Uncover 3 Garam Masala Substitutes Hiding in Your Spice Cabinet

Garam masala is a signature spice blend widely used in Indian cuisine. While you can easily buy it, did you know you can also craft your own using the spices you already have at home?

Next time you're low on garam masala or find your bottle has lost its punch, check out these 3 recommended substitutes favored by chefs and home cooks alike.

What is the Flavor Profile of Garam Masala and How Is It Used?

Garam masala, meaning 'hot spice,' refers to the warming sensation it imparts rather than its heat. The blend delivers a complex array of flavors from a variety of spices.

What makes garam masala truly special is its unique flavor and aroma, which varies from blend to blend. It's typically a fragrant mix with hints of sweetness, tang, and earthiness, courtesy of cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and cardamom. Some variations also pack a spicy punch from ingredients like peppercorns and dried red chilies.

The garam masala found in most grocery stores is a powdered version, commonly used in Northern India. In contrast, Southern Indian cuisine often uses garam masala as a paste, combining the spice mix with liquids like water, vinegar, or coconut milk.

Garam masala is typically added in small quantities towards the end of cooking or sprinkled on top of dishes, enhancing the flavor of meats, fish, and vegetarian meals with a rich, aromatic finish.

Recipe: Veg Biryani

What Spices Are Found in Garam Masala?

The traditional garam masala mix typically includes cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and nutmeg. However, the blend can vary based on regional preferences and personal taste, with some variations adding bay leaves, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, or mace.

Top Garam Masala Substitutes

Curry Powder

Though curry powder has a different aromatic profile compared to garam masala, it shares a similar depth of flavor and complexity. Curry powder complements a variety of dishes and contains several spices found in garam masala.

To substitute garam masala with curry powder in your recipe, simply use an equal amount of curry powder as you would garam masala.

Cumin and Allspice Blend

Chef William Dissen, owner of The Marketplace Restaurant in North Carolina, suggests combining cumin with allspice as a fantastic substitute for garam masala. He explains, "This combination is quite close to garam masala, and the allspice adds notes of clove, cinnamon, pepper, and even nutmeg. When paired with cumin, these flavors blend perfectly."

Dissen mentions that the cumin and allspice blend is ideal for dishes like traditional Indian Bhindi Masala (curried okra). He often uses this mix when he runs out of store-bought garam masala.

Dissen recommends using 1 part cumin to ¼ part allspice as a direct replacement for garam masala in any recipe.

Create Your Own Spice Blend

Anna Vocino, founder of Eat Happy Kitchen, suggests crafting your own garam masala blend using coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. She believes this mix closely matches the flavor, aroma, and texture of traditional garam masala. "It has the perfect flavor profile and the right amount of warming heat," Vocino says.

Vocino recommends dry roasting the spices to release their essential oils and grinding them to enhance the flavor. "This blend works wonderfully as a dry rub for chicken thighs on the grill or to flavor Chicken Tikka Masala," she advises.

To create this spice blend, Vocino suggests using equal parts of each spice to form a 1:1 ratio.