Quick Guide to Spice and Herb Substitutes

Cooking is as much art as it is science. The boundaries for your creations are limited based on the quality and quantity of ingredients you have on hand.

Most recipe call for a specific ingredient for a reason. But let's face it there are times you just don't have that ingredient. Maybe you forgot to purchase it or thought you had more at home than you did.

No worries...below is a useful guide to substitutes for spices and herbs when you find yourself in trouble.

There are a few things to keep in mind.

1. In a pinch, a substitute can be used but always aim for the suggested ingredient.
   
   
2. There is a difference between fresh and dried spices. The rule of thumb is:
   
   1 tsp dried herbs or 1/4 tsp ground herbs = 1 tbsp fresh herbs
   
   
3. The older your dried spices and herbs are, the less effective they will be. Spices and herbs lose their kick over time. It is best not to keep them for more than a year .
   

Original Ingredient	Potential Substitute
Allspice	Cinnamon; cassia; dash of nutmeg or mace; or dash of cloves
Aniseed	Fennel seed or a few drops anise extract
Basil	Oregano or thyme
Cardamom	Ginger
Chervil	Tarragon or parsley
Chili Powder	Dash bottled hot pepper sauce plus a combination of oregano and cumin
Chive	Green onion; onion; or leek
Cilantro	Parsley
Cinnamon	Nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the amount)
Cloves	Allspice; cinnamon; or nutmeg
Cumin	Chili powder
Ginger	Allspice; cinnamon; mace; or nutmeg
Italian Seasoning	Blend of any of these: basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper
Mace	Allspice; cinnamon; ginger; or nutmeg
Marjoram	Basil; thyme; or savory
Mint	Basil; marjoram; or rosemary
Nutmeg	Cinnamon; ginger; or mace
Oregano	Thyme or basil
Parsley	Chervil or cilantro
Poultry Seasoning	Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary
Red Pepper	Dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper
Rosemary	Thyme; tarragon; or savory
Saffron	Dash turmeric (for color)
Sage	Poultry seasoning; savory; marjoram; or rosemary
Savory	Thyme; marjoram; or sage
Tarragon	Chervil; dash fennel seed; or dash aniseed
Thyme	Basil; marjoram; oregano; or savory