Cumin is a very popular spice that comes from the seeds of the Cuminum Cyminum plant. It has an earthy, nutty, and spicy flavor. It is also used in medicines. Cumin has been an essential spice for a long time.
You can use the whole seeds, or you can use ground cumin. It is known that ground cumin has more flavor than the whole seeds. You should toast the seeds before grounding them. It makes the taste more strong.
Health benefits of Cumin:
Cumin is a traditional spice. It has some essential health benefits. Some of them are given below:
- It promotes digestion.
- It is a rich source of Iron.
- It can help with diabetes.
- It can improve blood cholesterol.
- It may help in fat reduction.
- It can help with drug Dependence.
- It may fight inflammation.
Top 7 Substitute for Cumin
Cumin is used in cooking as a spice. You can get it very easily in your nearby grocery shops. But if you can not find Cumin anywhere, you can easily use some replacements. It shall make your work easy.
Some of these replacements are given below:
- Caraway Seeds: Cumin and caraway seeds both come from the same family. That is why it is considered one of the best substitutes for Cumin. Caraway seeds also have a strong aroma and flavor like Cumin. Both of them look similar too. It will give your dish almost the same taste. Use ½ teaspoon of caraway seeds for one teaspoon of Cumin.
- Chili Powder: Chili powder is mainly a spice mix. It has different kinds of spice in it. Cumin is one of them. So it works well as a substitute. It will not change your dish completely. But you have to be careful with the amount. It can make your dish too spicy if you use too much. Start by adding less. Then add more if you need it. Use 1/3 teaspoon of chili powder for one teaspoon of Cumin.
- Ground Coriander: you can use ground coriander as a substitute for Cumin. It works well in mild dishes. Ground coriander doesn’t have much flavor in comparison with Cumin. Coriander has an earthy flavor that doesn’t have the spicy flavor that Cumin has. So you have to use additional spice too. Start by using less. And then add more if you need it.
- Garam Masala: Garam masala is originally an Indian spice mix. It contains a lot of different spices, Such as black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and Cumin, etc. This spice has an earthy, nutty and spicy flavor to it. It works as an ideal substitute for Cumin. It won’t change your dish completely because cumin and garam masala has almost the same kind of flavor. You can use the same amount of garam masala as Cumin.
- Curry Powder: Curry powder is a ground spice mix. It has a lot of spices present in it. Cumin is also one of them. So, curry powder can be used as a substitute for Cumin. Curry powder gave any dish a very bright color. So it will change your dish’s color. But the flavor will be almost the same. For one teaspoon of Cumin, you can use one teaspoon of curry powder. That means the ratio to be the same.
- Paprika: Paprika is a chili powder made from ground chili peppers. It has a smoked, spicy flavor. It is bright red. It may change your dish’s color but gives the dish a similar flavor as Cumin. But with less heat. It is not the best substitute. However, it does the job. Start with less amount. Then add more if you want.
- Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds belong to the same family as Cumin. But it has a licorice flavor. It doesn’t have the same earthy, smokey flavor like Cumin. But doesn’t taste out of place. Fennel seeds can work as a good substitute. Use ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds for one teaspoon of Cumin.
Coriander vs. Cumin
Coriander and Cumin are very different. They look very different. Also, they don’t have a similar flavor.
Coriander can be used both in fresh and seed from. Fresh coriander is used as a garnish; you can also make a sauce with fresh coriander leaves. You can use coriander seeds as a spice. Dry the seeds and the ground. This way, you get a more robust flavor.
Cumin is a spice. It has an earthy, smokey, spicy, and nutty flavor to it. It adds heat to any dishes. It also gives the dish a spicy, smokey flavor.
Cumin vs. Cur cumin
Cumin and curcumin might sound similar. But they are not the same at all.
Curcumin is the active compound of turmeric. It is a bright yellow, and it is a member of the ginger family. It is mainly sold as an herb.
Cumin is a spice itself. It is a part of the parsley family and has a very strong flavor, which adds a spicy flavor to dishes. Cumin can be used in two ways. You can use the whole seed, or you can use it after grounding them.
So it can be said that Cumin and curcumin are two completely different things. They have different forms, as well as flavor.
Substitutes for Cumin Powder
Cumin powder is powdered cumin seeds. Roast your Cumin then powder them in a grinder. This way, it will give a more strong flavor. There are some useful substitutes for cumin powder.
Some of them are given below:
- Ground coriander: ground coriander can work as a good substitute for cumin powder. Both of these add a lemony and earthy flavor to dishes. But coriander is very mild than Cumin.
- Caraway seeds powder: Caraway seeds work as an ideal substitute for Cumin. You can use whole caraway seeds for cumin seeds and caraway seeds powder for cumin powder. It gives the dish almost the same flavor as cumin powder.
- Chili powder: Chili powder is an excellent substitute for both cumin seeds and cumin powder. Bot of them gives the dish smokey, earthy, and spicy flavor. It doesn’t change your dish at all.
- Taco Seasoning: Taco seasoning is made from a different kind of spice. Such as chili powder, garlic powder, Cumin, coriander, oregano, etc. because Cumin is present in the mix, it works very well. It gives the dish almost the same flavor as cumin powder. But it adds slightly more heat than cumin powder.
- Curry powder: Curry powder is also a spice mix. Cumin is present in the mix. So it works as a great substitute. It adds some kind of flavor to cumin powder.
- Garam masala: Garam masala contains a lot of spices. Cumin is one of them. That is why it works as an excellent substitute for cumin powder.
Ground cumin Substitutes
Ground cumin seeds are crushed cumin seeds. There are fair amounts of substitutes for ground cumin. Some of them are given below:
- Ground Coriander: Coriander is considered a good alternative for ground cumin. It adds similar flavor to dishes.
- Ground Caraway seeds: Ground caraway seeds work as a good substitute. Both of them have a very similar flavor. So, you can use ground caraway seeds instead of ground cumin.
- Ground Fennel seeds: ground fennel seeds give the dish almost the same flavor as ground cumin. So it can work as a good substitute for ground cumin.
Cumis is a very flavorful spice. It enhances the flavor of your dish. If you don’t have Cumin, you can easily use some substitutes. Be sure to use the amount correctly.
People also ask questions:
1. What can be used as a substitute for cumin seeds?
Ans. Caraway seeds, fennel seeds, coriander can be used as a substitute for cumin seeds.
2. what is a good substitute for Cumin?
Ans. Curry powder, garam masala, paprika is a good substitute for Cumin.
3. What does Cumin taste like?
Ans. Cumin has a smokey, spicy, and earthy taste to it.