Out of Cumin, one case
Can you substitute coriander for cumin?
5 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Ground coriander
Per tsp of cumin
½ tsp coriander + ½ tsp chili powder
Only as a background stand-in. Use ½ teaspoon of ground coriander plus ½ teaspoon of chili powder or paprika for each teaspoon of ground cumin. Coriander is lemony and floral where cumin is earthy and musky, so on its own it tastes like a different spice, and more than half the amount turns soapy. In chili or taco filling, where cumin is the flavor people expect, use US-style chili powder instead: 1 ½ teaspoons per teaspoon of cumin.
- Verdict —
- You'll taste it
- The tweak —
- Use half the amount, add an equal measure of chili powder or paprika, and cook both in the fat for 30 seconds before adding liquid.
- Best for —
- curries, soups and stews with several other spices
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full cumin card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 tsp cumin | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ground coriandercurries, soups and stews with several other spices | ½ tsp coriander + ½ tsp chili powderYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 2 | Coriander seeds for cumin seedspickling spice and brines | ½ tspYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 3 | Chili powder (US-style blend)chili and taco filling | 1 ½ tspTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Curry powdercurries, dals and lentil soup | ½ tspYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 5 | Ground carawaystews and braises | ½ tspYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| Not a swap | Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Ground coriander
lighter, lemony and floral; the earthy note is missing
The seed of the cilantro plant, ground. It is in the same spice blends as cumin, but it is citrusy and sweet, not earthy.
- Best for
- curries, soups and stews with several other spices, spice rubs, dishes where cumin is a small part of the seasoning
- Prep
- Use half the amount, add an equal measure of chili powder or paprika, and cook both in the fat for 30 seconds before adding liquid.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Background use only. Not for chili, taco filling or hummus, where cumin is what people are tasting for.
Coriander seeds for cumin seeds
citrusy and nutty, not earthy
Whole for whole. Coriander seeds are larger and tougher than cumin seeds, with a papery husk, and they taste of citrus when toasted.
- Best for
- pickling spice and brines, toasted spice mixes that are ground afterward, braises with other whole spices
- Prep
- Crack the seeds in a mortar or under a heavy pan before using them, and toast them in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Jeera rice or a tempering of cumin seeds in oil, where the cumin seed is the flavor of the dish. Whole coriander seeds also stay hard if they are left uncracked.
Chili powder (US-style blend)
close in Tex-Mex cooking; adds chile, garlic and oregano
The blend already contains cumin, so it keeps the flavor in place. This is the better swap wherever cumin is prominent.
- Best for
- chili and taco filling, enchilada sauce and beans, rubs
- Prep
- Cut the recipe's cayenne or other hot chile by half, since the blend brings some heat.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Indian, Middle Eastern and North African dishes, where the oregano and garlic do not belong.
Curry powder
warmer and more complex, and yellow
Curry powder contains both cumin and coriander, along with turmeric, which turns the dish yellow.
- Best for
- curries, dals and lentil soup, roasted vegetables, rice dishes
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Mexican dishes and anything that should not turn yellow.
Ground caraway
sharper and slightly sweet, like rye bread
Caraway is a close relative of cumin and the nearest single spice in taste, though sharper.
- Best for
- stews and braises, sausage and cabbage dishes, breads and savory baking
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- More than half the amount tastes of rye bread, not cumin.
Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
fresh, green and citrusy
The fresh leaf of the same plant, called coriander in British recipes and cilantro in American ones. It is a fresh herb, not a warm spice.
- Best for
- a garnish on the finished dish
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- It has none of cumin's earthy warmth and loses its flavor when cooked. Use it to finish the dish, not to season it.
Tips for substituting cumin
5 tips- Half the amount, never equal: ½ tsp ground coriander per teaspoon of cumin. A full teaspoon turns the dish floral and soapy.
- Add ½ tsp of chili powder or paprika alongside the coriander. The pair gets closer to cumin than coriander does alone.
- Cook the spices in the oil for 30 seconds before the liquid goes in, the way you would have cooked the cumin.
- If the recipe already calls for coriander, as many curries do, more coriander only skews it. Use ½ tsp curry powder or ground caraway per teaspoon of cumin instead.
- A little real cumin beats any substitute. If the jar holds half of what the recipe wants, use that and stop.
Questions
4 questionsAre cumin and coriander the same thing?
No. They are seeds of two different plants in the parsley family and they are often used together. Cumin is earthy, warm and slightly bitter. Coriander is lemony, sweet and floral. One does not taste like the other.
Can you substitute coriander seeds for cumin seeds?
Only where the seeds are one of several spices, such as a pickling mix or a spice blend you grind afterward. Use half the amount and crack the seeds first, because they are larger and tougher. Where cumin seeds are fried in oil as the main flavor, as in jeera rice, coriander seeds make a different dish.
How much coriander replaces 1 tablespoon of cumin?
1 ½ teaspoons of ground coriander plus 1 ½ teaspoons of chili powder or paprika. A recipe that uses a whole tablespoon of cumin is leaning on it, though, so US-style chili powder, 1 ½ tablespoons, is the better choice if the dish is chili or tacos.
Can I use coriander in place of cumin in chili?
It is the weakest option there. Chili depends on cumin, and coriander leaves a gap. Use 1 ½ teaspoons of chili powder per teaspoon of cumin and cut the cayenne by half; the blend already has cumin in it.