1
Allspice
Pimenta dioica
The dried unripe berry of a Caribbean evergreen — tasting uncannily like a blend of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg in a single hard pellet.
Below are spices that contain the letter S anywhere in the name. Each of the 28 spices below opens to a full profile.
Table of contents
List of Spices That Contain S
2
Anise
Pimpinella anisum
Small comma-shaped seeds with a pronounced licorice sweetness, used from Mediterranean liqueurs to Christmas cookies.
3
Asafoetida
Ferula assa-foetida
A pungent, sulfurous resin harvested from giant fennel relatives — used in pinhead quantities to mimic the umami of onion and garlic in Brahmin and Jain cooking.
4
Brown Mustard Seed
Brassica juncea
Smaller, darker, and far hotter than yellow seed — the workhorse of Indian tempering and the spice that gives Dijon its bite.
5
Capers
Capparis spinosa
The unopened flower buds of a Mediterranean shrub, pickled in salt or brine — the briny pop in puttanesca, tartare sauce, and chicken piccata.
6
Cassia
Cinnamomum cassia
The thicker, darker, bolder bark sold as "cinnamon" in most supermarkets — assertive enough to flavor American cinnamon rolls and Chinese braises.
7
Coriander Seed
Coriandrum sativum
The dried fruit of the cilantro plant — gently floral, citrusy, and the most forgiving of "sweet" spices used by the heaping spoonful.
8
Dill Seed
Anethum graveolens
Flat oval seeds with a sharp, caraway-adjacent bite — the classic pickling spice and a workhorse of Northern European cooking.
9
Espelette Pepper
Capsicum annuum
A mild Basque chili from a single French village — a fruity, gentle alternative to black pepper at every Basque table.
10
Fennel Seed
Foeniculum vulgare
Pale green ridged seeds with a sweet anise punch — equally at home in Italian sausage, Indian mukhwas, and herbal tea.
11
Grains of Paradise
Aframomum melegueta
Small reddish-brown West African seeds with peppery heat and citrusy warmth — a medieval European favorite that survives in Norwegian aquavit and craft beer.
12
Hibiscus
Hibiscus sabdariffa
Dried ruby-red calyces of a tropical mallow — steeped into the tart, cranberry-bright agua de jamaica, sorrel drink, and bissap of three continents.
13
Horseradish
Armoracia rusticana
A gnarled white root that releases nostril-stinging heat the moment it is grated — the spicy backbone of cocktail sauce, Passover seder, and Bloody Marys.
14
Mastic
Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia
Aromatic resin "tears" wept by Greek pistachio relatives on the island of Chios — used in Greek ice cream, Turkish delight, and Lebanese pastries.
15
Nigella Seed
Nigella sativa
Tiny matte-black seeds (also called kalonji or black caraway) with an onion-oregano savor — dusted on naan, pickles, and Bengali fish.
16
Poppy Seed
Papaver somniferum
The tiny slate-blue (or pale white) seed of the opium poppy — used in baked goods worldwide and as a thickener in Indian curries.
17
Rose Petal
Rosa damascena
Dried petals of damask roses — used in Persian rice, Indian gulkand, Middle Eastern desserts, and the spice blend ras el hanout.
18
Saffron
Crocus sativus
The dried red stigmas of the autumn crocus — gram-for-gram the world's most expensive spice and a defining note of paella, biryani, and bouillabaisse.
19
Sansho
Zanthoxylum piperitum
Japanese prickly ash — a citrusy, lip-tingling cousin of Sichuan pepper served alongside grilled eel and dusted on yakitori.
20
Sesame Seed
Sesamum indicum
One of the oldest oilseeds in cultivation — small, nutty, and indispensable from Middle Eastern tahini to Japanese furikake.
21
Sichuan Pepper
Zanthoxylum bungeanum
The husks of a prickly ash berry whose alkamide molecules produce a tingling, electric numbness on the lips — the *ma* in Sichuan's signature *mala*.
22
Smoked Paprika
Capsicum annuum
Spanish pimentón dried over oak smoke for weeks — the campfire-deep red powder behind chorizo, paella, and patatas bravas.
23
Star Anise
Illicium verum
The dramatic eight-pointed seed pod of a Chinese evergreen — sweeter and more potent than anise, and the defining note of pho and five-spice.
24
Sumac
Rhus coriaria
The crushed deep-red fruit of a Mediterranean bush — sour, bright, almost lemony, dusted over kebabs, salads, and the za'atar spice blend.
25
Sweet Paprika
Capsicum annuum
Ground sweet bell-pepper-style chiles with rich color and little heat — the supermarket staple sprinkled over deviled eggs and goulash worldwide.
26
Tulsi
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Holy basil — a sacred Hindu herb with a peppery, clove-like aroma used as much in temple offerings as in healing teas and Thai stir-fries.
27
Wasabi
Eutrema japonicum
A Japanese mountain rhizome whose freshly grated paste delivers a fleeting nasal heat — and whose green tube imposters are almost always dyed horseradish.
28
Yellow Mustard Seed
Sinapis alba
The milder of the cultivated mustards — a small golden seed that forms the base of American ballpark mustard and English pickle brines.
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