Ingredient Guides

Take a deep dive into ingredients, from commonplace produce to lesser-known condiments, with tips on how to procure, use, and store each one.
A selection of granola brands displayed on a checkered tablecloth
We Taste-Tested 28 Brands of Granola—Here Are Our Favorites
Salt being sprinkled on two raw beef cuts on a tray
The Salting Trick Chefs Use That Most Recipes Never Explain
A jar of breadandbutter pickles viewed from above
Food Snobs Hate This American Classic—Here's Why They're Wrong
Assorted bottles and cartons of lemonade displayed on a surface
We Taste-Tested 12 Brands of Lemonade—Here Are Our Favorites
Double egg yolks held in a cracked eggshell with a bowl in the background
Crack an Egg, Get Two Yolks? Here’s Why
Various branded sweet tea bottles lined up on a counter
We Taste-Tested Seven Brands of Sweet Tea—Here Are Our Favorites
Scrambled eggs served on a white plate with a blue trim
Here's How to Crack the Code on Restaurant-Quality Scrambled Eggs
Knafeh being drizzled with syrup from above set on a round copper tray with handles
This Centuries-Old Ingredient Makes Almost Everything Taste Like Magic
Slice of bread with peanut butter spread evenly
Natural Schmatural—This Is Why "Junky" Peanut Butter Is Better, According to a Pro Chef
Peaches vs Necatrines
The Secret Life of Nectarines: Not Just a Hairless Peach
Slices of cheese on paper plates.
We Taste-Tested 8 Brands of Cheddar Cheese Singles on Cheeseburgers—Here Are Our Favorites
Two steaks cooking in a cast iron skillet with steam rising up
Cooking Steak at Home? Don’t Make This Rookie Mistake
A selection of bottled and jugged black teas displayed on a counter
We Taste-Tested 8 Brands of Iced Teas—Here Are Our Favorites
Grilled corn cooking on a barbecue grill
Grilled Corn Deserves Better—Here’s How to Do It Right
A selection of various barbecue sauce bottles arranged on a counter
We Taste-Tested 13 Brands of Barbecue Sauce—Here Are Our Favorites
Tomato puree being poured into a pan with sautéed onions on a stovetop surface
The Genius Tomato Sauce Upgrade Italians Have Always Known About
Stacked slices of green zucchini and yellow squash on a cutting board, arranged neatly
Zucchini Deserves Better—Here's How to Cook It Right
Assorted vegetables sliced and seasoned, arranged on a tray for cooking
The One Vegetable You're Grilling All Wrong—and How to Fix It
Overhead view of dumping oats into a bowl
Want Better Oatmeal? It All Starts With Buying the Right Oats
A person finely dicing an onion with a knife on a wooden cutting board
Never Cry While Cutting Onions Again—This Science-Backed Trick Actually Works
2 bowls of pressure cooked lentils and sausage on a wooden tabletop, with a soft turquoise napkin, two forks, and small bowl of parsley for garnish to the sides.
You’ve Been Overlooking This Inexpensive, Versatile Protein Powerhouse—Here’s What to Do With It
A cup of coffee on a wooden table with foam art on the surface, a coffee machine partially visible in the background
Is the Secret to Better Coffee a Bag of Tea?
Comparison of six cucumbers showing different storage treatments labeled as control washed cold washed hot hot with vinegar cold with vinegar and vodka
You’re Probably Storing Cucumbers Wrong—Here’s What Actually Works
A variety of tortilla chip brands in colorful packaging arranged together
We Taste-Tested 19 Tortilla Chips—Here Are Our Favorites
Different brands of soy sauce in bottles on a blue grid background
Swapping Tamari for Soy Sauce? Read This First
Cooked chicken thighs in a pan
This Is the Only Brand of Chicken I'll Ever Buy—It's That Good
Overhead view of corn
How Long Does Corn Really Last? It Depends Where You Buy It
Closeup of grilled hot dogs and sausages on a grill
Stop Ruining Hot Dogs—Learn This Before Your Next Cookout
A variety of bottled cold brew coffee products displayed on a surface, arranged in a neat layout
We Taste-Tested 13 Brands of Cold Brew Coffee. Finding a Winner Was...Challenging
Tea going into a glass cup.
Why Tea Steeps and Coffee Drips: Unpacking the Science of Your Daily Brew
Assorted samples of almond butter in containers with small spreading knives
We Taste-Tested 13 Creamy Almond Butters—Here Are Our Favorites
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Cooking Fats Demystified: A Guide to Understanding Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
Several trays filled with popcorn, arranged in a grid pattern
We Taste-Tested 9 Brands of Microwave Popcorn—Here Are Our Favorites
Fennel Graphic
What Is Fennel? Everything to Know and Love About This Fragrant Plant
Small bowls of hot dog slices labeled with numbers
We Taste-Tested 13 Brands of Beef Hot Dogs—Here Are Our Favorites
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9 Creative Ways to Incorporate Yogurt Into Your Meals
A variety of hummus containers displayed on a white background
We Taste-Tested 18 Tubs of Hummus—Here Are Our Favorites
a pile of cake flour
The Flour You Must Have for Perfect Cakes, According to a Pastry Chef
A variety of coconut water brands in cartons and bottles displayed on a surface
We Taste-Tested 10 Coconut Waters—Here Are Our Favorites
Lettuce Graphic
Do You Know Your Salad Greens? A Guide to Lettuces, Chicories, and other Leafy Greens
A collection of various salsa jars displayed on a white counter, showcasing different brands and types of salsas
We Taste-Tested 21 Jarred Salsas—Here Are Our Favorites
A composed image of colorful Easter eggs, egg salad, and asparagus with yogurt sauce and grated eggs
6 Creative Ways to Use Leftover Easter Eggs (Including One That Uses Pickle Juice!)
a basket of blueberry muffins on a marble countertop
Why Skim Milk Deserves a Place in Your Fridge, According to an Expert Baker
Graphic with different types of oranges
Exploring the Sweet World of Oranges: How to Choose and Use 9 Popular Varieties
Collage of cornmeal, polenta and grits
The Real Difference Between Polenta, Grits, and Cornmeal, According to Experts
Basting lamb.
You Might Be Carving Rack of Lamb Wrong. Here's the Best Way to Do It
Composite image of green food powders (matcha, spinach, pandan, and spirulina) in water and frosting
We Tested 4 Natural Green Food Dyes—This Is the Best One
various jars of marinara against white tiles and a black surface
We Taste-Tested 24 Marinara Sauces—Here Are Our Favorites
lifestyle image of Van Van-Bang Bang Onion herbs on counter
This Oniony, Garlicky Herb Packet Is So Delicious, I Sprinkle It on Everything
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What "Kosher for Passover" Really Means for Wine, According to Experts
5 of the 6 orange juices
We Taste-Tested 6 Orange Juices—Here Are Our Favorites
Yogurts on a kitchen counter
We Taste-Tested 10 Plain Yogurts—Here Are Our Favorites
Closeup of the Diletta Mio Espresso Machine brewing an espresso into a glass
The Unexpected Pantry Ingredient That Could Improve Your Morning Coffee
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The 30-Minute Banana Ripening Hack You Wish You Knew Sooner
Side view of graham crackeres
We Taste-Tested 7 Graham Crackers—Here Are Our Favorites
Overhead view of sour cream taste test
We Taste-Tasted 12 Sour Creams—Here Are Our Favorites
salt being sprinkled into a bowl with raw eggs before whisking
The Scrambled Egg Technique Gordon Ramsay Was Dead Wrong On
Closeup of parsley and basil sprigs on a cutting board.
Stop Tossing the One Ingredient That'll Make Your Cooking Even More Delicious