Magical Correspondences for 100+ Cooking Ingredients

Every ingredient in your kitchen carries magical energy—associations built over centuries of human relationship with food. This reference guide provides the magical correspondences for over 100 common cooking ingredients, giving you a comprehensive resource for intentional cooking.

Use this guide when planning meals with intention, creating kitchen spells, or simply understanding the deeper properties of the foods you eat.

How to Use Correspondences

Primary Use: When you want to accomplish a specific goal, choose ingredients that align with that intention.

Stacking: Use multiple ingredients with the same correspondence to strengthen the magic.

Balance: Consider using supporting correspondences—if working love magic, add prosperity to ensure abundance in love.

Substitution: If you lack an ingredient, substitute something with similar correspondence.

Personal Connection: Your personal associations matter too. If an ingredient reminds you of a beloved grandmother, it carries that love energy regardless of traditional correspondences.

Herbs and Spices

Culinary Herbs

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

• Elements: Fire, Air
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Love, wealth, protection, harmony
• Uses: Love-drawing dishes, prosperity cooking, family harmony
• Note: Considered sacred in many cultures; place fresh basil near door for protection

Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Wisdom, protection, purification, victory, psychic powers
• Uses: Write wishes and burn; add to soups for protection; victory celebrations
• Note: Apollo’s sacred plant; ancient symbol of achievement

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, breaking curses
• Uses: Protective cooking, breaking bad patterns

Cilantro/Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Love, health, healing, protection
• Uses: Love cooking, health support
• Note: Seeds (coriander) and leaves (cilantro) share properties

Dill (Anethum graveolens)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Protection, money, love, lust
• Uses: Protective cooking, prosperity dishes
• Note: Traditional for protecting babies

Marjoram (Origanum majorana)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Love, happiness, health, money, protection
• Uses: Love cooking, happiness spells, peaceful home
• Note: Excellent for emotional healing

Mint (Mentha species)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Money, healing, travel, protection
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, healing dishes, travelers’ food
• Note: Multiple varieties all share core correspondences

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Happiness, tranquility, luck, health
• Uses: Peace-bringing cooking, luck dishes
• Note: Connected to joy and celebration

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Protection, purification, luck
• Uses: Cleansing cooking, lucky dishes
• Note: Traditional funeral herb; honors the dead

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Protection, love, memory, healing, purification
• Uses: Almost any magical cooking; protection especially strong
• Note: One of the most versatile magical herbs; “rosemary for remembrance”

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Wisdom, purification, protection, longevity
• Uses: Cleansing cooking, wisdom-seeking, health and longevity
• Note: “He who would live for aye, must eat sage in May”

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Dragon magic, courage, protection
• Uses: Courage-building dishes, dragon energy
• Note: “Little dragon” in Latin; fierce protective energy

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Courage, health, healing, purification, psychic powers
• Uses: Courage cooking, healing dishes, psychic development
• Note: Faeries are said to live among thyme

Warming Spices

Allspice (Pimenta dioica)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Money, luck, healing
• Uses: Prosperity and luck cooking; traditional in money spells
• Note: Contains flavors of multiple spices, amplifying intentions

Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, banishing, courage
• Uses: Protective dishes, banishing negativity, building courage
• Note: Use counterclockwise to banish

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, lust, passion
• Uses: Love and passion cooking; aphrodisiac dishes
• Note: Traditional love spice in many cultures

Cayenne (Capsicum annuum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, curse-breaking, speed, hex-breaking
• Uses: Speeding up magic, breaking curses and hexes
• Note: Adds fire and speed to any working

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Love, money, psychic powers, protection, success
• Uses: One of the most versatile magical spices; excellent for nearly any intention
• Note: Raises spiritual vibrations; traditional prosperity spice

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Protection, love, money
• Uses: Protection spells, love magic, prosperity
• Note: Traditional for prosperity when carried or used in cooking

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, fidelity, anti-theft
• Uses: Fidelity in relationships, protection of home
• Note: Traditional wedding spice in some cultures

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Love, money, success, power, speed
• Uses: Speeds up all magic; adds fire and energy
• Note: Activator—adds energy to any magical working

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Luck, money, health, fidelity
• Uses: Luck and money cooking, fidelity dishes
• Note: Traditional gambling luck charm; use sparingly

Paprika (Capsicum annuum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Energy, passion, creativity
• Uses: Adds fire and passion; creativity dishes
• Note: Milder fire than cayenne; warming energy

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun, Mars
• Correspondences: Purification, protection, healing
• Uses: Purification cooking, protective dishes, healing foods
• Note: Ancient healing spice; golden color symbolizes solar energy

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, lust, mental powers
• Uses: Love cooking, mental clarity desserts
• Note: Attracts love and stimulates the mind

Vegetables

Root Vegetables

Beet (Beta vulgaris)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Saturn
• Correspondences: Love, passion, grounding
• Uses: Love magic, grounding energy, connecting to ancestors
• Note: Blood-colored, connected to life force and passion

Carrot (Daucus carota)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Fertility, vision, grounding
• Uses: Fertility cooking, clarity and vision
• Note: Traditional fertility food; “seeing” power

Garlic (Allium sativum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, healing, anti-theft, banishing
• Uses: Protection in nearly all dishes; healing cooking; banishing negativity
• Note: Perhaps the most protective food; legendary against evil

Ginger (see Spices)

Onion (Allium cepa)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, healing, purification, money
• Uses: Absorbs negativity; protective cooking; healing dishes
• Note: Layers represent complexity and mystery

Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Grounding, earth magic, protection
• Uses: Grounding dishes, connecting to earth energy
• Note: Deep earth connection; sustaining energy

Radish (Raphanus sativus)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, clearing obstacles
• Uses: Clearing away barriers, protective eating
• Note: Sharp flavor cuts through negativity

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)

• Elements: Earth, Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, grounding, sweetness in life
• Uses: Sweet love, gentle grounding
• Note: Combines earth grounding with gentle sweetness

Turnip (Brassica rapa)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Protection, banishing
• Uses: Protective cooking, ending negative influences
• Note: Traditional Halloween vegetable before pumpkins

Leafy Greens

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Prosperity, protection
• Uses: Money cooking, protection for home
• Note: Layers hold intention; traditional prosperity food

Kale (Brassica oleracea)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Saturn
• Correspondences: Strength, protection, grounding
• Uses: Strength-building, protective cooking
• Note: Hearty, strengthening energy

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Peace, calm, protection
• Uses: Peaceful dishes, calming cooking
• Note: Traditional for cooling and calming

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Strength, money, prosperity
• Uses: Strength cooking, prosperity dishes
• Note: Iron-rich, strengthening properties

Fruiting Vegetables

Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, creativity
• Uses: Protective cooking, inspiring creativity
• Note: Colors carry additional meaning (red for passion, green for growth)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Healing, fertility, peace
• Uses: Cooling, calming dishes; fertility cooking
• Note: High water content for emotional cleansing

Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

• Elements: Earth, Water
• Planet: Saturn
• Correspondences: Prosperity, protection
• Uses: Abundance cooking, protective dishes
• Note: Deep purple color for spiritual connection

Pumpkin (Cucurbita)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Prosperity, healing, protection
• Uses: Traditional harvest magic, prosperity cooking
• Note: Deep seasonal connection; Samhain associations

Squash (Cucurbita species)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Prosperity, growth, abundance
• Uses: Abundance cooking, harvest celebration
• Note: Stores well; represents sustained abundance

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, prosperity, protection
• Uses: Love cooking, money dishes
• Note: Once called “love apple”; heart-shaped when sliced

Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Abundance, growth, prosperity
• Uses: Abundance cooking, prosperity when prolific
• Note: Represents abundant growth

Alliums

Chives (see Herbs)

Garlic (see Root Vegetables)

Leek (Allium ampeloprasum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Love, protection, strength
• Uses: Love magic, strengthening dishes, protection
• Note: National symbol of Wales; wear for protection

Onion (see Root Vegetables)

Scallion/Green Onion (Allium fistulosum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Protection, breaking illusions
• Uses: Protective cooking, clarity dishes
• Note: Fresh spring energy for new beginnings

Shallot (Allium cepa aggregatum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Refined protection, elegance
• Uses: Sophisticated protective cooking
• Note: Gentler, more refined than onion

Fruits

Apple (Malus domestica)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, healing, immortality, wisdom
• Uses: Love magic, health cooking, connection to ancestors
• Note: Cut horizontally to reveal the pentagram inside

Banana (Musa)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus, Mars
• Correspondences: Fertility, prosperity, spiritual devotion
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, fertility magic
• Note: Traditional offering in many spiritual practices

Blueberry (Vaccinium)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Protection, luck, peace
• Uses: Protective cooking, peace-bringing desserts
• Note: Traditional for protection in dreams

Cherry (Prunus avium)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, divination, fertility
• Uses: Love cooking, romantic desserts
• Note: Stone used in divination traditions

Grape (Vitis vinifera)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Fertility, garden magic, mental powers, money
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, celebration, abundance
• Note: Wine carries amplified grape magic

Lemon (Citrus limon)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Purification, love, friendship, longevity
• Uses: Cleansing cooking, friendship dishes
• Note: Cuts through negativity; purifying

Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Healing, love, protection
• Uses: Healing dishes, protective cooking
• Note: Similar to lemon but with fire energy

Mango (Mangifera indica)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Love, passion, prosperity
• Uses: Passionate love cooking, tropical prosperity
• Note: Sacred in Hindu tradition

Orange (Citrus sinensis)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Love, luck, money, divination
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, love magic, luck dishes
• Note: Golden color embodies solar abundance

Peach (Prunus persica)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, fertility, longevity, wishes
• Uses: Love cooking, wish magic, longevity
• Note: Traditional symbol of immortality

Pear (Pyrus communis)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, lust, money
• Uses: Love and prosperity cooking
• Note: Often paired with wealth correspondences

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Money, luck, hospitality
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, welcoming dishes
• Note: Traditional symbol of hospitality

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Fertility, wishes, prosperity, divination
• Uses: Fertility magic, wish cooking, underworld connection
• Note: Seeds represent possibilities and choices

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, protection, happiness
• Uses: Love cooking, protective sweetness
• Note: Traditionally served to pregnant women

Strawberry (Fragaria)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, luck, beauty
• Uses: Love magic, beauty cooking
• Note: Heart-shaped; traditional love fruit

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Healing, peace, summer magic
• Uses: Cooling, peace-bringing, summer celebration
• Note: High water content for emotional work

Proteins

Beef

• Elements: Earth, Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Strength, grounding, courage
• Uses: Strength-building dishes, grounding meals

Chicken

• Elements: Fire, Air
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Health, nurturing, new beginnings
• Uses: Healing soups, nurturing cooking
• Note: Eggs share correspondences (fertility, potential)

Eggs

• Elements: All elements (potential)
• Planet: Sun, Moon
• Correspondences: Fertility, new beginnings, potential, protection
• Uses: New beginnings cooking, fertility magic, protective foods
• Note: Whole egg represents unlimited potential

Fish

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Emotion, psychic ability, abundance, transformation
• Uses: Emotional healing, psychic development, prosperity
• Note: Different fish carry specific additional properties

Lamb

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Mars
• Correspondences: Sacrifice, spring, innocence
• Uses: Spring celebrations, sacrifice magic
• Note: Traditional spring and Passover food

Pork

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Saturn
• Correspondences: Prosperity, fertility, celebration
• Uses: Prosperity dishes, celebration cooking
• Note: Traditional feast food in many cultures

Salmon

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Wisdom, determination, abundance
• Uses: Wisdom-seeking, prosperity, perseverance
• Note: Represents the journey upstream; determination

Shrimp/Prawns

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Cleansing, purification, sensitivity
• Uses: Cleansing cooking, emotional sensitivity
• Note: Bottom-feeders traditionally for cleansing

Turkey

• Elements: Fire, Earth
• Planet: Jupiter
• Correspondences: Gratitude, abundance, harvest
• Uses: Thanksgiving magic, gratitude practices
• Note: Traditional abundance and gratitude food

Grains, Legumes, and Staples

Barley (Hordeum vulgare)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, healing, protection
• Uses: Love magic, healing soups
• Note: One of the oldest cultivated grains

Beans (Various)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Mercury
• Correspondences: Divination, protection, love
• Uses: Each type has specific uses; generally protective
• Note: Black beans for protection; red for love

Bread

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: All
• Correspondences: Life, nourishment, abundance
• Uses: Universal sustenance magic; transformation (flour to bread)
• Note: Sacred in virtually every culture

Corn (Zea mays)

• Elements: Fire
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Abundance, luck, fertility
• Uses: Harvest magic, prosperity cooking
• Note: Sacred in Indigenous American traditions

Honey

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Love, healing, happiness, preservation
• Uses: Sweetening intentions, love magic, healing
• Note: Never spoils; preserves magical intention

Lentils (Lens culinaris)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Moon
• Correspondences: Peace, protection, money
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, peaceful dishes
• Note: Traditional New Year’s prosperity food

Oats (Avena sativa)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Money, prosperity, grounding
• Uses: Prosperity breakfast, grounding meals
• Note: Start the day with prosperity energy

Rice (Oryza sativa)

• Elements: Air
• Planet: Sun
• Correspondences: Fertility, money, protection, rain
• Uses: Prosperity cooking, fertility magic
• Note: Thrown at weddings for fertility and prosperity

Salt (NaCl)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: All
• Correspondences: Purification, protection, grounding
• Uses: Perhaps the most powerful magical ingredient
• Note: Use in all protective cooking; sprinkle for purification

Sugar (Saccharum)

• Elements: Water
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Love, attraction, sweetening
• Uses: Draws in desires, sweetens intentions
• Note: Use to attract what you want closer

Wheat (Triticum)

• Elements: Earth
• Planet: Venus
• Correspondences: Fertility, money, rebirth
• Uses: Abundance cooking, fertility magic
• Note: Staff of life; deep cultivation history

Using This Reference

Building Recipes: Choose a primary intention, then select ingredients that support it. A prosperity meal might include basil, rice, and honey—all money-drawing ingredients.

Strengthening Magic: Layer correspondences. For strong protection, use garlic, black pepper, rosemary, and salt together.

Intuitive Cooking: As you learn correspondences, they become intuitive. You’ll reach for ingredients that serve your intentions without conscious thought.

Personal Additions: Keep notes on your experiences. Your personal associations matter and may differ from traditional correspondences.

Hearthlight’s Correspondence Database

Our platform includes all these correspondences and more:

• Ingredient profiles: Magical properties alongside nutrition
• Recipe tagging: Find dishes by magical intention
• Substitution suggestions: When you lack an ingredient
• Personal notes: Add your own correspondences

Explore magical cooking with tools designed for the modern kitchen witch.