How do I know what spices to cook with?

First focus on mastering how to use salt. All beginner home cooks should learn that proper seasoning means using enough salt, while all other spices are just flavorings. But you’d be shocked at how flavorful even basic vegetables or proteins are once properly seasoned — without any added spices.

Go try this with some roasted potatoes and chicken breasts, and experiment with just using salt. Once you’ve got that down, start using freshly ground black pepper, and then check these out: