Treat Your Shelf: Pricey Pantry Ingredients We Think Are Worth It
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We'll do anything to get our hands on these splurge-worthy goods.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
Ask anyone at Serious Eats and they won’t deny trying to get a good deal where they can, especially when it comes to shopping for groceries. It never hurts to save a couple of bucks here and there, and there are certain dishes where there isn't much difference between using the best-of-the-best ingredient versus something you picked up at the corner store. But there are certain instances where it’s worth going all out for quality ingredients. Whether that means dropping some serious dough on ventresca tuna for a quick, satisfying meal; or going out of the way for the best, freshest spices, there’s no shame in indulging in top-notch goods that make us happy. Here are our favorite ingredients that are worth every penny.
Olive Oil
Graza Sizzle Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
I keep coming back to Graza olive oil. Here's why: the packaging is just so satisfying. It's a pretty perfect squeeze bottle that allows you to easily coat a skillet's surface, twist the cap, then store it without worrying about leaks or drips or annoying twist-on/-off caps. My co-worker, Jesse Raub, says he now even decants store-bought olive oil into empty Graza bottles because he likes the design so much. — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, senior commerce editor
Frankies 457 Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
I'm no olive oil connoisseur, but I love this mild, buttery-with-a-slight-kick-on-the-finish olive oil from Frankies Spuntino in Brooklyn. Not only is it a great all-purpose EVOO, you can see on the label exactly where it's from (the Asarao Farm in Partanna, Siciliy) and, call me superficial, but I also just love the old-school bottle design. The pouring spout also makes it surprisingly easy to drizzle. — Grace Kelly, associate commerce editor
Tinned Fish and Cured Meats
Tonnino Ventresca Tuna in Olive Oil
While I wouldn't reach for this belly cut of tuna when making something like a mayo-based tuna salad, it's otherwise my go-to for flaking tuna into salads and sauces. More tender and buttery than regular canned tuna by a long shot, ventresca tuna brings all the great canned tuna flavor (yes, canned tuna does have great flavor!) with a texture that is leaps and bounds superior. Totally worth the price. (Plus, most ventresca tuna comes packed in a generous amount of olive oil, which can and should also use in any dish where you're also adding the tuna.) — Daniel Gritzer, senior culinary director
Heritage Foods Sliced Casellas Prosciutto
I feel gnawing frustration every time I open one of those vacuum packs of pre-sliced prosciutto, the meat compressed into a shiny, plasticky veneer. It has none of the life and soul of the stuff that comes freshly sliced from behind a deli counter. And don't even get me started on low-quality pancetta and dry-cured salumi. Get the good stuff, order it online if you have to. It's worth it. — Daniel
Santa Catarina Tuna Filet in Olive Oil with Oregano
Pollastrini di Anzio Italian Sardines in Olive Oil with Chili Peppers
It was in Portugal that I first fell in love with tinned fish, and in the years since that revelatory moment I’ve spent quite a bit of money on all manner of conservas. Compared to your standard canned fish the good stuff can be quite expensive, anywhere from $5 to $20 (or more!) a tin depending on what’s inside. But the difference in quality between water-packed, overcooked, bulk tuna, and silky, tender chunks of ventresca (tuna belly) packed in good quality olive oil is stark. My favorite brand of tuna is unequivocally Santa Catarina, from the Azorean island of S?o Jorge. For sardines, I love the Italian brand Pollastrini di Anzio. And for a very wide range of gorgeous Spanish seafood, La Brujula is my pick. — Jacob Dean, updates editor
Spices
Villa Jereda Urfa Biber
Even though this 50-gram jar of urfa biber set me back almost $15, I can't help but use it all the time. Unlike Aleppo pepper, which is fruity and sweet (and also delicious), urfa biber has an almost smoky, chocolately, raisin-like aroma that is deep and rich. It's great on eggs, in pasta, chicken marinades—really anything you want to add complexity to. — Grace
Burlap and Barrel Fundamentals Collection
Burlap & Barrel’s spices are so incredible I couldn’t not include them on this list, but, really, their products aren’t that much more expensive than those of commodity spices in a supermarket. The unbelievable difference in quality offsets the potentially higher price point, though, and at times the flavors are so profoundly better it borders on being almost unbelievable. Their spices are stunningly fresh and vibrant, are purchased directly from farmers at fair and sustainable prices, and the range of spices (and other products) they sell is impressive. There is no other spice company I trust or rely on more. — Jacob
Sweet Stuff
Sonoma Syrup Co Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup
While you can absolutely make your own simple syrup (and do so easily!), I don't mind shelling out for the ones from Sonoma Syrup Co. They're some of the best flavored syrups I've tried. The vanilla bean has, appropriately, flecks of vanilla bean and isn't too sweet nor does it taste artificial (uncommon for vanilla syrups!). I like to make myself an afternoon steamer or matcha latte with a tablespoon of vanilla syrup, a teaspoon of vanilla matcha, and a cup of oat milk in my electric milk frother. I've also tried the vanilla hazelnut and vanilla almond syrups and liked both. The lavender's next on my list! — Riddley
Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries
I mean, who are we kidding—real maraschino sour cherries in a rich syrup from from their own juices are one of life's best decadent flourishes. Whether it's a cocktail garnish, served over ice cream, or just a jar on a counter next to a pile of toothpicks, splurging on the good cherries is a life changer. And even when the cherries are gone, the syrup itself is truly spectacular drizzled over nearly any dessert. — Jesse Raub, commerce writer
Il Colle Del Gusto Sicilian Pistachios Spread
At nearly $18 for an eight-ounce jar, this isn't the kind of nut butter you leave out in a public place or use on a PB and J sandwich (sacrilege!). Instead, I recommend hiding this Sicilian pistachio cream away from prying spoons and treating yourself to luxurious scoops now and again. It's also fabulous on ice cream or spread over a slice of warm, crusty bread. — Grace
Scyavuru Sicilian Jam
Feels like I've tried every strawberry jam on the market, and while most look and taste more or less like the others, Scyavuru is in a class of its own. It's too pure for PB&Js, the sort of jam you'd break out for company and then spoon it into a Mason jar to pretend you'd made it yourself. Not that I'm saying you should do such a thing. — Stella Parks, editor emeritus
Askanya Paradis Milk Chocolate
Decent, much less awesome, milk chocolate is hard to come by at the supermarket, with most brands scraping in at the FDA required minimum on cocoa solids, but Askanya is a Haitian bean-to-bar chocolate company that goes all in with their 47% milk chocolate bar. You can read about my other favorite chocolate bars for baking here. — Stella
Soom Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Tahini
Oh, man. I bought this spread at Whole Foods once and now order it by the two-pack off of Amazon. It's chocolatey, nutty, and slightly salty: perfect for spreading onto sourdough and eating alone or along with a layer or cherry jam. I've also been known to eat it by the spoonful as an afternoon snack. — Riddley
Coffee
Mistobox Coffee Subscription
There's no getting around it: good coffee costs more. And while there might be a time and a place for bottomless drip at a diner, quality coffee is a difficult to grow agricultural product and has a high cost of production (which usually includes hand picking every coffee cherry). High-quality coffees have more sweetness, brightnes, and flavor complexity, but it's not just about quality—paying more for coffee means that farmers are able to make a living wage and pay their farm workers more, as well. Subscription services like Mistobox can help you find the best coffee, but I also encourage you to check out individual roasters and subscribe directly from them, too. I personally have a subscription to Vignette Coffee Roasters in Greensboro, North Carolina and love the coffees they send me every week. — Jesse
Weird Brothers Coffee Single-Origin Sampler Box
My parents have instilled an insane sense of frugality in me, so when I first moved to New York as a grad student living off minimal money, I resorted to getting all of my groceries from Trader Joe's—including my coffee. But then I realized how much I was missing out on the local coffee sources available all around me. While I'm still pretty cheap when it comes to other forms of sustenance, now I spend a little extra money trying new blends and supporting small businesses. Though there are plenty to choose from in New York and beyond, I always keep a taste of home with me in the form of a bag of Weird Brothers Coffee beans (you're looking at one of the Virginia coffee shop's former baristas). There's nothing quite like a quality, fresh brew to kick off each day. — Yasmine Maggio, associate editor
Etc. Etc. Etc.
EPIC Rendered Duck Fat
When my roommate and I moved into our apartment, he brought with him a jar of rendered duck fat and it easily became the staple I reach for to make certain dishes feel a touch more elevated. The chances of me collecting my own duck fat at home are next to none, so having it at the ready in a jar is perfect for breakfast hashes or any potato dish honestly. One of my favorite ways to make a Sunday morning feel a little more luxurious is with an easy homemade garlic and duck fat schmear on a bagel. — Amanda Suarez, associate director, visuals
Mancini Pastificio Agricolo Rigatoni
I spent the first few months of the pandemic cooking up a storm, and I channeled a lot of my fear (and disposable income) into trying out specialty cooking ingredients. Pasta was something we ate quite a bit of, and of the many we tried it was pasta from Mancini that stood out. I’ve since come to learn it’s also a brand loved by many chefs and restaurants. Compared to Barilla or even De Cecco (my go-to supermarket brand) it ain’t cheap, but the quality is phenomenal, and the company raises its own wheat and has great agricultural practices. — Jacob
Central Milling Beehive All-Purpose Flour
I bake a lot of bread—four loaves every five days—and the number one thing that made my sourdough loves rise taller and taste better was high-end flour. These days I buy my bread flour in bulk form Central Milling online, but I love to pick up whole-grain flours to blend with fromMeadowlark Organics, a local farm and mill here in Wisconsin. My breads now have better oven spring and more depth of flavor, and I love being able to mix different varieties of flours to tweak my recipes with the seasons. — Jesse
Sfoglini Pasta Shop Radiators
While I make a lot of pasta by hand these days, I love having a nice package of dried pasta on hand at all times. While there are many nice pastas out there, the butcher shop near our house stocks boxes from Sfoligni Pasta, and I always pick up a box of their Radiators when we're buying meat. No matter how hands-on I like to get, there are just certain shapes that are best to leave to the pros. — Jesse
FAQs
What's the best place to buy speciality ingredients online?
A lot of the speciality ingredients we've featured above can be purchased from Amazon. However, we also recommend checking out speciality retailer sites like Gustiamo or Food52. Additionally, sometimes it's best to just shop directly from the retailer (like for coffee or flour).
Read More:How to Buy Coffee Online