The Ultimate Guide to Herb and Spice Substitutions

We've all been there: You're in the final stretch of your holiday cooking extravaganza, and just as you start to whip up your pumpkin pie, you realize you're completely out of ginger. And allspice. (And likely heavy cream and flour too).

Maintaining a complete, fresh, and steady supply of dried herbs and spices is kind of like going to the dentist—it's easy enough to put it off until you're told you have a mouth full of cavities. While we won't argue that an allspice-less pumpkin pie can quite compete with the pain involved in a potential root canal, there is no shortage of stress when it comes to missing ingredients.

Luckily, we can offer several smart baking substitutions. We've also got swaps for evaporated milk, heavy cream, eggs, yeast, brown sugar, buttermilk, and even DIY pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and sour cream.

Herbs and spices are a whole other ball game. Before you find yourself with a half-cooked pan of patatas bravas and no paprika in the house, there are a few simple steps you can take to prevent this from ever happening. First, download our easy checklists to learn which basic spices and gourmet spices to keep in your pantry.

Next, from the geniuses over at The Home Edit, keep your spices well-organized—that way, you can see what you already own and what you need to restock—and consider investing in an affordable spice organization tray. Finally, check your spice's expiration dates. Spices lose flavor and potency over time, and this period is significantly shorter than we'd like. Most seasonings are considered shelf-stable for about three years, but your nutmeg won't taste anything like proper nutmeg in a fraction of that time.

If you still find yourself missing something, here are a few smart substitutions for spices and herbs you can try in a pinch.

Fresh to Dry Conversion for Herbs

If a recipe calls for fresh herbs but yours are either wilted or nonexistent, you can swap in the dried version. But dried herbs tend to have a more concentrated, potent flavor than fresh herbs, so you'll need less. We recommend substituting one-third the amount called for. This means the correct ratio is 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon of dried herbs, as there are 3 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon.

Allspice

If you happen to have whole allspice berries on hand, you can use 6 whole berries in place of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice, and if you're able, remove them before serving. No whole allspice? Blend together equal parts ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Aniseed (Anise Seed)

Swap in fennel seeds in equal amounts, or use a dash of anise extract.

Basil

Use fresh mint (slightly less) or fresh cilantro in place of fresh basil.

Bread Crumbs

Use crushed cracker, cereal crumbs, cornflakes, or croutons in the same ratio.

Cardamom

Swap in dried ginger, following the same ratio.

Chervil

Use tarragon or parsley.

Chili Powder

For 1 teaspoon, use 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1⁄4 teaspoon dried cumin, and a dash of bottled hot sauce.

Chives

Swap in green onions, onion, or leek.

Cilantro

Use fresh flat-leaf parsley in place of fresh cilantro.

Cinnamon

Use nutmeg or allspice, but only 1/4 of the amount called for.

Cloves

Allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg are all suitable substitutions.

Cumin

Swap in chili powder.

Everything Bagel Seasoning

To make your own Everything Bagel Seasoning from scratch, simply mix equal parts sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and kosher salt.

Fennel Seeds

Use a slightly lesser amount of anise seed, along with an added pinch of finely-chopped celery, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or dill.

Garlic Powder

A single garlic clove is equivalent to approximately 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder (FYI, one clove of garlic makes approximately 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic.) You can also substitute around twice as much garlic salt for garlic powder, but be sure to cut back on salt in your recipe accordingly.

Ginger

In a pinch, dried ginger can be replaced with allspice, cinnamon, mace, or nutmeg.

Italian Seasoning

Blend together a combination of equal parts basil, oregano, and rosemary, then add a pinch of ground red pepper.

Kosher Salt

Use fine table salt, substituting 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 the amount called for.

Mace

Use allspice, cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg instead.

Marjoram

Basil, thyme, or savory will work.

Mint

Here, try a bit of basil, marjoram, or rosemary instead.

Nutmeg

Swap in cinnamon, ginger, or mace. If it's a sweet recipe, you can also try allspice.

Oregano

Thyme or basil should do the trick.

Paprika

Your best bet is ancho chili powder, but cayenne powder will also work (just keep in mind that cayenne is a lot spicier than paprika, so start with a small amount and taste as you go).

Parsley

Chervil or cilantro can serve as adequate replacements.

Poultry Seasoning

For 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning, substitute 3/4 teaspoon sage plus a 1/4 teaspoon blend of either marjoram, thyme, black pepper, rosemary, or savory.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

To make 6 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice, mix 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 4 teaspoons ground ginger, 3 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon ground allspice.

Red Pepper

Add a dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper to your dish.

Rosemary

Thyme, tarragon, or savory can work in place of fresh or dried rosemary.

Saffron

We get it, it's pricey. Use a dash turmeric for a hint of color.

Sage

You can swap in poultry seasoning, rosemary, savory, or marjoram.

Savory

Try either thyme, sage, or marjoram.

Tarragon

Chervil works, as would a dash fennel seed or anise seed.

Thyme

Basil, oregano, marjoram, or savory are your go-tos when you're out of thyme.