5 Substitutes for Cardamom + 3 Tips

Diana Barkley (Senior Editor)

Cardamom is a popular spice that originated in Southern India. You’ll want a similarly aromatic spice or other substitute to impart flavor to your delicious recipes. In this article we’ll explore all about cardamom, what it is, what it’s good for, and how you can achieve similar flavors in your cooking and baking.

Cardamom was once harvested from wild plants in a region that’s now called the Cardamom Hills. The fragrant spice is actually a member of the ginger plant family, and is used in lots of cuisines across the world, including Indian and Scandinavian cooking.

It’s known for adding warmth to both cooked and baked dishes, and can be found in its natural pod form or ground, ready to use.

But what if you’ve run out of your favorite spice and don’t have time to head to the supermarket? What if you’re pregnant, have gallstones, or have had adverse reactions to cardamom, and using it gives you some cause for concern?

Read on to find out.

Facts about Cardamom

Facts about Cardamom

Did you know that cardamom is known as the ‘queen of spices?’ As we’ve already mentioned it originated in Southern India, in rainforests that are now called the Cardamom Hills.

But what makes cardamom so special, and how was it first discovered? Let’s find out. Here are some more facts about cardamom and its unique history, as well as the varieties you can get and what they’re used for.

What Cardamom Is

What Cardamom Is

Cardamom is known to be one of the world’s most ancient spices. Use of this fragrant, aromatic ingredient dates back around 4000 years.

In ancient Egypt it was used for medicinal purposes, and was even an important part of certain rituals.

In Scandinavia it’s believed that the Vikings first brought cardamom to their shores, having discovered it in what is now Istanbul around 1000 years ago.

Cardamom’s botanical background is also very interesting. True cardamom, or Elettaria Cardamomum, belongs to the same family of plants as ginger.

However, there are two types of cardamom that are frequently used in cookery: green cardamom (the ‘true’ cardamom mentioned above), which is native to Sri Lanka and India.

There’s also black cardamom (Amomum Subulatum), which is a larger, darker variety with a more smoky flavor. The latter is largely grown in Nepal, Bhutan, and India.

Green cardamom is generally regarded as being softer and sweeter, and is preferred for desserts. Black cardamom has a stronger taste and is smokier in flavor, which probably makes it work better in savory dishes.

What Cardamom Is Good For in Baking and Cooking

What Cardamom Is Good For in Baking and Cooking

In baking, cardamom adds a lovely depth of flavor and warm spice to anything from bread pudding and cookies to cheesecake. In Norway, it’s an ingredient of Christmas bread, and in Sweden there’s even a cardamom cake.

Is Cardamom Healthy?

Is Cardamom Healthy?

Cardamom is a very healthy spice, and offers a range of benefits.

These include aiding digestion, freshening up your breath, balancing blood sugar levels, lowering blood pressure, stimulating circulation, alleviating stomach discomforts, and possibly helping with the treatment of bronchitis.

Having excessive amounts of cardamom may cause stomach upset and pain, and could even cause a rapid heart beat. Cardamom may also interact with certain medicines, including blood thinners and liver drugs.

You’d need to consume huge amounts of cardamom, however. There is some concern that consuming large amounts of cardamom during pregnancy may cause adverse effects.

This is one of the reasons you may wish to substitute this popular spice with something else, though, if in doubt, we always recommend you’d speak to your doctor or healthcare provider.

Reasons for Substituting Cardamom

Reasons for Substituting Cardamom

Cardamom is a fragrant, warming spice that works well in a huge variety of dishes. It can be delicious in cooking and baking alike. With that said, sometimes you just can’t use cardamom.

Below are some of the main reasons why you may wish to substitute cardamom with another spice.

Keep in mind that any reason is perfectly valid… if you just don’t like cardamom, simply replace it with one of our top alternatives further on in this article.

Adverse Reactions

Adverse Reactions

Very large quantities of cardamom may cause adverse health reactions in some.

For example, people with gallstones are advised to be cautious when it comes to using cardamom for anything other than flavoring food (so you may still wish to use it as a cooking ingredient.)

Rarely, people may also be allergic to cardamom, in which case you’ll need to avoid it.

Cardamom is also somewhat contraindicated in pregnancy, though again, there is more of a concern for larger quantities rather than small amounts found in food.

When in doubt, always consult your healthcare provider or doctor first.

Availability Issues

Availability Issues

Cardamom is generally a spice that’s widely available in supermarkets. However, it’s mostly grown in India, Indonesia, and Guatemala.

There don’t appear to be any notable producers of cardamom in the US, so sometimes, it might be difficult to get a hold of it.

If this is an issue, you’ll need to replace the cardamom in your recipes with another spice that’s more readily available in your locale.

Taste

Taste

The taste of cardamom is quite strong, and has been described as akin to pine with a subtle fruitiness. Most people seem to like this flavor when added to various dishes, but tastes obviously differ.

If you just don’t like the taste of cardamom, consider replacing it with something subtly different you do like. Cardamom adds a kind of warmth to dishes with an exotic, unusual flavor that adds complexity to dishes.

There are other ingredients (chiefly spices) that’ll achieve the same effect but don’t taste quite the same as cardamom.

Best Substitutes for Cardamom

Best Substitutes for Cardamom

Whichever your reason for substituting cardamom, we’ll now move on to the best alternatives.

As we’ve mentioned above, the key benefit of adding cardamom to your cooking is that it adds a complexity of flavor and seems to only increase when cooked or baked.

It’s a fragrant spice that doesn’t easily ‘disappear’ in your dishes, and adds a pleasing warmth. If you’re wanting to achieve this same effect, we recommend one of the spices on our list below.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is considered close to cardamom because it offers a similar warmth and earthiness. Cardamom does have its own unique flavors but, if you’re wanting to add warmth to your baking, for example, and don’t love cardamom, nutmeg will have a similar effect.

Allspice

Allspice

Some people apparently confuse allspice and cardamom, though we wouldn’t personally consider them quite that similar. Allspice does add a similar warmth and subtle sweetness and works especially well in baking.

Allspice is also popular in Greek, Jamaican, Swedish, Portuguese, and Middle Eastern cuisines. It’s a nice addition to festive sauces and marinades.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is considered a more delicate spice than cardamom, but it can be used in recipes when you can’t find any of the latter.

Bear in mind that Ceylon cinnamon is far superior to the cheaper cassia cinnamon, and you’ll always want to opt for that when you have the choice.

Fun fact: cinnamon is sometimes used to cut acidity in spaghetti sauces. It gives tomato-based dishes a little more sweetness without overpowering them. Cinnamon is of course also very popular added to a variety of bakes.

Ginger

Ginger

Cardamom and ginger are, interestingly, in the same family of plants, as is turmeric. Some gourmets claim that cardamom and ginger have similar citrusy undertones, which make them somewhat interchangeable.

Fresh ginger is a lot sharper-tasting, however, and we don’t think a direct substitute without cooking to mellow that flavor would work.

Used in sauces and marinades, however, ginger may add a nice, similar warmth that’ll bring a similar complexity of flavors to dishes.

Cloves

Cloves

Cloves are, in some ways, the least popular substitute for cardamom. Clove has a particularly unique, strong flavor and kick of spice that some find a little too much.

Used in moderation, however, we think cloves add a beautiful complexity and give dimension to sweet and savory sauces in particular.

For instance, cloves add lots of flavor to homemade bbq sauce and bring plenty of added spice to curries or baked hams. We also think duck dishes, which are excellent with cardamom, work particularly well with cloves.

Ground Cardamom Substitutes

Ground Cardamom Substitutes

Cardamom is one of those spices you’re better off buying whole rather than ground.

Alongside cardamom, peppercorns, nutmeg, coriander seeds, cumin, and mustard seeds all retain their flavor better when used whole or ground immediately before use.

This is because the essential oils present in some spices dissipate fairly quickly after they’ve been ground.

With that said, if you’re used to ground cardamom and just want the very subtle of this spice replicated, there are some good alternatives: ground allspice or ground cloves would probably be our go-to options.

These add similar warm, slightly exotic flavoring without being overpowering. Cardamom is excellent cooked into sauces with balsamic, and similarly, we like cloves and allspice in these concoctions.

Healthiest Substitutes for Cardamom

Healthiest Substitutes for Cardamom

The good news when it comes to substituting cardamom is that no alternative is actually unhealthy. You’re not opting for vastly different calorie contents as you would, for instance, when substituting butter with a plant-based alternative.

All of the spices we’ve mentioned above are perfectly healthy. Some spices are said to interact with certain medicines, but the above appear to be fine, particularly when used in food amounts.

In fact, cloves are said to be very high in antioxidants, ginger can help fight off germs, cinnamon may balance blood sugar levels, and so on.

So when it comes to health, any spice substitute for cardamom will be fine. Ideally, always opt for whole spices as these retain their beneficial, fragrant essential oils better than powdered varieties. They also keep any nutrients much better than ground up spices.

Tips for Substituting Cardamom

Tips for Substituting Cardamom

When it comes to substituting cardamom in your recipes, there are no unhealthy spice alternatives. So whichever you choose is generally fine, and you may disregard nutrient profiles.

With that said, there are a couple of top tips for substituting not just cardamom, but any spice, which will help you get the most out of your ingredients and recipes.

Consider Authentic Alternatives for Certain Recipes

Consider Authentic Alternatives for Certain Recipes

Cardamom is frequently used in both Scandinavian and Indian cooking and baking.

If authenticity is important to you, and you’re going for the most accurate flavors from those countries, consider going for substitutes that have a similar heritage.

Ginger, for instance, is from Southern China, but cinnamon is native to India. Cloves are frequently used in Scandinavian cooking, making them a good substitute if you are cooking dishes from that region.

When in Doubt Opt for the Freshest Whole Spice Substitutes

When in Doubt Opt for the Freshest Whole Spice Substitutes

As we’ve mentioned before, whole spices are generally far superior to ground varieties. This is because they retain their essential oils and any nutrients better than ground, dried counterparts.

If you can get your hands on fresh, authentic spices it’s sometimes preferable to go for a substitute over, say, a cheap ground cardamom that lacks flavor.

As with any ingredient, have a look at what’s available to you locally and opt for the best, freshest produce. This goes for spices, too.

Start with a Small Amount First

Start with a Small Amount First

When in doubt, start with a small amount of whatever spice you’re using instead of cardamom. It’s always worthwhile to taste your dish repeatedly as you’re preparing it.

Not all spices should be substituted at a 1-to-1 ratio, as some are more flavorful than others, and could overpower your cooking. Some work better in baking than cooking as well, and vice versa.

Always take your time when trying something new and a little bit different, but bear in mind that even the best cooks experiment. Experimenting with new ingredients is, in fact, what creates new and exciting dishes to begin with, so above all it’s best to have fun.

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