Looking for herbs and spices that start with P? This guide gathers together the useful, the familiar and the slightly more unusual P seasonings you might find in UK supermarkets, international food shops, health food stores or tucked away at the back of your spice cupboard.

Some are everyday staples, such as parsley, paprika and pepper. Others, like panch phoron, perilla and pandan, can completely change the character of a dish without needing expensive ingredients. If you are cooking on a budget, learning how to use herbs and spices well is one of the easiest ways to make simple food taste far more interesting.

Herbs and spices that start with P at a glance

Common herbs and spices beginning with P

Paprika

Paprika is one of the most useful spices beginning with P, and it deserves more attention than a quick sprinkle over potato salad. It is made from dried, ground peppers and comes in several styles. Sweet paprika is mild and gently fruity, hot paprika brings chilli warmth, and smoked paprika adds a deep barbecue-like flavour.

Use paprika in chilli, goulash, roasted vegetables, wedges, chicken thighs, soups and tomato-based sauces. It is also brilliant stirred into mayonnaise or yoghurt for a cheap dip.

Money-saving tip: smoked paprika can make budget ingredients such as beans, lentils, tinned tomatoes and frozen veg taste much richer. A small jar goes a long way, so it is worth keeping in the cupboard.

Parsley

Parsley is a soft green herb with a fresh, clean flavour. Curly parsley is common in UK supermarkets, but flat-leaf parsley usually has a stronger taste and is easier to chop. It works well with fish, potatoes, eggs, chicken, grains, soups and salads.

Parsley is especially handy when a dish tastes a bit heavy or dull. A handful scattered over stew, pasta or roasted veg can brighten the whole plate. The stalks are useful too. Finely chop them into soups, sauces and stocks rather than throwing them away.

Budget swap: if a recipe calls for fresh coriander and you do not like it, parsley often works as a milder replacement.

Pepper

Black pepper is probably the most familiar P spice of all. It comes from dried peppercorns and adds warmth, bite and depth to savoury cooking. Freshly ground black pepper tastes far better than the dusty pre-ground kind, although both have their place.

There are several types of peppercorn:

• Black peppercorns: bold, warming and versatile.
• White peppercorns: earthier and often used in white sauces, mashed potato and Chinese cooking.
• Green peppercorns: fresher and milder, often sold in brine.
• Pink peppercorns: fruity and pretty, though technically not true peppercorns.

Practical advice: buy whole peppercorns if you can. They keep their flavour for longer and you can grind them as needed.

Peppermint

Peppermint is a cooling herb used in both sweet and savoury dishes. In the UK, it is best known for mint sauce, mint tea and chocolate mint desserts, but it is also lovely with peas, new potatoes, couscous, yoghurt dressings and lamb.

Dried peppermint is stronger than many people expect, so start with a small pinch. Fresh mint bruises easily, so add it near the end of cooking or use it raw.

Cheap idea: add chopped mint to plain yoghurt with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon. It makes a quick sauce for wraps, curries, roasted veg or leftover chicken.

Perilla

Perilla is a leafy herb used in Korean, Japanese and other East Asian cooking. You may also see it called shiso, although there are different varieties. The flavour is hard to pin down: minty, basil-like, slightly citrusy and sometimes a little aniseed-like.

Perilla leaves are good with rice, noodles, grilled meat, tofu, cucumber, pickles and salads. In some shops you may also find perilla seeds or perilla oil, though the fresh leaves are the most herb-like option.

Where to find it: look in Asian supermarkets or specialist grocers. If you grow herbs at home, perilla can be worth trying from seed.

Pandan

Pandan is a fragrant tropical leaf used widely in South East Asian cooking. It has a sweet, grassy aroma, often compared with vanilla, coconut and warm rice. It is more of a flavouring leaf than a herb you would chop and sprinkle over food.

Pandan is used in rice dishes, coconut desserts, cakes, custards and drinks. Fresh or frozen leaves are sometimes available in Asian food shops in the UK. You may also find pandan extract, but use it sparingly as it can be strong.

Budget tip: if you buy frozen pandan leaves, keep them well wrapped and use just one or two at a time to perfume rice pudding, coconut milk or simple syrup.

Spice blends and seasonings that start with P

Panch phoron

Panch phoron is a whole spice blend used in Bengali and other South Asian cooking. The name means five spices, and the mix usually contains fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard and fennel seeds.

The spices are often fried briefly in oil at the start of cooking, which releases their flavour. Panch phoron is excellent with lentils, potatoes, cauliflower, squash, cabbage and fish.

Money-saving use: fry a teaspoon in oil, add chopped onion, then stir in tinned tomatoes and lentils for a cheap, fragrant dhal-style meal.

Piri-piri

Piri-piri, also written peri-peri, is a hot chilli seasoning linked with Portuguese and African cooking. It often includes chilli, garlic, lemon, herbs and sometimes paprika. You can buy it as a dry spice blend, sauce or marinade.

It is brilliant on chicken, prawns, roasted vegetables, chips, corn on the cob and wraps. If you are using a dry blend, mix it with oil, lemon juice and a little salt to make a quick marinade.

Practical advice: heat levels vary a lot, so taste before adding loads. You can always add more, but you cannot easily take it out.

Pickling spice

Pickling spice is a blend used to flavour vinegar brines, chutneys and preserved vegetables. It often contains mustard seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, chillies and sometimes cinnamon or ginger.

You do not normally eat the spices directly. Instead, they infuse the vinegar or brine. Some cooks tie them in a small piece of muslin so they can be removed easily.

Cheap kitchen win: pickling is a good way to use up a glut of cucumbers, onions, cabbage, beetroot or carrots before they spoil.

Poultry seasoning

Poultry seasoning is a savoury herb blend often used with chicken, turkey and stuffing. The exact mix varies, but it commonly includes sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper and sometimes nutmeg.

Despite the name, it is not only for poultry. Try it in sausage rolls, veggie stuffing, white bean stew, roast potatoes, gravy and savoury crumble toppings.

Budget tip: if you only roast a chicken now and again, a small jar of poultry seasoning can be cheaper than buying several separate herbs that may go stale before you use them.

Pumpkin spice

Pumpkin spice is a sweet spice blend usually made with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and sometimes allspice. It is popular in American-style baking, but it is useful in UK kitchens too.

Add a pinch to porridge, apple crumble, rice pudding, banana bread, pancakes or hot chocolate. It does not usually contain pumpkin; it is the spice mix traditionally used with pumpkin desserts.

Make your own: mix ground cinnamon with smaller amounts of ginger, nutmeg and cloves. This is handy if you already have the individual spices in the cupboard.

Persillade

Persillade is a French seasoning mix made with parsley and garlic, often chopped together and added near the end of cooking. Some versions include lemon zest, oil or breadcrumbs.

It is excellent with mushrooms, potatoes, fish, chicken, green beans and roasted carrots. It tastes fresh and lively, but costs very little to make.

Use-it-up idea: blend leftover parsley stalks with garlic, oil and breadcrumbs, then sprinkle over pasta bakes or roasted vegetables.

Chillies and peppery spices that start with P

Pasilla chilli

Pasilla is a dried Mexican chilli with a dark colour and a rich, fruity flavour. It is usually mild to medium rather than fiercely hot. The taste can be raisiny, smoky and earthy.

Use pasilla chilli in chilli con carne, bean stews, salsas, soups and slow-cooked meat dishes. It is often toasted briefly, soaked in hot water, then blended into sauces.

Pul biber

Pul biber is a Turkish-style chilli flake, often associated with Aleppo pepper. It is usually milder and fruitier than standard chilli flakes, with a gentle warmth and a slightly oily texture.

Sprinkle it over eggs, hummus, roasted veg, soups, kebabs, yoghurt dips or pizza. It is a good choice when you want flavour as well as heat.

Pippali

Pippali, also known as long pepper, is a spice with a warm, peppery flavour and a slightly sweet, aromatic edge. It was used in Europe before black pepper became dominant, and it still appears in some Indian and South East Asian cooking.

It is not usually a supermarket spice in the UK, but specialist spice shops may stock it. Use it sparingly, ground into curries, pickles, spice blends and slow-cooked dishes.

Prickly ash

Prickly ash is linked to the same family of flavours as Sichuan pepper. It has a citrusy, tingling quality rather than straightforward chilli heat. You may see it in specialist spice shops, although Sichuan pepper is much easier to find.

It works best in stir-fries, noodle dishes, chilli oils and spice rubs where that numbing, lemony sensation is welcome.

Seeds and leaves beginning with P

Poppy seeds

Poppy seeds are tiny blue-grey or white seeds with a mild nutty flavour. They are common in breads, bagels, cakes, pastries and some Central European and Indian dishes.

Toast them gently in a dry pan to bring out their flavour, but keep an eye on them because they can burn quickly. Ground poppy seeds are used in some sweet fillings and sauces.

Frugal baking tip: a spoonful of poppy seeds can make a basic lemon cake, loaf or batch of muffins feel a bit more special without adding much cost per portion.

Purslane

Purslane is a leafy herb-like plant with a slightly tangy, lemony flavour and a juicy texture. It is eaten in salads, soups and stews in several cuisines. In the UK, it is less common in supermarkets but may appear in farmers markets, veg boxes or gardens.

Use the tender leaves raw in salads or add them near the end of cooking. As with any foraged or garden-grown leaves, only eat plants you can identify with complete confidence and that have not been treated with garden chemicals.

Peppercress

Peppercress, sometimes called peppergrass, is a cress-like herb with a peppery bite. It can be used like watercress or garden cress in sandwiches, egg dishes, salads and soups.

It is especially good for adding a fresh kick to cheap lunches. Try it in cheese sandwiches, potato salad or scrambled eggs.

Purple basil

Purple basil is a variety of basil with dark purple leaves and a sweet, slightly spicy flavour. It starts with P because of the variety name rather than the herb family, but it is still a useful entry for an alphabet foods list.

Use it in salads, pesto, tomato dishes, pasta and flavoured oils. The colour can darken when cooked, so it is often prettiest added fresh.

Less common P herbs and spices

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal is a mint-family herb, but it needs a clear caution. It has been used historically, but pennyroyal oil and pennyroyal preparations are associated with serious toxicity and are not recommended for cooking or herbal tea. It is best treated as a plant to identify rather than an ingredient to use.

Pimento

Pimento can refer to a type of sweet red pepper, but in some contexts pimento is also linked with allspice, particularly in older recipes or Caribbean cooking references. Allspice itself comes from dried berries and tastes like a mix of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper.

If a recipe asks for pimento, check the context. A stuffed olive recipe probably means sweet red pimento pepper. A spice cake, jerk seasoning or Caribbean stew may mean allspice.

Pimentón

Pimentón is Spanish paprika, often smoked. You may see pimentón dulce, which is sweet, or pimentón picante, which is hot. It is superb in paella-style rice, stews, beans, roast potatoes, chorizo-inspired veggie dishes and soups.

If you already own smoked paprika, you can usually use it where pimentón is requested.

How to store P herbs and spices properly

Herbs and spices are at their best when stored well. Poor storage does not usually make dried spices dangerous straight away, but it does make them dull and dusty-tasting.

• Keep dried herbs and spices in airtight jars or packets.
• Store them away from heat, steam and direct sunlight.
• Do not shake jars directly over steaming pans, as moisture can get inside.
• Label refill bags with the date you opened them.
• Smell spices before using. If there is very little aroma, the flavour will be weak too.
• Discard any herbs or spices that look mouldy, damp or clumped from moisture.

Whole spices such as peppercorns, poppy seeds and panch phoron usually keep their flavour longer than ground spices. Ground paprika, pul biber and pumpkin spice are convenient, but they fade faster once opened.

Money-saving tips for buying herbs and spices that start with P

• Buy from world food aisles: paprika, pepper, chilli flakes and spice blends are often better value in larger bags.
• Share unusual spices: split a bag of panch phoron, pasilla chillies or pandan leaves with a friend if you only need a little.
• Choose versatile jars first: paprika, parsley, pepper and peppermint are more useful for everyday cooking than very niche seasonings.
• Use blends wisely: poultry seasoning, pumpkin spice and pickling spice can save money if you do not want to buy five separate jars.
• Grow soft herbs: parsley and mint are good candidates for pots, especially if you use them often.
• Revive simple leftovers: add piri-piri to leftover roast chicken, parsley to old potatoes, or paprika to tinned beans for a quick meal.

Best substitutes for P herbs and spices

FAQs about herbs and spices that start with P

What are the most common herbs and spices that start with P?

The most common ones in UK kitchens are paprika, parsley, pepper, peppermint, piri-piri seasoning, poppy seeds and pickling spice. You may also come across panch phoron, pandan, perilla, pul biber and pasilla chillies in specialist shops.

Is paprika the same as pimentón?

Pimentón is a type of Spanish paprika. It is often smoked and can be sweet or hot. If a recipe asks for pimentón and you only have smoked paprika, it will usually work well as a substitute.

Which P herbs are best to grow at home?

Parsley and peppermint are the easiest for many UK home cooks. Both can grow in pots, though mint is best kept contained because it spreads enthusiastically. Purple basil can also be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill.

What is the best P spice for cheap meals?

Paprika is one of the best value choices because it works in so many dishes. Use it with potatoes, beans, lentils, eggs, chicken, soups and stews. Black pepper is another essential because it lifts nearly every savoury meal.

Can I use dried parsley instead of fresh parsley?

Yes, but the flavour is different. Dried parsley is much milder and works best in soups, sauces and stews. Fresh parsley is better for salads, garnishes, salsa verde-style sauces and dishes where you want a clean, bright finish.

Are all P herbs safe to cook with?

No. Most common culinary herbs and spices such as parsley, paprika, pepper and peppermint are widely used in food, but pennyroyal is not recommended for cooking or tea because of toxicity concerns. If you are unsure what a herb is, do not eat it.

What P spice blend should I try first?

If you enjoy curries and lentils, try panch phoron. If you like roast chicken, chips and spicy marinades, try piri-piri. For baking and porridge, pumpkin spice is the most useful sweet option.

How long do dried P herbs and spices last?

They do not last forever in terms of flavour. Ground spices such as paprika and pumpkin spice fade faster than whole spices such as peppercorns and poppy seeds. Store them somewhere cool, dry and dark, and replace them when they lose their aroma.