Herbs and spices are the foot soldiers of any recipe. That's why you should never forget to include them in your recipe. However, some herbs and spices are relatively difficult to find, if not expensive.
So, what will you do if the recipe calls for saffron but you don't want to spend too much on spices?
Well, consult us, of course. Did you know there are other options besides turmeric? We'll find you the best substitute for saffron in cooking and save you a few bucks!
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Understanding Saffron
Here's one question that left countless home chefs and restaurant owners scratching their heads: Why does a gram of spice have to be so expensive?
To answer that, we need to learn about saffron and the sweet and savory dishes where we often use it.
What is Saffron?
Saffron is a crimson-colored spice that comes from Crocus sativus flowers, otherwise known as the saffron crocus.
It's most commonly found in Eurasian countries like Greece, Iran, Morocco, and India (which is also why it's a common ingredient in Indian cuisine).
To make a saffron spice, you need to harvest the "threads" of the flower and dry it. However, each flower only grows around three threads.
In other words, you will need dozens, if not hundreds, of saffron flowers to make one gram of saffron spice.
This is the main reason why it's an expensive spice.
Where Do We Use Saffron?
Saffron has a distinctive flavor that makes it difficult to replace in dozens of recipes. While it's a more common ingredient in rice dishes, you will also find saffron in pasta, soup, and stew recipes.
Aside from the slightly sweet and earthy flavor profile, saffron is also a popular food coloring because of its bright yellow color.
As such, certain fragrances and textiles also use saffron as a natural dye.
So, what other options do you have apart from this spice? What ingredients will provide you with the same taste and signature yellow color?
Let's find the best saffron substitute below.
The Best Substitute for Saffron in Cooking
Are saffron threads really irreplaceable? Let me begin by saying it would be extremely difficult to find a spice with an exact flavor match as saffron.
Nonetheless, while saffron is indeed unique, there are several substitutes that will add flavor and color to your food.
Here are some of the best alternatives I found.
1. Turmeric and Paprika
Turmeric and paprika are the most efficient spices to replace saffron in a recipe. They add two important things to your dish; saffron's flavor and color.
While saffron is crimson, it gives an orange-yellow color once you add it to your dish. Turmeric provides the same golden color with earthy flavor undertones.
However, the flavor profile of turmeric does not match that of saffron taste, so you need to add paprika to enhance its earthy undertones.
Around ¼ teaspoon of paprika and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric is equivalent to ½ teaspoon of saffron.
Best for: Turmeric and paprika make a fantastic substitute for saffron in paella, risotto, and spiced rice dishes.
2. Turmeric Powder
If you don't have paprika at home, the subtle flavor of turmeric powder will give your food more depth.
However, you wouldn't get the sweet and slightly bitter taste of saffron since spices from the turmeric plant are mostly earthy flavor.
Nonetheless, you get the yellow food coloring of saffron, making it a great substitute if you're in a pinch.
Use 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder for every teaspoon of saffron in the recipe.
Best for: Turmeric powder makes a great substitute for saffron in risotto, rice pilafs, and seafood stews.
Try it on this Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks recipe.
3. Sweet Paprika
If you can use turmeric alone as a saffron substitute, the same applies to paprika. In fact, sweet paprika is perhaps the better alternative because it's more accessible.
Instead of the earthy undertones, paprika provides a smoky flavor to your dish with a hint of spice since it comes from red chili pepper.
However, it doesn't provide the signature yellow color of saffron. Instead, sweet paprika gives your dish a reddish hue.
Remember that the flavor profile of paprika is considerably far from saffron, but it's still an excellent substitute to spice up your meals.
Use sweet paprika in a 1:1 ratio, then add more if you want a stronger spice.
Best for: Sweet paprika makes a good stand in for saffron in paella, roasted vegetables, and rice-based stews.
Here's an Air Fryer Rotisserie Style Chicken recipe with paprika you should try.
4. Cardamom
Cardamom is known as the Queen of Spices (hint: carda"mom"). It's a popular seasoning in countless sweet and savory dishes from different cuisines.
Its herbal, spicy, and citrusy flavor are the closest things it has to saffron. Although not as bright as real saffron, cardamom provides a mild yellow color to your dish.
Because of this, cardamom became a popular saffron substitute in various recipes. They usually come in seeds, so you'd have to grind them before using them in a recipe.
Around ½ teaspoon of cardamom is equivalent to one teaspoon of saffron.
Best for: Cardamom works well as a substitute for saffron in rice puddings, spiced teas, and Middle Eastern rice dishes.
5. Curry Powder
Curry powder does not come from just one plant. It's a mixture of several spices, including coriander, chili pepper, cumin, and turmeric.
Because of this, it has one of the most diverse flavor profiles in the world of mixed spices. Its unique flavor and slightly golden flavor make it an excellent saffron substitute.
Furthermore, curry powder is significantly more affordable than saffron threads. You can get one pound of curry powder for the price you pay for one gram of saffron, if not cheaper.
However, remember that curry powder has a stronger flavor profile, so you may want to go easy on it when replacing saffron.
Best for: Curry powder can work as a swap for saffron in recipes like rice pilafs, seafood stews, and vegetable biryanis.
On the other hand, if your recipe calls for curry powder instead of saffron, here are some Curry Powder Substitutes you can try.
6. Annatto Seeds
Annatto seeds come from the achiote tree. Its slightly sweet flavor combined with hints of pepper and musky undertones gives you a delicious flavor close to saffron.
Annatto seeds have high levels of vitamins C and A, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These can help maintain the overall health of your hair, skin, and eyes.
However, annatto is usually sold as seeds, so you'd have to grind them before using them as a DIY saffron substitute.
You can use ground annatto seeds in a 1:1 ratio. Increase the proportions if the flavor or color isn't strong enough.
Best for: Annatto seeds make a great replacement for saffron in rice dishes, stews, and roasted meats.
Also read: The Adobo Sauce Substitute List You Can Trust
7. Cumin
Cumin is an essential ingredient in curry powders, but it also works as an excellent saffron substitute on its own.
It's a popular spice in Italian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern cuisine and adds a unique earthy flavor to your dish, similar to that of saffron.
However, cumin has a strong bitter taste, so we highly advise adding a pinch of sugar to this condiment when using it as a substitute.
Additionally, cumin is significantly more pungent in taste and smell, so don't use it in a 1:1 ratio to replace saffron.
Instead, use ⅔ teaspoon of cumin for every teaspoon of saffron in the recipe (and don't forget to add sugar).
Best for: Cumin works as a saffron substitute in rice pilafs, casseroles, stews, and spiced vegetable dishes.
Cumin, along with other spices, is also an excellent substitute for chili paste.
8. Safflower
Despite the slight similarity in spelling, safflower, and saffron are very different. Nonetheless, it has earned the nickname "poor man's saffron" because of its affordability and color.
Safflower is mostly sold in oil form, but several manufacturers dry the herb and sell it as a spice ingredient.
It's a close relative of daisies and adds a yellow color to your dish. While both saffron and safflower have mild flavors, they taste differently.
Safflower has a strong floral flavor and smells of chocolate, albeit a bit smokey. You can substitute saffron with safflower in a 1:1 ratio.
Best for: Safflower makes a great substitute for saffron in rice dishes, soups, and baked goods.
9. Marigold Flowers (or Spice)
Since saffron is a flower, it's not surprising to find several substitutes that also come from flowers, which brings us to marigold flowers.
It's a close relative of sunflowers and provides a yellow color to your recipe. It contains tremendous amounts of vitamins and antioxidants that boost the immune system.
Unfortunately, marigold spice is quite rare, and you probably won't find one in your local grocery store. Nonetheless, marigold flowers are very accessible.
You can use marigold flowers to make spices by plucking the petals and letting them dry under the sun.
After drying, use a blender or a food processor to make ground marigold flowers. Add a few spices into the mix and use as saffron substitute in a 1:1 ratio.
Best for: Marigold flowers (or marigold spice) make a great substitute for saffron and works well in rice dishes, soups, and baked goods.
10. Calendula
Our last flower substitute for saffron on this list is calendula. They earned the nickname "pot marigolds" because of their similarities in appearance.
It's not always among the most popular saffron substitute options, but its spicy flavor and yellow color prove it's earned its spot on this list.
Calendula as a seasoning is also quite difficult to find. Nonetheless, you can dry fresh calendula petals under the sun and grind them to use as a substitute.
Similar to marigold flowers, calendula can replace saffron in a 1:1 ratio.
Best for: Calendula can stand in for saffron because in rice dishes, soups, and egg salad.
11. Food Coloring
If you're using saffron mainly for its signature yellow color, then food coloring will do just fine.
It's not a "substitute" per se because it's flavorless, but you can use it in conjunction with other substitutes that provide the right flavor without the saffron color.
Sweet paprika or annatto powder is slightly yellow, so adding two drops of yellow food coloring will suffice.
On the other hand, using cardamom or cumin might need a drop of yellow and another drop of red food coloring.
Remember that the only purpose of using food coloring in various dishes is to make them more appetizing.
Tips When Using Saffron Substitutes
Finding the best saffron substitute can be tricky because of its unique flavor. However, this doesn't mean you can't add depth to your dish.
Consider the following tips when finding a replacement for saffron.
What's the purpose of saffron in your recipe?
One of the most important things you need to consider is the purpose of saffron in your recipe. Is it for the color? The earthy flavor? The spice? The bitterness? Or the floral notes?
Answering these questions should help you determine the best saffron substitute in a certain recipe and maybe even tell you what other spices you can add to the mix to get the right flavor.
The timing of adding these spices and dried herbs is also important. If you're using a dried herb saffron substitute, you need to add them at the beginning of the process since they take longer to activate.
Consider the extra flavors
Speaking of flavor, consider the other flavors these saffron substitutes bring to the table.
For instance, cumin has the same earthy taste as saffron but adds a distinct bitter flavor to your dish.
Ask yourself. Does your dish have room for bitterness, or are you better off with a different substitute?
Go for affordable but high-quality
One of the main reasons why we want to find a replacement for saffron is its price tag. Twenty dollars per gram is just too expensive for a meal.
Ergo, you may want to go for affordable saffron substitutes that are also of high quality. Curry powder, for instance, is one of the best money-savers when it comes to spices.
Start small
Don't use all substitutes in a 1:1 ratio. Saffron has a mild flavor, and some substitutes are significantly stronger.
There's nothing wrong with adding a pinch of the substitute, tasting the dish, and determining whether it needs more or not.
This way, you won't waste more ingredients to correct mistakes.
Combine substitutes
Turmeric has a strong earthy taste, while safflower has a more floral flavor. By combining them, you get a substitute that resembles the taste of saffron.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different spices, but research them first since some spices just don't mix.
Check out this Chinese 5 spice substitutes for other blends you may want to try.
Saffron Substitute FAQs
Turmeric is the most widely-used substitute for saffron, but I believe turmeric and sweet or smoked paprika lend a flavor closer to the real thing.
There's a reason why safflower is called the "poor man's saffron." It's relatively cheap, and you can even make one at home.
However, if we're talking about flavor, turmeric has a more similar flavor to saffron than sunflower, and it costs around $2 to $5 per kilo, a stark contrast to saffron's $20 per gram.
You will need to manually harvest around 75,000 flowers to make a pound of saffron. Take note of "manually."
You can't use heavy machinery to harvest the stigmas because of how delicate they are. Moreover, saffron is a seasonal plant that only blooms from October to November.
This rarity, combined with intensive labor, is the main contributor to its global prices.
Finding the Perfect Substitute for Saffron in Cooking
Saffron earned the moniker "The World's Most Legendary Spice" for several reasons. As such, finding a substitute is extremely difficult.
Nonetheless, the substitutes above should be valuable in adding depth and flavor to your recipe.
To learn more about the best substitutes for the rarest and most commonly used ingredients in countless recipes, visit Also The Crumbs, Please.
I'll ensure no recipe prevents you from improving your kitchen skills.
Recipe
Saffron Substitute
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Combine ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder and ¼ teaspoon of paprika on a small plate.
- Use the combined spices for every ½ teaspoon of saffron in the recipe.
- Adjust the proportions according to your desired taste.
Notes
You can find the video in the post above. If you don't see a video, please check your browser settings.
Shaun Stallings
Dang. That was a much more in-depth analysis then I was expecting. Highly informative and interesting. You made me actually want to cook something