The dried, ground rhizome of a ginger relative, coloured a strong yellow-orange by curcumin and tasting earthy, slightly bitter and faintly musty.
What it does in a recipe: Colour first and flavour second - it turns a dish golden and adds a low earthy bitterness that other spices are usually built on top of. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Allergen checkCurry powders are blends and their fillers differ between brands; some contain wheat flour and many are packed on shared lines. Some also contain asafoetida, which is nearly always cut with wheat. Read the label before cooking gluten-free, and confirm with the producer where the allergy is medical.
1 tsp ground turmeric = a large pinch of saffron threads, about 1/4 tsp, steeped in warm liquid
Saffron is the other classic yellow colourant, and where turmeric is standing in for saffron in a recipe, this simply restores the original.
MethodSteep the threads in a few tablespoons of warm water or stock for fifteen minutes and add the liquid along with them.
Trade-offFar more expensive and completely different in flavour - floral and honeyed rather than earthy. The colour is more golden and less mustard-yellow.
Curcumin is fat-soluble and poorly absorbed in water, which is why turmeric is almost always fried in oil at the start of a dish rather than stirred in at the end.
At a glance
Ground turmeric in summary
Ground turmeric at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Can I use fresh turmeric root instead of ground turmeric?
1 tsp ground turmeric = 1 tbsp finely grated fresh turmeric. The fresh rhizome is mostly water, so the usual threefold concentration factor applies here as it does with fresh herbs. Brighter, more gingery and less dusty. It stains hands, boards and plastic even more aggressively than the powder.
Can I use curry powder instead of ground turmeric?
1 tsp ground turmeric = 1 1/2 tsp curry powder. Turmeric is what makes curry powder yellow and is usually its largest single component, so a slightly larger measure supplies a similar amount. Brings cumin, coriander, fenugreek and often chilli. Fine in a curry, wrong in a golden rice or a turmeric latte.
Can I use mustard powder with a pinch of paprika instead of ground turmeric?
1 tsp ground turmeric = 1/2 tsp mustard powder + 1/2 tsp paprika. Mustard powder carries a similar yellow tone and mild bitterness, and paprika warms the colour towards turmeric's orange. Adds a pungency turmeric does not have, and the colour is duller. Works in a pickle or a dressing, not in a curry base.
Can I use saffron instead of ground turmeric?
1 tsp ground turmeric = a large pinch of saffron threads, about 1/4 tsp, steeped in warm liquid. Saffron is the other classic yellow colourant, and where turmeric is standing in for saffron in a recipe, this simply restores the original. Far more expensive and completely different in flavour - floral and honeyed rather than earthy. The colour is more golden and less mustard-yellow.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.