Coriander Substitutes, Ranked by the Job Coriander Is Doing

Out of coriander? Ground cumin is the handiest swap for a warm, earthy base note, caraway works in breads and pickles, and curry powder or garam masala can cover it in a curry. None of them is a perfect match. Coriander’s flavor is mild, sweet and warm, and no common spice shares that profile, so pick by what the coriander is doing in your dish. If you have whole seeds, though, grinding them beats any substitute.

Quick answer

Cilantro isn’t on the list. The leaf and the seed come from the same plant but taste different. More on that below.

How the ratios on this page are labeled

Every ratio carries one of these labels.

• Computed: based on a measurable physical relationship.
• Attributed: a named source publishes this ratio. We quote it as theirs.
• Disputed: named sources give different answers to the same swap. You get each one, side by side.

The published ratios below come from a spice merchant and a food writer. Neither says how they got the figures, so treat them as rules of thumb, not measurements of flavor strength.

If coriander is a warm, earthy base note

In rubs, chili, bean dishes and lots of spice mixes, coriander rounds out stronger spices instead of standing out. The Spice House recommends cumin for warm, earthy depth.¹

1. Ground cumin

Cumin is the most practical swap because most kitchens have it. It’s also much louder than coriander. The two oils have no main compound in common, so cumin brings its own earthy, savory character, not coriander’s sweet, citrusy one. Use it where coriander plays a supporting role. It’s a poor choice in a sweet bake or a delicate sauce.

Ratio (Attributed): The Spice House says to replace 1 teaspoon of ground coriander with 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, then adjust to taste.¹ Healthline says you can use cumin one to one.² The two agree at the top of the range. If the dish already has cumin in it, start at the low end.

If coriander is a seed note in breads, sausages or pickles

Here coriander’s own aroma matters more, so you want another parsley-family seed with a sweet, warm side.

1. Caraway

Caraway is in the parsley family too. Its aroma is reminiscent of anise, with a warm, slightly sharp taste, and its chemistry is different from coriander’s, so expect a rye-bread note in place of coriander’s citrus. Caraway works best where that note fits, like breads, sausages, cabbage and pickles. It’s a weaker fit in curries.

Ratio (Attributed): The Spice House says caraway can go in at 3/4 to 1 teaspoon per teaspoon of coriander, but to watch for its stronger profile.¹ Healthline says you can swap caraway equally but suggests starting small, because its flavor notes differ.² Both point the same way: start at 3/4 and add more only after tasting.

If coriander is one spice among many in a curry

When coriander is one of six or eight spices, a blend that already contains it can stand in, as long as you account for everything else the blend brings.

1. Curry powder

PROSEA notes that curry powder can contain up to 40 percent coriander,³ and the USDA’s purchasing specification lists coriander among the ingredients curry powder should include, along with turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, ginger and cardamom.⁴ The turmeric makes for a yellower dish. If the recipe already uses several of those spices, cut them back a little.

Ratio (Attributed): The Spice House suggests 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of curry powder per teaspoon of coriander.¹ Healthline says to start with half the amount.² Start at half.

2. Garam masala

Garam masala varies by region and by cook. Bong Eats describes its most basic form as cardamom, cinnamon and cloves,⁵ with no coriander at all, while Healthline lists coriander as one of its ingredients.² Check the label. A blend without coriander will add warmth but won’t replace it.

Ratio (Attributed): The Spice House suggests 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of garam masala per teaspoon of coriander.¹ Healthline gives no figure and says to add it in small amounts until the dish tastes right.² Start at half.

If you have whole coriander and the recipe calls for ground

This is the best fix of all, because it’s still coriander. Toast the seeds lightly if you like, then grind them.

Ratio (Computed): McCormick’s conversion is 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds to 1 1/4 teaspoons of ground coriander.⁶ That’s by volume: ground spice takes up more room than the seed it came from. It says nothing about strength.

Why cilantro is not a substitute

The leaf and the seed are the same plant at different stages, but the chemistry shifts as the fruit ripens. PROSEA says the aldehydes in the oil disappear during ripening and the smell of the fruit changes notably.³ The Spice House says fresh cilantro and dried coriander seeds have very different flavors and aren’t interchangeable.¹ If your recipe says “coriander” but means the fresh leaf, head to cilantro substitutes instead.

What isn’t known

• We found no published figure for how much coriander a typical garam masala or a given brand of curry powder contains. PROSEA’s 40 percent is a maximum, not a typical value.
• You’ll sometimes read that black cumin smells sweeter and closer to coriander than ordinary cumin, or that cumin mixed with fennel seed comes closest to coriander. No source we reviewed backs either claim.

Related

• Coriander, cooking with coriander and how to store coriander
• Coriander vs. cumin, coriander vs. cilantro and dried vs. fresh coriander
• Cumin, caraway seeds, curry powder and garam masala
• Too much coriander? How to fix the dish