With making Hispanic inspired foods there are some key ingredients that should be in your pantry just in case. Some of them are basic necessities, but others may be your next key ingredient to cooking. A lot of these ingredients can be found at a grocery store near you. Here is a “virtual pantry’ I created to help you all out in case you don’t know what to buy.
Ingredients
Seasonings
I love having savory and seasoned food. Here is what I usually have in my pantry ready to go. I am missing a couple of them such as garlic powder, onion powder, and oil. I use regular olive oil for most of my cooking, but any type of oil will do the job.
Chiles and Limes
Lime can go on anything! You can put some in your dish for a zesty taste, or to a bag of chips to make the flavor come to life. Chiles are essential for many dishes. If I don’t have my salsa ready, I will usually just bite a chile as I eat my food. You can always cut them up and cook with them while making certain foods such as menudo, tostadas, tacos, ceviche, etc.
Salsa
This one specifically is salsa verde, I love to make my own salsa to have with my foods. If you do not have time to make some, my favorite store brand salsa is Salsa El Gallo. They have four different flavors of salsa, and they are all delicious. My favorite flavor from that brand is either Habanero or Salsa Verde.
Tortillas
Instead of using a utensil for most dishes, a tortilla will always do the job. I toast them up on the stove, and they are ready to eat! They are also the main ingredients for dishes such as migas, tacos, quesadillas, and enchiladas. Flour and/or corn tortillas are great for many dishes.
Onions
Onions are used to flavor many dishes. This can go for any type of meal, it is an essential ingredient for cooking. It enhances the flavor of the food a person is cooking.
Hispanic Foods and Snacks Blog 