What to Use When You're Out of Curry Powder

Curry powder is a colorful spice blend that can vary from mildly warm to intensely spicy and fragrant. Known for its distinctive yellow hue (thanks to turmeric), it's an essential ingredient in many global cuisines, including Indian, Thai, and Caribbean dishes.

Curry powder isn't a single spice, but a mixture of several spices and herbs. Common ingredients in the blend include cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, chiles, cloves, ginger, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves, and black pepper.

This versatile and widely-loved spice is used in a variety of dishes, such as stews, soups, marinades, and meat recipes. But what do you do when you're craving curry and run out of your go-to spice mix?

What Does Curry Taste Like and How Is It Used?

This spice blend has a rich, earthy taste that can range from mild to bold, with a powerful aroma depending on the ingredients used. Curry powder combines both sweet and savory flavors, adding warmth to dishes. Its spiciness can vary, with the level of heat determined by the types of peppers included in the mix.

Curry powder is commonly used to season curries, soups, stews, rice dishes, sauces, and marinades for meats and vegetables. It can also bring a subtle kick to chicken salad, burgers, and deviled eggs.

Though it's mostly used in savory dishes, curry powder can also be a unique ingredient in sweet treats like desserts, cookies, cakes, and even ice cream.

Find the recipe: Authentic and Simple Shrimp Curry

Top Curry Powder Substitutes

How to Make Your Own Curry Powder

Making your own curry powder is a simple way to customize the flavors and heat to your liking. Mix a basic blend of coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, cardamom, ginger, dry mustard, cinnamon, and a combination of black pepper, cayenne, and chili pepper according to your preferred spice level.

Garam Masala

This spice blend adds warmth and savory depth to dishes. It serves as a great substitute for curry powder, providing both heat and flavor. The spices are dry-roasted and ground, making it perfect for dishes that need a spicy Indian kick. It enhances the taste of both vegetables and meat-based recipes.

Sambar Powder

Sambar powder is a blend of spices commonly used across South India. It includes coriander, mustard, black mustard seeds, cumin, and peppercorns. The flavor profile is similar to curry but with a bolder, more defined taste. This spice works well in broths, soups, stews, vegetable dishes, and lentils.

Curry Paste

Curry paste is made by grinding spices and mixing them with a bit of oil. A basic version typically includes red chili peppers, garlic, sea salt, lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric. This paste is ideal for hearty meat dishes, curries, rice recipes, or stir-fries.

Cumin and Allspice

Cumin and allspice are staple spices in many home kitchens. The combination of ground cumin and allspice creates a warm, subtly sweet flavor. While it doesn’t offer the complexity of a full curry powder, it works well as a substitute in chicken dishes, soups, and sauces.

Turmeric, Coriander and Allspice

This trio of spices provides the characteristic yellow color of curry powder. The turmeric and coriander seeds bring a mild warmth, while allspice adds a hint of depth. A pinch of chili flakes can turn up the heat. Use this blend in chicken and lamb dishes, stews, and marinades.

Chaat Masala

This spice blend offers citrusy notes along with the flavors of curry powder. Similar to garam masala but with a slightly sweeter profile, chaat masala combines pepper, coriander, cumin, mango powder, mint leaves, and citric acid, creating a floral backdrop. The tangy-sweet blend is perfect for sprinkling over boiled eggs, flatbread, yogurt, or sandwiches.

Cumin and Chili Powder

Cumin and chili powder work together as a great substitute for curry powder, adding spicy, warming notes to dishes. These spices complement meat dishes, stews, and curries.

Chai Spice Mix

Love chai spice mix in your hot drinks? If your chai spice mix is free from sugar and tea, it’s essentially a blend of Indian spices that can serve as a substitute for curry powder. This mix includes warming cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, which can deepen the flavors of curries, soups, sauces, and simmering stews.