Out of Cumin, one case

Cumin substitute for chili

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Chili powder (US-style blend)

1 ½ tsp for every tsp of cumin

In chili, replace each 1 tsp ground cumin with 1 ½ tsp US-style chili powder, on top of the chili powder the recipe already uses, and cut the cayenne or other hot chile by half. Chili powder is a blend that already contains cumin, so the flavor stays in place. Taco seasoning works in the same amount if you reduce the salt.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Add it with the recipe's own chili powder and cut any cayenne, red pepper flakes or other hot chile by half, since the extra blend brings heat too.
Best for —: beef and bean chili
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cumin card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cumin substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tsp cumin	Verdict
1	Chili powder (US-style blend)beef and bean chili	1 ½ tspTweak it	Tweak it
2	Taco seasoningground beef chili	1 ½ tspTweak it	Tweak it
3	Ground corianderwhite chicken chili	½ tsp coriander + ½ tsp chili powderYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
4	Ground carawaybeef chili	½ tspYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Curry powdervegetable, lentil and sweet potato chili	½ tspYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Fennel seeds	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Chili powder (US-style blend)

close; a little more chile and garlic, a little less earthy

The American blend of ground chiles, cumin, garlic and oregano. Cumin is one of its main ingredients, so adding more of it puts back most of what is missing.

Best for: beef and bean chili, turkey and chicken chili, chili for hot dogs and fries
Prep: Add it with the recipe's own chili powder and cut any cayenne, red pepper flakes or other hot chile by half, since the extra blend brings heat too.
Where it fails: White chicken chili, where cumin is the main spice and extra red chili powder changes both the color and the flavor.

This means the blend labeled chili powder, not pure ground chile such as ancho or cayenne, which contain no cumin.

Taco seasoning

close, slightly saltier and more oniony

Another cumin-heavy blend, with chili powder, garlic, onion and oregano. Most packets also contain salt and often a starch thickener.

Best for: ground beef chili, weeknight chili with canned beans, chili that could use thickening
Prep: Hold back the recipe's salt until the end, then taste and add what is needed.
Where it fails: Easy to oversalt, especially with salted broth and canned beans in the pot.

Ground coriander

lighter and more citrusy; the smoky, earthy note is thinner

Coriander is cumin's usual partner and shares its warm, earthy side, but it is lemony where cumin is smoky. A little chili powder alongside makes up some of the depth.

Best for: white chicken chili, vegetable and bean chili
Prep: Add it with the other spices and cook them in the fat for about 30 seconds before the liquid goes in.
Where it fails: A beef chili that relies on cumin for its backbone tastes brighter and less deep.

Ground caraway

earthy with a rye-bread, anise edge

Caraway is a close botanical relative of cumin and has a similar earthy warmth, with an anise note that cumin lacks.

Best for: beef chili, chili with dark beer or smoked meat
Prep: Use half the amount. Grind whole seeds first; whole caraway stays hard in chili.
Where it fails: More than half the amount makes the chili taste of rye bread.

Curry powder

a curry note and a yellower color

Curry powder contains cumin and coriander, along with turmeric, fenugreek and other spices that are not chili flavors.

Best for: vegetable, lentil and sweet potato chili, when nothing closer is in the cupboard
Prep: Use half the amount and taste before adding more.
Where it fails: A classic Texas-style or beef-and-bean chili, where it reads as curry.

Fennel seeds

sweet anise

Often suggested because the seeds look alike. Fennel is sweet and tastes of licorice, which is nothing like cumin.

Best for: Italian sausage, not chili
Where it fails: It makes chili taste like sausage seasoning. Use extra chili powder, or less cumin than the recipe asks for if you have a little left.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeCumin

In chili, cumin is one voice among several: it gives the earthy, slightly smoky base under the chiles, garlic and oregano. Because the standard US chili powder blend already contains cumin, a chili without added cumin is thinner in flavor, not missing a flavor entirely.

Tips for substituting cumin

5 tips

A recipe with 1 tbsp cumin takes 4 ½ tsp extra chili powder. Halve the cayenne or hot chile and taste before adding the rest.
Bloom the spices: stir them into the fat with the onions for about 30 seconds before the tomatoes and broth go in. It deepens whatever blend you use.
If you have some cumin but not enough, use what you have and make up only the shortfall with chili powder.
A teaspoon of smoked paprika adds back some of the smoky depth cumin gives. It is a boost alongside the swap, not a replacement.
Taste after 20 minutes of simmering, not straight away. Chili powder and taco seasoning both need time to lose their raw edge.

Questions

4 questions

Can I leave cumin out of chili?

Yes. If the recipe also uses chili powder, the blend already contains some cumin, so the chili will taste a little flatter but not wrong. Adding 1 ½ teaspoons of extra chili powder per teaspoon of cumin makes up most of the difference.

What replaces cumin in white chicken chili?

Use ½ teaspoon of ground coriander per teaspoon of cumin, plus ½ teaspoon of chili powder if you do not mind a little color. Cumin is the main spice in white chili, so the result is lighter and more citrusy. If you have any cumin at all, use it there first.

Can I use cumin seeds in place of ground cumin in chili?

Yes, and it is the same spice. Toast the seeds in a dry pan for a minute until fragrant, grind them, and measure the ground cumin the recipe asks for. Whole seeds can also go straight into the hot fat with the onions.

Is chili powder the same as cumin?

No. Cumin is a single spice. US-style chili powder is a blend of ground chiles, cumin, garlic and oregano. That is why chili powder can stand in for cumin in chili, at 1 ½ teaspoons per teaspoon, but cumin cannot stand in for chili powder.