When you master the secrets of the world’s cuisines, you open the doors to exotic new experiences in your own kitchen. The first step toward enjoying international cooking at home is to gather a pantry of global ingredients. Take a tour of your local ethnic markets, where you’ll discover fascinating culinary treasures and open your world up to a new realm of creative cooking possibilities. If you don’t live near ethnic markets, the miracle of online shopping means a global pantry is only a mouse-click away. Once you’re well stocked, you’ll be all set to transport your taste buds anywhere on the planet.

The key to cooking globally is in the spices, herbs, and other seasonings of particular regions because it is those flavor-makers that make each cuisine distinctive. Consider a simple pot of rice and beans. If you season them with garlic, oregano, basil, and olive oil, you have a Mediterranean dish. Cook those same rice and beans with ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce, and you’ve crossed borders into Asia. Simmer them in a curry sauce, and you know you’re eating Indian. When paired with paprika, sour cream, and onions, the same rice and beans have an Eastern European flavor. Season them with tahini, lemon juice, and za’taar spices, and you have a taste of the Middle East.

Any well-stocked plant-based kitchen should include a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs as well as a selection of dried or canned beans, pasta, rice and other grains, basic seasonings, nondairy milk, nuts, seeds, and nut butters, as well as flours and other standard baking items.

Beyond the basics

You’ll want to include the particular ingredients needed to cook in various cuisines. For Mediterranean flavors, for example, stock your shelves with artichoke hearts, olives, roasted red peppers, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and dried porcini mushrooms. For those times when you want to cook with an Asian flair, keep flavor enhancers on hand such as tamari, toasted sesame oil, chili paste, sriracha sauce, fresh ginger, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce.

When you stock your pantry with a variety of global ingredients, you’ll always be ready to create fabulous international meals whenever you want them.

Europe

artichoke hearts- canned, frozen, or marinated
capers
grape leaves
olives
olive oil
polenta/ground cornmeal
roasted red peppers
tomatoes- canned (diced, whole, puree, paste)
tomatoes- sun-dried, dehydrated or oil-packed
Herbs and spices: basil, bay leaves, caraway seeds, cilantro, dill, fennel seed, Herbes de Provence, marjoram, mint, oregano, paprika (hot, sweet, and smoked), parsley, poppy seeds, red pepper flakes, rosemary, savory, thyme

The Americas

chiles- dried and fresh
chipotles in adobo sauce
coconut milk
corn and wheat tortillas
corn meal/masa harina
liquid smoke
nutritional yeast
quinoa
tomato salsa
Herbs and spices: annatto, allspice, bay leaf, cilantro, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, oregano, parsley, thyme

Middle East and Africa

bulgur
chickpea flour
chickpeas
chiles- dried and fresh
couscous
dates
dried apricots
harissa sauce
phyllo dough
pistachios
pita bread
pomegranate molasses
tahini
teff flour
Herbs and spices: cayenne, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, za’taar spice blend, berbere spice blend, baharat spice blend

India

basmati rice
cashews
chickpeas
chickpea flour
chiles- dried and fresh
chutney
ginger
lentils
pistachios
rosewater
tamarind paste
Herbs and spices: cilantro, curry leaves, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander, cumin, mango powder, turmeric, curry paste or powder, garam masala

Asia

chili pastes/sauces- sambal oelek, sriracha, sweet chili sauce
chiles- dried and fresh
coconut milk, unsweetened (canned)
dried mushrooms
ginger
hoisin sauce
jasmine rice, sushi rice
kaffir lime leaves
lemongrass
miso paste
rice flour
rice paper wrappers
rice vinegar
sea vegetables- nori (for sushi); agar (thickener); kelp or kombu (to make dashi)
soy sauce- tamari, mushroom sauce (vegan oyster sauce)
tamarind paste
toasted sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds
unsweetened jackfruit (canned or frozen)
wasabi paste
Herbs and spices: cilantro, coriander, cumin, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, Thai basil