Top 5 Coriander Seed Substitutes and the Citrus Fix

The closest coriander seed substitute is two thirds of a teaspoon of cumin mixed with a third of a teaspoon of fennel seed, for each teaspoon of coriander. Cumin alone works at half the amount, and garam masala suits Indian dishes. None of these has coriander's lemony note, so finish the dish with a little grated lemon or orange zest.

What does coriander seed taste like?

Warm, citrusy and faintly floral, with none of the soapy edge some people taste in the fresh leaves. Coriander seed is the dried fruit of the same plant as cilantro, and the two taste almost nothing alike.

The flavor

Lemony, warm and slightly sweet

Main aroma

Linalool, the same floral compound found in lavender and orange peel

The job

A mild backbone that lifts heavier spices such as cumin

Forms

Whole round seeds, or ground to a pale tan powder

Usual dishes

Curries, dal, sausages, pickles, rubs, rye bread and some beers

That citrus lift is the part substitutes struggle with.

Most warm spices are darker and heavier than coriander. A swap that copies the warmth and misses the lemony top note makes a curry taste flatter and muddier than intended.

What covers coriander's warmth and its lemony lift?

The closest swap mixes two spices, and three single spices or a blend cover the rest.

• Cumin and fennel: the closest pair.
• Fennel alone: sweeter.
• Cumin alone: darker.
• Sumac and cardamom: brighter.

The cumin and fennel mix is the closest general answer. Ground cumin brings the warmth coriander usually sits beside. Fennel seed lightens it with a sweet note.

Cumin on its own works where coriander is a supporting spice rather than the lead. It is darker and stronger, so start at half the amount.

Can cilantro replace coriander seed?

No. Cilantro is the fresh leaf of the same plant and it tastes grassy and sharp, while the seed tastes warm and citrusy.

The confusion comes from naming. In Britain and much of the world, "coriander" means the fresh leaves, and a recipe from there that says coriander may mean the herb rather than the seed.

Check whether the recipe says seed, ground coriander or fresh, since fresh cilantro is a garnish herb that cannot stand in for a ground spice in a curry base.

Does the recipe need whole or ground seed?

That changes the choice, because whole and ground coriander do different jobs.

• Ground, in a curry baseThe cumin and fennel mix, or garam masala in Indian dishes
• Whole, in a pickleFennel or mustard seed, left whole so the brine stays clear
• Whole, in a sausageFennel seed, which is already traditional in many sausages
• Cracked, in a rubCumin and fennel, lightly crushed together in a mortar
• Whole, in breadFennel or caraway, which both hold their shape in the dough

• Two thirds cumin, one third fennel.
• A light crush, not a fine powder, for rubs.
• Grind fine for a curry base.

Coriander seed is soft and grinds easily. Its substitutes are harder, especially cumin, so grind them a little longer to reach the same fine powder.

Should you toast the substitute first?

Toast any whole seed going into a cooked dish, since a short dry toast brings out the oils and rounds the flavor.

1. Warm the pan gentlyUse a dry, heavy pan over medium heat, since strong heat scorches seeds before they warm through
2. Add one layer of seedsCrowded seeds heat unevenly
3. Shake the panKeep them moving for one to two minutes
4. Stop at the smellTake them off as soon as they smell nutty and darken slightly
5. Cool before grindingWarm seeds clump in the grinder

• Raw: pale and quiet.
• Ready: golden and fragrant.
• Too far: dark and bitter.

Toasting whole seeds is worth the two minutes whenever the substitute is cumin, since toasted cumin comes much closer to coriander's warmth. Fennel toasts faster than cumin, so add it a few seconds after.

What about the citrus note?

Add it back separately, since none of the warm seed substitutes has coriander's lemony lift.

A little grated lemon or orange zest at the end of cooking does the most. Sumac adds a tart, lemony note to dry rubs and grain dishes. Ground sumac needs no cooking at all.

A pinch of ground cardamom brings a floral note close to coriander's. Use it sparingly, since cardamom turns perfumed quickly.

What does each cuisine pair with coriander?

Different spices in each kitchen. The best swap borrows from what is already in the dish.

Indian cooking uses coriander more than any other kitchen. It often goes in at equal amounts with cumin. Garam masala already carries both, which is why it slips in so easily, and most curry powder does too.

Which blends already contain coriander?

More than most people expect, and checking a blend you already own can save you adding a substitute at all.

• Garam masalaAlmost always, usually alongside cumin, cardamom and cinnamon
• Curry powderAlmost always, often as one of the largest ingredients
• Pickling spiceUsually, as whole seeds among the mustard and allspice
• BaharatOften, as part of its savory base
• BerbereOften, in a small amount behind the chile
• Ras el hanoutUsually, among a long list of warm spices

If the recipe already calls for one of these blends, you can often leave the coriander out. The blend covers most of what it would have added.

What if the curry turns dark and muddy?

Cumin is the usual cause when a coriander swap tastes heavy, and extra lentils, stock or vegetables dilute it.

• Dark and muddyToo much cumin, and a squeeze of lemon plus more base brightens it
• Sweet and anise-likeToo much fennel, which suits sausage better than curry
• PerfumedToo much cardamom, fixed by dilution
• Too sourToo much sumac, fixed with a pinch of sugar or more base
• FlatThe citrus lift is missing, and lemon zest at the end brings it back

Lemon is the most useful single fix for coriander swaps. It replaces the brightness that every warm substitute lacks, and it works in almost any dish.

For the spice most often paired with coriander, the cumin substitutes cover the reverse question.