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Home » Recipes » Substitutions

Last Updated: Aug 21, 2022 by Angela Latimer · 3 Comments

Cardamom Substitute

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Cardamom substitute pin with pods and ground cardamom and text header.

Finding a great cardamom substitute is hard to do with such a unique and flavorful spice, but there are some great alternatives that you're sure to have on hand! I've included my favorite cardamom substitutes here from single spices to blends, to what works best in chai, garam masala, curry, and baking!

Best Cardamom Substitute (Whole or Ground)

Time allowing you'll have a chance to run to the store so you don't miss out on the wonderfully floral flavor of cardamom. However, I've totally been there where you've already started something tasty but find that you're missing an ingredient!

Here are all of my best cardamom substitutes for both sweet and savory dishes alike! There are also tips for the very best alternatives to use in specific recipes to save the day!

Cardamom substitute ideas for whole cardamom pods and ground cardamom shown here on parchment paper.
Quick and easy cardamom substitutions you can make to still deliver that amazing flavor in all of your recipes!

Wondering what to use when you're out of this unique and flavorful spice?!

Table of contents

  • Best Cardamom Substitute (Whole or Ground)
  • What is Cardamom?
  • Cardamom Pods vs. Ground Cardamom
  • Cardamom Substitutes for Garam Masala Spice Mix
  • Cardamom Substitutes for Chai
  • Cardamom Substitutes for Curry
  • Cardamom Substitute for Baking
  • More Cardamom Substitutions (Single Spices & Mixtures)
    • Single Spices
    • Mixtures

What is Cardamom?

Cardamom is used in both cooking and baking and is commonly found in Indian, Arabic, Middle Eastern, and Swedish recipes. It is a spice that is made from the seeds of a variety of plants in the ginger family.

It comes in two types, black and green, and can be found ground, in seed form, or in whole pods. Typically speaking, green cardamom is more common than black.

Cardamom Pods vs. Ground Cardamom

Depending on the recipe, you may need cardamom pods or ground cardamom. A simple rule of thumb is that 6 cardamom pods equal 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom, so if you ever need to swap one for the other, use that conversion.

Whole pods have a longer shelf life compared to ground cardamom, so if you don’t use it often, opt for the pods. Ground cardamom that is stored for longer periods of time will gradually lose the potency of this wonderfully flavorful spice.

You can roast or toast the pods for bolder flavor and use them whole, or open them and remove the seeds, and use the seeds whole or grind them into ground cardamom.

Cardamom Substitutes for Garam Masala Spice Mix

Some garam masala doesn’t even have cardamom in it in an effort for the makers to save money. The simplest alternative is to use a combination of 1 part cumin with ¼ part allspice berries.

To get an even bolder flavor, consider toasting the spices before grinding them into a powder, using either a mortar and pestle or a coffee bean grinder.

Cardamom Substitutes for Chai

If you need to make chai without cardamom, you can use ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and allspice, instead. This will yield a deliciously spiced chai!

Cardamom Substitutes for Curry

If you are making curry and don’t have cardamom on hand, you can use an equal part mixture of cumin and coriander.

All three of these spices are commonly found in curries, so using more of the two previously mentioned will make up for the missing cardamom.

Cardamom Substitute for Baking

Cinnamon and nutmeg are common alternatives for cardamom when baking, or even allspice if you have it.

A good rule of thumb is that mixing ½ teaspoon of cinnamon with ½ teaspoon of nutmeg or ½ teaspoon of allspice equals 1 teaspoon of cardamom.

More Cardamom Substitutions (Single Spices & Mixtures)

The flavors of the following substitutions do not replicate cardamom but work well as cardamom alternatives. Your best substitutes for cardamom are allspice, apple or pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, cloves, or ginger.

Use less than the amount of cardamom that your recipe calls for because the following spices having a strong, robust flavor! Adjust to taste.

Single Spices

  1. Allspice
  2. Apple Pie Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice
  3. Black Cardamom (Use only in savory recipes, as it is too smoky and strong for purposes of baking.)
  4. Cinnamon (The best standalone cardamom substitute.)
  5. Cloves
  6. Coriander
  7. Ginger
  8. Nutmeg
  9. Peppercorns
  10. White Cardamom (Use only in baked goods or desserts, it does not have enough flavor for savory recipes.)

Mixtures

  1. Cinnamon and Nutmeg - Mix equal parts cinnamon and nutmeg. Start with less of this combination than your recipe calls for then adjust to taste. Best used with sweet meat dishes and baked desserts.
  2. Cinnamon and Ginger - Mix equal parts cinnamon and ginger. Again, start with less and adjust to taste. Best used for rice, meat, and savory recipes.
  3. Cinnamon and Clove - Mix equal parts cinnamon and clove. This combination is perfect for meat and seafood.
  4. Cumin and Coriander - Mix ½ teaspoon cumin with 1 teaspoon of coriander. Best for flavoring meat and curries.
  5. Nutmeg and Cloves - Use ½ a teaspoon of each nutmeg and cloves. Best with rice, meat, and other savory recipes.

Be sure to check out all of my cooking and baking substitutions for easy alternatives when you're mid-recipe and out of something!!

Cooking SubstitutesHerb & Spice SubstitutesBaking Substitutes
Apple Cider VinegarBay LeafTapioca Starch
Sesame OilRosemary (Fresh & Dried)Cornmeal
Marsala WineTurmericPotato Starch
Dijon MustardCelery SaltCoconut Sugar
HorseradishTarragonButtermilk
Red Wine VinegarCardamom Brown Sugar
Masa HarinaPaprikaArrowroot Powder
Cream Cheese Chili PowderCornflour
Creme FraicheCilantroShortening
Worcestershire SauceVanilla Extract
ShallotsLemon Extract
More great substitute pages to help you out with all of your cooking and baking!

❓ Recipe FAQs

What flavor is similar to cardamom?

Nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander seeds, and allspice are all similar in flavor to cardamom. You can also mix cinnamon and cloves together to best recreate the flavor of cardamom.

How can you determine the quality of cardamom?

The quality of ingredients is an important factor in the outcome of cooking and baking. When buying cardamom pods, you want to look for pods that are olive or green in color and are plump. If the pods are too unnaturally green, they might have been artificially dyed. If the pods are too yellow, they may be old or have been dried improperly, which lowers the quality of the spice. A good way to check is to rub one of the pods between your fingers. If they release color, they are not high quality.

What is the difference between cardamom and black cardamom?

Green cardamom uses both the pod and seeds for adding bold flavor and is known for its strong, sweet, floral and intense aroma, versatile in cooking and baking. It is commonly found in grocery stores and is sometimes bleached and sold as white cardamom, which prevents the changing of color in baked goods. Black cardamom is smoked over a fire, so its flavor is smokier than green cardamom and may even be considered minty. Due to the smoky flavor, it is better for cooking savory dishes.

Can you substitute coriander for cardamom?

You can’t substitute fresh coriander for cardamom but could get away with using coriander seeds. To keep the integrity of the recipe’s flavor, start with a small number of coriander seeds and work your way up.

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Cardamom substitute ideas for whole cardamom pods and ground cardamom shown here on parchment paper.
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5 from 7 reviews

Best Cardamom Substitute

Finding a great cardamom substitute is hard to do with such a unique and flavorful spice, but there are some great alternatives that you're sure to have on hand! I've included my favorite cardamom substitutes here from single spices to blends, to what works best in chai, garam masala, curry, and baking!
Author | Angela Latimer
Servings: 1 servings
Calories: 7kcal
Prep 2 minutes minutes
Cooking 0 minutes minutes
Total Time 2 minutes minutes
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Ingredients
 

Cardamom Substitute for Garam Masala

  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Cardamom Substitute for Chai

  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Cardamom Substitute for Curry

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander

Best Cardamom Substitute for Baking

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or ground allspice)

(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions
 

Cardamom Substitute for Garam Masala

  • Use cumin and allspice to replace 1 teaspoon of cardamom in your garam masala.

Cardamom Substitute for Chai

  • Combine ground ginger, ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice to replace 1 teaspoon of cardamom for your chai.

Cardamom Substitute for Curry

  • Use an equal combination of ground cumin and ground coriander to substitute for 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom in curry recipes.

Best Cardamom Substitute for Baking

  • Use an equal combination of ground cinnamon and either ground nutmeg, or ground allspice, to replace 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom in any baking recipe.

Notes

*Nutritional information is calculated for the garam masala substitute only.
**Use whole spices for best flavor when available, toast them for an even more aromatic substitute.

Nutrition

Calories: 7kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g (1%) | Fat: 0.4g (1%) | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 32mg (1%) | Fiber: 0.3g (1%) | Sugar: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 17mg (2%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
Course Substitutions
Cuisine American
« Horseradish Substitute
Red Wine Vinegar Substitutes »

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  1. Torsten Spanel says

    April 03, 2023 at 5:40 am

    Hallo! Das hört sich ja alles recht plausibel N, aber was mach ich wenn ich 500gr. Schwarzer Kardamom Sprossen für ein Rezept brauche? Ich habe in meiner Umgebung nirgends einen Laden der dies führt!
    Grüße T. Spanel

    "Hello! That all sounds quite plausible N, but what do I do if I have 500gr. Need black cardamom sprouts for a recipe? I don't have a shop that sells this anywhere in my area!
    Regards T Spanel"

    Reply
    • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

      April 03, 2023 at 6:57 am

      Es gibt hier viele großartige Ersatzstoffe für Kardamom, sicherlich gibt es ein warmes Gewürz, das verfügbar wäre. Eine klassische Backgewürzmischung?

      "There are alot of great substitutes to use for cardamom here, surely there is a warm spice that would be available. A staple baking spice blend?"

      Reply
  2. Barbara Burkham says

    October 23, 2021 at 7:06 am

    Thank you for this comprehensive article for a cardamom substitute. My spice cake recipe calls for 1 tsp of cardamom. I make my own pumpkin pie spice mix and plan to use 3/4 tsp. It smells amazing. Will let you know how the cake turns out.

    Reply

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Author bio photo with cake.

Hi there, I'm Angela

I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, cook, baker, and total foodie. I love sharing new, fun, creative recipes and great classic recipes, just like my Grandma used to make! Every recipe on BIWL is tested to ensure that cooks of any experience level can succeed.

Welcome to Bake It With Love. Enjoy!

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