Cannellini beans white kidney

Silky. Blends into the smoothest bean cream of any white bean.

$ dried, canned Italian Mediterranean

Navy beans haricot

Small, mild, cooks fast. Best for baked-bean style dishes.

$ dried, canned American British

Great northern beans

Between navy and cannellini. Mild and forgiving.

$ dried, canned American French

Adzuki beans

Slightly sweet. Used savory in China, sweet in Japan.

$$ dried Japanese Chinese Korean

Mung beans moong dal

Cook in 25 minutes without soaking. Sprout them for free greens.

$ dried Indian Chinese Korean

Black-eyed peas cowpeas

No soak needed. Earthy, quick, cheap.

$ dried, canned American West African Indian

Fava beans broad beans, ful

Meaty and assertive. Peel the skins for anything delicate.

$$ dried, frozen North African Middle Eastern Mediterranean

Lima beans butter beans

Buttery texture with no butter. Frozen beats dried here.

$ frozen, dried American Peruvian

Edamame

Complete protein, ready in five minutes from frozen.

$$ frozen Japanese Chinese

Firm tofu

Press it, freeze it, then thaw for a chewy texture nothing else gives.

$ fresh Chinese Japanese Korean

Silken tofu

Blends into sauces and puddings. Replaces cream and eggs at once.

$ fresh Chinese Japanese

Tempeh

Fermented, nutty, holds shape. Steam it first to remove bitterness.

$$ fresh Indonesian American

Peanuts groundnuts

Botanically a legume. Ground into sauces across three continents.

$ raw Thai West African Chinese whole-food-fat

Whole Grains

Intact kernels, not flour. Bulk, fiber, satiety.

Brown rice, long grain

Separate grains. The everyday default.

$ dried American Indian Chinese

Brown rice, short grain

Sticky and chewy. Better for bowls and stuffing.

$ dried Japanese Korean

Brown basmati rice

Aromatic and long. The only rice for biryani-style dishes.

$$ dried Indian Persian

Black rice forbidden rice

Anthocyanin-rich, dramatic color, nutty.

$$ dried Chinese Thai

Wild rice

Not rice at all. A grass seed. Chewy, smoky, expensive.

$$$ dried American

Quinoa

Complete protein and cooks in 15 minutes. Rinse or it tastes soapy.

$$ dried Peruvian American

Millet bajra

Fluffy like couscous. Massively underused and very cheap.

$ dried Indian West African Chinese

Sorghum jowar

Chewy, pops like popcorn, gluten free.

$ dried Indian West African American

Buckwheat groats kasha

Not wheat. Toast them and they become kasha.

$$ dried Eastern European Japanese

Hulled barley

Not pearl barley, which is stripped. Chewy and filling.

$ dried European (general) Middle Eastern

Farro emmer

Nutty, toothsome wheat. The best grain for cold salads.

$$ dried Italian Mediterranean

Freekeh

Green wheat, roasted. Smoky without smoke.

$$ dried Middle Eastern

Bulgur

Precooked cracked wheat. Just soak it. Fastest grain here.

$ dried Turkish Middle Eastern

Steel-cut oats pinhead oats

Chewy, savory-capable. Cook them with onions and see.

$ dried British American

Rolled oats

Blend into flour, thicken soups, bind patties.

$ dried American European (general)

Amaranth

Tiny, sticky, high in lysine. Porridge or popped.

$$ dried Mexican Peruvian Indian

Teff

The smallest grain. The base of injera.

$$ dried Ethiopian

Polenta / coarse cornmeal grits

Stone-ground, not instant. Creamy with no butter.

$ dried Italian American

Popcorn kernels

A whole grain snack that costs almost nothing. Air-pop it.

$ dried American

Whole wheat couscous

Steamed semolina, technically pasta. Ready in five minutes.

$ dried North African Moroccan

Aromatics

The base of nearly every cuisine. Sweat in water, not oil.

Yellow onions

Sweat in water until they collapse. The foundation of everything.

$ fresh

Red onions

Sharper raw. Quick-pickle them in vinegar for a free condiment.

$ fresh Mexican Indian Mediterranean

Shallots

Sweeter, more delicate. Worth it for anything French.

$$ fresh French Thai Vietnamese

Garlic

Buy heads, never jarred. Smashed, sliced, and minced are three ingredients.

$ fresh

Ginger

Freeze it and grate from frozen. No peeling, no waste.

$ fresh Indian Chinese Thai

Scallions green onions

Two ingredients in one. White parts cook, green parts garnish.

$ fresh Chinese Korean Mexican

Leeks

Sweeter and gentler than onion. Wash the grit out of the layers.

$$ fresh French British European (general)

Celery

One third of mirepoix and of the Cajun trinity. Never the star.

$ fresh French American

Carrots

The sweetness in a base that makes salt feel unnecessary.

$ fresh

Lemongrass

Bruise the stalk, simmer, remove. Citrus without acid.

$$ fresh, dried Thai Vietnamese Indonesian

Galangal

Pine and citrus. Not a ginger substitute despite the resemblance.

$$ fresh, frozen Thai Indonesian

Curry leaves

Nothing else tastes like this. Freeze them, they keep for months.

$$ fresh, frozen Indian Sri Lankan

Fennel bulb

Anise when raw, sweet and mellow when braised.

$$ fresh Italian Mediterranean

Vegetables

Fresh, frozen, canned. Frozen is picked riper and costs less.

Canned crushed tomatoes

Picked ripe, no oil, cheaper than fresh nine months a year.

$ canned Italian Mexican Indian

Canned whole peeled tomatoes

Crush by hand. Better texture than pre-crushed.

$ canned Italian Mediterranean

Tomato paste

Toast it in the dry pan until brick red. Instant depth.

$ canned

Fresh tomatoes

Only in season. Otherwise reach for the can, honestly.

$ fresh

Cremini mushrooms baby bella

Brown, cheap, meaty. Dry-sear them, do not crowd the pan.

$$ fresh French Italian American

Shiitake mushrooms

The most savory fungus you can buy. Stems make stock.

$$ fresh, dried Chinese Japanese Korean

Dried porcini

Soak, then use the soaking liquid. That liquid is the point.

$$$ dried Italian French

Cabbage, green

The cheapest vegetable per pound and it keeps for a month.

$ fresh

Cabbage, red

Same price, more anthocyanins. Braise with vinegar to keep the color.

$ fresh German Eastern European

Napa cabbage

Tender, high water. The kimchi cabbage.

$ fresh Korean Chinese

Broccoli

Do not throw out the stems. Peel and slice them.

$ fresh, frozen Chinese Italian American

Cauliflower

Roast it hard and dry. Blend it for creamy sauces with no cream.

$ fresh, frozen Indian Italian Middle Eastern

Brussels sprouts

Halve, cut side down, high heat, no oil, do not move them.

$$ fresh, frozen American European (general)

Zucchini courgette

Watery. Salt-free trick: high heat and a dry pan.

$ fresh Italian Middle Eastern

Eggplant aubergine, brinjal

A sponge for oil, which is why you roast or steam it instead.

$$ fresh Indian Turkish Chinese

Bell peppers capsicum

Red are ripe green and cost more for good reason.

$$ fresh, frozen

Sweet potatoes

Sweetness, fiber, beta carotene. The best cheap starch.

$ fresh American West African Japanese

Potatoes

Boiled and blended, they make the creamiest oil-free sauces.

$ fresh

Butternut squash

Frozen cubes cost less than the peeling labor.

$$ fresh, frozen American Italian Indian

Kabocha squash

Drier and sweeter than butternut. Skin is edible.

$$ fresh Japanese Korean

Beets

Roast whole in foil. The greens are better than the root.

$ fresh Eastern European Middle Eastern

Carrots (cooking)

See aromatics. Also a vegetable in their own right.

$ fresh

Daikon radish

Simmers into translucent sweetness. Grates raw into a sharp salad.

$ fresh Japanese Korean Chinese

Turnips

Peppery, cheap, forgotten. Roast them like potatoes.

$ fresh European (general) Japanese

Green beans

Frozen are fine. Fresh are better only when local.

$ fresh, frozen

Frozen peas

One of the few frozen vegetables that beats fresh outright.

$ frozen Indian British French

Frozen corn

Sweet, cheap, and picked at peak. Char it in a dry pan.

$ frozen Mexican American

Okra bhindi

High heat or acid stops the slime. Both, ideally.

$$ fresh, frozen Indian West African American

Cucumber

Salt-free crunch. Smash it, do not slice it, for Chinese salads.

$ fresh Chinese Greek Middle Eastern

Bok choy

Stems and leaves cook at different rates. Add them separately.

$ fresh Chinese

Celery root celeriac

Ugly, cheap, tastes like celery crossed with potato.

$$ fresh French German

Leafy Greens

Highest nutrient density per calorie of anything here.

Kale

Massage it raw with lemon and it stops being tough.

$ fresh American Italian Portuguese

Collard greens

Sturdy enough to braise for an hour or use as a wrap.

$ fresh American Brazilian East African

Swiss chard

Two vegetables. Chop and cook the stems first.

$ fresh Italian French Middle Eastern

Spinach

Wilts to nothing. Buy triple what looks reasonable.

$ fresh, frozen

Mustard greens sarson

Sharp and horseradish-like. Cuts through starchy dishes.

$ fresh Indian Chinese American

Arugula rocket

Peppery. A finishing green, not a cooking one.

$$ fresh Italian

Watercress

The single most nutrient-dense food per calorie measured.

$$ fresh Chinese British

Romaine

Grill it. Nobody expects that and it works.

$ fresh Mediterranean American

Cabbage sprouts / microgreens

Grow them on a windowsill from the mung beans you already own.

$ fresh

Fruit

Whole fruit only. Sweetness with fiber attached.

Lemons

Zest before you juice. The zest is where the aroma lives.

$ fresh

Limes

Not interchangeable with lemon. Sharper, more floral.

$ fresh Mexican Thai Vietnamese

Oranges

The peel does more work than the juice in most savory cooking.

$ fresh Mediterranean Chinese

Medjool dates

The sweetener. Blend with water into a paste and use it everywhere.

$$ dried Middle Eastern North African natural-sugar

Deglet noor dates

Drier, cheaper, less caramel. Fine for blending.

$ dried Middle Eastern natural-sugar

Raisins sultanas

Sweetness that survives cooking. Plump them in hot water first.

$ dried Indian Moroccan European (general) natural-sugar

Dried apricots

Tart and sweet at once. Essential for tagines.

$$ dried North African Persian natural-sugar

Dried figs

Jammy. Simmer into sauces where you would have used sugar.

$$ dried Mediterranean Middle Eastern natural-sugar

Prunes dried plums

Deep, almost savory sweetness. Excellent in braises.

$ dried French North African natural-sugar

Tamarind paste imli

Sour and fruity at once. Check the label for added sugar.

$ paste Indian Thai Mexican check-label

Frozen mixed berries

Cheaper, riper, and available in January.

$$ frozen

Frozen mango

Blends into a cream texture with nothing added.

$$ frozen Indian Thai Mexican

Bananas

Freeze the overripe ones. They are the ice cream base.

$ fresh

Apples

Grate one into a slaw or a braise. Sweetness with acid.

$ fresh European (general) American

Avocado

Whole-food fat. A quarter goes further than you think.

$$ fresh Mexican whole-food-fat

Pomegranate anar

The seeds are the only garnish that adds acid and crunch together.

$$ fresh Persian Middle Eastern

Nuts & Seeds

Whole-food fat. Small amounts do real work.

Raw cashews

Soak and blend into cream. The single most useful dairy replacement.

$$$ raw Indian Thai American whole-food-fat

Walnuts

The best omega-3 ratio of any nut. Toast them dry.

$$$ raw Mediterranean Middle Eastern whole-food-fat

Almonds

Blanched and blended, they thicken curries the way cream does.

$$$ raw Indian Spanish Moroccan whole-food-fat

Sunflower seeds

The cheap cashew. Blends nearly as smooth for a third the price.

$ raw whole-food-fat

Pumpkin seeds pepitas

Toast and blend into pepita sauce. The base of Mexican pipián.

$$ raw Mexican whole-food-fat

Sesame seeds til

Toast whole, grind for tahini, or scatter as-is.

$ raw Middle Eastern Japanese Korean whole-food-fat

Tahini

Ground sesame, nothing else. Read the label. Emulsifies with water.

$$ paste Middle Eastern whole-food-fat check-label

Ground flaxseed linseed

Whole seeds pass through you. Grind or buy ground, store cold.

$ ground whole-food-fat

Chia seeds

Absorb ten times their weight. Instant pudding, instant thickener.

$$ raw Mexican American

Hemp hearts

Complete protein, no soaking, mild. Expensive per pound.

$$$ raw American whole-food-fat

Peanut butter, unsweetened

Peanuts and nothing else. The base of West African and Thai sauces.

$ paste Thai West African Indonesian whole-food-fat check-label

Fresh Herbs

Flavor without salt, oil, or sugar. The core substitution.

Cilantro coriander leaf, dhania

Stems have more flavor than leaves. Use them in the base.

$ fresh Mexican Indian Thai

Flat-leaf parsley Italian parsley

Not a garnish. A vegetable. Use it by the cup.

$ fresh Middle Eastern Italian French

Basil

Add at the end. Heat destroys it in under a minute.

$$ fresh Italian Mediterranean

Thai basil horapha

Anise, not sweet basil. Survives heat where the Italian kind does not.

$$ fresh Thai Vietnamese

Mint pudina

Cuts richness and heat simultaneously. Grows like a weed.

$ fresh Indian Middle Eastern Vietnamese

Dill

Grassy and sharp. Nothing substitutes for it.

$ fresh Eastern European Persian Scandinavian

Rosemary

Woody and dominant. One sprig, not three.

$ fresh Italian French

Thyme

Add early. It needs time to give anything up.

$ fresh French Caribbean Middle Eastern

Sage

Fried leaves are the classic. Dry-toast them instead.

$ fresh Italian American

Oregano, fresh

Milder than dried, oddly. The dried version is stronger here.

$ fresh Greek Mexican Italian

Tarragon

Licorice. The one herb that makes French food taste French.

$$ fresh French

Chives

Onion without the cooking. Snip, never chop.

$ fresh French Chinese

Shiso perilla

Mint, basil, and anise at once. Nothing else is close.

$$ fresh Japanese Korean

Epazote

Cooked with beans in Mexico for reasons your digestion will appreciate.

$$ fresh, dried Mexican

Vietnamese coriander rau ram

Peppery cilantro relative. Holds up in hot broth.

$$ fresh Vietnamese

Dried Herbs

Bloom in liquid. Add early, unlike fresh.

Dried oregano

Mexican and Mediterranean oregano are different plants. Buy both.

$ dried Greek Mexican Italian

Dried thyme

Add with the aromatics, not at the end.

$ dried French Caribbean

Dried rosemary

Grind it or it stays sharp and woody in the mouth.

$ dried Italian French

Bay leaves tej patta

You notice them only when they are missing. Always two, never one.

$ dried

Dried marjoram

Sweeter, gentler oregano. Underrated in bean dishes.

$ dried German Eastern European Italian

Dried savory

The bean herb. Peppery and specific.

$$ dried French German Eastern European

Kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaf

Dried fenugreek leaves. Crush between palms over finished curries.

$ dried Indian

Dried dill

Keeps more of itself than most dried herbs.

$ dried Persian Eastern European

Spices

Buy whole, toast, grind. Ten times the flavor for the same price.

Cumin seed jeera

Toast whole in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind. Non-negotiable.

$ whole, ground Indian Mexican Middle Eastern

Coriander seed dhania

Citrusy and floral. The other half of nearly every masala.

$ whole, ground Indian Middle Eastern Thai

Turmeric haldi

Color and earth. Needs black pepper and fat for absorption.

$ ground, fresh Indian Thai Persian

Black peppercorns kali mirch

Grind fresh or do not bother. Piperine boosts turmeric uptake.

$ whole

Brown mustard seed rai

Pop them in a dry pan until they jump. That is the tarka.

$ whole Indian

Yellow mustard seed

Milder. For pickling and for European cooking.

$ whole European (general) American

Fennel seed saunf

Sweet anise. Balances bitter greens and heavy legumes.

$ whole Indian Italian Chinese

Fenugreek seed methi

Maple and bitterness. Use less than you think. Much less.

$ whole Indian Ethiopian Middle Eastern

Green cardamom elaichi

Floral, expensive, unmistakable. Crush the pod, use the seeds.

$$$ whole Indian Persian Scandinavian

Black cardamom badi elaichi

Smoky and camphorous. Not a substitute for green.

$$ whole Indian Chinese

Cinnamon, cassia dalchini

What American cinnamon actually is. Bold and hot.

$ whole, ground

Cinnamon, Ceylon true cinnamon

Delicate and complex. Worth it in anything sweet.

$$ whole, ground Sri Lankan Mexican

Cloves laung

Overwhelming at four, perfect at two. Count them.

$ whole Indian Indonesian European (general)

Nutmeg jaiphal

Grate fresh. Pre-ground nutmeg is sawdust.

$$ whole European (general) Caribbean Indian

Mace javitri

The lacy shell around nutmeg. More delicate, more floral.

$$$ whole Indian French

Allspice pimento

One berry that tastes like three spices. The Caribbean backbone.

$ whole, ground Caribbean Middle Eastern Mexican

Star anise badian

Powerful. One pod flavors a whole pot of broth.

$ whole Chinese Vietnamese Indian

Caraway

Rye bread and sauerkraut. Sharp, distinctive, divisive.

$ whole German Eastern European North African

Nigella seed kalonji, black seed

Onion and oregano at once. Scattered on flatbread everywhere.

$ whole Indian Middle Eastern Turkish

Ajwain carom, bishop's weed

Thyme cranked to eleven. Traditionally cooked with legumes.

$ whole Indian

Asafoetida hing

Foul raw, oniony cooked. Replaces garlic and onion entirely.

$$ ground Indian check-label

Amchur mango powder

Dried green mango. Sourness with no liquid added.

$ ground Indian

Sumac

Bright, tart, purple. Use it where you would squeeze a lemon.

$$ ground Middle Eastern Turkish

Saffron kesar

The most expensive spice by weight. A pinch is a real dose.

$$$ whole Persian Spanish Indian

Smoked paprika pimentón

Smoke without a grill. Sweet, bittersweet, or hot.

$ ground Spanish Portuguese

Sweet paprika

Color and mild sweetness. Hungarian is the reference.

$ ground Eastern European

Cayenne

Pure heat, no character. For adjusting, not for flavoring.

$ ground

Sichuan peppercorn hua jiao

Not heat. Numbness. Buy them fresh or they are inert.

$$ whole Chinese

Juniper berries

Pine and gin. Crush them for cabbage and root vegetables.

$$ whole Scandinavian German

Annatto achiote

Color more than flavor. Slightly peppery, deeply orange.

$ whole, ground Mexican Filipino Caribbean

White pepper

Fermented and funky. What Chinese soups actually taste of.

$$ whole, ground Chinese French

Ginger, ground sonth

Not a substitute for fresh. A different spice entirely.

$ ground Indian American European (general)

Long pepper pippali

Sweeter and hotter than black. What Rome used before peppercorns.

$$$ whole Indian Indonesian

Fresh Chiles

Heat plus fruit. Not interchangeable with each other.

Jalapeño

Grassy, moderate. Seeds and ribs carry the heat, not the flesh.

$ fresh Mexican American

Serrano

Cleaner and hotter than jalapeño. The default in salsa.

$ fresh Mexican

Thai bird chile prik kee noo

Small, brutal, fruity. Freeze them whole.

$ fresh, frozen Thai Vietnamese Indian

Habanero

Apricot and fire. Use a quarter and mean it.

$$ fresh Caribbean Mexican

Poblano

Barely hot. Char and peel. Becomes ancho when dried.

$ fresh Mexican

Anaheim hatch

Mild and meaty. The green chile of New Mexico.

$ fresh Mexican American

Fresno

Red jalapeño lookalike, fruitier. Good raw.

$$ fresh American Mexican

Shishito

Sweet, one in ten is hot. Blister them dry.

$$ fresh Japanese

Green chile, Indian hari mirch

Slit, do not chop, if you want aroma without full heat.

$ fresh Indian

Dried Chiles

Where the depth lives. Toast, soak, blend.

Ancho

Dried poblano. Raisin and cocoa. The base of most mole.

$ dried Mexican

Guajillo

Tart, bright, moderate. The other half of the mole base.

$ dried Mexican

Pasilla

Dried chilaca. Herbal and dark. Completes the holy trinity.

$ dried Mexican

Chipotle

Smoked, dried jalapeño. Buy dried, not in adobo, which has oil.

$ dried Mexican check-label

Chile de árbol

Straightforward and hot. For heat, not for body.

$ dried Mexican

Cascabel

Rattles when shaken. Nutty and mild.

$$ dried Mexican

Kashmiri chile

Enormous color, almost no heat. Why tandoori is red.

$ dried, ground Indian

Byadgi chile

Wrinkled, deep red, mild. The South Indian color chile.

$ dried Indian

Aleppo pepper pul biber

Fruity, mild, slightly salty. Often sold with salt added.

$$ flakes Turkish Middle Eastern check-label

Urfa biber

Raisin, chocolate, tobacco. Sun-dried and sweated.

$$ flakes Turkish

Gochugaru

Coarse Korean flakes. Sweet, smoky, essential for kimchi.

$$ flakes Korean

Red pepper flakes crushed red pepper

Generic and useful. Mostly cayenne with seeds.

$ flakes Italian American

Calabrian chile

Fruity and fierce. Usually jarred in oil, so buy dried.

$$ dried Italian check-label

Dried Thai chile

Toast until they darken. Do not inhale over the pan.

$ dried Thai Chinese

Chile powder, pure

Ground single chile. Not the same as chili powder blend.

$ ground Mexican American

Spice Blends

Make your own and you control the salt.

Garam masala

Finishing spice, not a base. Add in the last two minutes.

$ ground Indian make-your-own

Curry powder

A British invention. Useful, but no Indian cook reaches for it.

$ ground British Indian Japanese

Berbere

Chile-forward Ethiopian blend. Fenugreek and ajwain make it.

$$ ground Ethiopian make-your-own

Ras el hanout

Up to thirty spices. Every shop's is different.

$$ ground Moroccan North African make-your-own

Za'atar

Thyme, sumac, sesame. Usually salted, so make it yourself.

$ ground Middle Eastern sodium make-your-own

Chinese five-spice

Star anise, fennel, cinnamon, clove, Sichuan pepper.

$ ground Chinese Vietnamese make-your-own

Shichimi togarashi

Seven flavors including nori and orange peel. Often salted.

$$ ground Japanese sodium check-label

Baharat

Warm, sweet, peppery. The everyday Levantine blend.

$ ground Middle Eastern Turkish make-your-own

Chili powder (blend)

Chile, cumin, oregano, garlic. Usually salted. Make your own.

$ ground American Tex-Mex sodium make-your-own

Herbes de Provence

Thyme, savory, rosemary, sometimes lavender.

$ dried French

Sambar powder

Roasted lentils ground with spices. Unique in the spice world.

$ ground Indian make-your-own

Panch phoron Bengali five-spice

Five whole seeds, equal parts, never ground.

$ whole Indian make-your-own

Dukkah

Nuts, seeds, spices. Texture as much as flavor.

$$ ground North African whole-food-fat make-your-own

Acids

What you reach for instead of salt. The most underused tool.

Apple cider vinegar

The everyday vinegar. Mellow enough to use by the tablespoon.

$ liquid American European (general)

Rice vinegar, unseasoned

Seasoned means sugar and salt were added. Read it.

$ liquid Japanese Chinese Korean check-label

White wine vinegar

Clean and sharp. For anything French or delicate.

$ liquid French Mediterranean

Red wine vinegar

Rounder and fruitier. Beans and lentils love it.

$ liquid Mediterranean Spanish

Sherry vinegar

Nutty and complex. The most flavorful vinegar per drop.

$$ liquid Spanish

Balsamic vinegar

Sweet. Cheap ones are colored with caramel. Check the label.

$$ liquid Italian natural-sugar check-label

Chinese black vinegar Chinkiang

Malty, smoky, low acid. Nothing in the West resembles it.

$ liquid Chinese

Lemon juice

The single most effective substitute for salt at the table.

$ fresh

Lime juice

Louder than lemon. Finish, do not cook, with it.

$ fresh Mexican Thai Indian

Pomegranate molasses

Sour and sweet. Reduced juice, sometimes with added sugar.

$$ liquid Middle Eastern Persian natural-sugar check-label

Verjuice

Unripe grape juice. Acid without vinegar's harshness.

$$$ liquid Persian French

Preserved lemon

Salt-cured. Rinse it, use the rind, discard the flesh.

$$ jarred Moroccan North African sodium

Umami & Depth

Savory intensity without meat, oil, or bouillon cubes.

Nutritional yeast nooch

Cheesy, nutty, B12-fortified. Not a health food gimmick.

$$ flakes American

White miso shiro miso

Sweet and mild. Add off the heat or you kill the culture.

$$ paste Japanese sodium

Red miso aka miso

Long-fermented, aggressive, salty. Use half as much.

$$ paste Japanese sodium

Low-sodium tamari

Wheat-free soy sauce. Still sodium. Dilute it.

$ liquid Japanese Chinese sodium

Coconut aminos

Sweeter, far less sodium than soy. Not the same flavor.

$$ liquid American natural-sugar

Dried shiitake

Rehydrate. The soaking liquid is a free vegetable stock.

$$ dried Chinese Japanese

Kombu

Dried kelp. Glutamate in its purest natural form.

$$ dried Japanese Korean

Nori

Sheets of dried seaweed. Crumble into anything for ocean depth.

$ dried Japanese Korean

Sun-dried tomatoes

Dry-packed, not oil-packed. Rehydrate them yourself.

$$ dried Italian Mediterranean check-label

Fermented black beans douchi

Salted, funky soybeans. Rinse before use.

$ dried Chinese sodium

Capers

Brined flower buds. Rinse hard. Pop of salt and floral bitterness.

$$ jarred Italian Mediterranean sodium

Dijon mustard

Emulsifies dressings with zero oil. Check for added sugar.

$ jarred French sodium check-label

Vegetable bouillon, no-salt

Most bouillon is salt with a vegetable rumor. Find the no-salt kind.

$ powder check-label

Smoked salt or liquid smoke

Smoke is a flavor, not an ingredient. A drop replaces bacon.

$ liquid American sodium check-label

Thickeners & Creaminess

Creamy textures with no dairy and no oil.

Cornstarch cornflour

Cloudy when cold, clear when hot. Slurry it first.

$ powder Chinese American

Arrowroot

Freezes and reheats without breaking. Cornstarch does not.

$$ powder Caribbean American

Potato starch

Silkiest of the starches. Loses power if boiled hard.

$$ powder Japanese Eastern European

Blended white beans

The best thickener here. Free protein, free fiber, no starch.

$ cooked

Blended potato

Boil, blend with the cooking water. Creamy, glossy, zero fat.

$ cooked

Cashew cream

Soaked cashews plus water, blended for two minutes.

$$$ blended Indian American whole-food-fat

Oat cream

Blended rolled oats and water, strained. Costs almost nothing.

$ blended Scandinavian

Aquafaba

The liquid in a chickpea can. Whips like egg white. Free.

$ liquid

Plant Milks

Unsweetened only. Read the label for oils and gums.

Unsweetened soy milk

The only plant milk with protein comparable to dairy.

$ liquid check-label

Unsweetened oat milk

Creamiest mouthfeel. Often contains added oil. Read it.

$ liquid check-label

Unsweetened almond milk

Thin and low calorie. Almost no protein.

$ liquid check-label

Plain plant yogurt

Soy-based has the most protein. Check for added sugar.

$$ fresh check-label