4 Convenient Cumin Alternatives You Likely Have in Your Pantry

Cumin, whether ground or whole, is a staple in kitchens worldwide. It's hard to think of a spice more universally used across global cuisines. If you find yourself without cumin for tonight's recipe, these substitutions will come in handy.

What Exactly Is Cumin?

Whole cumin seeds resemble small rice grains, with a dark brown hue and characteristic lines running along the length of the pods. While they are often compared to caraway and fennel seeds, they belong to a different family. Though less common, cumin also comes in white and black varieties, with the brown version being the most commonly called for in recipes.

Cumin, despite having no flavor resemblance to its cousins, is the seed of a plant in the parsley family. It's an essential ingredient in spice blends across various cuisines, such as curry powder, garam masala, taco seasoning, BBQ rubs, Ras el Hanout, and more.

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What Does Cumin Taste Like?

Cumin has a bold and unmistakable flavor—nutty, toasty, with a rich earthiness. It's the defining taste and aroma found in dishes like shawarma, curries, taco fillings, and beyond. Mostly used in savory dishes, cumin pairs beautifully with warming spices like cinnamon and cardamom, but it’s most commonly combined with coriander.

Top Cumin Substitutes

Coriander

Coriander and cumin share strikingly similar flavor profiles and belong to the same family, making coriander an ideal replacement for cumin. They are frequently paired together in dishes like pork rubs and curries, so you may already be using coriander in your recipe. For recipes calling for ground or whole cumin, use half the amount of ground coriander as you would cumin, or an equal amount of the whole spice.

Taco Seasoning

If you check the ingredients of your taco seasoning, you'll find that cumin is usually one of the first items listed. If your recipe also calls for other spices, taco seasoning can easily step in to replace cumin.

Be mindful that taco seasoning often contains a significant amount of salt. To avoid over-seasoning, reduce the added salt and taste as you go. A 1:1 substitution should work in most cases.

Garam Masala

Like taco seasoning, your favorite garam masala is likely to contain a good amount of cumin. This spice blend typically combines cumin with coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, and other warming spices.

Garam masala recipes can vary widely by brand, so the contents may differ. If you prefer a particular flavor profile, you can even prepare homemade garam masala to suit your taste. Use it in the same proportion as cumin.

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Cinnamon

In dishes that use whole spices, such as brines or pickling liquids, cinnamon sticks can be swapped in place of whole cumin seeds. Both cinnamon and cumin have earthy, warming flavors, though cinnamon tends to be spicier. This substitution works best in recipes where the whole spices are used to infuse flavor and are removed or not eaten, like in biryani.