Have you begun cooking a new recipe, only to discover that you don’t have one of the ingredients at home? If that ingredient happens to be ground cloves, look no further. You have come to the right place.
To save yourself making an unnecessary trip to the closest grocery store, check out our 6 substitutes that can be used in the place of ground cloves. Hopefully you will have, at least, one of these ingredients at home that you can use in your recipe instead.
So, let’s get into it. Here are 6 ways that you can substitute ground cloves.
What Are Ground Cloves?
The shriveled buds of the clove tree are the source of the spice known as cloves. They are frequently incorporated in Indian and Asian cooking and have a powerful, spicy flavor. Due to their alleged health advantages, they are also utilized in conventional treatment.
Cloves are accessible as an oil, and may be employed whole or crushed. People regularly use full cloves in recipes and ground cloves in spice blends to add richness and flavor to a variety of foods.
The dehydrated, powdered buds of the clove plant are used to make ground cloves. They are utilized in both sweet and spicy cuisines and have a powerful, pungent flavor. Most grocery retailers carry them in powder form, and they are readily available.
You can make ground cloves by taking an entire clove and simply grinding it up with a mortal and pestle. If the clove is too large, you could use a coffee grinder instead.
The Purpose Of Ground Cloves
Ground cloves are frequently used to flavor meals like Indian biryani, festive meat, pumpkin pie-flavored beverages, and sweets. There are numerous sweet and savory dishes that call for ground cloves.
This spice is well-known for its various health advantages, in addition to the fact that it makes excellent additions to many recipes. The spice clove is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The immune system is boosted, the inflammatory response is reduced, and metabolism is aided by the use of cloves, and this evidence has been supported through ancient Chinese and Ayurveda medicine.
Cloves have traditionally been utilized in traditional home treatments for toothache discomfort. Cloves’ flavoring compound, eugenol, also acts as a painkiller and anti-inflammatory.
So, the next occasion you’re in a drug store’s dental care section, search for clove oil or oil of cloves. You should be aware that this spice can be hazardous for kids, so preserve any clove oil from out of their grasp and only apply weakened, child-safe remedies to kids.
Cloves should be kept in a sealed container when not in use, preferably in a refrigerated, darkened location. Ground cloves do not stay fresh as long as whole cloves, so you will need to replace them more frequently.
Ground cloves remain fresh for around 3 months, compared to entire cloves that last for nearly a year.
6 Alternative Ingredients That Can be Used To Replace Ground Cloves
Now that you are aware of the many benefits of ground cloves, you may be wondering what spices and ingredients can be used to replace it in your own recipes. Below, we have listed 6 alternative spices that can be used in the place of ground cloves.
While none of these spices will taste exactly like ground cloves, they all do a pretty great job at being a replacement. If used correctly, you and your guests may not even be able to taste the difference!
So, with that, let’s get into it. It’s time for you to take a look through each of these 6 spices, and decide which one you would like to use as a replacement.
1. Cardamom
Given its high cost, cardamom might not be as well recognized as other spices, but it is a wonderful spice that you ought to absolutely get to know. It is indigenous to India, has a long history of usage in Ayurveda medicine, and has a strong antitoxin content.
This pleasant cooking spice has a distinct flavor that is guaranteed to delight and makes a stunning complement to both sweet and spicy dishes. It can also make a fantastic substitution for ground cloves.
Cardamom can be used in place of ground cloves 1:1, although it tastes best when coupled with cinnamon or nutmeg. For a substitution for 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, we suggest using 12 tsp for each one of cinnamon and cardamom, or cardamom with nutmeg.
2.Nutmeg
The comforting and toasty aromas of nutmeg are undoubtedly recognizable to most individuals. It can be used for sickness, including the common cold, and respiratory issues, but it works best when warming winter foods. Strangely, it is also regarded as an aphrodisiac.
Another warming spice that has a flavor most similar to ground cloves is nutmeg. The flavor has a nuttiness and is quite sweet. Any recipe that calls for ground cloves, such as those for pies, beverages, casseroles, broths, condiments, and curries, can utilize it.
For ground clove, nutmeg can be used in a 1:1 substitution. If you don’t have enough ground cloves on your spice rack, you should definitely think about using this great alternative option.
3.Pumpkin Spice Mix
Did you know that there is no pumpkin in Pumpkin pie spice? It’s actually a spice mixture that can be produced at home with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
Pumpkin pie spice is capable of being utilized in a variety of sweet and savory recipes, despite the reality that numerous individuals assume it is restricted to use in pumpkin pies.
The strong flavor of this mixture makes it ideal for any dish that asks for ground cloves. This is adaptable enough to be added to doughnuts, ice tea, curries, or lamb stews.
All you have to do is swap ground cloves with pumpkin pie spice in a 1:1 ratio. While the flavor won’t be exactly the same, this is a fairly good substitute to use in a ground clove recipe.
4.Ground Mace
Given that it belongs to the nutmeg family, mace is a pretty intriguing spice. The nutmeg seed’s surface layer or shell, which is processed and either whole or ground, is what makes up the ground mace which we employ in our cuisines.
Since the nutmeg fruit is a stone fruit, the true mace coating is coiled around the pit and seems to be the kernel in its entirety. As it is dried, it transforms into a wonderful spice with flavors reminiscent of cinnamon and pepper and somewhat milder than nutmeg.
Any dish, whether sweet or savory, can use ground mace in a 1:1 ratio to replace ground cloves. For those seeking a ground spice replacement, mace is an excellent choice.
5. Allspice
Many people are familiar with allspice in association with cloves in spiced foods because it is frequently used in various meals. It is a flexible spice that may be directly included into homemade sauces or dusted on top of oatmeal in the mornings.
This spice has aromas evocative of a blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and is produced from the shriveled berries of a tropical tree.
Allspice is a real treat for your taste receptors, enhancing the flavor of every dish by adding depth and the full culinary experience, whether it be puréed fruit or baked pies.
As a 1:1 swap for ground clove, use allspice. Although ground allspice can be used in place of ground cloves since it can be weighed evenly, whole allspice is also acceptable.
6. Cinnamon
The homely and inviting flavors of cinnamon are certainly known to you if you’ve ever prepared any kind of baked dessert.
Yet another adaptable spice is ground cinnamon, which works well in a variety of foods including beverages, stews, rice, traditional meat servings, and smoothies.
Both cinnamon and cloves are often used in cooking since they give savory meals a flavorful kick while also giving desserts a warming, inviting flavor. Since cinnamon is frequently a mainstay in every chef’s kitchen, it makes for a fantastic substitution for ground cloves.
In most cases, cinnamon can be used in a 1:1 substitute for ground clove. But, as cinnamon has a much stronger flavor than ground cloves, you might want to use less of it if you are not a big fan of spices.
Final Thoughts
So, there we have it. From this point forward, you will no longer need to panic the second that you realize that you have run out of cloves. Instead, you can use some cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ground mace, allspice, or even some pumpkin spice mix!
While none of these replacement spices will taste exactly like ground cloves, they will do a pretty good job at replacing the flavor in whichever recipe you are making.
Give them a try, and find out which one of these spices works the best as a ground clove replacement for you and your own recipes.
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
Here at ButterandSaltGatherings, I want to offer a wide range of ingredients, flavors, meals and recipes so that you can start living each day to the fullest, and enjoy only the best food.
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