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Best Spice Types in the World
Pimentón de la Vera is the smoked paprika that has been produced exclusively in the La Vera valley, in the province of Cáceres since the 16th century. This vibrant red spice is made by grinding dried peppers into a fragrant, spicy, smoky powder.
It became popular in the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors brought the peppers back from Mexico as a gift for the king and queen of Spain. In autumn, after harvesting, the finest peppers are hanged on strings and are left to dry. They are then smoked using oak wood for two weeks, thus intensifying both their flavor and color.
THE BEST Pimentón de la Vera Paprikas
This unique paprika product is made under strict quality measures by grinding the dried pods of deep, silky red pepper plants of different varieties. The peppers must be ground uniformly and the aroma is spicy and pleasant, comparable to that of roasted seeds.
It has a sweet, fruity taste, and the higher the capsaicin content in the peppers, the hotter the final product will be. The ground paprika is then packed and sold, and used mainly as a spice in a variety of dishes including stews, on eggs, fish, pasta, potatoes, and in marinades for roasted meat.
Azafrán de la Mancha is a saffron grown in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It is a spice produced by drying the stigmas of the Crocus Sativus, L. plant. It has a floral and slightly bitter flavor and gives the dishes it is cooked in a bright gold yellow color.
Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world, with the price higher than that of gold, due to the laborious process of its harvesting. To preserve its subtle flavor, saffron grown in La Mancha is never sold powdered, but exclusively in the form of whole threads.
The powdered Szegedi paprika spice is made by grinding the pods of the pepper plants. Its colour is a vivid, fiery red and its aroma is strong and spicy, similar to those of baked vegetables. Once tasted, the flavour is sweet, mellow and spicy but pleasant and not too hot, due to the fact that the capsaicin amount is not above 100mg/kg.
In some hotter varieties of Szegedi paprika, the capsaicin amount is higher, so the paprika is also a lot hotter in taste. It is so popular in Hungary that it even has its own museum, and is typically used as a seasoning in hearty stews, goulash or sprinkled on meat.
The Mexican region of Chinantla is the only place in the world where wild vanilla grows. Known locally as colibrí, these orchid vines grow in the heart of the forest, using moderate-size trees like citrus, cocoa, and calabash (jícara) trees for support.
Once they have been collected, vanilla beans are traditionally sealed in bags, then left in the sun for 5 hours a day over 15 days. The process results in tender, fragrant berries with an appetizing coffee color. In the past, the fruit wasn’t used for cooking because it was offered to the Aztec emperor Montezuma as a tribute, while women combined it with mamey seed oil in order to make their hair shiny.
THE BEST Chinantla Vanilla Vanillas
Sansho pepper is a Japanese spice characterized by its prized aromatic peppercorns, green color, and a floral, tangy, lemon-like flavor. It is a part of the famous seven Japanese spices and is closely related to Sichuan pepper.
The shrub is grown in Japan, but also in China and North Korea. Traditionally, sansho is used as a seasoning for fish and barbecue dishes, or sprinkled over unagi grilled eel. It pairs extremely well with other spices such as sesame and ginger.
THE BEST Sansho Pepper Peppercorns
Ceylon cinnamon is traditionally harvested from a tree that is native to Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, hence the botanical name of this health-beneficial spice. This cinnamon type is sweeter and more delicate than cinnamon cassia, the other main type of cinnamon.
It has a beneficial effect on glucose metabolism and body weight, and contains antioxidants called proanthocyanidins, which are also found in grapes and green tea. Unlike cinnamon cassia, Ceylon cinnamon does not contain coumarin – a natural plant chemical that is toxic to the kidneys and liver, and it might also be carcinogenic.
Despite its name, Sichuan pepper is actually not a pepper, but dried berry of a type of ash shrub that has a unique peppery and lemony aroma. It is characterized by its mouth-numbing properties, typical for numerous dishes from the Sichuan province of China.
Sichuan pepper is also one of the five ingredients in the famous Chinese five spice powder. The pepper is often ground or roasted, and is commonly used to make an infused oil. It appears in numerous dishes such as kung pao chicken, bang bang chicken, and dan dan noodles.
Galangal is a ginger-like root that is widely used in Thai and Indonesian cuisine as a flavoring or a spice, characterized by its pungent aroma. There are two varieties of galangal: greater galangal, which is lighter in color and with a more subtle aroma, used mostly in Thai cooking, and lesser galangal, which is native to China.
Galangal is hard and woody on the exterior, with a strong citrus scent on the inside. It gives a citrus note to numerous dishes, and it is an important ingredient in Thai curry pastes. Galangal can come in many forms: as fresh root, dried root, or ground into a fine powder.
THE BEST Galangal Spices
Krokos kozanis is a spice taken from the bulb stigmas of the saffron plant, part of the Iridaceae family. It is produced within the various municipal areas of Kozani, in the region of West Macedonia in the northern part of Greece.
The exclusive rights for the collection, distribution and packing of Greek Saffron is held by the Cooperative de Safran. Annual production depends upon weather conditions and ranges from 6 to 12 tons of pure red saffron per year. It takes 150,000 flowers to produce 1 kilogram of dried crocus stigmas and about 50,000 stigmas to obtain 100 grams of red saffron which makes saffron the most expensive spice in the world.
THE BEST Krokos Kozanis Saffrons
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Spices in the World
Whole Young Green Kampot Peppercorns made by Kadode Kampot Pepper UK c/o TLP are a premium spice product known for their distinctive and aromatic flavor. These peppercorns are sourced from the Kampot region in Cambodia, which is renowned for producing some of the finest pepper in the world.
The green peppercorns are harvested while they are still young, which imparts a fresh and zesty taste profile. They can be used in a variety of culinary applications, including sauces, marinades, and gourmet dishes, adding a unique and complex flavor.
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024, 2023
Fermented Black Pepper made by Ausha is a distinctive spice that combines the pungency of black pepper with the depth of umami derived from a fermentation process. The fermentation enhances the pepper's flavors and introduces mellow, complex notes, making it a versatile ingredient for culinary use.
The process is thought to help retain more of the pepper's natural oils and beneficial compounds, potentially offering enhanced health benefits compared to regular black pepper.
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
BoTree Kampot Pepper Black 90g is a premium variety of black peppercorns produced by Bo Tree Farm. This pepper is unique to the Kampot region of Cambodia, renowned for its ideal growing conditions that impart a distinct flavor profile to the peppercorns.
This product emphasizes a strong, sharp taste with hints of eucalyptus and mint. The 90g packaging serves as a convenient size for culinary enthusiasts looking to enhance their dishes with a gourmet touch. The BoTree Kampot Pepper Black is celebrated for its quality, receiving Protected Geographical Indication status, which verifies its origin and authenticity.
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
AWARDS
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 59 Spices in the World” list until March 21, 2025, 1,313 ratings were recorded, of which 667 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.