Spice Substitutes: What to Use When You've Run Out (NZ Guide)
It's 6pm, the onions are already in the pan, and the recipe wants a teaspoon of something you don't have. This is the guide for that moment. Below is every common substitution worth knowing — with actual ratios, not vague suggestions — plus the handful of swaps that genuinely don't work, so you don't ruin dinner finding out.
Three rules before you swap anything
1. Match the job, not the name. Ask what the spice is doing in the dish. Cumin brings earthiness. Turmeric brings colour. Cardamom brings perfume. A substitute needs to do the same job — which is why chilli powder can stand in for cumin (it contains cumin) but turmeric never can.
2. Start with two-thirds. Substitutes rarely match in strength. Use about two-thirds of what the recipe asks for, taste, and add more. You can always add; you can't take it out.
3. Ground is stronger than whole, by volume. Grinding exposes far more surface area. As a rough rule, 1 teaspoon of whole seeds ≈ ¾ teaspoon ground. And ground spices fade fast, so if yours have been open two years, you may need double — or a fresh jar.
Warm and sweet spices
| Out of… | Best swap | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon | The other type — Ceylon for cassia at 1½×, cassia for Ceylon at ⅔× | Allspice, or nutmeg at half quantity |
| Cardamom | Equal parts cinnamon + nutmeg, same total amount | Ground ginger + a pinch of cinnamon |
| Cloves | Allspice, 1:1 — closest match there is | Nutmeg + cinnamon, half each |
| Allspice | Equal parts cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg | Cloves alone at half quantity |
| Nutmeg | Mace, 1:1 — it's literally the same fruit | Allspice or cinnamon, 1:1 |
| Star anise | Fennel seeds — 1 star anise ≈ 1 tsp fennel | Chinese five spice, small pinch |
| Ground ginger | Fresh ginger — 1 tbsp grated ≈ ¼ tsp ground | Allspice or nutmeg in baking only |
Earthy seeds and savoury spices
| Out of… | Best swap | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Cumin | Caraway, ½ quantity — similar family, much stronger | Ground coriander + a pinch of chilli |
| Coriander (ground) | Cumin at ¾ quantity — earthier, but works | Fennel + a pinch of cumin |
| Black mustard seeds | Yellow mustard seeds, 1:1 — slightly milder | A teaspoon of wholegrain mustard, added late |
| Fenugreek seeds | Yellow mustard seeds at ½ quantity | Celery seed, small pinch — or just leave it out |
| Turmeric | For colour: mild curry powder at ½ quantity | Nothing really replaces it — accept a paler dish |
| Bay leaves | Dried thyme, ¼ tsp per leaf | Omit — honestly, most dishes cope |
| Sumac | Lemon zest + a pinch of salt | A squeeze of lemon juice, added off the heat |
| Garlic powder | Garlic granules, 1¼× (coarser, so less per spoon) | 1 fresh clove ≈ ⅛ tsp powder |
| Onion powder | Garlic powder at ½ quantity — different, but savoury | 1 medium onion ≈ 1 tbsp powder |
Heat
Chilli substitutions are where people get burnt — literally. These vary enormously in heat, so always start low.
- Cayenne → chilli flakes at 1½×, or hot Kashmiri chilli at 1½×.
- Mild Kashmiri chilli → paprika for the colour plus a small pinch of cayenne for the warmth. Kashmiri is mostly about that deep red, not heat.
- Paprika → mild Kashmiri chilli, 1:1. Very close in both colour and mildness.
- Smoked paprika → ordinary paprika plus the tiniest amount of smoked salt or chipotle. Nothing else brings the smoke.
- Black pepper → white pepper 1:1 (earthier), or cayenne at ¼ quantity.
Dried herbs
Herbs are more forgiving than spices — within the Mediterranean group, most swap happily 1:1.
- Oregano ↔ marjoram — 1:1, near-identical. Marjoram is slightly sweeter.
- Thyme → oregano or mixed herbs, 1:1.
- Italian herbs → equal parts oregano, basil and thyme.
- Fresh → dried: use one third. A tablespoon of fresh oregano is a teaspoon of dried.
Spice blends
Blends look hardest to replace but are the easiest — they're just recipes themselves.
- Garam masala → ¾ tsp curry powder + a pinch each of cinnamon and cloves per teaspoon needed. Better still, make your own in fifteen minutes.
- Curry powder → 2 parts coriander, 1 part cumin, 1 part turmeric, ½ part ginger, pinch of chilli.
- Tandoori masala → garam masala + Kashmiri chilli + a little extra cumin.
- Cajun → paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and thyme in roughly equal parts.
- Five spice → equal parts star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and pepper, all ground.
- Moroccan → cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and a little paprika.
Swaps that genuinely don't work
- Cinnamon for cardamom in chai. Cardamom is the entire perfume of the drink. Cinnamon just makes it taste like cinnamon.
- Cumin for turmeric. They look vaguely similar in a jar and do completely opposite things. This is the most common kitchen mix-up we hear about.
- Chilli powder for cayenne, spoon for spoon. "Chilli powder" in most supermarkets is a blend containing cumin, oregano and garlic. Straight cayenne is pure heat. Swapping 1:1 either scorches the dish or muddies it.
- Anything for saffron. Turmeric gives you the colour and none of the flavour. Accept the difference or leave it out.
- Dried herbs for fresh as a garnish. Dried works cooked into a dish. Scattered raw over the top it tastes like dust.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of garam masala?
Curry powder plus a pinch each of cinnamon and cloves gets you close. The real fix is making your own — it takes fifteen minutes and keeps for months.
Can I substitute ground spices for whole?
Yes, with two adjustments. Use about ¾ the volume, and add ground spices later in cooking — whole spices are meant to infuse slowly, ground ones burn if given the same treatment.
How much dried herb replaces fresh?
One third. Dried herbs are far more concentrated. Add them early so they have time to rehydrate; fresh herbs go in at the end.
Do old spices need more quantity?
Often, yes — ground spices lose their aroma within about a year. But there's a limit: past a certain point you're adding dust, not flavour. If it doesn't smell like anything in the jar, it won't taste like anything on the plate.
What's the difference between chilli powder and cayenne?
Cayenne is a single ground chilli, and it's purely hot. Chilli powder is usually a seasoning blend with cumin, garlic and oregano mixed in. Never assume they're interchangeable.
Is Ceylon cinnamon interchangeable with cassia?
In most recipes, yes — but adjust. Cassia is much stronger, so use about two-thirds when replacing Ceylon, and about 1½ times when going the other way. Our Ceylon cinnamon guide covers when each one is worth choosing.
The real fix: a pantry that doesn't need substitutes
Substitutions are a rescue, not a plan. If you find yourself improvising every week, it's usually the same eight or nine spices missing. Cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and a chilli of some kind will carry you through the overwhelming majority of recipes from any cuisine.
Browse the full range of spices and premium blends — all packed fresh in small batches in Auckland, which is what actually determines whether a spice tastes of anything.
Related guides
- Toasting, blooming and tempering — how to get twice the flavour from what you already own
- Homemade garam masala
- Organic Ceylon cinnamon guide