The 18 Best Ingredients To Substitute For Coriander

Coriander is a common enough ingredient in spice cabinets across the United States, but it's not one of the more frequently reached for, which means you may not notice if you've run out or don't have it. Luckily, if that happens, there are coriander substitute options for which you can reach instead.

First, though, it's important to understand that while there is a difference between coriander and cilantro, it's not as great as you might think: They both come from the same plant. Thus, while "coriander" is another term for cilantro in some parts of the world, such as Britain, that's not the case in America, where the word applies strictly to the spice that comes from ground cilantro seeds. Therefore, you can't simply throw chopped cilantro into a recipe instead of ground coriander. You should also note if using a recipe from Britain or Australia, that coriander may refer to the fresh leaves, so it's helpful to know what you can substitute for them as well.

Another reason to substitute for coriander, especially the fresh leaves, is that some people loathe cilantro. It's not uncommon, either. Well-known chefs like Julia Child and Ina Garten famously hated cilantro. Why? Because a subset of the human species contains a gene that allows them to essentially supertaste the aldehydes in cilantro, which have a strongly soapy flavor. Can't blame them for not liking it, really. So, whether you are in the detergent-detecting minority or simply ran out of coriander or cilantro, here are the best ways to make up for it in your next recipe.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is the coriander substitute that is listed first by most sources, so it should be your go-to as well. You can either use the ground powder on your spice rack or, if you like a fresher result (or if your recipe calls for whole or fresh-ground seeds), you can stock Simply Organic Ground Cumin Seed for when you might need it.

While it has a slightly different flavor profile than coriander, cumin provides the same floral, earthy notes with a tinge of citrus. You don't want to substitute 1-to-1 at the outset, however. To be clear, you can use this ratio, and if you like cumin, it's not a bad idea. Cumin is also stronger than coriander, so you may want to start off with less and see how you like it. From there, you can adjust to taste. It may work better as a substitute in some cuisines than others — for instance, it's already common in Middle Eastern cooking.

Caraway (Carum carvi) is another compelling coriander substitute. This is especially true if the recipe calls for seeds in bread or other savory dishes, as it also provides those floral, citrusy, and zesty overtones. Again, though, you'll have to modify your approach to account for the differences in flavor, since caraway has both a sweet and bittersweet taste that doesn't mimic coriander's perfectly. You should be especially wary of the hint of licorice, which can be off-putting in some dishes.

As far as a coriander substitute goes, this is a pretty good one. Like cumin, caraway is a good one to keep on hand. If you like your spices fresh, then grab a jar of The Spice Way Caraway Seeds or a similar product and keep it in a dark cupboard, away from light and heat. This will lead to the longest-lasting flavor.

Another coriander substitute that has an anise bent, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is related to carrots and cumin used in many ways. Its bulb is often sliced and sauteed for use in sauces or baked dishes, or used raw in salads. Its fronds serve as a common garnish on many types of food, where their bright and beautiful foliage mimics dill. If you allow them to bolt, they produce seeds.

These seeds share a flavor profile with coriander: earthy with a hint of citrus. Like caraway, though, fennel has a licorice flavor of which you must beware, so it will not work in all dishes. Either way, don't use a 1-to-1 ratio. The proper substitution amount is 2-to-1 coriander to fennel. Keeping a jar of seeds on hand, such as Amazon Brand Happy Belly Fennel Seeds, might not be a bad idea.

If you have a string of coriander substitute options on hand, combining them can help you steer clear of the pitfalls of using just one and distorting the intended flavor of your dish too much. Mix several together, and you get a nice substitute, especially as they go well with one another—all having similar if not exact floral, citrusy, earthy, and warm notes.

While spice blends also work, and will be discussed shortly, you can make your own spice blend by combining two of the cumin, caraway, and fennel options, or mixing all three together. Just make sure when you blend them that the resulting mixture is of the right ratio. To be safe, start with 2-to-1 (as you would with fennel, for instance) and level up from there.

Coriander is a key spice in Indian dishes, and therefore you will find it in many spice blends from the subcontinent. Garam masala is one such spice blend that you can use as a coriander substitute. (Fun fact: masala essentially means "spice blend," so if you see it, you can assume it is an ingredient composed of many ingredients.) This is mainly because coriander is an ingredient in garam masala, which means you may be able to capture some of that flavor by using it, so long as the recipe can accommodate the other notes.

Specifically, the ingredients in a traditional garam masala such as Rani Garam Masala Indian 11-Spice Blend include cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, ginger, mace, green cardamom, black cardamom, nutmeg, and bay leaves, along with the necessary dose of coriander.

Like garam masala, curry powder is a blend of different ingredients that works well as a coriander substitute. Ever wonder what curry powder is made of? Turns out, coriander, among other things, such as fenugreek, turmeric, ginger, and chilis. Therefore, using it in your dish will bring hints of citrus and warmth that are reminiscent of coriander.

That said, if you're only buying curry to replace coriander, caveat emptor: The flavors are not super similar. If you want a blend to keep on hand at all times, Simply Organic Curry Powder is a good one, but make sure while you're spice shopping to pick up coriander at the same time. Because curry powder has so much else going on and is such a bright mustardy color, it's a last resort, to be used only if you have nothing else. Depending on the recipe, you may opt to skip it entirely if it would change the taste or texture too much (e.g., if it's going in a broth or brine that should remain clear, as curry will most definitely cloud it).

If you're looking for underrated spice blends, then dukkah is a coriander substitute to consider. It has been described as the roughly crushed spice blend you'd find on an everything bagel, but with a Middle Eastern twist. It has a heady scent and, also like everything bagel seasoning, a nice crunch to it.

Plus, with coriander among its ingredients — with nuts, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and sesame comprising the rest — you'll get a decent replacement for coriander. However, keep in mind that this spice blend is supposed to be toothy, so it's meant for sprinkling on things, such as dip or veggies. If you want something nice and smooth, you can try grinding it more finely, but it may not substitute that well for coriander as a base flavoring.

Originating in North Africa, tabil is a unique spice mix that combines many of the common coriander substitutes (fennel, caraway, cumin) along with coriander itself into a fragrant blend. Do note that some recipes avoid the fennel, so if you're buying a spice blend and don't like the licorice flavor, you might want to look for one that leaves it out.

Moreover, you will have to make the call on whether it's a good idea to use it, as it also has other strong flavors such as rose, clove, and turmeric. In a dish that's meant to be strongly spiced, such as one from the same region of the world, it will probably work as a coriander substitute. In more delicate foods or in a dish where coriander is a hero flavor, it may not work as well.

In the same vein as curry powder and garam masala, kadai masala is a coriander substitute that hails from India and may give you the flavor boost you need if you're lacking the seed itself. Because it is heavy on the coriander, it's a good option for any recipe that plays well with its other ingredients: chilies, cloves, and cardamom. It is often used to make curried dishes, as well as those that lean on mushrooms, tofu, veggies, or cheese (the traditional Indian choice being paneer).

Also, unlike some spice blends, kadai masala really does emphasize the coriander. A standard recipe calls for ¼ cup of coriander seeds to five chilies of various kinds, a hefty dose of cinnamon, eight cloves, 10 cardamom pods, and a bit of cumin and peppercorn.

Another obvious coriander substitute is simply to swap out ground seeds in favor of whole ones, or vice versa. This is a little easier when the recipe calls for ground and you have whole, because you can powder them yourself in a blender or spice grinder, or the classic mortar and pestle. If you need whole and only have ground, well, that will depend on the recipe and your taste.

Either way, you can rely on a simple ratio: ¾ teaspoons of ground coriander equals a teaspoon of seeds. Just note that you shouldn't use ground coriander in a clear broth or brine instead of seeds, as it will affect the color and clarity. In that case, try to use whole cumin, caraway, or fennel instead.

Replacing fresh coriander — in America, simply referred to as cilantro — with other fresh herbs is also fairly straightforward, but you have to know the best options. Prime among these is parsley (Petroselinum crispum), a bright and aromatic addition to many recipes across the world, from starches to salads, stews to omelets.

As a coriander substitute, the one thing parsley lacks is citrus. So, if you're going to use it in place of cilantro, it's a good idea to incorporate a few squeezes of lemon or lime into the dish as well. Regarding amounts, experts recommend that you simply add as much as you like. When using it as a garnish, you can sub it out pretty equally to get the same amount of vibrant green visual appeal.

Everyone knows that basil (Ocimum basilicum) offers a bright, warm, zesty, peppery flavor to a dish. As such, it's a decent substitute for cilantro's floral, citrusy flavor angle. If you're out of cilantro as a finishing touch on your dish, you can consider basil instead, though it may not work as well as a coriander substitute in some cuisines, such as Mexican. Plus, basil is a bit sweeter than coriander, though you can make it spicy by using Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora) instead. Thai basil is an especially good cilantro substitute in Asian cooking, where both herbs are used frequently.

While the common ratio for substituting fresh herbs for dried is 3-to-1, the ratio is 1-to-1 when substituting fresh for fresh, unless otherwise specified by your recipe. Most likely this is because you often use fresh herbs to taste when they go on as a garnish.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a feathery coriander substitute that has been used in cooking since ancient times, first cropping up in Babylonian gardens around 3,000 B.C., at least according to known records. Today, dill is popular in everything from soup to egg salad, drinks to desserts.

As a coriander substitute, dill is not exact. It is, like cilantro, bright and zingy with a pop of green that works well as a garnish. However, it is stronger in flavor and has that anise flavor that may not go well with everything. Start with a 2-to-1 cilantro-to-dill ratio and go from there, letting your taste buds guide you as to whether you need more. Keep in mind that dill is only good for cold dishes, as its strong flavor quickly gets lost when heated.

Another coriander substitute that probably doesn't feel intuitive at all? Celery (Apium graveolens) leaves. While many folks (this writer included) traditionally throw celery leaves in along with onions, carrots, and celery stalks when making a sofrito, they are less commonly applied as a fresh garnish. That's a shame, though, because they bring lots of bright, herby flavor to the table.

However, celery leaves are more bitter compared to cilantro, so you'll have to use them in dishes accordingly. While that's a good thing for those who can detect cilantro's soapy flavor, it's not necessarily a value-added for others. Shoot for a small amount when first substituting celery for cilantro, then taste and go from there. Otherwise, you may be overwhelmed by the bittersweet grassiness.

If it sometimes seems like most of the substitutes for cilantro have a bit of licorice flavor to them, well, you're not wrong. Certainly, tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) does, with a light licorice flavor that is definitely detectable when fresh. On the plus side, it really is subtle, with a bit of citrusy spice that mimics cilantro well. It also has a bit of that grassiness that fresh herbs add to dishes, making it an even more convincing mimic.

As with any coriander substitute, whether it substitutes for cilantro well will depend on the recipe. Because cilantro has such a complex taste, some cooks recommend combining fresh herbs to imitate it (just as you combine various seeds to imitate dried coriander). Along with tarragon, you can try parsley, basil, dill, and oregano chopped up and mixed together. Because it is mild and the experts don't specify substitution amounts, you should use it to taste.

As a coriander substitute, chives (Allium schoenoprasum) admittedly leave something to be desired. Though they are much milder than onions, they are part of the same family, which means they carry that same pungent onion flavor. However, they have a lot of benefits when you need something to stand in cilantro's stead.

For one thing, they're bright green, so chopped chives do stand out nicely as a garnish. For another, they bring a bright flavor to a dish, though they're lacking that citrus tang. If you want to mimic cilantro more closely, consider adding some lemon or lime juice to your recipe. Either way, you can swap in chives for cilantro in a 1-to-1 ratio, where they will look nice and won't be overpowering.

While culantro (Eryngium foetidum) might look almost the same as cilantro, they are most certainly not the same plant. While the leaves of cilantro are rippled and kind of fluffy, growing intermittently on long stems, culantro looks more like lettuce or ramps, with thick and fleshier, bright green leaves that terminate at a common base. You won't necessarily find it at your neighborhood grocery store, but you can try an Asian or Latin market if you want to start experimenting.

However, it does work as a coriander substitute. While it is stronger and more pungent, typically used in Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Asian cuisines, it does have hints of citrus and cilantro in it. You can substitute it for cilantro in a 1-to-1 ratio, as long as the culinary profiles of the other ingredients are amenable. Again, though, because culantro is stronger and bitterer than cilantro, you might want to start small when first incorporating it into your cooking.

As a coriander substitute, lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia) is not exact. However, it obviously brings a lot of citrus flavor to any dish in which it is used, taking you halfway to that floral, citrusy taste for which cilantro is known (at least among the non-soap tasters). Because it is liquid, it works best in recipes that already have a lot of liquid going on, such as marinades, salsas, stews, soups, dressings, and sauces. If you want to fully replace that cilantro flavor, though, you'll need to bring in another herbal, grassy flavor, such as parsley.

When substituting for 2-3 tablespoons of cilantro, use 1-2 tablespoons of lime juice. It is stronger and wetter, so beware of going overboard, or you risk overpowering your dish.