The Unexpected Ingredients That Make Literally Everything Better

Why it's good: Soy sauce is not just for Asian foods! Sometimes when a dish is almost there but it's low on salt, I toss in a few dabs of soy sauce before I reach for the shaker. It adds a depth of flavor that plain salt can't achieve on its own, and as long as you don't overdo it, the soy quality mellows and fades nicely into the background, so you don't have to worry about totally upending the dish's primary flavors altogether.

Use it in: Tomato sauces, chilis, tomato-based stews, marinades, gravies.

Why it's good: Basically whenever I make something savory that isn't quite right, it needs a healthy splash of vinegar. My favorites are white wine vinegar and sherry vinegar, and when I say I add that stuff to everything, I really mean it.

Use it in: Literally everything but especially anything creamy or fatty that needs a little sharpness. One of my go-to combos is cannellini beans and kale, and any time I douse them in vinegar near the end of their time on the stove, they are exponentially more delicious.

Why it's good: I have to hand it to the New York Times Cooking staff for converting me to a parmesan rind fanatic, but wow is it better and so much more effective than just a sprinkle or shaving of parmesan on top of a dish.

Tossing a hunk or two of rind — the hard outer shell of a block of parmesan cheese — into the pot with all the other ingredients and leaving them to simmer means that you're infusing the whole dish with the umami goodness of parmesan cheese instead of introducing it at the last minute before the bite hits your tongue.

Use it in: Pasta sauces, soups and broths, risottos.

Why it's good: Another salt bomb that has a much deeper and more complex flavor than regular salt, finely chopped anchovies and/or a squeeze of anchovy paste can bump a so-so dish way up. Too much can make the whole dish taste a little fishy, so I tend to use just half a tin at a time.

Use it in: My dad is an anchovy fiend, and always adds anchovy paste to his homemade caesar dressing (plus a borderline criminal load of fresh garlic — it's delicious). Anchovies will also punch up just about any pasta sauce.

Why it's good: I firmly believe citrus belongs in most things, and I am very liberal with my citrus application. Depending on the dish, I'll go for whole thin slices, a heaping mound of zest, and/or fresh juice (never from the little store-bought bottle) from a good lemon or lime.

Use it in: Any fish or meat, marinades, soups and stews, sauces. Pretty much anything.

Why it's good: Richer than balsamic vinegar (which is also delicious), balsamic glaze on something like an avocado toast not only makes you feel fabulously wealthy, but it gives you a glossy, concentrated ribbon of sweet-sour tang that cuts right through the fattiness of whatever you're pairing it with.

Use it in: Avocado toast, tomato salads, cheeses, meats.

Why it's good: I can't say enough good things about the dishes I've cooked with miso paste. A good friend of mine recently made me a ridiculously good chicken soup and I was gobsmacked to find she'd sauteed the vegetables in miso paste first. It's silky, salty, and gives every dish the subtle funk it was desperately lacking.

Use it in: Soups, bean stews, marinades, dressings

Why it's good: OK, so sour cream isn't exactly known for its umami qualities, but it packs a totally different secret punch: moisture.

Use it in: I may be improving in the kitchen, but when it comes to baking I'm a total lost cause. Luckily my dad is an extraordinary baker, and one of my favorite things he whips up is a cinnamon coffee cake with a sour cream batter. It keeps the cake bouncy and fluffy and perfectly structured with zero mush.

Emma Glassman-Hughes (she/her) is the associate editor at PS Balance. In her seven years as a reporter, her beats have spanned the lifestyle spectrum; she's covered arts and culture for The Boston Globe, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan, and food, climate, and farming for Ambrook Research.