Spices are a great way to spice up (pun intended) your foods whether cooked or fried.
But some spices can have their taste and aroma enhanced when cooked or fried properly as long as they are heated properly without burning. In general terms there can be benefits from adding spices throughout the cooking process not just for flavor and smell but for nutrition as well.
Since you can cook and fry spices, let’s take a closer look at both options as both can add flavor, color and aroma to your foods when done properly!
Plus, we’ll learn that adding spices for taste, smell and nutrition mean you may need to add them at different times.
What spices burn easily?
Hard spices and seeds tend to burn the easiest but any spice can burn if you use heat that is too high and leave the spices there for too long. Some spices actually benefit from being heated at the beginning of the cooking process which is why it is often a good idea to do so in the first place.
Some hard spices actually begin to offer taste and aroma benefits when they are heated which is why toasting them – we’ll discuss that below in more detail – helps to release these benefits with heat.
Turmeric is one spice that benefits from being heated from a health perspective. It contains curcumin which while not absorbed well by the body on its own, becomes more tolerated when heated in hot oil in a pan at the beginning of cooking.
When frying spices in oil, ground spices burn easier than whole spices and the hotter the heat setting, the greater the chance that you will burn them.
Leaving spices unattended and not stirring them gently from time also increases the chance they will burn.
So depending on the specific spices you’re using, you may add them early in the cooking process or later on so that they don’t burn. But using them under moderate to medium heat and keeping a close eye on them is key.
Why fry spices in a pan?
Spices that are pan-fried before adding them to food can help to unlock flavor, color and smell that might not be achieved by simply adding them as is to food that has already been cooked.
Frying spices – especially in conjunction with one another – can change the taste, look and aroma of the final product in a way that is different from adding the spices directly to the food on its own.
When you heat oil in a pan at a medium-high temperature and add spices, the flavor of the spices is enhanced and the oil becomes infused with the spice too.
Spices whose flavor is enhanced with hot oil include cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, cloves and cardamom among others.
Cloves and cinnamon are both known for example to withstand a high temperature and can thus be used throughout the cooking process for taste and health benefits.
What oil should you use to fry spices?
Use an oil with a high smoking point like vegetable oil, almond oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, sesame oil or canola oil. A high smoking point is considered to be 400° F and higher.
Refined oils tend to have higher smoking points because they have essentially been manufactured to resist heat better than unrefined oils. This makes it more likely that you will avoid burning your spices as they heat.
Oils with high smoking points are better suited to high temperature cooking because they need to be heated to a higher temperature before you will experience the oil breaking down and releasing unhealthy compounds, something you want to avoid.
When an oil reaches and exceeds its smoking point, the oil will begin to smoke – hence the name – and the flavor of your food can be negatively impacted with a burned smell and taste.
Conversely, avoid frying spices with oils that have low smoke points such as flaxseed oil, wheat germ oil or walnut oil.
Popular oil smoke points for spice cooking and frying success
The higher the smoke point of an oil, the better suited it is for cooking and frying your spices.
Here are indicative smoke points for popular oils you can use for cooking and frying spices.
| Cooking oil | Suggested uses | Smoke point |
| Avocado oil | A very mild oil used in place of olive oil. Use with rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, mustard, ginger among other spices. | 520° F |
| Safflower Oil | Use in place of extra virgin olive oil or canola oil. | 475° F to 500° F |
| Soybean Oil | Good for roasting, baking, frying, and sautéing. | 450° F to 475° F |
| Sunflower Oil | It’s common to add rosemary, parsley, cilantro, dill, basil, garlic, red, black pepper, orange slices or lemon to a bottle of sunflower oil. | 450° F |
| Peanut Oil | Peanut or groundnut oil is often used in Chinese and Indian cuisines in stir fries and curries among other dishes as well as deep frying foods. | 450° F |
| Sesame Oil | Used widely in Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines, sesame oil is commonly used with spices like ginger and garlic. | 410° F to 450° F |
| Corn Oil | Can be used in place of extra virgin olive oil. Studies have shown corn oil has a more positive impact on blood cholesterol levels than olive oil. | 400° F to 450° F |
| Almond Oil | Can be used for deep frying and it won’t change the flavor of your food. | 430° F |
| Grapeseed Oil | Can be used for many types of cooking including frying, stir frying, roasting vegetables and grilling. | 420° F |
| Canola Oil | A light oil that is easy to find and relatively cheap. Use with cinnamon, garlic, mustard and ginger among other spices. | 375° F to 450° F |
Should you dry fry spices?
Toasting or dry frying spices is something that can be done in specific cases when the recipe warrants it. Toasting spices until they’re fragrant is a nice and quick way to add flavor to foods in a slightly different way from frying them with oil or cooking with them.
Using medium heat, you should frequently stir the spices and be ready to take them off the heat quickly because they can reach their limit quickly.
Common spices you can dry fry include ground spices like cumin, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom as well as sesame and mustard seed.
Whole spices can also be dry fried when the need arises.
When should you add spices to dishes in the oven?
Whole spices tend to have more impact on food flavor when introduced early in the cooking process whereas dried spices tend to be best added during the cooking process since they don’t contain the oils that whole spices too.
It also depends on the spice itself as some spices are best added at the beginning of the cooking process such as mustard, cumin, cinnamon and whole cloves come to mind.
Other spices such as chili, coriander, turmeric or curry powders might be added during the cooking process or near the end like salt and pepper for taste.
Sometimes you might need to sauté an ingredient like an onion to soften it and remove some of the raw taste before adding spices afterwards.
Your goals for adding the spices in the first place matter, too. The earlier you introduce spices to the cooking process, the more likely the taste of the spice will permeate the food. The later you introduce a spice, the more punchy the taste since the spice won’t have had as much time to flavor the dish.
And although herbs are different from spices, people tend to refer to them in the same breath. When should they be added? Many herbs are delicate and not as resistant to heat as many spices, hence you should introduce them near the end of the cooking process to avoid burning them or losing their flavor from overheating.
What should you do with spices that have been burned?
Unfortunately spices that have been burned should be discarded and not consumed. If you’re heating spices to add to a dish but the spices burn, discard all of them as the burnt taste will negatively affect the taste of the food you add it to.
When frying spices – also known as blooming spices – do so on low heat and keep a close eye on them as they can quickly burn if they are left unattended and not frequently stirred.
Frying spices can help to unlock taste and smell and change the color too. But it can take time to master and the closer you watch the spices as they fry, the better chance you’ll end up with a result you’re happy with.
Do fresh herbs burn in the oven?
People may think of herbs and spices interchangeably even though they are different ingredients. They are often used in conjunction with one another hence the phrase herbs and spices.
Which herbs tends to hold up the best to heat?
Bay leaves, oregano, and sage are three herbs that tend to do well in heat and can be heated without fear of quickly burning them if you use moderate heat and keep an eye as they are heating.
Less heat resistant herbs that need low heat and constant attention include cilantro, parsley, tarragon and basil among others. They tend to lose flavor quicker when heated so if you do use them, consider adding them near the end of the cooking process.
Final thoughts
When cooking spices as part of a dish in the oven, always follow the directions in terms of how and when to add and what temperature to cook at. Consider different type of cooking oils and only use ones with a high smoke point of at least 400 degrees F.
Once burned, spices will give a bitter and burned taste so don’t use spices that have been overcooked.
When frying spices, keep the heat low and stir frequently. Keep an eye on the spices and don’t walk away and allow them to settle which increases the chances they’ll burn.
Only fry fresh spices that you plan on using right away. Don’t fry more than what you need and then expect to store the excess.
Bottom line? Follow the recipe instructions if you’re using one. Otherwise, experiment with your usage of spices in cooking throughout the process to get the right combination of flavor, aroma and nutrition.