Garam Masala: What It Is, How to Use It & How to Make Your Own

What is garam masala?

Garam masala is an aromatic spice blend used throughout Indian and South Asian cooking, particularly in North Indian cuisine. There isn’t one universal recipe. The spices and proportions can vary by region, household, dish, and personal preference.

Common ingredients include coriander seeds, cumin, green cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.

The name roughly translates to “warming spice blend.” Despite the word garam, it isn’t necessarily spicy-hot. Instead, think warm, fragrant, earthy, slightly sweet, and wonderfully complex.

The version I’m sharing here is especially meaningful because the original recipe comes from my friend Prachi Grover of Orange Kitchens, who shared her mother’s garam masala recipe for the Taste Of The Place cookbook. I’ve adapted it slightly by gently toasting the whole spices before grinding them and making a somewhat smaller batch.

Why you’ll love homemade garam masala

• It’s exceptionally fragrant. Toasting and freshly grinding whole spices releases aromas that will make your kitchen smell wonderful, and your food taste exceptional.
• You know exactly what’s in it. No fillers, mystery ingredients, or unnecessary additives.
• One batch lasts for months. A small amount adds plenty of flavor, so this is a useful blend to keep tucked in your spice cabinet.
• It’s incredibly versatile. Use it with vegetables, lentils, beans, rice, meat, soups, stews, and plenty more.

What does garam masala taste like?

Garam masala is warm, aromatic, earthy, and complex rather than simply “spicy.”

The exact flavor depends on the blend. In this recipe, cumin and coriander provide an earthy base, green cardamom adds fragrant floral notes, black pepper and cloves bring pungency and warmth, fennel adds subtle sweetness, black cardamom adds a distinctive layer of smoky flavor, and cinnamon and nutmeg round everything out.

What spices are in garam masala?

While there isn’t one standard spice list for garam masala, many blends contain some combination of coriander seeds, cumin, green cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.

Here is a closer look at the spices in this version:

Cumin seeds

Earthy, warm, and slightly smoky, cumin provides much of the savory foundation of the blend.

Black cardamom

Black cardamom is quite different from its green cousin. One is not a substitute for the other. It has a deep, smoky aroma and flavor that gives this garam masala extra complexity. It can be challenging to find, so if you can’t get it, simply leave it out rather than increasing the green cardamom.

Black peppercorns

Peppercorns add pungency and a gentle bite without turning the finished blend into something overwhelmingly hot.

Green cardamom

Green cardamom is aromatic, floral, and slightly sweet. It’s one of my favorite spices to keep on hand.

Coriander seeds

Coriander brings mild citrusy and floral notes. Coriander is another favorite in my kitchen – I grow and dry my own in my small kitchen garden and grind it as needed.

Fennel seeds

Fennel adds a subtle licorice-like sweetness and aroma.

Cloves

A little clove goes a long way, adding warmth and fragrance.

Bay leaves

Bay contributes a subtle herbal and aromatic background note.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon brings warmth and a gentle sweetness that works beautifully with the cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg.

Ground ginger

Ground ginger adds warmth and a subtle sweetness to the blend.

Ground nutmeg

Nutmeg rounds everything out with one more layer of warmth and complexity.

Want to dig deeper into these ingredients? My Guide to the 15 Most Common Indian Spices is a good place to start.

Is garam masala spicy?

Typically, no, not especially.

Garam masala can contain black pepper or chiles, depending on the recipe, so some blends have more kick than others. But its defining characteristic is aromatic warmth rather than chile heat.

If you’re sensitive to spicy foods, check the ingredient list of a purchased blend. When making your own, it’s up to you how hot you make it.

Garam masala vs. curry powder

Garam masala and curry powder are both spice blends, but they aren’t the same thing.

Garam masala tends to focus on warm, aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander, and pepper. It usually does not contain turmeric.

The familiar yellow curry powder commonly sold in U.S. supermarkets typically contains turmeric along with spices such as coriander, cumin, and fenugreek. Its flavor and history are quite different from garam masala.

Garam masala is also frequently added later in the cooking process to preserve its fragrant aroma, although how it is used varies from recipe to recipe.

Want the full comparison? Head over to Curry Powder vs. Garam Masala: What’s the Difference?.

How to make garam masala

Making homemade garam masala is essentially a three-step process.

1. Gently toast the whole spices

Place the whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir constantly until they become noticeably fragrant. Don’t wander away from the stove here. Spices can go from beautifully toasted to burned and bitter surprisingly fast.

2. Let them cool and grind

Transfer the toasted spices to a plate or bowl and allow them to cool before grinding. Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. You may need to break the cinnamon into smaller pieces first, depending on your grinder.

3. Add the ground spices

Stir in the ground ginger and freshly grated nutmeg.

That’s it. Your homemade garam masala is ready to add to your tasty creations!

Tips for making the best homemade garam masala

Start with fresh spices

The finished blend can only be as flavorful as the spices you start with. If that jar of cumin seeds has been hiding in the back of your pantry since who-knows-when, maybe give it a toss and start with fresh.

Toast gently

You want the spices fragrant, not scorched. Medium or even medium-low heat is safer than trying to rush the process.

Let the spices cool before grinding

After toasting, give them a few minutes to cool. This makes them easier to handle.

A spice grinder makes fast work of things

You certainly can use a mortar and pestle, but this is a fairly substantial batch with several hard spices. A dedicated electric spice grinder makes quick work of it. If you regularly cook with whole spices, it’s one of those inexpensive kitchen tools worth having on hand.

Make it your own

There is no single definitive garam masala formula. Think of this recipe as Prachi’s family’s version rather than the only version. Once you’re familiar with it, you may discover that you prefer a little more cumin, less clove, or a different balance altogether. Experiment and have fun!

How to use garam masala

Garam masala has a lot of flavor, so a little goes a long way.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Stir a small amount into curries, lentils, beans, soups, or stews.
• Sprinkle it over roasted vegetables.
• Add a pinch to rice dishes.
• Mix it into yogurt for a quick, savory sauce or dip.
• Use it in marinades for chicken, lamb, or vegetables.

What can I substitute for garam masala?

In a pinch, you can use curry powder, although the flavor profile will be slightly different. For a very simple emergency substitute, combine roughly 4 parts ground cumin with 1 part ground allspice. It won’t reproduce the complexity of a full garam masala, but it can provide some of the same warm, earthy character.

How to store homemade garam masala

Transfer the finished spice blend to a clean, dry, airtight container and store it somewhere cool and dark. Avoid storing any spices directly above the stove, where heat and moisture can shorten their usefulness.

When properly stored, your garam masala should remain very flavorful for several months. Over time, the aroma and flavor will fade. For the best flavor, blend enough to last you for a few months and use it while it is still wonderfully fragrant.

Frequently asked questions

Does garam masala contain turmeric?

Usually not. Garam masala recipes vary widely, so individual blends can differ, but turmeric is more strongly associated with many curry powder blends.

When should I add garam masala while cooking?

It is often added toward the end of cooking so its aromatic flavors remain noticeable, but there is no absolute rule. Follow the individual recipe you’re making.

Can I use curry powder instead of garam masala?

You can in a pinch, but they don’t taste the same. Curry powder often contains turmeric and has a different flavor profile. Start with a small amount if substituting, then add more if needed.

Is garam masala the same everywhere in India?

No. Recipes vary considerably between regions, families, cooks, and even dishes. That’s why two jars labeled garam masala can taste surprisingly different.

Do I have to toast the spices?

No, but I do recommend it. Gentle toasting releases the aromas of the whole spices and gives the finished blend a deeper fragrance.

What if I can’t find black cardamom?

Simply leave it out. Black cardamom has a smoky flavor that green cardamom does not, so adding extra green cardamom isn’t a direct substitute.

Ready to explore more Indian spices?

If this recipe has inspired you to poke around the spice cabinet, explore my Guide to the 15 Most Common Indian Spices next. And if you would like to learn more about curry powder, I’ve also put together guides for Curry Powder vs. Garam Masala and What Is Curry Powder?

Other resources

I’ve been on a journey to learn more about Indian food recently by enrolling in an online cooking class through BBC Maestro. The course not only covers how to make and use garam masala but includes highly instructive videos on a whole range of Indian recipes from onion bhaji to mango lassi. If you are interested in learning more yourself, hop over to the BBC Maestro Modern Indian Cooking course and check it out!