Imagine walking into the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon as your mother cooks a meal for the family. The air is infused with a delightful aroma of onions and garlic being sautéred, and spices being roasted. Once the oil is adequately perfumed, she adds the meat and vegetables, a few more spices, and some water to help everything cook. You are told that lunch will be ready in a bit, and you should set the table for the family meal. 

Nostalgic, isn’t it? 

More often than not, our longing for the taste of our favorite home-cooked food is aroused by the magic of aromatics that impart it depth of flavor. Today, we explore the world of aromatics, their role in cooking, and some of the most popular aromatic blends used in world cuisines.

What are aromatics?

Aromatics are humble ingredients—think vegetables, herbs, and spices that are used at the beginning of cooking any dish and build the foundation of its flavor profile. More often than not, they are things that hit the pan first, along with some hot oil, and the last you will ever forget. They are also wrapped in a cheesecloth and dropped into a soup to flavor it without having to fish out all the components separately, later. 

Aromatics do not have too overt a flavor. But they infuse a mixture of ingredients like meat and vegetables with richness and scent, adding a layer of complexity to the dish, and breathe life into sauces, stews, soups, and other preparations. 

Broadly speaking, there are two primary aromatic families among vegetables–onions (white, yellow, red, and scallions) and the alliums (garlic, shallots, chives, and leeks). But vegetables like bell peppers and celery, and root veggies like ginger and carrots, are also commonly used to lend aroma to food. Thyme, rosemary, and parsley are among the herbs most commonly used as aromatics. Aromatic spices and seeds like cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, and fennel are the primary contributors to the traditional flavors in many world cuisines, especially Indian. The zest of lemons and limes, and oranges is yet another aromatic ingredient used in South Asian cooking.   

Aromatics: An ancient culinary love affair 

The history of aromatics has not been accurately established. However, it is believed that humans have used herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of food since prehistoric times. This tradition lived through and evolved in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome, where people used herb-y and spicy aromatics to add fragrance and flavor to their dishes. 

As the world became connected via trade routes, aromatic vegetables, herbs, and spices became more widely available across the globe. There are records that as early as the 6th century BC, the Persian Empire made large purchases of garlic, among other aromatic ingredients. In more recent history, the Columbian Exchange was the key to introducing aromatic ingredients previously unheard of in the Old World—such as chili peppers, vanilla, and Allspice—reshaping the culinary landscape forever.  

Types of aromatics used in cooking

Herbs

Whether fresh or dried, herbs tend to be some of the most fragrant aromatics you will ever find. In the produce aisle, you’ll usually see two kinds: the fresh and tender herbs, which have delicate stems and soft green leaves (cilantro, chives, tarragon, parsley, dill, mint, and basil). These add a welcome bit of freshness to any dish, and they are usually thrown in at the end of the cooking process. In contrast, hard, woody herbs, with sturdier stems and tougher leaves, usually release their aroma and flavors slowly during cooking and hence are added at the beginning of the process. These include rosemary, oregano, thyme, fennel, bay leaves, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, and sage.

Spices

There is nothing like the warm bloom of spices hitting hot oil. Whether they are used whole, coarsely ground, or as fine powder, they’re essential in most cuisines around the world, especially Asian cooking, more particularly Indian. They infuse the dishes with depth, richness, and character. Chili peppers add playful heat, cumin and coriander bring out the flavor in root vegetables, cardamom adds sweetness and warmth, while turmeric and paprika breathe color and their unique aroma into the food.

Vegetables

The moment diced onions and grated garlic hit a sizzling pan, you know something good is on the way. Vegetables like onions, shallots, scallions, celery, garlic, carrots, leeks, and bell peppers are often sauteed in hot oil to build flavor. For quick-cooking dishes, a fine dice ensures fast flavor release; for slow-simmering stocks or stews, larger chunks are a better choice—it imparts a richer taste. 

The trinity of aromatics in world cuisines

Almost every culinary culture in the world has a distinct taste, flavored by a carefully curated list of aromatics. For instance, the trinity of aromatics for Italian cuisine consists of onions, carrots, and celery, whereas Indian cooking relies on onion, garlic, and ginger.

Here is more about some of the most popular aromatic combos that are traditionally used in world cuisines:

• French: Mirepoix forms the backbone of classical French cuisine. Named after an 18th-century aristocrat by his head chef, who came up with this combination, Mirepoix makes a flavor foundation with two parts onion to one part each celery and carrots, simmered in hot oil. Cooked on low heat, these ingredients are allowed to release their natural sweetness without caramelizing. This makes the base for almost everything in French cooking—from soups to stews and even sauces. 
• Italian: The same trio of onions, celery, and carrots is used in Italian cuisine. Known as the Soffritto (Spanish for stir-fry), this combination of aromatics is cooked on low heat in olive oil until soft but not caramelized. This ‘under-fried’ combo adds a layer of depth to sauces like ragu and most pasta dishes. Occasionally, this mix also contains garlic, leeks, or shallots. 
• Spanish: With its roots in Catalonian ‘sofregit’, Spanish Sofrito is a fragrant and delicious medley of garlic, onions, and bell peppers, slow-cooked in olive oil, until concentrated. This base is used to make cultural favorites like Paella, Empanadas, stews, etc. At times, tomatoes are also added to the Spanish Sofrito. 
• Latin American: Cooking in Latin America employs 2 different aromatic combos. Most foods are prepared using a flavor base similar to the Spanish Sofrito—a blend of garlic, bell peppers, and onions. Others use a combo of versatile dried peppers—Ancho, Guajillo, and Pasilla. Each imparts its own unique aroma and flavor to the food.
• Cajun/Creole: Inspired by the French mirepoix, Cajun cuisine replaces carrots with the more widely available green bell peppers in its ‘Holy Trinity’. One part each of bell peppers and celery is combined with one or two parts of onions. The three ingredients are sautéd in butter to form the base of rich Creole/Cajun dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya. 
• Chinese: In Cantonese cooking, fresh ginger, scallions, and garlic are thrown into a scorching wok with a little oil, forming a bright, aromatic base. Some regional varieties also include Sichuan peppercorns and red chillies. 
• Thai: Thai cuisine is super flavorful with a fragrant base. The aromatic base in Thai cooking consists of fresh shallots, pounded with garlic and chilies into a paste. However, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and cilantro root are common additions to the traditional Thai trinity of aromatics. This aromatic foundation sits at the core of many Thai dishes, such as green and red curry, and tom yum—perfectly balancing salty, sour, spicy, and sweet flavors.

Popular aromatics in Indian cuisine 

We can not talk about aromatics and not mention Indian cuisine. Cooking in this part of the world is all about bold spices and layering of flavors, which starts with an aromatic foundation. The 3 key ingredients of the aromatic base for Indian food are onions, garlic, and ginger, sauteed lightly in hot oil or ghee. Depending on the dish, tomatoes or yogurt are often added before mixing with the primary ingredients of the dish, lending it more depth of flavor. 

Whole and ground spices like cumin, chili flakes, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and fennel seeds go in next. These spices are allowed time to release their full flavor and aroma. Once again, depending on the dish, the famous spice mix, garam masala, is either added at the start of cooking or to garnish at the end for a gentle warmth.  

Concluding words…

Every culinary culture has its unique take on aromatics that play a key role in building its signature flavor profile. Listen closely in any kitchen and you will be able to hear it—the soft hiss of aromatic ingredients hitting the oil, and the gentle aroma perfuming the air as spices wake up, and flavor starts building. Whether it is the French mirepoix, Italian soffritto, or the bold aromatic mix of Indian cuisine, it is humble ingredients that go on to create something incredible—food that not only has real flavor but evokes a sense of belonging.

Perhaps this is what cooking is all about. Small beginnings that tie together generations of cooks, as if a thread—proof that great food doesn’t just happen, it’s built from the bottom up, and without aromatics it wouldn’t come to have such a flavorful existence.