These fragrant seeds are a treat for your mouth, nose, and overall health. Because of its versatility, adding it to your recipe would improve the overall flavor of the food.
If you run out of nigella seeds, what then? Do you have any knowledge of substitutes for nigella seeds in your recipes?
I have you covered. I’ll explain everything there is to know about nigella seeds in this article and what you can use in their place.
10 Best Nigella Seeds Substitute
Here are the 10 best Nigella substitutes.
- Black Sesame Seeds
These are frequently used in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines, like nigella seeds.
You can use it in the same quantity the recipe calls for nigella seeds. You won’t notice a difference if you use black sesame seeds instead of nigella.
- Cumin Seeds
The first thing that comes to mind as a Nigella seed substitute is cumin seeds.
Cumin seeds can easily be used in place of nigella if you dry-toast them in a pan before incorporating them into your dish. After roasting, you can even smash them to enhance their flavor.
- White Sesame Seeds
White sesame seeds give the foods that are used a toasty flavor. They may have used them to top hamburger buns.
They taste mildly bitter and nutty. These are fantastic sources of calcium and magnesium. The flavor of white sesame seeds is almost identical to that of nigella seeds.
- Celery Seeds
Celery seeds are a multipurpose seasoning. They taste somewhat harsh yet have a warm flavor. It works better to use half as many celery seeds as the recipe calls for nigella seeds.
A little lemon juice mixed with onion powder can also make celery seeds taste almost identical to nigella seeds.
- Oregano
Spanish thyme or wild marjoram are other names for the seasoning herb oregano. Its flavor is thought to be comparable to camphor. It tastes strongly of the earth with a hint of bitterness.
You can use Oregano instead of nigella seeds because it adds an earthy and peppery flavor to the dish.
- Caraway seeds
This substitute for nigella seeds will win you over with its strong scent, light anise flavor, and mix of lemony and peppery flavors that taste a little earthy.
Caraway seeds are fantastic in soups, curries, sausages, and liquor. You can use them on top of baked goods to add texture.
- Fenugreek seeds
You can describe the flavor of fenugreek seeds as bitter, nutty, and fragrant. Its flavor is comparable to maple syrups.
Although they have an intense bitter taste when eaten raw, cooked meals benefit from their vivid aromatic flavor.
Since they taste good and are easy to find, fenugreek seeds can be used instead of nigella seeds.
- Mustard Seeds
Black mustard and nigella seeds have a similar flavor that is slightly bitter and aromatic.
Because these can be hard to come by, you can alternatively use the more widely available yellow or brown mustard seeds.
Depending on the sort of mustard seeds you’re using, you should vary the number of sources you use.
- Fennel seeds
The seeds of fennel plants are known as fennel seeds. Italian cuisine frequently uses these seeds, which have a licorice-like flavor that is sweet, strong, and aromatic.
They add a substantial flavor boost to bread, chutney, and recipes with both meat and vegetables.
Because they taste a lot like licorice, fennel seeds can only be used in place of nigella seeds in certain foods.
- Onion Flakes
The term “onion flakes” describes chopped, dehydrated onions. They differ from minced onions in several ways. Minced onions have a chunky texture, unlike onion flakes, which are far more finely ground.
Since nigella seeds taste like a toasted onion, onion flakes are a great way to replace them.
Conclusion
You can acquire the closest flavor to nigella seeds by choosing from the top alternatives above. Try to test the number of nigella seeds necessary to prevent overpowering the taste when using replacements.
As a result, use this versatile ingredient or its substitutes to prepare and season your meal!
