Spices, sage, ground

Ground sage has an earthy, slightly piney, savory flavor that is a classic partner for poultry, pork sausage, and stuffing, and it is a key component of poultry seasoning blends. Cooks also brown butter with fresh or dried sage leaves to make a simple sauce for pasta or gnocchi, or work a pinch into biscuits, cornbread, or roasted squash for a warm, herbal note. It shows up often in Thanksgiving-style stuffing and in Italian sausage seasoning, where its resinous flavor stands up well to fatty meats.

Keep ground sage in an airtight jar away from heat and light, and replace it every year or so since ground herbs lose potency faster than whole leaves. A teaspoon weighs only about 1 gram, so although the per-100-gram numbers show sage rich in iron at 156% DV, fiber at 144% DV, and calcium at 127% DV, a typical pinch used in a recipe contributes only a trace amount of these; its practical role in the kitchen is as a seasoning rather than a meaningful nutrient source. Use it in the small amounts a recipe calls for, since too much sage can quickly overpower a dish, and its 102% DV of magnesium per 100 grams is another reminder of how concentrated dried ground herbs are compared to fresh leaves.