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30 Ingredients That People Wish They’d Started Using Earlier Because They Are So Good, As Shared In This Online Group
In fact, it is very easy to cook delicious food. As the great Michelangelo said when asked about the secret of his sculptures, "I just take a block of marble and cut off everything superfluous!" Like any art, cooking is about making simple things beautiful. Suffice it, for example, to recall the incomparable Julia Child and her famous phrase: "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients."
Yes, it really is all about the ingredients. The same little thing or its absence can completely change the taste of the same dish - turn something tasteless into incomparable, and vice versa. We all probably have stories in our minds about how someone, literally with a pinch of something special, made others lick their fingers and beg for more.
Recently, another popular thread on "secret" ingredients appeared in the Reddit Cooking community. Its topic starter asked just one simple question: "What's an ingredient you held out on buying only to later realize you'd been missing out?" As of today, the thread already has 725 upvotes and almost 660 different comments, revealing many personal culinary secrets.
Bored Panda has created a special selection for you of the most non-standard, outstanding and simply the most popular comments of the original thread, so now please feel free to scroll to the very-very end of the list, save the best ingredients and receipts - and be sure to tell your own cooking secret in case it's not in our selection!
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Real Parmesan cheese instead of the sawdust in a green can
High quality/real maple syrup. I could never justify spending so much money on so little product, finally had some extra money at the farmers market and grabbed some. I’ll never go back. The flavor is so concentrated you only need a tiny bit so it lasts just as long but tastes 100% better.
Local honey
Very often, the so-called "placebo effect" can affect the taste of food - when you think that there is some ingredient in a meal, but it is not there, though you literally feel it! Remember "Michael Jordan's secret drink" in the first Space Jam? Here is something in this style. After all, making our brains believe that food is incredibly delicious is the main task of any cook. Hence the various requirements for serving, because beautiful presentation of a dish is already half the battle.
This isn't one I've held off on, but it's one that once I got it, it's replaced a bunch of other ingredients for its ease of use.
Sambal Oelek.
Regardless of cuisine, if a recipe calls for hot peppers, no longer do I bother with trying to keep them in my fridge, chopping them up, etc. A spoonful of sambal oelek goes in, done. (The only exception is for pickled jalapenos in nachos or roasted green chiles.)
(And, yes, this may make me "bad," but I'm disabled and I only have so much energy for cooking, even if I love to do it. Making one step easier with minimal negative effects? I'm there for it.)
(And this is from someone who doesn't like the flavor of sriracha, so I replace it with sambal oelek in recipes too.)
Dried tomatoes. They intensify the sauces so much due to umami concentration.
I wasn't aware til recently (ignorant American here) that there were more than one kind of white rice. I grew up with instant. Now I'm married and experimenting with cuisines, I find the rices are different. Short grain vs long grain vs Jasmine long grain are ALL different, and the dishes are also. Short grain goes great in Risotto, Sushi and Glutinous balls (with the yummy stuff inside), long grain is good for breakfast, as a side to something with gravy or sauce (think gumbo, red beans and sausage or salisbury steak) or very long grain (jasmine or extra long grain that is tasty with curries and stir fries and bulgogi).
Once I understood the difference, I buy them individually from the Korean or Japanese markets near me. Like using brown sugar vs White vs Honey.
Each has it's use and each tastes great in the other recipes but there is a thing for the specific rice or sauce.. It CAN be interchanged but they are better if you know the proper cuisine to match them with.
"It's hard to give an example offhand, especially when you have hundreds and even more of these examples in your head, accumulated over the years of professional experience - and you just can't choose which one," says Roman Sardarian, a chef from Odessa, Ukraine, whom Bored Panda reached out to for comment. "However, I'll try to give probably the simplest. Kebab or barbecue. What makes this dish incredibly flavorful, while completely retaining the texture of the meat? For me, the simple answer is dried red basil, which is also sometimes called regan."
“Probably, it has happened to you that you passed by some good meat restaurant, felt that incomparable smell - and then tried in vain to recreate it at home? Well, it's all thanks to dried red basil. In fact, we first perceive food with our nose, thanks to the smell, then with the eyes - and if the aroma and appearance of the food tell us that it is tasty, then most of the work has already been done," says Roman Sardarian.
European butter. Everything tastes better and better texture.
Depends where in Europe. Butter in Ireland tastes completely different to the butter in France, England and Germany.
When I first lived in my own apartment (sophomore year of college) I didn’t really know anything about cooking. When I went grocery shopping for a recipe, I would never buy an onion, because I didn’t think it would make a difference and I didn’t want to spend the money/time on it. Now I feel like I put onions in everything and it’s so funny to remember my ignorance 😅
If someone in your family claims to hate onions (not talking allergies), try pureeing in blender. It's often a texture thing.
My brain can't compute not loving onions. I don't think there's anything a fried onion doesn't make better. Onions fried in butter over potatoes, in eggs, on any form of cooked meat... my entire fridge could be empty but I will always have onions, scallions and garlic. I love anything from the onions family.
Agreed. Love them cooked, hate them raw. My favorite omelet is onions, tomatoes, and basil.
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Onions in sauces are one of those things that you don't notice them being there, but you sure notice when they are not. However I think it is just as important to know when not to use them. A vibrant, fruity sauce (e.g. Arrabbiata) doesn't require them. Sometimes it is not additional ingredients you need, but better ingredients.
I once had to make tomato sauce without tomatoes for a pizza, because the recipe didn't list them. It was just a lot of onions and tomato extract, and it was delicious.
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I love onions, both raw and cooked. The raw onions go on sandwiches, extra raw onions on hamburgers. Cooked onion are added to……everything?
I go through onion powder faster than any other spice in my cabinet. Onion powder makes vegetables amazing! I used to really not like squash, but now I'll steam it and add onion powder and garlic salt and I could eat the stuff all day.
My wife and I get a little nervous when the onions get low at our house.
When I moved away from home I stopped using onions because of the crying. Then I ate bolognese at my mother's place and wondered what amazing spice she used to make it so much tastier than mine. Onions, that was the difference, I've endured the crying since.
I'm a Chef from Germany. I learned the French kitchen style. Onions (a lot of different kinds of onions) are the most used vegetable in the kitchen. And that for a reason.
Having Covid has affected my sense of taste and smell, and I no longer enjoy onions, and I used to love them! I can smell onion a mile off now, it's mad.
I used to love onions but havent been able to eat them since I got covid a year and a half ago T-T
I'm the same but with garlic. Garlic goes in almost every dinner dish I cook
Everyone dislike some kind of food. It is ok! Please don't be rude and condescending. Onion people are very much like vegan folks who can understand anyone who doesn't agree with them
Sarah-lyn, I'm puzzled (But not like a jigsaw puzzle, more like a Tetris). Everyone was discussing onions & related foods, but no one was deriding others who just don't like onions. Everyone has their food preference, (mine being shrimp any way but raw), but there hasn't been any downgrading just because someone might like or not like the same food as others. Me, personally, I'm kind of a "let it be" kind of guy, as long as no one takes the human body parts out of my blender before they are properly mixed. body-parts...e9735d.jpg 
People who like onions believe that they have to in everything! And just can not process a person who dislikes them. You can eat around them or do anything to it once it is in a food. People are allowed not to like onion! People dislike many foods and food combinations. Please don't judge and critique people who don't like them. Yes you cam always taste them and I always makes dish that no longer something I will eat. I would rather go hungry for one meal then eat a dish with onion in any form.
Try onion powder in eggs with salt, pepper and parsley. Add a little cheddar cheese at the end. Yummy!
Not so much an ingredient, strictly speaking, but a zester. Since using that I've added lime zest to things and love the fragrance it gives to dishes. I'm going to try using orange zest rather than orange essence in a chocolate porridge later this week.
In the end, the most important secret ingredient that can turn any, even the most clumsy cooking into an absolute triumph of taste is love. After all, when you cook with love and for someone who loves you, it completely transforms any dish, because you literally put a piece of yourself into it. As the same great Julia Child once told, "I think careful cooking is love, don't you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who's close to you is about as nice a Valentine as you can give."
Multiple forms of ginger: fresh, pickled, crystallized, big soft chunks, ground. I'm not big on spicy peppers (old people digestive issues), but spicy ginger goes in so many things! I'm probably an addict, tbh. I grew up with just ground ginger for baking at Christmas. Had no idea what an amazing thing it is until I was well into my 30s. I wasted so many years!
I have always used canned beans out of laziness. Finally decided to go for dried beans recently and I can't believe I didn't do it sooner. They do take longer to cook, but as long as I plan ahead it's fine. They taste so much better than canned.
Real saffron—expensive but wonderful richness of flavor.
Used to buy basic ground pepper, out of habit. I've since then started to grind my own, it's life changing :D
Also, beer yeast flakes as a salad topper.
Black garlic. I realized how much I was missing out when I decided to try it recently. Mashed up with some olive oil and goat cheese then spread on a sandwich has been my go to lately but it goes great in so many dishes.
Lemongrass stalk. It taste and smells like lemonade and ginger. Can believe I slept on this.
Lemongrass is widely used in Asian cooking, especially South East Asian. It has a very distinctive scent and flavor and can be used as marinade, stir fry or steamed dishes, and soups. Dammit, now I want Soto Ayam.
Kewpie mayo. It's pricey (which is why I held off) but for sandwiches & dishes where you can really taste the flavor of the mayo, it's absolutely incredible.
White wine. I would use vinegar and lemon juice to risotto and other dishes that brought it up, and it just added an acidity that I really disliked. White wine adds a super awesome dimension of fruitiness with some acidity. It’s really great to cook with.
Espresso powder. The difference it brought to my brownies is incredible.
Sesame paste instead of peanut butter. Spicy sesame noodles. Makes a big difference.
Edit: dashi with miso soup
Edit2: Kerrygold butter (pure Irish butter) makes a difference in taste on toasted bread instead of regular butter.
Edit3: szechuan peppercorn. I would toast it and grind it up for Taiwanese popcorn chicken with Thai basil. Or use it for tea-smoked chicken drumsticks.
I bought crème fraiche to put in my mashed potatoes…life changing.
Continuing the Chinese theme, have you tried the various vinegars (such as Chinkiang vinegar), chillis or fermented pastes? White rice vinegar and miso are great, but they create a very different dish.
Pop a little splash of Balsamic Vinegar into your Sunday roast gravy, add ; takes it to a different level.
Celery seed.
Also, don't toss the celery leaves! Chop them like you would any fresh herb, they add a lot of flavor!
Kashmiri chili powder. Most American recipes for Indian food use cayenne for heat, since that's more typically available here. Once I ditched cayenne for Kashmiri chili, my food started tasting a lot more like the Indian takeout I was trying to reproduce.
Harissa paste, i put it almost everywhere now, when roasting potatoes, when marinaring chicken. It’s amazing!
Semolina flour. I used to make homemade pizza without, and always got frustrated with how easily the dough/pizza stuck to the peel. Not anymore, thanks to _Semolina_ 🤌🏻
Kaffir lime leaves! I was always using regular lime leaves and it's just far from the real thing. I've since bought a Kaffir lime tree haha. Still in the pot, need to put it in the ground for it to grow bigger.
I have not been able to find these for quite a while, and I’ve checked in several Asian markets. It makes me sad because they make such a difference in Thai curries.
Asofodeta for Indian food. Thought I could substitute garlic, but it never tasted the same.
Note: this post originally had 37 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Time to mix all these things in one bowl to create a monstrosity that should theoretically be the greatest dish ever
All of these are pretty good suggestions, though they are also very expensive suggestions.
Curry leaves instead of Bay leaves. They aren't spicy, but have a nice citrusy edge to them, and they aren't razor sharp, so are much less likely to kill you.
Wow, I just learned about so many things that sound right up my alley. Time to start laying these in for my future cooking adventures.
Apple cider vinegar is really unpopular in my country, but adding it to salads was a game changer. If you make rice as a side dish, add savory (the herb) to it. It's amazing. Lovage is amazing for veggies in all western dishes. Whenever you add paprika powder to something, add some smoked paprika powder too. It adds a taste of smoked meat, like sausage or ham.
Extra virgin olive oil. I use it for almost all of my baking and casserole dishes. Also I use toasted sesame oil for salads and as a finish for pan cooked vegetables.
Oh no. Oh no. Please do not cook with extra virgin olive oil. Firstly, it has a low smoke point that is not suitable for a lot of cooking. Secondly, it has a short shelf life and should be stored in a dark place for a max of a month. It is simply not suitable for everyday cooking, but it's best used without heat for its signature flavour in dressings and similar. If you want a tasty fat for cooking purposes, use butter
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I sometimes use peanut butter (only roasted peanut and little salt) to thicken soup or sauce. Somehow it works really great and it makes food creamier/ richer, you don't really taste peanut or only subtle. I think it is great option for lactose intolerant people or vegans.
Time to mix all these things in one bowl to create a monstrosity that should theoretically be the greatest dish ever
All of these are pretty good suggestions, though they are also very expensive suggestions.
Curry leaves instead of Bay leaves. They aren't spicy, but have a nice citrusy edge to them, and they aren't razor sharp, so are much less likely to kill you.
Wow, I just learned about so many things that sound right up my alley. Time to start laying these in for my future cooking adventures.
Apple cider vinegar is really unpopular in my country, but adding it to salads was a game changer. If you make rice as a side dish, add savory (the herb) to it. It's amazing. Lovage is amazing for veggies in all western dishes. Whenever you add paprika powder to something, add some smoked paprika powder too. It adds a taste of smoked meat, like sausage or ham.
Extra virgin olive oil. I use it for almost all of my baking and casserole dishes. Also I use toasted sesame oil for salads and as a finish for pan cooked vegetables.
Oh no. Oh no. Please do not cook with extra virgin olive oil. Firstly, it has a low smoke point that is not suitable for a lot of cooking. Secondly, it has a short shelf life and should be stored in a dark place for a max of a month. It is simply not suitable for everyday cooking, but it's best used without heat for its signature flavour in dressings and similar. If you want a tasty fat for cooking purposes, use butter
Load More Replies... I sometimes use peanut butter (only roasted peanut and little salt) to thicken soup or sauce. Somehow it works really great and it makes food creamier/ richer, you don't really taste peanut or only subtle. I think it is great option for lactose intolerant people or vegans.
