Fenugreek leaves and seeds are common in many Indian and Mediterranean recipes/dishes because of their nutty and earthy flavor. Both taste bitter when eaten raw, but give a unique spicy aroma to sweet and savory dishes/recipes. If you are cooking something that calls for Fenugreek seed or leaves and you don’t have it right now, you don’t need to get anxious because we are going to talk about Fenugreek Substitute right here.
Before going ahead, we need to know what is Fenugreek actually. So that it would be easy for us to get the perfect Fenugreek substitute.
Table of Contents
What is Fenugreek?
Fenugreek comes from India and Europe. Dried Fenugreek has a similar taste to maple syrup. Fenugreek leaves and seeds are used to make teas, sweet sauces, and desserts. In India, the whole plant of Fenugreek from seeds to leaves is used to make many kinds of things such as teas, to spice up recipes, and somewhere in desserts. This spice can be used with other hot spices like cumin, allspice, coriander, and paprika. Fenugreek seeds are used for making skincare, haircare, and medicines. It makes the recipe/dish easy to digest. That’s why this herb is used in many Indian cuisines.
Nutrient Profile of Fenugreek:
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Carbs: 6 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Iron: 20% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Manganese: 7% of the DV
- Magnesium: 5% of the DV
Health Benefits of Fenugreek:
- Fenugreek helps to increase breast milk.
- It also increases the testosterone level in men.
- Fenugreek is really helpful to control blood sugar levels.
- It reduces inflammation and helps in relieving pain.
What can I substitute for Fenugreek Leaves/Seeds?
We know that it’s a kind of weird feeling when you come to know that you are running out of the main ingredient for your delicious recipe/dish. If you are stuck in the same situation right now. First, I would like to tell you that it’s really common to feel this kind of situation. You need not worry by the way. Here, we have a list of the best substitute for Fenugreek as you can see down below. You just have to choose accordingly what you have right now in your kitchen/pantry so that your recipe won’t be ruined.
1. Yellow Mustard Seeds:
Yellow Mustard Seeds have almost the same taste as Fenugreek Seeds. It is slightly bitter when we eat it raw, but it tastes great when cooked. These seeds combine sweetness and spiciness in chutney or sauces. You can also roast them and use them in meat or fish recipes/dishes. You can swap it in the same amount of Fenugreek Seeds. When it comes to its leaves, mustard leaves are great Fenugreek replacement.
2. Black Mustard Seeds:
Black Mustard Seeds give more intense flavor in chutney or curry recipes/dishes due to having a stronger flavor than yellow ones. These Black Mustard Seeds can be a little bitter in taste that’s why we are suggesting you take less amount of Black Mustard Seeds in place of Fenugreek Seeds. If your dish calls for some sweetness, you can mix it with some sort of maple syrup to give the desired aroma and flavor to the recipe.
3. Fennel Seeds:
Fennel Seeds can be a good Fenugreek Seeds alternative. They might not work really well with all recipes/dishes, but some recipes/dishes like meat or other similar taste enhancers. Fennel Seeds are nutty as well as have a strong and sweet taste. This is the reason Fennel Seeds don’t work with every dish/recipe. If you are cooking some baked dishes, you can use Fennel Seeds to get the sweet and nutty flavor.
4. Masala Powder:
Masala Powder is another Fenugreek alternative. It contains cinnamon and cloves that give a similar taste to Fenugreek. Masala Powder can be used in many dishes/recipes. This can be a perfect Fenugreek replacement because it contains ground Fenugreek seeds. If you are not looking for a very strong taste, you can use Masala Powder it would work really well in any recipe/dish.
5. Curry Powder:
Curry Powder is a mixture of different spices such as turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, cinnamon, etc. If all these spices are not added to your blend, you should use another combination. It’s important to know which curry powder blend you should use in your recipe in place of Fenugreek.
6. Alfalfa Sprouts:
Alfalfa Sprouts have a similar taste to celery leaves, yes you can use Alfalfa Sprouts in place of celery leaves when you need them. If you don’t have Fenugreek Leaves in your kitchen right now, you can use Alfalfa Sprouts as Fenugreek leaves alternative. It has a sweet and nutty flavor. It is almost similar or you can say it’s two points down in similarity to Fenugreek Leaves.
7. Celery:
Celery Leaves have a slightly nutty and bitter flavor similar to Fenugreek. However, Celery is not sweet as you find the maple flavor in Fenugreek. These regular Celery leaves are milder than Chinese Celery leaves. Chinese Celery is not commonly to be available around you or in any store, but it would really work well in a recipe/dish.
8. Chinese Celery:
Chinese Celery looks similar to the regular one, but it is not eatable raw because of its more pungent and peppery taste. You can use it in stews, lamb, chicken, turkey, and stir-fries as well. You can add some mustard seeds to intensify the aroma. The nutty-bitter taste of Chinese Celery is similar to Fenugreek.
9. Maple Syrup:
Maple Syrup might not be the first option when you are looking for a Fenugreek substitute. Still, it comes in the queue for Fenugreek substitute. It provides the same slightly bitter and sweet taste similar to Fenugreek. When using Maple Syrup in place of Fenugreek, you must be careful so that it won’t make the whole recipe sweet. This syrup is enough for both Fenugreek replacement seeds and leaves.
10. Spinach:
Spinach has high nutritional value than Fenugreek leaves. Using Spinach instead of Fenugreek leaves may change the flavor of your recipe/dish. It is mild and slightly sweet in taste, but best for soups, stews, and salads. The flavor of spinach increases when cooked for a while in a curry recipe/dish. If you are using it for the first time you should proceed ahead with caution.
11. Mustard Leaves:
Green Mustard Leaves give a spicy mustard flavor with some grassy freshness which is not too overpowering. It won’t ruin the taste of your whole dish/recipe. You can add some other greens to your salad to give it a little kick. Some people also use mustard green in smoothies and teas in place of Fenugreek leaves because it’s healthy.
12. Dijon Mustard:
If you don’t have the above options, you can add a teaspoon of Dijon Mustard to your recipe. Dijon Mustard has a pleasant spicy flavor like Wasabi. Its tangy and spicy flavor helps to enhance the taste of different sauces and meat recipes. If you’re making some desserts that call for Fenugreek, it won’t work well. You have to use honey Dijon Mustard, instead.
13. Kale Leaves:
Kale Leaves can replace Fenugreek leaves in stews, stir-fries, curries, salads, and casseroles. Kale Leaves must be cooked before use in any recipe to overcome their bitter taste. They have an earthy flavor but are not spicy as Fenugreek leaves. If you don’t find Fenugreek leaves around you, Kale leaves must be a perfect substitute.
FAQ:-
Does Fenugreek have side effects?
Yes, Fenugreek has some side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, and other digestive tract symptoms, and sometimes dizziness and headaches. Some people may face an allergic reaction.
Does Fenugreek cause weight gain?
According to a study, some new mothers found that having herbal tea with Fenugreek Seeds increases breast milk production that helps the babies to gain more weight.
Now, you know the best Fenugreek Seed Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
