Ingredients That Add Flavor to Any Dish

If your cooking seems like it is bland or lacks the flavor profile you are looking for, there are many ways that you can make your dishes more bold and exciting to eat. Here are some key ingredients that are guaranteed to take any culinary creation to the next level.

A great way to add unique flavor to any meal is by tossing in some onion. There are many types of onions, but the most popular varieties usually seen in grocery stores are yellow, white, and red. Each type of onion has a distinct flavor profile that corresponds with different types of dishes.

For example, red onions are sweeter and therefore better for salads and sandwiches as raw toppings, while white and yellow onions are better suited for cooking. Onions can be fried, pickled and steamed, chopped or sliced to accent or even be the star of your dish. Green onions, commonly known as scallions, make an excellent garnish as well.

Garlic is one of the most versatile ingredients, and can amplify almost any dish in a positive way to make it more appetizing. Although garlic powder or pre-minced garlic can be helpful in a pinch, the versions that offer the most flavor are fresh and fermented garlic.

Garlic, especially fermented garlic, also offers a myriad of nutritional benefits, including strengthening the immune system, antioxidants, and improving your heart. Fermenting garlic involves keeping garlic at colder temperatures with water to amplify the flavor.

You can even make garlic that has already been fermented into a paste for an even easier way to include it in your dishes.

Including herbs in your seasoning can certainly create another dimension of flavor to your cooking. Because herbs are vastly different and come in both dried and fresh varieties, certain herbs go best with specific foods. For instance, some popular combinations include rosemary with chicken, and basil with tomato.

If you are incorporating herbs, a good rule of thumb is to put in dried herbs before you cook to infuse the flavor, and add fresh herbs afterwards. Finding a few combinations of your own is a good idea, especially when you are improvising recipes or cooking on the fly.

Herbs are also cheap and can be planted with low maintenance, making them an overall win in terms of cooking.

Cheese is known to be a powerful aphrodisiac. Not only that, but it has many health benefits when consumed in moderation and the stunning variety enables it to be a great addition to your dishes. Melt the ever-trusty cheddar or ramp things up with a more exotic flavor profile, such as gouda or camembert.

Stuff it in chicken, bread, and meatballs, or use it as a sprinkled topping to roasted veggies. The possibilities with cheese are truly endless and everyone has a favorite type of cheese. Even if you are lactose intolerant, many hard cheeses are safe to eat, so you can still enjoy your cultured dairy without worries.

There is a reason why salt and pepper are the staple seasonings included on every kitchen and restaurant table. Predominant in Western culture, the pairing has a rich history of marrying different types of food and customizing it according to individual palates.

Putting more pepper or salt into your food can drastically change the flavor profile, with salt adding a sometimes needed tanginess and pepper providing a kick. These two seasonings are great at lifting and enhancing flavors and spices that are already present in food as well.

Having a peppercorn grinder on your table that provides it fresh gives the seasoning even more dominance.

Bringing a dish from basic to delicious does not have to be complicated. With these ingredients, it is simple to make your food new and complex without following a complicated recipe or spending an excessive amount of time figuring out how to improve it.