What Are Cardamom seeds and How Can I Use Them?

Cardamom seeds rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 317 recipes to cook with them.

What are cardamom seeds?

Cardamom is the intensely aromatic seed of a plant in the ginger family, sold as whole pods, as loose seeds, or already ground into powder.

Inside each papery pod sit small dark seeds that hold almost all of the flavor: sweet and floral with a cooling, eucalyptus-like edge and a faint citrus lift.

There are two kinds worth knowing. Green cardamom is the common one, bright and perfumed, used in everything from chai to Scandinavian buns. Black cardamom is larger and dried over fire, which gives it a smoky note meant for savory braises rather than sweets.

A little goes a very long way, which is why it is one of the most expensive spices by weight.

How to Use Cardamom

Buy whole pods when you can. The flavor lives in volatile oils that fade fast once the seeds are exposed, so pods keep that perfume far longer than a tin of pre-ground powder.

To use them, crush a pod with the flat of a knife and either drop it in whole or pick out the seeds and grind them fresh.

Whole crushed pods go into rice and braises where you can fish them out, the way they flavor Shahi Dal and a Tandoori Marinade.

Toasting wakes them up. Warm the seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for a minute or two until fragrant, then grind. Ground cardamom goes straight into doughs and batters, scenting a Swedish Cardamom Braid or a Blueberry Cardamom Buttermilk Cake.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Cardamom plays both sides of the kitchen. On the sweet side it pairs with coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, orange, and rose; on the savory side it anchors garam masala and rich meat dishes alongside cumin and clove.

The most common mistake is overdoing it. Cardamom turns soapy and almost medicinal when heavy-handed, so start with less than you think and build, especially with ground powder, which hits harder than whole pods.

The other slip is grabbing the wrong type. Smoky black cardamom in a delicate pastry tastes off, and floral green cardamom gets lost in a hearty meat braise. Match the cardamom to the dish.

Substitutes

Nothing copies cardamom exactly, but you can get close. For its warm, sweet side, an equal mix of cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg covers a lot of ground in baking.

Ground ginger leans into cardamom's peppery warmth and works in savory blends. If a recipe calls for whole pods and you only have ground, use about ⅛ teaspoon of ground cardamom in place of one pod, and add it later in cooking since ground spice fades faster.

Buying and Storage

Choose green cardamom pods that are plump and firm with vivid green skin. Pale or shriveled pods have lost their oils. Loose seeds should smell strongly sweet through the bag.

Whole pods are the keepers. Stored in an airtight jar away from heat and light, they hold their aroma for about a year, while loose seeds fade faster and ground cardamom is best within a few months.

Grind only what you need for a given dish and leave the rest as pods. That single habit is the difference between cardamom that perfumes a whole loaf and a dusty powder that barely registers.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find cardamom seeds: Cardamom seeds are usually found in the spices section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Cardamom seeds are a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

豆蔻种子

British (UK) term

Cardamom seeds

en français

graines de cardamome

en español

semillas de cardamomo

How much do cardamom seeds weigh?

Related

Spices and Herbs

Recipes using cardamom seeds

There are 317 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Cardamom-Spiced Coffee

Cardamom-spiced coffee sweetened with condensed milk, in the Middle Eastern and South Asian style. A 4-ingredient brew that turns regular coffee into something exotic.

Ozne Haman (Hamantaschen)

Hamantaschen for Purim with a tender carrot-flecked dough and a tangy apricot-pineapple filling spiked with cardamom and poppy seed. The classic triangle cookie with real character.

Favourite Spiced Tea

Favourite spiced tea: a fragrant homemade chai blend of peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger ground fresh, stirred into a pot of tea and served hot with milk and sugar.

Plum Ice Cream Souffles with Spiced-Plum Sauce

A great summer time dessert, lots of ripe and sweet plum give the souffles delicious flavor!

Plum Ice Cream Souffles with Spiced-Plum Sauce

A great summer time dessert, lots of ripe and sweet plum give the souffles delicious flavor!

Kukul Mus Thakkali or Chicken & Tomato Curry

Kukul Mus Thakkali, a Sri Lankan chicken and tomato curry with coconut milk, lemongrass, curry leaves, fenugreek and cardamom. Marinated and simmered for rich, layered flavor.

Danish Biscuits

Danish biscuits are crisp Scandinavian shortbread cookies spiced with cardamom, cinnamon and clove. Six ingredients, 30 minutes, and a tin keeps them fresh for weeks.

Swedish Pancakes with Berry-Cardamom Topping

First time to make Swedish pancakes, it was so much fun to watch this petite pancakes being browned and puffed in the pan. I made a blueberry sauce that tasted fruity, refreshing and delicious with these warm pancakes. With a cup of orange juice, our breakfast was well served.

Swedish Pancakes with Berry-Cardamom Topping

First time to make Swedish pancakes, it was so much fun to watch this petite pancakes being browned and puffed in the pan. I made a blueberry sauce that tasted fruity, refreshing and delicious with these warm pancakes. With a cup of orange juice, our breakfast was well served.

Apricot Muffins

Wholesome whole-wheat muffins with dried apricots soaked in apple juice, spiced with cardamom and studded with walnuts.

Norwegian Heart-Shaped Waffles

Norwegian heart-shaped waffles (vafler): cardamom-spiced buttermilk waffles served Scandinavian-style as dessert with berry jam, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.

Oatmeal & Berry Pancakes

These delicious pancakes are full of yumminess and goodness. They are moist in the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside. Berries give you some juicy explosion in every bite. They are perfect for breakfast.

Almond Kulfi

Kulfi is a very popular Indian ice cream. Kulfi comes in a variety of different flavors. Traditional kulfi is flavored with cardamom; this recipe is flavored with cardamom and almond.

Tomato Date Chutney

Indian-style tomato date chutney slow-simmered with vinegar-soaked chilies, ginger, garlic, and warm whole spices. Sweet, tart, and lasts six weeks in the fridge.

Chicken & Green Onion Curry

A succulent chicken dish that is served with a delicious sauce everyone will love!

Chocolate Spice Bundt Cake

Chocolate spice bundt cake folds ground cardamom into a sour cream chocolate batter, then drips with warm ganache glaze. Aromatic showstopper bundt cake for special occasions.

Nosmo's Moroccan Chili

Hearty Moroccan-spiced lentil chili with orange, cinnamon, cardamom and fresh vegetables. Pressure cooker ready in minutes, served over couscous for a warming vegetarian weeknight meal.

Christmas Cardamom Bread

A simple but delicious Christmas bread that tastes wonderful plain, or toasted with a sweet jam.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Oatmeal cookies with dried cranberries and three warm spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. The chewy holiday-leaning take on the classic. Four dozen per batch.

Cardamom Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Low-fat oatmeal raisin cookies built on applesauce instead of butter, with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest. Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced.

Pear-Pecan Muffins

A nice Autumn flavor to these light muffins. The optional sugar topping makes a more crispy crust. To make these more diabetic friendly, I used Splenda for half of the sugar. Feel free to use all brown sugar.

Eggplant, Red Pepper & Spinach Curry

No meat today, I guess I like this way.. Vegan if you replace ghee..

Pfeffernusse

At Christmas time for sugar and spice these pfeffernusse are extra nice: try them once and you'll be delighted And so will the guests whom you've invited.

Chicken Korma

This scrumptious chicken dish is made with safflower oil, plain yogurt and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Authentic Naan Khatai

Sometimes you are at a loss. No ideas whatsoever, you have favorites at Tastespotting, you have archives, you have notes on what recipes to try and you have people feedback but nothing seems to fit. I cannot write a post to 'fill in' space. I have to absolutely love that recipe and it should look and taste amazing not to mention that it should be photographed decently. This weeks' post is one of a kind of traditional Indian biscuits called Naan Khatai.This is a very old hands down recipe.It consists of only three main ingredients - Ghee, flour and sugar. It is flavored with freshly grounded cardamom. The cookies are sprinkled with pistachios or Almond. The typical texture of these cookies should be powder like on the cracked tops. You can find them in almost all bakeries and they are true all time favorites. Nan khatai is an egg-less light and crispy biscuit that’s perfect to serve with tea or coffee.

Baked Butternut Squash

Easy baked butternut squash seasoned with the warmth of cardamom and star anise.

Sinfully Good Chili

Cincinnati 5-way chili: ground beef chili spiced with cinnamon, cocoa, allspice, and cardamom, ladled over spaghetti and topped with cheddar, beans, and chopped onion.

Sri Lanka Sweet Mango Chutney

Sri Lankan sweet mango chutney cooks sliced mangoes with sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds, cardamom, and sultanas into a sticky, spiced preserve. Pairs with curries, grilled meats, and cheese boards.

Chicken & Shrimp Vindaloo

This spicy Indian dish is best served with basmati or jasmine rice, warm nan, and ready-made mint chutney. A mango sorbet would be a nice finish to this meal.

Almond Ginger Biscotti

Almond ginger biscotti with the proper twice-baked crunch, studded with whole almonds, candied ginger and warm cardamom. Crisp, dunkable Italian cookies that keep for weeks in the jar.

German Plum Cake

German plum cake (Zwetschgenkuchen) layers fresh plum wedges over a yeast-and-baking-powder dough, finished with cardamom sugar. A late-summer Bavarian classic for coffee hour.

Beef Strips in Sweet Pepper Sauce

Beef in a sweet red bell pepper sauce spiked with jalapeno, garlic, ginger and subtle spices. Colorful and easy preparation.

German Sausage - Bratwurst Bramberger

Bratwurst Bramberger: a southern German pork-and-bacon sausage bound with milk and egg for an exceptionally tender, fine texture, seasoned with ground spices and stuffed into hog casings.

Cardamom Bread

This easy to make and amazing taste cardamon bread is simply delicious, we had it at our Easter dinner, our aunt made it, and it was a huge hit.

German Plum Cake (Healthier Version)

By using most whole wheat flour and olive oil makes this German plum cake much healthier but still tastes super moist and delicious.

Chocolate Chunk Cranberry & Walnut Cookies

Delicious recipe for an all-year round chocolate treat.

Frontier Chicken

Frontier Chicken is original from northern Pakistan, south Asian. It has become popular in the US, Canada and the UK. The unusual combination of flavors, spicy and the sweetness from the banana and peppers creates a unique balance.

Hanz's Swiss-German Bratwurst Sausage

Hanz's Swiss-German bratwurst: a homemade pork and veal sausage seasoned with white wine and freshly ground spices, double-ground for a fine texture and stuffed into hog casings. An old family recipe.

Berbere

Toast whole spices and grind fresh for this fiery Ethiopian blend that transforms stews, roasted vegetables, and grilled meats with layers of heat and warmth.

Sago & Vermicelli Kheer

Indian sago and vermicelli kheer with golden raisins and cardamom simmered in milk. A creamy, fragrant pudding dessert served hot or chilled.

Velvety Coconut & Spice Cake, Part 1

Warm spices meet shredded coconut and molasses in this richly layered cake, topped with a tangy cream cheese orange frosting and a candied orange rose garnish that steals the show.

Rice Flan Tart with Candied Ginger

The low-calorie rice pudding flan is so delicious by itself that you may want to save the calories and fat in the crust, and serve it without the pastry.

Greek Christmas Bread Abm

Greek Christmas bread (Christopsomo) with cardamom, golden raisins, walnuts, and whole wheat flour. A fragrant, round holiday loaf shaped by hand and baked golden.

Blueberry Cardamom Buttermilk Cake

This cake combines the tanginess of blueberries and buttermilk with the aromatic warmth of cardamom, creating a moist and tender cake that is perfect for any occasion. With its unique blend of flavors and a hint of spice, this cake is sure to impress and delight your taste buds.

Fattigmands Bakkelese

Fattigmands bakkelese are traditional Norwegian deep-fried pastry cookies with cardamom, citron, and lemon juice. Rich egg yolk dough rolled thin, cut into diamond shapes, and fried until golden and crisp.

Spice Mix: Garam Masala

Homemade garam masala from whole roasted cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and mace ground fresh. This essential Indian spice blend takes 20 minutes and blows store-bought versions out of the water.

Abraysham Kabaub ( Silk Kebab)

A spicy and scrumptious side dish made with pistachio nuts and cardamom seeds.

Spiced Red Wine Fruit Soup with Candied Orange

Elegant red wine fruit soup with poached pears, candied orange slices, pineapple, and a crème fraîche finish. A stunning French-inspired dessert layered with star anise, vanilla, and cardamom.

Bunch O' Bread

A showstopper whole wheat yeast bread shaped like a cluster of grapes, spiced with cardamom and nutmeg, sweetened with maple syrup and orange liqueur, then brushed with honey butter.

Mellow Melon Soup

Chilled melon soup made with pureed cantaloupe, honeydew, sweet white wine, and cardamom. A refreshing no-cook summer soup garnished with fresh mint.

All 317 recipes