6 Flavor Boosters That Will Make Your Meals (Almost) Effortlessly Delicious

When chefs and other cooking pros want maximum impact for minimum effort, they call on these star ingredients.

Good cooking does not require an elaborately stocked refrigerator and pantry —we swear. That said, having a few powerhouse ingredients on hand can be the difference between a completely run-of-the-mill grilled cheese sandwich and a transcendent grilled cheese sandwich. We vote for transcendence! To help us reach that higher plane of flavor, we talked to a few chefs and cookbook authors about the jars, cans, and bottles that keep their everyday cooking exciting with very little effort. They shared their go-to ingredients, where to find them in the grocery store, and how to store them so you'll always have big flavor at your fingertips.

Meet Our Expert

• Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray , food writers and authors of The Global Pantry Cookbook
• Remy Morimoto Park , author of Sesame, Soy, Spice
• Edward Lee , James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurant owner, author
• Justine Doiron , food writer, recipe developer, and author of Justine Cooks
  

Miso

In The Global Pantry Cookbook, authors Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray use the traditional Japanese soybean paste to up the umami in a French onion soup, season garlic butter for shrimp scampi, and even boost caramel sauce. Or, try it in a Caesar salad dressing . “It adds a kind of richness and pleasant funkiness common in fermented foods,” Pittman says. For a mild, versatile option, reach for white miso, and add it during the final stages of cooking to preserve its delicate flavors. Look for it next to the tofu or dressings in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. And store it in the refrigerator at home. It will last for months.

Tahini

Tahini, a sesame seed paste widely used in Middle Eastern cooking, creates a creaminess that’s especially handy in vegan cooking, says Remy Morimoto Park, author of Sesame, Soy, Spice. “I use it to thicken soups, make vinaigrettes creamier, and bring an earthy, nutty flavor to desserts.” For a simple glaze on baked goods, Park recommends whisking a few spoonfuls of tahini with splashes of maple syrup and vanilla. You can also add a dollop to smoothies, drizzle it over roasted veggies , or mix it into your morning yogurt. Tahini is often next to the nut butters or in the international or kosher section of the supermarket. Store it in the refrigerator or pantry.

Mayonnaise

You likely already have a jar of this silky emulsion of eggs and oil in your refrigerator for tuna sandwiches and pasta and potato salads. But its uses don’t stop there, says Edward Lee, a James Beard Award–winning chef and cookbook author. “If I’m making a toasted sandwich, I’ll use mayonnaise on the outside. Its high oil content means it heats and melts just like other cooking fats, with way more flavor.” Lee also grabs a jar to refresh leftover cooked salmon; he flakes the fish and mixes it with mayo, capers, and pickle juice, to eat with cucumbers on white bread. It can also bind salmon for teriyaki salmon burgers . And for a zesty condiment, try whisking it with sriracha, lemon juice, and minced garlic or Dijon mustard. You probably don't need us to tell you that you should store an open jar of mayo in your fridge, but there you have it.

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

If you ever want to trick your dinner guests into thinking a 30-minute pot of chili has been cooking all day, get one of these tiny cans, full of dried, smoked jalapeños (called chipotles) in a spicy, tangy sauce. “It’s wonderfully smoky, and it has this robust savoriness,” Pittman says. She also uses chipotles to amp up canned enchilada sauce for a shortcut birria-inspired sandwich. And don't miss these fantastic Honey-Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas . Got leftover adobo sauce? Mix a spoonful into mashed potatoes, or whip up a quick dip by whisking the sauce with plain yogurt or mayo, Pittman suggests. Look for these cans near the salsas and other Latin American ingredients at the grocery store. Transfer leftover chipotles and adobo sauce in the can to a jar, and refrigerate for a week. Or, for longer storage, place chilis and a dollop of sauce in an ice cube tray (one chili per section). Defrost as many you need in the microwave; about 30 seconds will do the job.

Gochujang

This chili paste with fermented soybeans goes deep, Lee says: “There’s this haunting spice in the background. It makes you want to keep taking another bite to figure out what it is.” In his latest cookbook, Bourbon Land, he shows how gracefully the ingredient fits into Southern cooking—including barbecue sauces. “It adds texture, it adds flavor, it adds umami,”he says. Lee suggests using gochujang whenever a recipe calls for a little heat with depth of flavor, such as in pimento cheese or gazpacho. A spoonful also improves fried rice and marinades, and it both batters and sauces cauliflower in our Air-Fryer Gochujang Cauliflower Bites recipe . In most supermarkets, you’ll find gochujang with other Asian ingredients, like soy sauce. Store opened containers in the refrigerator.

Tomato Paste in a Tube

Yes, the cans are great—if you’re going to use all of it at once. If not, a resealable tube is the easiest way to keep this concentrated flavor at arm’s reach. Justine Doiron, author of the upcoming cookbook Justine Cooks, says to add it to the pan when you’re cooking down aromatics for a soup or sauce. Let the paste darken by at least one shade to caramelize it, intensifying the flavor, like in this recipe for Red Pesto Fettuccine . Doiron cooks tomato paste with garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and coconut milk to make a saucy base for roasted veggies. One more mind-blowing idea: She’ll add a few squeezes of tomato paste to warm brown butter with honey, cumin, and caraway seeds. “It makes a rich, spiced sauce that I slather on roasted squash.”

Related: 14 Superfoods to Stock in Your Pantry—and Recipes You Need to Know

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