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
Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Made with pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a handful of other ingredients, this creamy all-purpose spread is delicious on pancakes, muffins, and toasted bread. Ingredients 4 cups Pumpkin…
Easy Hollandaise
Use Martha’s shortcut version of the classic French sauce to spruce up steamed artichokes. It also tastes great with eggs Benedict and asparagus. 2 large egg yolks 1…
Uncle Bubba’s Fry Mix
6 cups self-rising flour (see Tip) 1 cup self-rising white cornmeal (see Tip) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. This…
Scallion-Lemon Mayonnaise
Use this tangy mayonnaise as a sandwich spread or as a dip for a platter of grilled summer vegetables. ¼ cup nonfat sour cream 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise…
Classic Pesto (Pesto Alla Genovese)
The most basic, most traditional pesto is this basil-based one that was invented in Genoa, in northern Italy; it’s bright green and wonderfully aromatic. Be sure to add…
15 Useful Ways to Cook with Pesto
Pesto contributes herbs, oil, and often cheese and nuts. Use it as a seasoning, tasting before adding more salt or fat. Fifteen applications Mix a little into breadcrumbs…
Pistachio Pesto
1 cup shelled pistachios 2 garlic cloves 2 cups basil ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Place…
Pecan-Honey Butter
½ cup butter, softened ½ cup finely chopped toasted pecans 2 tablespoons honey Stir together butter, pecans, and honey. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze…

Spiced Apple Rings
Ruby-red spiced apple rings combine tart apples, cinnamon candies, cloves, allspice and pepper. Serve with ham, pork or turkey, or package as refrigerated gifts. Prep: approximately 20–30 minutes…
Caribbean Hollandaise Sauce
This recipe goes with Caribbean Crab Cakes Benedict 4 egg yolks ¼ cup Key lime juice 1 cup butter, cut into pieces ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground…
