April 29, 2021 by Nicole Canún Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

200+ Vocabulary Words: Herbs and Spices in Spanish

Are you ready to become an expert on spices in Spanish?

Las especias (spices) are important and delicious aspects of the international culinary scene, including in Hispanic countries.

Keep reading to learn a bit about the history of spices and access a mother lode of vocabulary related to spices in Spanish!

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Let’s learn!

A Brief History of Spices

The tasty herbs and spices we enjoy today have come a long way to arrive on tables. Spices have been used since the Greek era for cooking, healing, and aromatherapy.

Historically, societies coveted spices due to their value as seasonings, food preservers, and natural medicines.

In the Middle Ages, spices spread throughout the Arab region and peaked in popularity during the Crusades. After that, spices were no longer used exclusively by the privileged. Now, you could find them in almost every kitchen.

Long before transatlantic voyages, spices were part of major trade networks. They’ve helped drive globalization for centuries. Many spices spread across Europe, including chili varieties, vainilla, cinnamon, and pepper.

The Difference Between Herbs and Spices in Spanish

Spices and herbs are two different things. While both come from plants and add flavors to dishes, there are are several differences to be aware of:

Herbs are fresh plants—spices are dried seeds, fruits, roots and stalks.
Herbs have subtle flavors—spices have stronger flavors.
Herbs need refrigeration or to be placed in a vase with water—spices can be stored in the pantry, ideally in glass jars.
Herbs often serve as garnish on dishes—spices normally aren’t used in this way.

Spices in Spanish: Verbs and Nouns

To discuss spices in Spanish, it’s helpful to learn or review some basic cooking vocabulary. Here’s a quick list to get you started.

Verbs

Echar – To throw
Mezclar – To mix
Combinar – To blend
Adornar – To garnish
Aromatizar – To scent
Perfumar – To perfume
Probar – To try, taste, sample

Measurements

La pizca – Pinch
La cucharadita – Teaspoon
La cucharada – Tablespoon

Senses

El olor – Scent
El sabor – Flavor
La textura – Texture
El atractivo visual – Visual appeal

Adjectives

Seco/a – Dried
Ahumado/a – Smoked
Asado/a – Roasted
Tostado/a – Toasted
Silvestre – Wild
Molido/a – Ground
Picado/a – Chopped
Partido/a – Split
Rebanado/a – Sliced

Nouns

Las hojuelas – Flakes
Las hojas – Leaves
Las semillas – Seeds
El condimentador, el sazonador – Seasoning
El polvo – Powder

A Smorgasbord of Spices in Spanish

Now we’re ready to dive into our lesson on spices in Spanish! Beware—these seasonings will make your mouth water.

Latin America Spices

El achiote – Annatto seed
Los granos de pimienta brasileña negra – Brazilian black peppercorns
El polvo de chipotle – Chipotle powder
La paprika / el pimentón – Paprika
El pimentón ahumado – Smoked paprika
La sal rosa boliviana – Bolivian rose salt
La pimienta rosa – Pink peppercorn or rose baie
La vainilla – Vanilla
Las alubias de vainilla – Vanilla beans
El epazote – Epazote
El chile de árbol – Tree chili
Nuez molida – Ground walnut
Chile guajillo – Guajillo chili
La vainilla – Vanilla
Los chiles secos – Dried chilis
El pimiento rojo – Red pepper
El pimiento morrón – Pimiento
El pimiento de tabasco / El chile de Tabasco – Tabasco pepper
El cacao – Cocoa
La capuchina de jardín – Garden nasturtium
La verbena de limón – Lemon verbena
El ají picante – Chili pepper
El ají dulce – Sweet chili
Las semillas de chía – Chia seeds

Caribbean Spices

La pimienta de Jamaica – Allspice
Bayas molidas de pimienta de Jamaica – Ground Jamaican allspice berries
El polvo de arrurruz – Arrowroot powder
El chile cítrico caribeño – Caribbean citrus chili
El chile habanero – Habanero chilis
Las flores de Jamaica – Hibiscus blossoms
La maza de hoja – Blade maze
Las hojuelas de cebolla verde – Green onion flakes
Los cebollinos secos – Dried Scallions
La mezcla de limón y ajo de Trinidad – Trinidad lemon garlic blend

Asian Spices

El anís estrellado – Star anise
El jengibre – Ginger
Los granos de pimienta Sichuan – Szechuan peppercorns
La soya – Soy
Las semillas de hinojo – Fennel seeds
La semilla de anís – Anise seed
La sal negra – Black salt
El ajo – garlic
El macis – Maze
La nuez moscada – Nutmeg
El azafrán – Saffron
El ajo negro – Black garlic
La nuez de Areca – Areca nut
La canela – Cinnamon
El clavo – Clove
La especia de manzana – Apple spice
La albahaca – Basil
La pimienta blanca – White pepper
La pimienta verde – Green pepper
La hierba de limón / La citronela – Lemongrass
La lima de Makrut – Makrut lime

Middle Eastern Spices

El polvo de asafétida – Asafoetida powder
El comino de prado negro – Black caraway seed
La alcaravea – Caraway
El mirto – Myrtle
La pimienta de Alepo – Aleppo pepper
El hisopo bíblico – Biblical hyssop
El tomillo silvestre – Wild thyme
La alfalfa – Alfalfa
La semilla de apio – Celery seeds
El perifollo – Chervil

Indian Spices

El polvo de curry – Curry powder
El polvo de curry caliente / picoso – Hot curry powder
La hoja del curry – Curry leaf
El cardamomo – Cardamom
El polvo de Colombo – Colombo powder
El cilantro – Coriander
La raíz de regaliz – Licorice root (+asia)
Los granos de pimienta blanca – White pepper corns
La pimienta negra – Black pepper
La cúrcuma – Turmeric

Mediterranean Spices

El hinojo – Fennel
El comino negro – black cumin
Las hojas de laurel turcas – Turkish bay leaves
Las hierbas a la italiana – Italian herb seasoning
El estante superior – Top shelf
El curry masala francés – French masala curry
Especia Za’atar – Za’atar spice
Las hierbas provenzales – Herbs of Provence
El comino – Cumin
Las hojas de laurel – Bay leaves
El orégano – Oregano
Comino en grano – Grained cumin
El romero – Rosemary
El perejil – Parsley
Las alcaparras – Capers
La menta de campo – Field mint
La menta verde – Spearmint
La menta – Mint
El apio silvestre – Wild celery
Las finas hierbas – Fine herbs
El laurel – laurel
La hoja de salvia – Sage leaf
El anís verde – Green anise

African Spices

Las semillas de sésamo – Sesame seeds
El tamarindo – Tamarind
El ají largo – Long pepper
La albahaca azul africana – African blue basil
La pimienta negra africana – African negro pepper
La pimienta de cocodrilo – Alligator pepper
La nuez moscada de Jamaica – Jamaican nutmeg
La pimienta de Guinea – Guinea pepper (Grains of paradise)
El tomillo – Thyme

European Spices

Paprika picosa húngara – Hungarian hot paprika
Paprika dulce húngara – Hungarian sweet paprika
La semilla de amapola – Poppy seed
El apio del monte – Lovage
El estragón francés – French tarragon
La mezcla de piri piri Mozambique – Piri piri Mozambique Blend
La ruda – Rue
El azafrán – Saffron
El rábano picante – Horseradish
Las bayas de enebro – Juniper berries
El ajo asado – Roasted garlic
La manzanilla – Chamomile
El bálsamo – Balm

Spices from Oceania

La semilla de acacia – Wattle seed
La especia tahitiana polinesia – Polynesian Tahitian Spice
La mezcla de cítrico picante – Zesty citrus blend
El jengibre nativo – Native ginger
La pimienta de la montaña – Mountain pepper
La pimienta dorriga – Dorrigo pepper
El arbusto de pimienta de pincel – Brush pepper bush
La pimienta alpina – Alpine pepper

Miscellaneous Spices in Spanish

El condimento estilo bahía – Bay style seasoning
Las especias cajún – Cajun spice
El polvo de lima de Gumbo – Gumbo file powder
El ajo californiano – California garlicEl comino de prado – Caraway seed
La pimienta de cayena – Cayenne seeds
El polvo de chile – Chili powder
El polvo de chile rojo – Red Chili
El eneldo – Dill
Los granos de pimienta de cuatro colores – Four color peppercorns
La semilla de mostaza – Mustard seed
La mostaza – Mustard
La sal de mar – Sea salt
El cremor de tártaro – Cream of tartar
El cebollín – Chive
El ajenjo – Absinthe / wormwood
Las especias calentadoras – Mulling spices
La especia salada – Savory spice
El estragón – Tarragon
El polvo de cáscara de naranja – Orange zest
El lúpulo – Hops
Las endrinas – Sloe berries
El lirio seco – Dried lily
El regaliz – Licorice
La semilla de cilantro – Coriander seed

Spice Up Your Spanish!

Now that you have all the vocabulary to know spices in Spanish, you need to practice so you remember them in the future. To do just that, you can take a class with our friendly, native Spanish-speaking teachers at Homeschool Spanish Academy! Practice talking about spices in Spanish by signing up for a free trial class today!

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Nicole Canún

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Blogger, content creator, and marketer. Proudly Mexican. Been to 30 countries. I love learning from different cultures and trying their cuisines. Obsessed with Asia. Fluent in Spanish and English, not so much in French.