We have lots of tips and tricks for getting the most from your spices, but few techniques build flavor depth quite like toasting.
The process is almost alchemical: a handful of seeds, pods, or barks meet a hot pan, and within seconds, the kitchen is filled with rich, nutty, deeply aromatic notes.
Many of our favorite blends, like Kashmiri Garam Masala and Tabil, are crafted with ingredients we toast right here in our warehouse.
Our Toast-Worthy Selects
Clockwise from top right, Star Anise, Tellicherry Black Peppercorn, Fennel Seed, Pequin, Indian Coriander Seed, and Black Sesame Seed.
How to Toast Spices at Home
Start with a heavy-bottomed skillet like cast iron, making sure it's large enough to spread all your spices out in a single layer. Set it over medium heat — no oil needed — and warm the pan for a few minutes.
Once it's warm, add in your whole spices, keeping them in a single layer.
Keep your spices moving, stirring or tossing them frequently. You'll notice a shift in as little as 30-60 seconds as the kitchen fills with fragrance. On lighter spices you'll notice a color shift, but on darker ones you may not see a big difference. Smaller seeds like sesame and mustard might pop and jump around to announce they’re ready!
Once toasted to perfection, transfer the spices immediately to a heatproof dish to avoid burning, and cool.
From there, grind them into a fragrant powder, toss them whole into a simmering pot, or fold them into your favorite spice blend. Seeds, barks, pods, and roots all benefit from a gentle toasting.
For inspiration, check out this list.
Quick Tips
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The longer you toast, the deeper the flavor — but like toast, once they’re burnt, there’s no going back. If you see or smell smoke, the spices are on the edge and should come off the heat immediately.
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Toasting chiles? Go easy. Make sure your space is well-ventilated and toast lightly. The smoke from heavily toasted chiles can be surprisingly caustic.
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Mixing spices? Size matters. If you’re toasting a few different spices together, choose ones of similar size so they toast at the same rate.
- Toast whole — not ground — spices. Ground spices tend to toast very quickly and can burn easily. If you want to enhance ground spices, choose a technique called "blooming." When making a dish, add oil, butter, or ghee to your heated pan and then stir in your spices. Let them warm in the hot oil for 30 seconds to a minute before adding your other ingredients. This is a much gentler way to get those toasted flavors without burning the ground spices.
