Caribbean 101: Top 10 Ingredients

By: Sara Levine
Levi with Coconuts

Looking to try your hand at a new cuisine? As a major spice-lover, I’ve always been intrigued by the flavors of the Caribbean. Now I'm excited to try them in my own kitchen with recipes from Caribbean Food Made Easy.

Host Levi Roots’s recipes are straightforward, but a few of the ingredients had me stumped. You, too? That’s why we’ve compiled this handy Caribbean Pantry list with explanations of the cuisine’s top ten essentials, plus ideas on where to find them and tips for what to substitute if you can’t.

No callaloo in your grocery store? Use spinach—your Pepperpot Stew will still turn out hearty and flavor-packed. Can't find Levi's favorite Scotch Bonnet chiles? The more-common habaneros will give your dish the heat it needs.

Check out the pantry list and get ready to cook some Island food!

Next Up

10 Essential Chinese Cooking Ingredients

Soy sauce is a must (both light and dark), but you’ll need these other sauces and spices to get your wok on, anytime.

Top 10 Thanksgiving TV Episodes

Here's some of the most-memorable Thanking television that you'll probably watch while eating leftovers.

Food People Picks: Top 10 Pantry Items

Minimize weeknight, last-minute fuss with a well-stocked pantry. Here's what to have on-hand.

American (Kitchen) Horror Story: The Top 10

Inspired by American Horror Story with Jessica Lange and Dylan McDermott, Cooking Channel has assembled the world's greatest kitchen fails in photos.

Food People Picks: Top 10 Baker's Pantry Items

What you need on hand to make fabulous cookies, cakes, biscuits and other tempting baked treats.

Top 10 Tips: How to Cook a Turkey

Serve your best bird yet — and make the turkey the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table — with our tried-and-true top 10 turkey tips.

Food People Picks: Top 10 On-Hand Spices

With a well-stocked spice cupboard you can add zest and zing to dishes at anytime.

On TV

So Much Pretty Food Here