Condiments & Pantry Staples
A condiment or pantry component can change a meal with a small addition of flavor. Compound butters, pickles, preserves, seasonings, and prepared ingredients bring different possibilities to this collection. Browse for something to spread, stir in, spoon over, or keep ready for another recipe, with attention to the storage instructions in each preparation.
Browse the posts below, or choose a subcategory when available.
Compound Butters
Basil, lime, herbs, and spices turn butter into a concentrated finishing ingredient. These compound butters offer ways to add flavor to a dish through a small portion of seasoned butter.
Jams & Jellies
Jams, jellies, fruit butters, and chutneys preserve fruit in different textures and balances of sweetness. Strawberry-jalapeño jam and cranberry chutney offer contrasting starting points for a spread or accompaniment.
Marinades
Ginger ale and mojo preparations offer different flavor directions for a marinade. These recipes provide a seasoned liquid to accompany the treatment and cooking of another ingredient.
Mayonnaise, Aioli & Emulsified Condiments
Mayonnaise and related creamy preparations bring ingredients together into a smooth condiment. Scallion-lemon mayonnaise offers one starting point for a spread or sauce with acidity and savory flavor.
Mustards, Ketchups & Table Condiments
Mustard sauces, burger sauces, and other table condiments add concentrated flavor to a finished dish. Choose a preparation for spreading, dipping, or serving alongside the food at the table.
Oils & Infusions
Basil oils and other infusions carry flavor into a liquid ingredient. These preparations offer a finishing or seasoning component, with attention to the method and storage directions in each recipe.
Pestos
Herbs, citrus, and carrot tops give these pestos different flavors and textures. Browse blended or worked sauces to stir into another dish or serve in a small amount alongside it.
Pickles & Ferments
Pickled peaches, strawberries, and green onions show that preserving with acidity extends beyond cucumbers. Fermented preparations add another approach, with each recipe setting out its own method and storage requirements.
Prepared Pantry Ingredients
Sun-dried tomatoes, seasoned bread crumbs, and soup mixes can provide a head start for another dish. These prepared pantry ingredients build flavor or texture before the final recipe begins.
Relishes & Salsas
Cucumber salsa, jalapeño relish, and roasted salsa ranchera offer different ways to combine chopped or cooked ingredients. These accompaniments bring freshness, acidity, or heat to another dish.
Seasonings, Salts & Rubs
Basil salt, rosemary sea salt, and chile verde seasoning offer ways to keep a particular flavor ready to use. These seasonings and rubs provide small additions for building a dish.
Spreads, Pastes & Curds
Tzatziki, strawberry cream cheese, and tahini give this collection several kinds of spread and paste. Browse preparations with different bases and textures for spreading, stirring, or serving alongside another dish.
Substitutes
A substitute can help when a recipe calls for an ingredient you do not have. These preparations offer alternatives for cream, buttermilk, and mascarpone, with results that depend on the intended use.
Syrups & Sweet Toppings
Strawberry syrup, a salted chocolate-hazelnut syrup, and orange glaze offer sweet finishes with different flavors. These toppings provide a pourable or spreadable addition to a suitable dish.
In this collection
Prickly Pear Juice – No-Cook Freezer Method
Pick tunas when they are very ripe, almost ready to fall off the plant. Peeling is optional, because the tiny thorns will be filtered out in the final…

Apricot Jalapeño Jam
The perfect combination between spicy and sweet, this Jalapeño jam will definitely awaken your tastebuds. The jam contains Jalapeño peppers (some with seeds in tact) which gives off…

Crisp Cucumber Salsa
Here’s a fantastic way to use cucumbers. You’ll love the creamy and crunchy texture and super-fresh flavors. Ingredients 2 cups finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber 1/2 cup finely…
Cream-Cheese Substitute for Mascarpone
Cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream make a rich substitute for some mascarpone applications. Expect a tangier flavor and different texture from true mascarpone. Recipe at a…
Homemade Grease-and-Flour Pan Release
A mixture of shortening, oil, and flour can coat pans for recipes that call for greasing and flouring. It is not suitable for recipes that require an ungreased…
Homemade Processed-Cheese Sauce
Processed cheese and evaporated milk make a smooth, rich sauce for compatible recipes or warm snacks. This is a homemade cheese sauce, not an exact duplicate of a…
Spinach Pesto
4 cups packed spinach leaves 1 cup grated Parmesan ¾ cup pecans, lightly toasted 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon Tabasco Green Pepper…
Cake Flour Substitute: Corrected Measurements
All-purpose flour mixed with cornstarch is a useful approximation when a recipe permits a cake-flour substitute. It is not identical to every commercial cake flour. Recipe at a…
Ten Ways to Use Familiar Herbs and Spices
A small amount of a familiar herb or spice can refresh an everyday dish. Start lightly, taste where safe, and adjust to the intensity of the product. Ginger,…
Honey Lime Butter
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, softened ¼ cup honey 1 lime, zest finely grated Whisk the butter, the honey, and lime zest in a bowl until smooth, or…
