Cumin Alternative

If you need a cumin alternative then you might be pleasantly surprised to discover you’ve already got something in the cupboard that’ll do the trick.

Unless you’re a top chef, running a high end restaurant, the individual ingredients in any one dish can always be swapped out for others – only a real spice nerd would be a purist about it!

As there’s now a cumin shortage, due to a poor harvest and problems with war in areas where cumin grows, now’s a good time to check out your alternatives. Indeed, the cumin shortage has lead to problems as some producers have been packing out real cumin with fake cumin – using as a substitute almonds and other nuts.  This is not good news for people with a nut allergy as there’s no warning – often this fake cumin isn’t labelled, there is no nut warning! 

Probably the closest alternative to cumin would be chilli powder. But that’s not the only spice you can try.  Ground coriander is another cumin substitute that can work well.

If you use a substitute, then don’t use the same quantity that your recipe is asking for, start with a half portion and try it as you go until you get the amount just right.

If you really need to use cumin – and need to know that it’s really genuine cumin, then the only route available to you is to buy cumin seeds and grind them up yourself.  You can buy cumin seeds online and, as a seed, you can see exactly what you’re getting!  Prices are rising, so stock up now and look like somebody who is ahead of the game and a King or Queen in the kitchen!

Buy Cumin Seeds:

So those are your choices! You can make your own cumin by grinding seeds, use an alternative or take your chances with cumin powder that might contain ground up nut powder as a filler.

^pdc