Spices
These common spices make a good pantry foundation. Some substitution suggestions offer
similar flavors; others are acceptable flavor alternatives. When substituting, start with half of
the amount the recipe calls for, unless directed otherwise, and add to suit your taste.
| Spice | Flavor | Common Uses | Substitution |
| Allspice (ground) | Blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, Baked goods, jerk seasoning. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves | baked goods, jerk seasoning, stews | Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves |
| Anise seeds | Licorice like flavor | Cabbage dishes, meats, fruits desserts | Fennel seeds or a few drops of anise extract |
| Cardamom (ground) | Spicy-sweet with peppery and ginger like tones | Curried dishes, bean dishes, baked goods | Ground ginger |
| Cayenne pepper | Hot, pungent, smoky | Stews, barbecue rubs and sauces, and bean, meat, egg. and cheese dishes | Use 2-3 drops bottled hot pepper sauce for 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper |
| Chili powder | Hot, spicy, peppery taste and aroma | Soups, stews, marinades, meat dishes | Dash bottled hop pepper sauce plus equal measures of ground oregano and cumin |
| Cinnamon (ground) | Strong, spicy-sweet flavor | Meats, breads, pumpkin and fruit desserts, hot coffee, tea, chocolate | Ground nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the specified amount) |
| Cloves (ground) | Strong, pungent, almost hot flavor | Baked beans, barbecue dishes, chili, mulled wine, fruit desserts, cakes | Ground allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg |
| Cumin (ground) | Pungent, spicy, slightly bitter flavor | Indian and Mexican cooking, meats, poultry | Chili powder |
| Curry powder | A fragrant, mild-to-hot blend of up to 20 ground spices | Meats, sauces, stews, root vegetables; often used in Asian and Indian cooking | Combine equal parts of ground spices common in curry (such as cumin, coriander, red and black peppers, ginger, turmeric) |
| Fennel seeds | Mild licorice like flavor and aroma | Meat, sausage, poultry dishes, baked goods, fruit desserts, coleslaw | Anise or caraway seeds |
| Ginger (ground) | Sweet-hot flavor, nippy aroma | Stir-fries, marinades, meats, baked goods | Ground allspice, cinnamon, mace, or nutmeg |
| Mustard (dry, seeds) | Dry mustard attains hot flavor when mixed with water; seeds have hot spicy flavor | Dry Mustard- salad dressings and egg, cheese, and meat dishes; seeds- pickling, relishes, and boiled vegetables and meats | In cooked mixtures: 1 tablespoon yellow mustard for each 1 teaspoon dry; no substitutions for seeds |
| Nutmeg (ground) | slightly sweet and spicy flavor and aroma | Baked goods, white sauces, custard, eggnog | Ground cinnamon, ginger, or mace |
| Paprika (Hungarian, Spanish) | Hungarian paprika is generally more pungent than Spanish and can be labeled sweet (mild) or hot; Spanish paprika is slightly sweet and bitter | Vegetables, beef, fish, chicken, salads, egg dishes | Cayenne pepper, but use sparingly because it’s much hotter |
| Pepper, black or white | Black pepper is more pungent than white | Savory foods, spiced desserts | White may be substituted for black, but it’s milder in flavor |
| Tarragon | Leaves have a pungent, hot taste. | Use to flavor sauces, salads, meat, poultry, tomatoes and dressings. | Fennel Seeds Similar to fennel fronds, fennel seeds will add the licorice and anise aspects of tarragon’s flavor to a dish. Fennel seeds are a good substitute in soups and stews, where their strong flavor can infuse the cooking liquid. If substituting for fresh tarragon, start with 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds and add more as necessary. |
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