Traditional Mexican spices are in full-swing right now with Cinco De Mayo being right around the corner. Make sure your fiesta is ready to go big with these flavor boosters! There are so many different ways of adding these in from produce, to dried to in the freezer aisle, find what speaks to your recipe and your wallet.

Cumin

Traditionally found in the spice aisle this spice has roots in many different cuisines around the world. Did you know that it’s a member of the parsley family? It has a warm, earthy flavor that brings both a bit of sweetness and bitterness to your dish.

Garlic

Garlic speaks volumes to our Texas dietitian souls. It has a pungent taste and odor that to some, gets them excited and others, not so much. Its close relatives include onion, shallots, leeks, and chives. We love adding this to nearly all of our dishes and love using it in all forms. Eaten raw it has a good bite to it, and when cooked it will bring out its soft, sweet buttery flavor. You can find this sometimes in the freezer section or already chopped in jars, or in its dried form within the aisles. 

Cilantro

Find this flavor bomb in the produce section! Cilantro are the leaves of the coriander plant. So if you’re looking for a similar flavor in the spices aisle look for that! We love using it as a topping for tacos or mixed into a salad or in a sauce like chimichurri or a gremolata depending on what we’re going after. All of this is edible so make sure you’re stretching your dollar and using it all up

Peppers

Pending on what type of peppers you are using this can go many ways. Are you using sweet peppers, bell peppers, dried chiles, jarred varieties, ground ancho chile or red pepper flakes, and so on?! Whatever way you buy them and then use them they all offer something unique from fresh, spicy, crunchy, briney, sweet and so on. Get your peppers to go further and have a plan for how to use their leftovers!

Lime

Lime has so many beneficial uses from food to beverages and during this holiday we’re talking about squeezing freshness onto our tacos and margaritas. It has an acidic taste with a very subtle hint of sweetness. This is an easily accessible fruit where both the rind and juice can be utilized. You can also add it to guacamole, tortilla soup, and so much more.

And now for a few tips

1. Make sure your spices are within their expiration date
2. Toast your spices to amp up their flavor profile
3. Taste as you go and don’t forget that salt and fat are also flavor boosters